How to Have a Rustic Wedding on the East End

Will I see you at the Rustic Wedding Showcase this Sunday, April 14, in The Naugles Barn at the Hallockville Museum? I’m told that the historic North Fork barn will be “filled to the rafters with rustic wedding inspiration!”

Maggie Lord herself will be on hand to sign copies of her dreamy book Rustic Wedding Chic. She’s the prime author, blogger and wedding expert behind the rustic wedding movement. She told me, “I’m so excited to be part of the Rustic Wedding Showcase at the Hallockville Museum Farm and to be able to have a chance to connect with RusticWeddingChic.com readers. When multiple wedding vendors and professionals come together like this it offers a wonderful experience for brides-to-be to speak with the vendors in an intimate and more relaxed way.”

I own her book, so I’ll probably have her sign my copy. I can’t wait to check it all out. I’ve been visiting Hallockville a lot lately—last week I took a canning class there, in June I’ll be back for a seed-saving seminar.

I guess Hallockville is getting into the business of hosting rustic weddings. Seems like a great fit for this old, working farm and its many preserved buildings. Rustic weddings are often set on farms and in wineries. In fact, there’s a gorgeous spread in the book of a wedding that was held at the Wölffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack. As Lord writes, “Getting the chance to see how real brides have brought their rustic weddings to life will give you even more enthusiasm for planning your own wedding and serve as a jumping-off point for further inspiration.”

Am I getting married? Um, no.

Am I planning a wedding? Not so much.

I guess I’m a “wedding enthusiast.” Why am I so into this rustic wedding stuff? It’s so cool! It’s all about vintage fabulousness derived from thrift stores and attics. You’ve heard of Shabby Chic, peeling paint and cabbage roses everywhere—Rustic Wedding Chic glorifies the stuff of our grandmothers’ lives: canning jars, doilies, embroidery, paper ephemera, rhinestones, gowns, velvet accessories—and transforms it all into a modern celebration of vintagey luxe. Plus it’s all about mixing high and low—ball gowns and burlap, silk flowers and old suitcases. Everything works together with some planning and an eye for design. This is so my thing!

Luckily my friend’s daughter is getting married on her farm next month. Hopefully it’ll provide an outlet for my newfound need to help amp up the rusticity of modern matrimony.

I have a lot to learn. According to Lord there are “three main types of rustic weddings: vintage rustic, country rustic and woodland rustic. From there, we focus on the popular styles such as barn, farm, lakeside, backyard and mountain weddings.” Wow, I’m a little bit country and a little bit vintage, but I’ll get this all straight if it kills me.

I just finished reading Lord’s book. Such eye candy! And she told me that she has another coming out—“As a follow-up book to Rustic Wedding Chic I will be releasing my second book, Barn Weddings (Gibbs Smith Publishing) in August. Barn Weddings focuses on helping couples find their personal wedding style and offering decor and design tips while showcasing amazing real barn weddings and
styled shoots.”

I wish more couples would embrace Lord’s advice to hire blue grass or folk bands to play at weddings and cocktail hours. I’m so tired of obnoxious DJs and blasted “classics” from the likes of Lionel Richie and what passes for “country” these days. Don’t even get me started on wedding cake vs. cupcakes
vs. pie.

Wonder if my husband would like to renew some vows with me and we have a lot of old stuff around the house…

For more information visit rusticweddingguide.com and hallockville.com.