Summer pastels at Dalduff Farm
I love a June wedding! We’re heading into summer proper by then and a whole new season of flowers beckons perfect for weddings. Dalduff Farm is an old favourite wedding venue where I’ve worked on many, many weddings over the years and it’s also a firm favourite with Glasgow couples, who are wanting a country wedding vibe without heading too far out of the city.
Dalduff Farm is still a working farm, with a farm shop that is renowned for its produce - so you know the wedding catering is going to be amazing. Tucked away amidst the stunning Ayrshire countryside Dalduff is that perfect mix of rustic and luxury.
Our couple Fin and Damian held their wedding ceremony in the Dutch Barn. There are three barn spaces that couples can use, which is really useful when planning out the different elements of the day. It takes away the added logistical challenge of having to move flowers a long way in order to re-purpose them for the reception, meal etc. Plus, when each area of your wedding is within a barn you are pretty unrestricted on your colour palette. I’ve done bright smartie weddings at Dalduff, autumnal weddings, lovely jewel tones…anything and everything you can think of is likely to work in the space. It’s so flexible.
Rustic barn wedding flowers
The Dutch Barn is perfect if you want an outdoor wedding but are a little concerned about the weather (and who isn’t in Scotland?!). It’s open all down one side so lets in lots of amazing natural light and has that outside feel whilst still protecting you and your guests from the worst of the elements. With wooden flooring and that warm, honey coloured wooden backing at the top of the aisle Fin and Damian’s muted pastel colours looked so elegant and romantic.
Image by Horizon Visuals
We welcomed guests with two vintage milk churn designs, overflowing with wildflowers and greenery. Churns are a great alternative to pedestals which can feel a tad formal in a barn setting. They’re more at home in a church, castle or manor house venue. A milk churn arrangement is a similar size to a pedestal but far better suited to a barn or marquee. Obviously they work really well in farm venues. The flowers are happy because they’re in water and the churns are easy to move as well and you don’t need to organise a pedestal stand for them as they are tall enough on their own. Later in the day they were moved from the Dutch Barn to the main byre for the wedding reception.
An extra bonus to the milk churns is that they’re nice and stable, so are perfect for outdoor ceremonies. Pedestal arrangements can be a wee bit tippy if the wind gets up. It’s always good to think about the weather (and not just rain!) when you’re planning an outdoor ceremony. Wind can be a definite challenge, whether that’s with aisle flowers, arches or pedestal arrangements. I do have a variety of weights and tent pegs I use to keep things standing but you don’t want any added worry on the day.
Image by Horizon Visuals
Once in the barn we lined the aisle with bottles and bud vases of pastel, cream and white flowers, and put some on the partition that marked the ‘entry’ to the aisle. They were all re-purposed and put on the reception tables later on. This really helps carry the colour palette through the space and draw the eye down the aisle.
I loved Fin and Damian’s showstopper arch at the bottom of the aisle, it was absolutely covered in flowers and smelt heavenly thanks to the lilac and mock orange. It was chocka with roses and peonies and felt so luxurious and romantic. A real focal point for the wedding with the blank canvas of the barn a perfect backdrop.
Beautiful, delicate bridal flowers
Fin’s bouquet was full of big blousy flowers, mixed with wee frothy ones for a bit of texture. I am a big fan of the mini foxgloves I included which I grow every year and are so soft and delicate and work great in bouquets. Adding those to the roses, peonies and mock orange gave a very romantic, feminine, country garden look to the bouquets.
Fin looked gorgeous, with her beautiful dress and all that lovely detailing topped off with her flower crown. The little rose buds and the dainty pink and white flowers really completed her look. Her bridesmaids were wearing very pale sage dresses, a wee bit boho and ‘floaty’. The pale pastels of the flowers worked so well against the dresses.
Damian and his groomsmen went for the most popular choice of buttonhole in Scotland - thistle! I mixed it with some elements from the bouquet, just enough to tie it together rather than be too matchy matchy. Thistle buttonholes always last well, they do great out of water and can withstand some ‘man hugs’!
A fun, countryside wedding reception
The old byre has fab whitewashed old stone walls and is full of natural timber tones, again this works well for all kinds of different colour palettes. Long wooden trestle tables were set up with bud vases running along the length of them. Behind the top table we created a hanging focal piece - three hoops of flowers. It’s a great way to ‘frame’ the couple during speeches and break up the big blank wall behind.
Image by Horizon Visuals
The whitewashed walls look lovely but can be a little plain, so I always encourage couples to think about ways to soften them up a little, whilst bringing your themes and colours into the space.
If you want more inspiration for wedding flowers at Dalduff then be sure to check out some more of my blogs here’s a jewel toned wedding and rust and terracotta wedding.
Thanks so much to Andrew Caira at Horizon Visuals for the amazing photographs.
If you’re looking for inspiration for your own rustic wedding day then feast your eyes on some of our other weddings in the summer wedding gallery on the website.
I always love chatting all things flowers so if you’re looking for a wedding florist and want to talk about your plans and ideas please get in touch.