Endless 2024 Inspiration from this festival style Woodland Wedding?

If you’re looking for 2024 Wedding inspiration then look no further! Catherine & George absolutely rocked it with their Glastonbury themed festival Wedding in September. At every corner there were beautiful personalised details which just took this wedding to the next level and oozes inspiration for anyone looking at getting married this year.

Catherine and George created a Wedding like no other, offering a charming and adventurous twist on the traditional wedding, creating an atmosphere that is equal parts romantic, unique, and with fun at the very heart of it all.

Exchanging vows, with the back drop of weeping willows, water and towering fir trees. The wilderness setting here at Happy Valley sets the tone for an intimate and enchanting celebration no matter how many guests you have.

We always ask that you use petals or bio degradable confetti

The unique atmosphere, the chance to connect with nature, and the opportunity to unplug from the outside world all contribute to an unforgettable celebration. Plus, guests get to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors while still having access to the creature comforts of luxury glamping and hot tubs. Providing the perfect venue for your Destination Wedding.

Enjoy glamping at your Wedding in rustic luxury, complete with private air source heated hot tub so you don’t have to lift a finger.

One of the benefits of a Happy Valley wedding is its versatility. Whether you're going for a festival wedding, bohemian vibe, a rustic-chic style, or a whimsical fairytale aesthetic, and the barns provide a canvas for your creative freedom to run wild.

It was an absolute honour to be a small part of this incredible day and be able to witness the love, creativity & support encompassing this gorgeous pair.

Some of the Dream Team involved -

Photographer - Emma Shaw Photography

Catering: Gingerlilly catering

Florist:King witham

Band:Colonel Spanky’s Love Ensemble

Props: Happy Valley Rugs & Array prop hire

Makeup:Leanna Stibbon

Hair: Ashley Kay @AshleyKaybeauty

Dress - Angelica Bridal

Feel like a local, no matter how far you’ve come #HappyValleyNorfolk

Wedding Trends for 2024! Our Favourite Top 6 Trends for 2024

Here at Happy Valley, we’re all about making your special day uniquely yours! 

We also love to see what’s happening within the industry, see what key trends are creating waves, proving popular and will provide that little something extra for your wedding. 

We are delighted to see that in 2024 the wedding landscape is looking less traditional, and is all about breaking away from the norm and creating weddings, which are exceptional and distinctive.  

We are seeing more couples making choices, which have a personal significance to create unique and memorable days – and we are definitely down for that! 

Photography by Aurora Grey

 So let us jump into the top 6 wedding trends of 2024 that have captured our hearts. 

1. Natural Venues 

For us, there is no better place to start than with what seems to be one of the most significant trends taking centre stage in 2024 – the rise of Outdoor Wedding Venues. 

The growing popularity of non-traditional weddings has been a noticeable trend in recent years, none more so than outdoor, natural wedding locations. Originally boosted by the pandemic, where couples were forced to look at alternative options and move their ceremony outside, thereby embracing nature and it’s spectacular backdrop. Outdoor weddings are now making a movement of their own.  

Art and Story Studio

Trish Peters Photography

Art and Story Studio

Eloise and Mitch Photography

 At Happy Valley, this resonates deeply with us and we completely agree there is something magical about the changing seasons. The natural world offers us a breathtaking canvas allowing couples to paint their unique wedding day. 

 With the increase in popularity of outdoor wedding venues, the styling is also following suit, with couples embracing nature and the inherent beauty of your surroundings. Picture raw wood tables, seasonal flowers and greenery, and organic fabrics and drapes, everything is inspired by the gifts that nature bestows upon us. 

2. Celebrant – Led Weddings 

This past year has seen a remarkable 49% surge in search volumes for “Celebrant Weddings” (as reported by Hitched.co.uk) and this increase doesn’t surprise us at all here at Happy Valley – we love a celebrant led wedding. 

 Celebrant led weddings have captured our hearts and many of our couples too, for a multitude of compelling reasons. 

