Bringing an essence of class and country style to your wedding is an undeniable benefit when choosing to set your day in a regional or rural venue. Bush venues bring with them an impressive variety of styling options, boast ample space, an expansive layout and allow for your wedding celebration to last a weekend or transition straight into your honeymoon. For Russell Percival, who has hosted countless weddings on his iconic Buckland Estate property, it’s a country venue’s unique ability to “offer a blank canvas and allow brides [and] wedding planners to create their own design, look, and features” that is perhaps what makes them most special.

The Great Outdoors

Taking a breath of fresh air when you leave the metropolitan zone in any city is always a great feeling. Thus, having your wedding in a regional and rural venue is an exciting opportunity to escape the city’s bustle, and can create a wedding experience for all to remember. With the open availability for venues to host a wedding weekender, it is easy for your celebration to feel expansive in both time, space, and activities for guests. “In the country there is no rush, and we encourage couples to stay two to three days and spend time with their families in a stress-free environment,” Percival explains.

The long durations of country weddings allow for an amplified guest experience, with natural beauty surroundings and no need to negate traffic. Offering a longer stay at the venue, especially at ample acreage venues, allows guests to enjoy significantly more time together as opposed to just a single day with a combined ceremony and reception. “We see bonds between the different families and friends which helps build the new long-term connections,” Percival says. In addition to the traditional symbolic wedding ceremony, the great outdoors allows couples to create a whole new level of celebration by integrating group activities into their extended wedding – ensuring ultimate leisure time. “[Couples can add] other activities [to their celebration] such as pool parties, picnics, family cricket, walking, photography, bird watching, and barbeques,” Percival elaborates.

Alongside the astounding space available to couples during the celebrations, couples are also spoilt for choice with the variety of colours visible in the natural landscape amidst the change of seasons. “A heritage homestead or farm offers many great options from a variety of seasons and backdrops, depending on time of year, including golden or green fields everywhere,” Percival notes. “With a country wedding no one wants an indoor reception.” Outdoor weddings are set amongst nature and provide dramatic backdrops and an open and welcoming feel, especially in spring and autumn.

Spoilt For Choice

Adding excitement, versatility, and providing the opportunity for a celebration that goes against the grain, regional and country weddings give couples an open and freeing experience in terms of styling and creative direction. Most country and estate venues allow couples to choose an area of the property to set as their reception or ceremony space. “We allow our couples to set up anywhere on the property … they can choose from the grand homestead front steps to the lake front, or any rural setting they wish,” Percival agrees. With wide open spaces and versatile and accommodating staff, the options for your countryside wedding are endless.

With such versatile style options available in regional and countryside estates comes a variety of trends to consider when planning a sought-after getaway for newly-weds and loved ones. Percival has seen countless styling options venture through Buckland Estate, but remarks that “there seems to be a common trend to create a relaxed and semi rustic feel.” This rustic feel is elevated using props, and a combination of sitting and standing spaces. With the addition of multiple areas to mingle, there is something for every guest, especially when there is an overarching theme or feeling to tie the whole celebratory space together. “[The] semi-rustic feel incorporates sit down tables, some lawn sofas and cocktail/wine barrel tables with a huge demand for the rustic wedding barn,” he adds.