Rustic Wedding Invitations
The Rise of Rustic Weddings
A cursory search of “rustic wedding ideas” on Pinterest yields an overwhelming amount of inspirational images and project ideas. It seems like no other theme has taken over social media imagery and blogs quite as ubiquitously as ‘rustic’. This could be attributed to its wide range of definitions and whilst people may imagine different imagery from that word, there are a few concepts and aesthetics that run through the idea of a rustic wedding. Those common factors are often the reasons that the rise in rustic weddings has been so pronounced over the last couple of years.
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Rustic may have in the past been used as a pejorative, and surely it is hard to imagine rustic designs having much popularity in the gloss and excess of the 80s, or the grunge and minimalism of the 90s. Design trends all flow in cycles and usually one style will emerge as a direct contradiction to what came before. The 00s brought lots of structure and polish, and it also marked a steady rise of social media consumption that allowed us all to be plugged in to everything at all times. Rustic traditionally comes from references to countrysides, rural areas and of something made with less sophistication. So it is unsurprising that the idea of something less contrived gained traction at the same time we were used to everything being designed for the most perfect presentation.
Whilst what counts as rustic style design may vary with person to person, generally it evokes a sense of the countryside so when it comes to wedding venues, barns, wineries and farms have all been quite popular. Nature is often incorporated but not shaped too much; flowers are often wildflowers and gathered in natural looking bouquets rather than manicured flower formations. Table settings might forego tablecloths, cutlery and glassware can often be mismatched, and stationery is often on recycled papers or even wood with lots of handmade touches.
Rustic allows for individuality as social media has made everyone else’s lives much more accessible and easier to compare to. When it comes to weddings, people often want to stand out rather than go along with what everyone else is doing. Creating a custom wedding dress, cake or wedding invitations is now easier than ever with the convenience of using the internet to find independent makers. Having something handmade is a point of value, and the visible imperfections of something created by hand is usually what gives it its rustic definition. When it comes to stationery, rustic wedding invitations usually have touches that are individually assembled, such as handwritten names or hand painted details. Whilst cheap rustic wedding invitations are quite easy to create with recycled paper and simple twine, at the other end of the spectrum, small batch handmade papers also fit that artisanal quality and suit those wishing for a more rustic chic wedding invitation style.
The way DIY elements fit into a rustic theme also accounts for a lot of its popularity. Not only can it be an affordable option to get involved in making items you need, it also sparks a great talking point on the day. It creates more meaningful keepsakes for your guests, if say, they knew that you’d individually addressed each place card or bomboniere tag. Likewise, a big expense of weddings is the catering and if you’re blessed with family members with culinary skills, home cooking the wedding meal could be a huge saving as well as a source of comfort for all your guests.
The breadth of styles rustic covers also means that it can be adapted to personal preferences. Those wanting a more vintage style can incorporate dried flowers in each place setting or create rustic lace wedding invitations by wrapping old lace around the wedding suite to hold all the cards together. For something more natural, writing guest names on foraged leaves adds a beautiful ephemeral touch. For autumn weddings, collecting leaves in all shades to add to the stationery is an easy way to create a rustic fall wedding invitation look.
As we’ve all become used to living in high density urban environments, it’s a welcome change for events such as weddings to migrate out of built up city centers. This return to nature is often what has driven rustic wedding design elements. Rustic often looks towards imitating nature and yielding to it rather than trying to control it. It also often involves more eco-conscious materials such as natural fibres, wood and recyclable or reclaimed items. As we recognise the importance of leaving as small a mark as possible on this world, design trends reflect this move towards sustainability which means an emphasis on the environment does not limit your options.
Rustic designs are a category that is constantly changing and it will always have a place amongst those who naturally gravitate towards a fuss free, natural approach to events. However, it will also remain open to being interpreted and merged with a range of tastes so its longevity as a trend will likely continue.