Festival-style rustic weddings, candles and twinkling lights galore, fresh, seasonal food and reception games: the trend for 2016 weddings is definitely more relaxed, more frivolous and more fun. But don’t think that means they’re going to be any easier to organise… If you want to be bang on trend, here are a few hints…

Barn and field venues:

Complete with rustic tables and country-style table settings, tents and wigwams, even straw bales to sit on. After the reception proper, enjoy an evening barbecue and a live band. Book an extra special, luxuriously draped tent for the honeymooners and guests can often camp overnight as well.

Fairytale lighting:

Create a magical atmosphere with twinkling fairy lights draped among trees, around beams or draped from the ceiling. Make your own candle decorations with tealights in mason or jam jars, decorated with hessian and lace or float tea lights in a bowl of water with some flowers and set them as centrepieces for tables.

Food and drink:

Go for seasonal and local produce or enjoy the perfect English afternoon tea, complete with dainty sandwiches, scones and jam (and clotted cream). Bring in a hog roast if you don’t want a DIY barbecue and provide a cheese cake (yes, that’s a cake made of different sized cheeses and decorated with fruit) and lots of fresh, French bread for the evening. Bespoke bars are an easy option – you can even have a blow-up instant pub! As for the wedding cake itself, the naked cake is very much of the moment, light-as-a-feather sponge, sandwiched with cream and jam and decorated with flowers and/or fruit.

Games:

Always popular, great for breaking the ice and getting complete strangers talking to each other. Specialist companies hire giant outdoor games, from draughts and chess to croquet and quoits. Bouncy castles always go down well if you have lots of youngsters or try a bucking bronco for the grown-ups! If you want a permanent memento, invest in Giant Jenga and get your guests to leave a message for you on individual pieces.

Now most importantly, what to wear?

Of course, the bride can (and should) wear whatever she wants, it’s her big day after all, but she might like to consider following the theme with a long, flowing floral print or one of the oh-so pretty ballerina-length styles currently appearing in virtually all the international bridal collections. Team it with a country posy or a light and airy cascade bouquet – and fresh flowers in your hair, of course!