Reclaimed wood, string lights, burlap, succulents-you'd be hard-pressed to find a wedding without at least one of these elements this year.
Although it's a trend that has been around for a while, brides everywhere are still embracing the rustic feel for their big day, finding new ways to bring the outdoors in with woodland touches and country chic accents, says Kelly Brown of Homespun Weddings & Events.
"Rustic weddings are pretty much what we do," she says. "It goes hand in hand with the DIY trend and a lot of people are wanting to be different than the traditional church weddings and reception halls. It's just a way of expressing your style."
Even wedding florals are getting a rustic touch, says Gil Cartwright, co-owner of Flowers by Gil & Curt.
"When it comes to flowers, the wheatier the better," he says. "Dried pods, any kind of daisy-looking flower, succulents ... anything that has more of that look and is not traditional."
Cartwright says that rustic wedding venues have become the go-to for brides, and they are branching out from the usual to now having weddings in a field, a barn, on a boat dock or even at an old filling station.
"The further out in the bushes you can get, the better they like it. That's the going thing. If you've got a plowed field somewhere, come on. You can rent it out for a wedding," he says. "I even had a rehearsal dinner at a Texaco. They had hay bales for seating and put a piece of plywood over the thing they used to use to hold the car and put the food on that."
In spite of the new, trending wedding venues available to brides, some choose a simpler scene for their big day but use décor touches to still give it that rustic vibe.
"A lot of times our clients want to have that rustic element but they don't want to deal with the heat of summer or the stress of it raining on their day," says Brown. "But you can get married inside and bring some of those elements in by using mismatched vases or quilts and reclaimed wood. All of those elements can help you create your own rustic feel even if you don't get married in a barn or if you don't have the perfect venue that screams rustic."
As Pinterest continues to inspire brides with DIY options, the rustic wedding trend will continue along with it-at least for a while.
"Pinterest is alive and well. But I think like everything else, [the trend] will play its course out and we'll get into the next phase of what the girls are into. Instead of shabbychic, they'll probably go to something more elegant," says Dolores Murphy, owner of Monica's Bridal.
"Either way, brides should just express their own personality and do exactly what they want."
Engaged? Sa y "I Do" to Bridal Affair
Plan your special day at Bridal Affair, an exciting event for brides-to-be scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 23, from 1-5:30 p.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center. The event features more than 150 vendor booths and wedding professionals ranging from venues to caterers to florists, photographers and more. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit timesfreepress.com/bridalaffair.