What is a festival wedding?
Imagine sparkly wellies under a wedding dress, cocktails from a horsebox and dancing under a sky full of stars. That’s what you get at a festival wedding – a celebration that borrows the best bits of a summer festival and mixes them with your love story.
It’s all about the festival vibe: colourful flags fluttering in the breeze, hay bales for seats and music that keeps everyone on their feet late into the night. A festival wedding is perfect for couples who want something unique, relaxed and completely personal.
Why choose a festival wedding?
With a festival wedding, you can throw out the rule book and make the day truly your own. Go boho with flowers in your hair, camp out for a weekend-long celebration, put on a show with your favourite bands – or take it in whatever direction feels right. With a festival wedding, anything goes.
Festival weddings let you make the most of a beautiful outdoor wedding venue. Here at Wootton Park, you can have a lakeside wedding ceremony, surrounded by flowers, then soak up breathtaking countryside views as you break out your best dance moves or chill by the firepit.
How much does a festival wedding cost?
The beauty of a festival wedding is that it can be as budget-friendly as you want to make it. While the overall spend depends on your guest list, entertainment and venue, the festival vibe lends itself to creativity and DIY.
How about hand-painted signs, homemade bunting, foraged decorations and music from guests taking a turn on stage? That not only puts your personal stamp on the day – it keeps costs down too.
Where can you have a festival wedding?
If you want to officially tie the knot outdoors, you’ll need a licensed outdoor wedding venue with a festival feel. If you’re happy to do the legal bit elsewhere and go for a celebrant-led ceremony instead, you’ve got other options too, like fields, farms and woodlands.
Wherever you choose, it’s important to check the legalities early on – things like noise restrictions, music licences and whether alcohol can be served. A venue like Wootton Park takes care of all those details for you, so you can plan your festival wedding with confidence.
9 Essential Ingredients for a Festival Wedding
A gorgeous outdoor venue
It all starts with fab scenery and plenty of space to party. A lakeside wedding ceremony or countryside backdrop adds instant wow factor. And a team who’ll move mountains for you makes all the difference.
Cool music
The heart and soul of any festival wedding! If you’re after something different from the usual wedding band, check out local gigs and festivals to discover original bands and aspiring DJs. For inspiration, take a look at some of the musicians we love.
Fun entertainment
You have so many incredible festival-friendly options, the only problem is going to be deciding what not to include! Think: what would Glasto do? Stilt walkers. Fire breathers. Bouncy castles. Magicians. Traditional fairground stalls (like hoopla and coconut shy). Face painting. Limbo dancing… The sky really is the limit.
Relaxed food
Al fresco eating rocks! Go for informal eats that keep the atmosphere laid-back and full of fun, like street food, wood-fired pizzas, sizzling barbecues and cocktail trailers.
An unforgettable entrance
Make your walk down the aisle truly memorable. Whether you want to be heralded by coloured smoke bombs, parade in with giant flags flying, or wow your guests in your flashiest festival gear – it’s your stage, so own it!
A plan for all weathers
British weather loves to keep us on our toes, so it’s always smart to have a backup, such as a marquee or big tents. At Wootton Park you’re covered – as an exclusive-use venue, you’ll have our gorgeous wedding barn ready to move into if the heavens open.
Guests who embrace the vibe
Get everyone in the festival spirit with ticket-style invites, wristbands, and lanyards. Want the full festival experience? Add in overnight camping. At Wootton Park we’ve got plenty of camping pitches, and we offer glamping pods for the more upmarket festival-goer!
Toasty evenings
As the night cools, keep guests cosy with firepits, campfires and blankets. Toast marshmallows, share stories under the stars, and let the music play on – the perfect end to a festival-style wedding day.
You, you, you!
A festival wedding is your chance to do things your way. There are no rules – except to enjoy yourselves. Llama as ring bearer? Go for it. Boho vibe? Perfect. Mini skirt and flares? Absolutely yes. And you can create the ceremony of your dreams, unconfined by walls and traditions. There’s just something about being outdoors that lets everyone relax and be themselves.
Ready to plan your festival wedding?
If this sounds like your dream day, come and see how Wootton Park can make it happen. With a romantic lakeside setting for your vows, wide open countryside views, and acres of space to party, we’re ready to help you create your unforgettable festival wedding.