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Updated Oct 14, 2024These 35 Cottagecore Wedding Ideas Will Transport You to the Countryside
For anyone who's ever dreamed of living in a Beatrix Potter book.
If the buzzwords cozy, floral print, countryside and vintage are music to your ears, then there's a good chance that you'll love the cottagecore wedding aesthetic for your special day. This trending wedding theme is all about creating a welcoming, ultra-charming setting, and there are a few things that will help you pull it off. We've curated all of the cottagecore wedding inspiration you need, whether you're already familiar with the style or need a little bit of clarification on exactly what is cottagecore—and what isn't. Step into this adorable style with these hand-picked ideas.
In this article:
- What Is a Cottagecore Wedding?
- Ideal Cottagecore Wedding Venues
- Cottagecore Wedding Budget Priorities
Cottagecore Wedding Ideas:
Colors | Decor | Bouquets | Centerpieces | Cakes | Editor's Favorites
What Is a Cottagecore Wedding?
If you're wondering, "what is cottagecore?" allow us to explain. This aesthetic is rooted in details that are inspired by rural lifestyles and countryside settings. Cottagecore celebrates small delights and a slower pace of life, like reading a book in the sunshine, sipping tea while eating a freshly made croissant, hanging sheets on a clothesline or arranging hand-picked flowers in the kitchen. The cottagecore aesthetic is also somewhat inspired by fairytales and idealized romance novels—think handwritten love letters, rose-covered porches and bunnies playing in a field of wildflowers.
Cottagecore is largely based on European farming lifestyles and vignettes from the 18th and 19th centuries. If you're more of a visual person, it's Pride & Prejudice meets Tuck Everlasting meets The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Some of the most popular characteristics of this aesthetic include floppy straw hats, thatched roof cottages, gingham ribbons, flower sundresses, homemade cakes and bunches of wildflowers.
FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT
So, how do you throw a cottagecore wedding? A lot of the details are easy to incorporate into your decor, since this theme pulls from boho wedding and rustic wedding styles, with a dash of shabby chic added in. Some of the key elements to focus on are choosing an outdoor venue, decorating with a pastel color scheme and using details that feel collected, but not overly styled or perfectly matched.
Ideal Cottagecore Wedding Venues
Cottagecore wedding venues are easier to find than you realize. Using a tool like The Knot Vendor Marketplace, begin your search by looking for outdoor wedding venues in your area. We'd recommend a romantic garden, a charming historical barn or countryside location with views of rolling hills. Other cottagecore wedding venue ideas include fairytale-inspired castles and old chapels.
Cottagecore Wedding Budget Priorities
Your exact wedding budget breakdown will depend on a few things—namely, your total budget and what's most important to you. But for a cottagecore-themed wedding, the venue is arguably one of the biggest priorities, since location is so key to nailing the aesthetic. (For example, if you choose a rural location, it's much easier to pull off the cottagecore vibe compared to a banquet hall or ballroom, which would need a lot more work to make the style feel believable.)
The decor could also potentially take up a big portion of your wedding budget. No, you won't need to splurge on fancy crystal tableware or ghost chair rentals, but cottagecore wedding decor is a little more unique and eclectic compared to some other styles. This might mean that you'll need to spend more time (and money) sourcing vintage or antique pieces instead of doing bulk rentals from a regular event supplier. One compromise: work with an event planner or wedding stylist who specializes in vintage decor to get the best of both worlds.
Cottagecore Wedding Colors
Your wedding colors are another way to play up the theme. To go along with the whimsical, romantic vibes of the aesthetic, a cottagecore color scheme is often centered around pastel tones, like baby pink, sky blue, pale yellow, sage green and lilac. Accent colors like ivory, beige and antique gold help to keep the palette airy and warm. For an autumn cottagecore color palette, include earth tones like terracotta orange and brown to add richness and emphasize the rustic elements of the theme.
Cottagecore Wedding Decor Ideas
Pile on the charm and use one-of-a-kind pieces and vintage items to bring your cottagecore wedding decor to life.
1. Vintage Quilts & Sheets
Dig through your linen closet or go thrifting to find a collection of vintage bedding, like flat sheets and blankets. The linens don't have to match perfectly, but they should share a few similarities, like a similar floral print or color palette for a somewhat cohesive look. Use them to make a cozy fort lounge (like this) or hang them up as photo backdrops.
2. Flower Ceremony Aisle
Photo: ALY CARROLL PHOTOGRAPHY,
Floral design: PepperHarrow Farm
This is one idea we're already in love with—but it's especially fitting as a cottagecore wedding idea. The goal is to line each side of your ceremony aisle with flowers that look like they're growing right out of the ground, creating an illusion of a wildflower field. Your florist can incorporate long-stemmed blooms and grasses for a wild look.
3. Seating Chart
Collect cute vases and jars throughout your engagement to recreate this seating chart idea. Fill the vessels with colorful flowers and finish the display with printed or handwritten names and table assignments.
4. Vintage Hankies
This cottagecore wedding decor idea comes in handy for happy tears, and it looks cute too. Use clothespins to hang mismatched handkerchiefs on a clothesline or strands of ribbons.