 First and foremost, the appeal lies in the incredible flexibility and freedom they offer.  With a Celebrant, the script is entirely customised to you, reflecting your unique loves, passions and joys. This means that your wedding can be a true reflection of your individual journey as a couple. 

 A rising trend we’ve observed is couples choosing to formalise their legal marriage at their local registry office ahead of the big day, or even onsite at Happy Valley the day before. This enables the day of the wedding service, led by a Celebrant, to become an exclusive reflection of your relationship, creating an experience that is authentic and meaningful to you both. 

3. Bold and Bright Colour Schemes 

2024 is going to be about embracing colour and pattern… if you love bold and bright then this is the year for you. 

Bold and Bright Decor

Vibrant shades of pink, orange, purple, or red infusing life into your tables, cake and drapes. Seasonal bouquets and flower arrangements becoming canvases for splashes of brilliant colour and personality. 

And, its not just the décor that is getting an injection of colour in 2024! New York Bridal Fashion Week bore witness to colour playing a significant sight on the runway, with pastel pinks, soft blues and floral patterns creating a magical and whimsical addition to many collections. (ref: Vogue) 

Pic Credit Above - Photographer @salsabilmorrisonphotogaphy Right - Photographer - @Lisaandneil Florals @Floralsistas.

This truly is the year to celebrate and embrace your personal style. It is time to showcase your individuality and personality, turning your wedding into a vibrant canvas of colours and patterns that reflect your inner spirit. 

4. Wedding Weekends and Extended Celebrations 

Why limit your celebrations to a single day when you can extend your wedding festivities over several glorious days? At Happy Valley we wholeheartedly embrace this trend, as standard! 

Most of our weddings are thoughtfully planned either mid-week Tuesday-Thursday, or as Weekend Weddings. This choice offers couples that invaluable gift of more time to bask in the warmth of their loved ones and extend that ‘best day ever’ feeling, for just a little bit longer. 

The day before arrival isn’t just practical; it’s a chance to take a deep breath and unwind, especially after a long journey. All the worries about making it on time, finding a spot to change or freshen up simply disappear. 

The evening before the big day is a golden opportunity for guests to meet and get to know each other. At Happy Valley the night prior often involves relaxed drinks and food around the courtyard fire pit. It is a time for your loved ones to bond, share stories and establish connections that will make the wedding even more memorable. 

As the sun rises on the day after the day before, it’s the perfect moment to gather together over morning brews, reliving the beautiful stories from the day before.  

Your journey with us at Happy Valley isn’t confined to just one day, it’s an enchanting voyage which extends your celebrations over several days, creating unforgettable memories. 

5. Relaxed Wedding Photography 

The era of the entire wedding party standing in perfect formation for extensive periods, waiting for the photographer to capture countless iterations of the ‘group shot’, is now a thing of the past. 

Relaxed Photography

2024 is all about embracing the relaxed, candid, and social approach. 

A wonderful opportunity for your photographer to artfully capture all those spontaneous, heartfelt moments that naturally unfold throughout the day. These photographs will not only look beautiful but will also capture genuine emotions, making your wedding unique. 

Additionally, there is an increase in the popularity of Wedding Content Creators. These skilled individuals are dedicated to producing real-time content to be shared to your socials. They capture unscripted moments that unfold, allowing your friends and family to join the excitement, even if they cannot be there in person. 

 Your wedding photos should be a reflection of your love story, your personality and your style as a couple. In 2024 it is all about celebrating the real moments, the laughter, the tears and the connections that make your wedding day truly special. 

6. Bespoke Cocktail Toasts 

Keeping up with the theme for 2024 of creating personalised weddings, the same is being reflected across food and drink.   

This year has witnessed a notable surge in the creation of signature cocktails for weddings, and this trend is set to continue into 2024. Couples are taking inspiration from the drinks they hold dear and crafting cocktails that truly resonate with their tastes and preferences. This is particularly the case for the post-ceremony tipple of choice.  

