As the 2024 wedding season comes to a close, we’ve been reflecting on an amazing year of celebrations. We’ve had the pleasure of chatting with some of your favourite wedding suppliers, starting with the styling queen herself, Claire from Born Boho!
Claire is a regular here at Riverlands, working tirelessly each summer to bring your dream boho wedding to life. We recently caught up with her to dive into the world of wedding styling and gather some expert advice to make your big day even more unforgettable.
Here’s what Claire had to say…
Q: Tell us about your first wedding with us
A: Our first wedding at Riverlands was all the way back in October 2019 for Maddy and Chris, who opted for a palette of cream, honey yellows and rusty oranges. Primarily a boho theme with a nod to vintage. We worked together with local florist Bloom & Bridal who decorated our willow moongate in an array of florals, greenery and pampas grass for their ceremony. The barn dining tables were dressed with vintage brass candlesticks, eclectic bud vases and old record table numbers that the couple had made themselves. We just love it when a couple introduces their own personal touches which complement the rest of the decor in such a way! We crafted a custom made rag bunting for Maddy that ran all the way along the back wall adding a festival element to the laid back vibe of the room. Our giant grapevine halo took centre stage suspended above the tables and adorned with warm glowing glass lanterns on delicate gold chains. Everything about their day was delightful and will stay in our memory for a very long time!
Q: Tell us more about Born Boho and why our couples should book you for their big day
A: Born Boho is in its fifth year of styling weddings, with each year growing stronger (a result that can only be achieved with the dedication and passion I have for making your day as beautiful as you always dreamt it would be!) We are eco-conscious so pride ourselves in styling with high quality reusable items, doing our part in cutting down unnecessary waste for our planet. This in turn keeps our costs lower. A benefit that is passed onto our customer by providing a modest and achievable price for our services. We are happy to work alongside your chosen florist and can even help by passing on our most loved and recommended suppliers so you can be confident we complement each other’s work. We keep our team small at all times, not only to ensure costs can be kept down for couples which makes everyone’s styling dreams achievable, but also so the focus on an excellent quality product and service is never lost. I attend every set up to ensure each and every couple receive the vision they were promised at a standard only I would be happy with.
We have recently created a number of set decor packages for Riverlands which are superbly popular as it takes away the stress of not knowing what you need to choose. Our packages contain everything we think you need for a stand out styling result, whilst still giving you the freedom to select your chosen colours and styles of the items we have on offer. We do this in a streamlined manner so you’re spending more time enjoying the lead up and less time having consultations and filling in paperwork. We keep our service simple but thorough. As it’s our most booked venue, we know Riverlands like it’s our own. Our set ups here have been perfected over the years, so you can be confident you’re in good hands with us and that the end result will be spectacular!
Q: What are your favourite pieces to decorate Riverlands with? Is there any colour you think works really well, or any recommendations for what is a must at Riverlands?
A: We just love to see a feature hanging piece from the beams in the main dining barn. Our pampas pieces work well as the pale golden tones of the dried grass really suit the colouring of the dark, rustic, wood interior and the warm glow of the festoon lighting and fairy lights. I’d say our pampas chandelier or cloud are our most used pieces here. We also love to see a white neon sign mounted on the wall or suspended from a backdrop which provides a stylish pop of light in the atmospheric surroundings. Some venues are overly bright and don’t particularly benefit from such pieces but the main barn here is the perfect setting with just the right amount of natural light for a neon sign to make a real statement without being too much. The venue is so versatile and can literally be transformed by either keeping it simple using key minimal pieces or going all out wow factor. It just depends on a couples decor requirements.
Q: Have there been any stand out weddings for you at Riverlands?
A: Absolutely! Rachel and Tatum went all out in a BIG way this July. They considered every corner of the venue, including a sizeable, boujee chill/lounge zone we created using our bamboo and cane furniture, cushions, throws, house plants and giant Persian rug in the main dining barn which gave their guests somewhere to kick back and relax after the meal. We also created a ‘photo zone’ next to this where guests could have fun with a boho-style decorated backdrop and box full of props which was a great hit and a fantastic backdrop for the brides to get some epic professional shots by their photographers. The girls wanted pampas, pampas and more pampas everywhere so for their wedding breakfast we hung two large pampas grass features from the beams. We adorned the long banquet tables with oodles of filled vases and candles sat on lashings of tulle fabric and framed the couple with a statement arch behind their top table. This suited them down to the ground. Uber cool with draping, a white neon sign, suspended gold leafed moons and golden chain detailing and of course more pampas. Above the arch was a pampas cloud with disco balls suspended from it…such a vibe.
You really have the freedom to transform this venue any way you want! Over in the ceremony barn the girls said their ‘I do’s’ in front of our rustic A frame, again decorated with pampas and disco balls. The aisle was lined with large pampas filled arrangements, candles and dried petal confetti. On the evening this room was transformed into a disco/dancing space, perfect for guests with immediate access to the venue’s cosy bar. A neon sign was fitted onto the A frame transforming it from cool romantic to epic party vibes! They also hired our full range of garden games for the outdoor areas to ensure their guests were kept well entertained at all times. What a wedding, the longest set up we’d ever done which was a challenge, but the result was so worth it!
Q: Have you got any advice for our future couples?
A: The relaxed vibe at Riverlands allows couples to check in and set up the day prior to their wedding which is a rare find. So if you’re looking for less stress this is the venue for you. Even if you’re hiring a stylist to take care of your decor, the chances are you will have your own bits and pieces you’d like to add. There’s nothing better than having the time to enjoy that process knowing it’s all taken care of well in advance and being able to stand back and admire the full decor setting the day before. Not only will you feel less stressed knowing everything is the way you want it to look (not leaving it to chance and seeing it just before you walk down the aisle) but it also gives you time to completely immerse yourself in the pampering wedding day prep with your friends and family, which is how it should be!
Our advice is don’t over estimate what you can or want to do in the hours leading up to your big day. Many couples think it will be an easy task to decorate their venue but more often that not when asked afterwards will usually say they wish they’d had more time or help so consider the process carefully. Unless you’re super organised and have lots of hands on deck perhaps think about making/adding just a few special touches for your big day and allow a stylist to do the rest.
If you are heading for a viewing with us soon you will be able to see first hand what Born Boho have to offer as Claire has worked her magic in the barns for our winter viewings!
If you are interested in booking Born Boho for your big day then you can get in touch with Claire via Instagram at @bornbohohire or email hello@bornboho.co.uk
Image credit: Inspire Images & Kazooieloki Photography
