Nature Wedding Ideas Celebrates Inclusivity & Sustainability

Goodness, how I love these stunning wedding ideas set at the The Owl Barn Little Seed Field wedding venue which have been sent in by Louise Pollitt Photography and Hannah Rachael Weddings.

Why? For many reasons; the first is the way the team wish to promote the need for representation in the wedding industry, but also to encourage wedding suppliers to incorporate accessibility. Secondly, there was a focus on sustainability and showcasing how a wedding can be eco-friendly and create less waste. How absolutely brilliant is that!

Then, of course, there was the styling itself; with stunning greenery florals, beautiful attire and a fantastic yurt reception decked out in stylish touches. Be sure to read the fantastic advice, as well of course enjoy these divine images.

Little Seed Field Wedding Ideas

Wedding planning is an exciting time for couples, an experience couples want to be able to enjoy but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. When you have a disability, there is a lot more to take into consideration.

The additional planning can be extremely time-consuming and the lack of awareness of basic requirements can add additional complications and stresses to the planning process. At Hannah Rachael Weddings, we represent a diverse set of clients and know how important it is to show unique aspects of the couples’ love whilst ensuring all elements of the day are accessible for them and their guests.

The aim of the shoot was to showcase how crucial it is for the wedding industry to be representing all couples and all love within their businesses. There is a great deal the wedding industry needs to do to get to a position where everyone feels represented and included. If we don’t make a start now, if we don’t adapt our practices and implement changes now, then we will never get closer to creating a welcoming and inclusive industry for all.

I worked closely with Jo at Little Seed Field to develop the concept and team for the shoot. Not only did we want to help raise awareness of inclusion, but we also wanted to interweave the concept of sustainable practices in too.

We hope to highlight how all businesses, no matter how rural, big, or small you may be, that you can incorporate accessibility and sustainability into your businesses; making the lives of others and the planet better in the process. Unfortunately, it was quite challenging to find other small business who had already adopted these processes and practices into their businesses, hence the need for this shoot in the first place.

Our photographer, Louise, was amazing on the day, working with Georgina and Richard to capture their fun-loving and joyous personalities and this all really came across in the final images. Laura from Lumiere Photographic was also onsite capturing the day as it unfolded and did a great job of working with Louise to make sure every detail was documented. It’s for this very reason that I recommend couples opt to have a 2nd shooter.

Our approach was to keep the styling minimal but elegant to reflect the rustic, rural beauty of Little Seed Field and to let Georgina and Richard’s wonderful personalities shine for themselves. We wanted Georgina and Richard to feel as though they had escaped into nature and could enjoy time away from the hustle and bustle of life. Isn’t that what most people want when they get married? Georgina and Richard travelled to The Owl Barn in style in a navy Beauford Tourer convertible.

Flowers

Rachel from Rose Cottage did a great job of foraging foliage and sourcing locally grown British blooms to help add a softness to The Owl Barn and the yurt provided by North Sky Yurts. It was important that we encapsulate the idea of nature overtaking our spaces and that nothing felt too contrived or regimented. Therefore, we opted for natural, unstructured installations such as the foliage hoop and trailing ivy up the yurt’s lattice.

Decor

The tableware was hired and we ripped old cotton sheets to make the napkins. Milk bottles were utilised for displaying florals and chicken wire used to create the base of the larger installations. It was important that our décor could go on to be re-used or repurposed in other ways after the shoot, not just thrown into landfill once it had served its purpose. Chloe from Hervé-Jones Designs used seed paper to create the menus, name cards and seating plan which cleverly double up as favours for guests to take home and plant as a memento of the day. We all know how many favours get left or thrown away at the end of a wedding so the fact that these ones can be put to good use and be recycled back into the land with minimal environmental impact is wonderful.

Yurts overall can be very wasteful and that’s why we wanted to work with a company who had sustainability at the core of everything they do. North Sky Yurts were the perfect duo for the shoot as they do what they can to source equipment that is reusable, recycled, second hand and hardwearing. Their yurt also effortlessly complemented the rural, rustic aesthetic and lent itself to the more cosy, intimate nature of our set up.

Cakes

When producing the cakes, Dorcas from Folia Cake Design had style, local produce and waste in mind. Dorcas created a selection of unstructured mini cakes with which were displayed on an old wooden sideboard sourced from a local vintage shop. Food waste can be a huge problem at weddings so having a selection of mini cakes instead of one large tiered one can help reduce the amount of waste produced.

Outfits

Everyone wants to feel amazing on their wedding day; that’s why attire, hair and makeup can play an important role. Because of Georgina’s disabilities, we wanted to make sure that the outfits chosen were not only created using sustainably sourced and recycled materials but practical for Georgina to move around in when in her manual wheelchair or using her mobility aids. It was crucial the garments were easy for Georgina to get into and didn’t have large trains or lots of excess fabric which could have gotten caught in the wheels of her wheelchair.

That’s why it was a joy working with Miriam at Eliza May Atelier. Miriam understood Georgina’s requirements and chose outfits which complimented. We even managed to fit in an outfit change, finishing with a two-piece which was made for partying the night away! This fitted Georgina perfectly and, being cropped, allowed her to have access to her PEGJ feeding tube on her abdomen as sometimes suits can be very restrictive when you have a feeding port. Both looks were styled elegantly with a pair of white satin shoes which Georgina had hand-painted herself.

Richard wore a grey 3-piece tweed suit finished with a green tie and pocket square from the wonderful Laura at Howarth Menswear; the quality of Laura’s suits is second to none and the green detailing matched the foraged foliage used throughout.

Hair & Makeup

Clare and Sarah kept Georgina’s makeup and hair soft and natural to reflect the beautiful nature we were surrounded by in Little Seed Field. Anything too glam would have felt out of place.

Final Thoughts

Both Jo and I liaised with Georgina throughout planning and on the day to discuss the different elements we needed to consider and implement to make the shoot as seamless and accessible for both Georgina and Richard. Unfortunately, the unpredictable weather (it snowed in April) didn’t always make things easy and there are always ways in which things can be improved and updated which is something we have both taken onboard post shoot. We need to put the ownership on ourselves and become allies to every couple, including those in the disability community; it’s up to us to make a difference and be the change we want to see.

Oh so special, what a magical set of images.

Thanks ever so much to the fantastic team below for sharing these Little Seed Field wedding ideas with us. Here’s to more representation and accessibility for couples. As well as an increase in eco-friendly wedding choices.

Natural Wedding Ideas Celebrating Inclusivity & Sustainability