Amongst the top cocktail choices gaining popularity for 2024, Espresso Martini and the Paloma are set to be favorites.

These signature drinks add a touch of individuality to your celebration, allowing you to share your love for specific flavours with your guests and create a memorable and personalised experience. 

Jeremy James Photography

Cheers to a wedding day that’s truly unique and reflects your one-of-a-kind love story! 

The overall takeaway trend for 2024 is definitely looking like it’s going to be the year for weddings to be unique, unconventional and personal. We can’t wait! 

Sustainable Wedding Trends

Planning a wedding can seem like a million tasks thrown into one day and when you add making your event as eco- friendly and sustainable as possible… it can seem like a whole other world!

We’ve put together some top tips on making your day as eco as possible while keeping it as easy for you (and cost effective!) as possible…

Rent your wedding dress!

Not only does this save a on your budget - it is an excellent way to stay sustainable. Now, I know many of you will have your heart set on a dress already - so how about selling it on to someone else once you have made your memories? Wedding dresses are such beautiful and intricate pieces of design that it seems a shame that they get worn once! Why not share the joy your dress has brought to you and your wedding and give someone else the chance to have a beautiful dress on their big day! It is such a good way to reduce your weddings footprint.

Photo by Megan Duffield

Photo by Wildflower Favours

Confetti…

This is always a controversial discussion, there are so many different views out there. One idea that I have seen and LOVE is ‘Leaf Confetti’ - we already know that they are biodegradable, they won’t harm the environment and there is no need for extra resources as leaves are readily available! That raked up pile of leaves is suddenly looking quite inviting, right?

The Theme

Millions of outfits are bought every year for weddings, some that are never worn again. Challenge your guests to reuse clothes they already have, only buy from charity shops or up-cycle! Up-cycled fashion can be great fun and a reason to get out and do some stress free shopping with your ‘I do’ crew!

Photo by Sam Gee

Photo by Jarek Lepak

Decor

It is very easy to be hooked into the single use wedding market but there are some great sustainable options out there! Hiring props is a great place to start, you get to create the wedding of your dreams without having to start from scratch! Prop companies are such a great resource and can offer lots of styling advice. Another great option is buying items which you can reuse or sell on, houseplants for table decor that guests can take with them as a memento of the day, or perhaps raid your local charity shop for decor items that you can either sell on or donate after the big day!

Wilderness Weddings

If you're looking for a Woodland Wedding with a bridged Island, Party Barn, Luxury Lodge, Glamping, Camping and a hot tub then Happy Valley is the Venue for you. You can create the Wedding YOU want at this hidden gem in North West Norfolk. An unspoilt part of the Norfolk countryside with magic written all over it. Natural Springs a plenty and enchanted forests engulf .

Forget the restrictions and embrace the woodland wilderness for a festival Wedding. Hired for 3 days and 2 nights you can be assured that the memories made will last you a lifetime. Here at Happy Valley taking your time is at the top of our ethos. 

There's no funny extras like Corkage fees or restrictions on caterers and bar. You really do have the blank canvas to create whatever Wedding you desire. We've seen Festival Weddings, Bohemian and Free Spirited Weddings, Traditional Style Weddings, Woodland Weddings, Vintage Weddings, Neon Weddings and everything else in between! 

Love these images of the Barn by Craig Williams for Becky & Wills special day

Here we have the band on the island, weeping willow line the island providing a secluded and intimate space.

You can't have a woodland wedding without a tree swing.

I've taken a few pics from a variety of Weddings at Happy Valley. Set in the heart of North West Norfolk this wedding venue is surrounded by Woodland and has magic written all over it. Unspoilt surrounds on a Norfolk Wildlife Trust you sure to feel super serene even on your Wedding day.

Wedding Prep

Caraz zagni photography cake Ellies Cakery

Happy Valley by night.

You can find recent pics of Happy Valley over on the instagram page - https://www.instagram.com/happyvnorfolk/