Real Weddings
How to plan the perfect boho wedding…
If you’re busy mood-boarding beautiful bohemian inspo then you’ll love our handy guide
Wildflowers, twinkling lights, tipis under the stars, floaty dresses, hand-crafted touches and much, much more. Beautiful boho wedding styling is here to stay and we can see why.
Why go boho?
A boho wedding combines a softly romantic feel with an informal, natural prettiness. It’s versatile, can be inexpensive and is perfect for couples who want a relaxed day inspired by nature and the outdoors. It’s also about simple, anything goes, DIY-filled looks too, with endless opportunities to make it your own. Plus, it can be a budget-friendly choice, as it’s not about perfection or expensive glitz and glamour. It’s about nature, self-expression and quirky personal touches from the heart.
Dress-wise, there are also plenty of style options. Boho dresses look as good at a sunset beach wedding as they do at a more vintage affair. So, embrace the theme with a softly pretty design that’s floaty and easy to wear along with accessories like flower crowns, braids and delicate hair vines. Plus, if you’re not a fan of heels, then flats, flip flops or even bare feet won't look out of place!
Bohemian-vibe venues
Relaxed, natural and non-traditional are the keywords when it comes to your venue. Think rustic barns, an outdoor ceremony in a woodland or a casual beach wedding. A quirky and informal manor house might fit the bill too. You could even consider throwing your own boho wedding festival, complete with food trucks, tipis and glamping! If you’re thinking about a destination wedding, then a French chateau or bougainvillaea-covered Ibizan villa would look amazing as well.
Jolien and Rein had a gorgeous outdoor ceremony in an orchard. “Everything was nicely informal and it had a very relaxed atmosphere,” says Jolien. “We got married outside in the garden, under the apple trees, followed by a delicious barbecue and cocktails. The venue was decorated in the style of a summer festival wedding. There was a food truck, a festival tent, hay bales, 'Love' letters, rugs and chill-out seating everywhere.”
Stationery that sets the tone
The first thing your guests see is their invitation, so it should set the tone for the day. Pretty flora and fauna, delightful vintage accents or a low-key, shabby chic designs will do the trick. Keep the wording informal too, to reflect the relaxed nature of the day to come.
A totally dreamy dress…
Forget about more cumbersome, traditional dresses or anything too clingy or restrictive. As a boho bride, you don’t want heavy layers of fabric or tight corsetry. Choose flowing materials like lace or tulle and a design that’s as beautifully simple as it is comfortable, with details like softly draped, off-the-shoulder straps or pretty lace sleeves. Boho designs are also perfect for destination weddings because they’ll keep you feeling cool and stylish all day long, and they're easier to travel with than bigger styles.
Yvonne chose a gorgeous Heidi Hudson design for her tipi celebration. “I wanted a fitted top but with a floaty skirt that would suit my relaxed outdoor wedding,” she says. “I loved how the dress fitted and felt on the day and I knew I had made the right choice.”
The natural look
Keep your makeup natural and low-key too. A touch of lip gloss, great base coverage, some pink tones for your cheeks and you’re ready! When it comes to hair, effortless and carefree is what you’re aiming for. Wear your hair loose, braid some sections or let your afro shine. Then just a simple hair accessory, like a flower crown or a vintage hair clip is all you need. You could even weave ribbons into your locks or try a beaded headband.
Mix 'n' match your maids
When it comes to boho-ing up your besties, we love simple pale colours like sage green, blush pink or silver grey. If you can't decide on just one, then mix ’n’ match! A selection of floaty dresses in complementary colours really does look fabulous and means each maid can choose a design and shade that suits them perfectly.
The boho partner
And, remember, it’s not all about us! Lots of partners love this look because they can ditch the restrictive, traditional wedding attire. Relaxed chinos and a white shirt look amazing at a boho wedding. Alternatively, if your partner does want to stick with tailoring, think about interesting patterns and fabrics, such as tweed, or perhaps just a waistcoat with a tie to match your maids. And don’t worry about the trousers, jacket and shoes matching, this style looks great when you mix it up!
Get me to the church on time…
The relaxed boho style really does mean you can do things your own way. So, if you want to pop on your wellies and arrive by tractor, you can! A vintage bus, VW camper van or white VW Beetle are also perfect for this look. Just deck out your ‘carriage’ with some pretty flowers and you’re ready to go.
Wild and whimsical flowers
The boho theme is all about nature, so pretty flowers are great for creating the look. Keep your bouquet loose and unstructured, perhaps incorporating colourful wildflowers and herbs, dried flowers or soft pampas grass. Embrace the wildness with your bridesmaids’ flowers too and play with texture and colour.
Plenty of inexpensive greenery will also help keep costs down and give you that ‘just picked from a meadow’ look. A flower crown is the ultimate boho hair accessory, so why not use wildflowers in your hair as well? For the reception, a mix of different jars and bottles filled with loosely arranged blooms looks beautiful and costs much less than more traditional displays.
Real bride Charlotte mixed lots of dried flowers with greenery and pampas grass for her stylish 'boho meets urban' wedding day. “Our groomsmen and bridesmaids also wore grey and sage colours, which looked beautiful together,” she says.
Make it personal
Bohemian weddings are all about understated, homemade style that’s not too polished or perfect. You certainly don’t have to make anything yourself to have a boho wedding but, if you’re a DIY bride who wants to add some personal touches, then this is the theme for you. Ask friends and family for help collecting jars for flower displays, making bunting or writing place cards. Reclaimed wood, tea lights and vintage crockery can add texture and interest to tables too. If you’re feeling adventurous you can even grow your own flowers!
Food, glorious food
When it comes to food, there are a wealth of options, too. A hog roast, an afternoon tea or a food truck serving wood-fired pizzas will keep guests happy and well fed. For your cake, one of the easiest ways to get the boho look is with fresh flowers. A simple white-iced or naked cake looks stunning decorated with delicate trailing blooms and a little greenery. You could also incorporate a few pretty edible flowers.
Do it your way...
However you style your boho wedding, just remember to do it your way. This style of wedding is super popular because it really does give couples the freedom to have exactly what they want. You can break from tradition and have a totally individual day that's all about you. For example, if you don’t want a cake cutting ceremony then don’t have one. If the idea of a first dance leaves you cold, then skip it! Just let your guests know the plan for the day and invite them to be as free-spirited as you are by leaving the formalwear at home. So, go on, let your hair down and have the best boho wedding day ever!
Click here to check out all our boho wedding dresses, then try on your favourites at your nearest wed2b store. Here’s what to expect when you visit, too. Lastly, for more inspiration, check out our fabulous real bride stories as well as our Instagram, Facebook or TikTok accounts.
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