Miscellaneous Monday: Pretty umbrellas and parasols

We can’t get enough of umbrellas on Miscellaneous Monday this week!  There are so many ways you can incorporate them into your wedding day – after all, you can’t leave anything up to chance!  For inspiration, take a look at our new Pinterest board featuring some of our favourite parasol ideas - repin or make your own board and let us know on Twitter! And if you haven't already, read our West Weddings summer issue, where you'll find more planning inspiration!

Natasha and Ryan - a picture of love under the umbrella  

Accessorize your dress with a matching parasol

Follow West Weddings's board Pretty umbrellas and parasols on Pinterest.

       Ceremony! Outdoor ceremonies are more and more popular and perfect for summer weddings!  If your dream day is saying your vows alfresco, then a perfectly pretty arch made with fresh flowers and beautiful brollies is your best choice for decor.  Say your vows in the sunshine and don’t forget to provide a station of parasols for your guests, too – they’ll appreciate the shade!

 Reception! Create a unique reception style with scattered upside-down umbrellas in your colour theme. This idea works well outside for a summer wedding as well as inside when the weather is cooler– as long as you’re not superstitious! You can also use parasols as centre pieces, by tucking them into flower vases or as place names for your guests. Another idea is to decorate your drinks with mini crochet umbrellas to add a burst of colour.

Evening party! Cluster white or pastel parasols together and some fairy lights for a stunning canopy, which can decorate the dance floor.  After sunset, enjoy your first dance as husband and wife in a magical setting.

Accessories! Umbrellas make great accessories and gifts for your bridesmaids - they’ll keep them dry and shaded on the day and be lovely keepsakes afterwards. Used as props, they also provide plenty of fun photo opportunities!

Miscellaneous Monday: It’s festival fever!

For our Miscellaneous Monday this week, we’re looking at ways to celebrate your wedding day outdoors, whatever the weather. 

Festival wedding venue: Outdoor celebration

If you’d like to have a relaxed, laid back feel for your wedding day, then why not consider a festival theme? With summer music festivals and local fetes all across the West Country at this time of year, there are plenty of local suppliers that can help with everything you need. With a few simple touches, you can transform your parents’ garden into a wedding-worthy venue. Weather permitting, you could be making your way down the aisle on a carpet of daisies, with guests sitting on hay bales, and say ‘I do’ under a beautiful floral arch. And if you're embracing the festival theme fully, then invite your guests for a wedding picnic under the blue sky - do ask them to bring wellies and a brolly, just in case!   

To get you started, we’ve put together a Festival Theme board on Pinterest, which you can share with your bridesmaids and maybe inspire you to create your own. We'd love to hear your thoughts in a comment below or drop us a message on Twitter!

Follow West Weddings's board Festival wedding theme on Pinterest.

Festival wedding details: Wild flowers   

From bouquets to center pieces, think mismatched wild flowers in different shapes and shades that look like they’ve just been picked from a meadow. Take inspiration from Kate Moss and go for a natural look – think soft dresses, loose curls, floral garlands and bare feet!  

Festival wedding music: Live band

There’s no better way to create a festival atmosphere for your wedding than with a live music performance. Choose a band whose style you both love and agree on a playlist that will get everyone on the dance floor. Add some festival flags, fairy lights and glow sticks, and your guests will feel like they’re at Glastonbury!