Sep 9, 20234 min read

Laid-back-luxe: Glasshouse wedding inspo.

Glasshouses are fabulous spaces for weddings. Not only do they provide natural light all year round, but they are structurally beautiful, intimate and a great way of being able to incorporate the outdoors into your day. If you are looking for some inspiration on how you can create a botanical-luxe styling in a glasshouse space, then you have come to the right place. Here I will talk you through what the team did to create this look and feel.

The team were inspired with the natural light and tones created by a late spring/early summer golden hour: shimmering coppers and golds, yellows and peach. We chose the location of Riseholme as the backdrop for our editorial shoot and it's glasshouse setting nestling in the stunning South Downs was the perfect space for the team to create magic.

A wedding breakfast set up in a glasshouse with oak cross back chairs and hanging dried flowers — Light and airy glasshouse nestled in the South Downs

The concept

An aglow glasshouse. A mix of informal intimacy with high-end and opulent details. The nights are drawing out and the bridal party can make use of the longer days in the outdoors. There is softness to the luxe details: fabrics and textures teamed with golds and rusts, flowers and fruits spill out of vessels, textured natural papers lay on stoneware plates. This is a wedding encompassing city vibes with rustic elegance.

The location

https://www.riseholmesussex.co.uk With views to die for, Riseholme is a Victorian home in the pretty village of Cuckfield, Sussex which has recently thrown their doors open for intimate weddings and events. It boasts many beautiful spaces in one boutique location, from the sunken garden (perfect for ceremonies), to the glasshouse to the wild meadow and orchard (imagine evening drinks receptions here...). There are magical spaces to explore with are a perfect backdrop for the entire day. Stay for the weekend and have exclusive use of the pool and pool house with a private chef!

The styling

When creating any styling concept, we like to use the surroundings as our springboard: here, the outdoors, the light and the natural tones and textures. We knew our palette was going to be inspired by the early evening light and the golden hour, therefore we focused on coppers, golds and yellows which were brought out in the candles, florals and stationery. These needed to be the stars of the show so we opted for neutral tones on the table linen. Our natural oak chairs, also complimented this.

The outside was brought in by the use of pale greens on the napkins, grasses and moss. We love to contrast and juxtapose shapes and textures therefore soft velvet ribbons tied the contemporary cutlery, vintage copper candlesticks created height and grandeur, and fruit created a botanical Victorian elegance and opulence, whilst bringing out the greens and oranges of the linens and accessories. The stationery by Paigenco was a thoughtful play on the botanical theme: lemons, pears, oranges and blossom adorned each element of the suite with a mixture of romantic italic married with a contemporary text in gold foil. We loved the envelope inlay and the gold wax seal tying all the details together.

The fashion

We wanted to have two distinct 'looks' for our beautiful model bride, Rohiny. The first a more contemporary and formal silhouette provided by Morgan Davies Bridal, Hitchin. We selected this gown for its shape and blossom detail. The second, a more informal gown from Whiteleaf Boutique in Brighton, which complimented the glistening golden hour with nude fabric and pearl detailing.

Hair and make up was designed and created by Occasion Hair by Megan and Kendols Beauty respectively. Inspiration was taken from the recent wedding of Sophia Richie with her neat and stripped back beauty and 'Richie bun'. To compliment the first look, Megan and Amy created a Hollywood wave and a soft apricot lip. The second look took the form of a soft bun and golden eyes.

The accessories were expertly handmade by Saint Beth and Honey and Ember and encompassed delicate ornate headpieces and incredible earrings. Shoes were supplied by Freya Rose which boasted the most incredible detailing on the heel.

The floral design

Sam, our incredibly talented florist created a number of floral pieces, all slightly different in each area but tied together with inspiration from the season, the palette and the natural surroundings. The ceremony space showcased individual asymmetrical pieces with a contrast of dried grasses and delicate blooms, an urn piece and hanging dried florals as a backdrop. The bouquet comprised of more abundant blooms, such as Ranunculus, Roses and Carnations with taller dried grasses to create movement.

In the glasshouse, she created a through-line of design by marrying the dried floral pieces which were seen in the ceremony area and hung over the table, with table instillations seemingly growing from the table, organically.

The cake and desserts

Holly creates the most stunning cakes and individual deserts. She specialises in making cakes and treats with incredible attention to detail by sculpting flowers and textures using sugar art. Here, Holly created a sculptural square cake, simple in design with added texture as its base adorned with delicate hand-made orange blossom with boxes of truffles for each guest. Her stunning individual meringues with gold leaf, lemon meringues and chocolate tortes were a lovely addition to the cake table which we placed in the orchard for evening drinks.