During our work-from-home staycation, we’re keeping in touch with our sister venues and suppliers and the whole wedding industry knows we’re in for a busy few months ahead.
As we batten down the hatches and weather the storm, we wonder if we could turn this tragedy into a new trend and plant winter and mid-week weddings on the map. David Beahm, Harper Bazaar’s Event Designer, says “Perhaps Wednesday weddings are going to be the new thing for a while, and there’s nothing wrong with that”.
As many weekend dates are already booked in 2020 and choosing a weekend in 2021 could leave a venue or supplier’s business unable to sustain events next year, what if we took that off the table and got #wednesdayweddings #WW20 #wednesdaysforthewin #WW21 trending?
Why should I become a mid-week trend setter?
- Availability – practically speaking, most venues are booked up 1-2 years in advance and suppliers now have the huge task of re-arranging their whole calendar. Realistically, there will be much more availability mid-week now than at any weekend.
- Ease of travel – trains will be quieter, flights will be cheaper, traffic will be lighter and extra, local accommodation will be on offer. This actually makes it a lot easier for your guests to get to your wedding. Yes, they’ll need to take a day off but bosses will be aware of the situation and everyone needs an excuse to party after this.
- Social act of kindness – tourism, hospitality and leisure industries are on a knife-edge. To prevent them from falling into the abyss, postponing to a mid-week wedding could save their business and protect job security for their staff. Remember the words “In a world where we can be anything, be kind”?
What would my mid-week wedding look like?
This is the fun part and where our Pinterest addiction is put to good use!
- Themes – for winter, why not be creative and come dressed for an après-ski wedding? Or, in true Autumn style, adorn the barn with pumpkins and lanterns? Lots of bohemian and festival weddings are held in the autumn and the photos are breath-taking, as is the backdrop at Harefield Barn at this time of year. Or for summer? How about beach gear, traditional striped deck chairs with fish and chips and ice cream. After all, who doesn’t love a good old British seaside holiday?
- Treats – for autumn and winter, we love the idea of having a hot drinks bar. If that doesn’t do the trick, a whisky bar will always be welcome and children will queue up for a s’more session, roasting marshmallows over the fire pit where you can wrap up warm whilst gazing at the big open sky full of stars. And in the summer you really can’t go wrong with a great pimms or fruity cocktail, or how about a ‘pimp my ice cream’ station on our beautiful vintage cart?
- Accessories – what woman doesn’t love to accessorise and this is where we can have some fun with umbrellas, wellies, blankets, hand warmers or ear muffs. Consider using this as an excuse to indulge yourself with a hand-painted, custom leather jacket for the bride, a hand-crocheted shawl, a beautiful faux-fur statement piece or an exquisite lace parasol.
- Making a statement – imagine faux-fur draping over haystacks, vintage rugs taking centre stage in the barn, fairy lights wrapped around the trees, lanterns in every nook and cranny and fire pits and log burners providing that cosy, warm feeling. You could even add a touch of magic with some hand-held sparklers. Harefield Barn has some great giant garden games for those summer days where rugs and filled picnic baskets would make for a truly relaxing afternoon.
Instead of ‘Lockdown’ let’s make this ‘Look-up” and use this time at home to let your imagination fly.
We’re up for the mid-week mayhem if you are!