5. Watercolor Welcome Sign
A welcome sign helps to point your guests in the right direction when they arrive at the ceremony or reception—plus, it's a perfect photo op. For a cottagecore wedding theme, decorate yours with watercolor flowers and whimsical lettering in a cheerful color palette.
6. Potted Flowers
Include some potted flowers and plants alongside your professionally arranged flowers. Choose garden-inspired flowers, like roses, hydrangeas or daffodils and use terracotta pots for a charming look.
7. Mismatched China
You don't want your reception place settings to feel too formal, so using mismatched china and other tabletop items can help you achieve the eclectic vibe. Depending on the types of tables you're using, you can even skip the tablecloths and let the bare wood tops serve as the backdrop.
8. Pressed Flower Table Numbers
Photo: JESSA SCHIFILLITI,Event planning: GILDED LILY EVENTS,Floral design: TWISTED WILLOW
If you're confident in your crafting skills, try making handmade paper to use for your table numbers. Add some dried flower petals to give the paper a pop of color and texture.
9. Tin Pails
Photo: JO JOHNSON PHOTOGRAPHY,
Event planning: Cmart Celebrations
,Floral design: WILLRETT FLOWER CO.
This super-simple cottagecore wedding idea will make a big impact. All you need is a collection of galvanized tin pails and bunches of long-stemmed blooms. Hire a pro calligrapher to write guests' names and table assignments or other important info, like your bar menu options.
10. Hay Bale Seating
Photo: SHANE AND LAUREN PHOTOGRAPHY
For a farm venue or a ceremony taking place in an open field, swap traditional chairs for hay bales instead. Be sure to cover the bales with blankets or other fabric to prevent guests from getting itchy or uncomfortable.
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11. Tea Cups
Plant herbs or saplings in vintage tea cups and use them as centerpieces or cocktail table decor. At the end of the night, guests can take them home as favors.
Cottagecore Wedding Bouquet Ideas
It's no surprise that flowers are essential for a cottagecore wedding, especially the ones that you carry down the aisle. These cottagecore bouquets are all sweet options to achieve a wildflower-inspired effect.
12. Colorful Wildflowers
Photo: Emily Delamater Photography
,Floral design: FLORA*BLISS
Fill your cottagecore wedding bouquet with a rainbow of hues—this one includes dahlias, cosmos, delphinium, foxgloves and abstract greenery for a freshly picked look.
13. Pieris Japonica
Photo: ONELOVE PHOTOGRAPHY
We love this sweet bloom because it's classic but still whimsical. Since each stem is packed with little flowers, you won't need to add much else (if anything) to the arrangement.
14. Peonies and Garden Roses
Photo: JOCELYN FILLEY PHOTOGRAPHY,
Floral design: Tea Lane Farm
It's hard to imagine a floral combination more romantic than this. Pair blush garden roses fluffy peonies for the dreamiest summer cottagecore wedding bouquet.
15. Chamomile
Lean into the rustic undertones of a cottagecore-themed wedding by carrying a bouquet of yellow and white chamomile blooms. Their wispy stems pair perfectly with Queen Anne's lace, baby's breath and leafy greenery.
16. Cosmos
With colors like pink, yellow, orange, red and white, cosmos can match almost any palette. Mix and match a few colors or stick to an all-white bouquet for a simple look.
Cottagecore Wedding Centerpiece Ideas
From assorted glass bottles to greenery-filled arrangements, here are our favorite cottagecore wedding centerpiece options.
17. Colored Glassware
Recreate the look of a summer dinner party by decorating long wooden tables with collected glassware in all different colors and sizes. Use wine bottles, thrifted vases and anything else that catches your eye, like brass candlesticks or little porcelain figurines.
18. Potted Herbs
Photo: ART IS FOR LOVERS,
Floral design: This Humble Abode
Here's a cottagecore wedding centerpiece idea that's decorative and functional. Instead of flowers, use fragrant herb plants (rosemary, lavender, basil) in stone or terracotta pots. It will give your tables a rustic, farmhouse feel, and you can repurpose the plants in your kitchen or garden postwedding.
19. Vintage Milk Bottles
Photo: Cadey Reisner Weddings
,Floral design: VICTORIA'S GARDEN
Showcase single stems in a collection of vintage glass milk bottles. We especially love how this looks if you have the original bottle carrier, but it's also cute without it. Try sourcing one online or asking your florist if they have anything similar in their supply closet.
20. Vegetables as Decor
We're already fans of using fruit as centerpieces, but you can include fresh vegetables in your tabletop decor too. Pick veggies that are naturally colorful and interesting to look at, like radishes, artichokes, squash and tomatoes. Add a checkered tablecloth and voilà: vintage farmhouse kitchen vibes.
21. Greenery Vines
If you want to add a little bit of formality to your cottagecore wedding aesthetic, stick to centerpieces that are slightly more traditional. You can use trailing vines and greenery branches to bring some whimsy to a classic centerpiece.
22. Bud Vases
Photo: LOVE LIGHT IMAGES,Event planning: AMERICAN WEDDING,Floral design: SAN FRANCISCO FLOWER
As cute as this cottagecore centerpiece is for your wedding, it's also a great option for an engagement party or rehearsal dinner. Decorate small bud vases with lace ribbons or appliqués and fill them with simple white flowers.
Cottagecore Wedding Cake Ideas
No cottagecore theme is complete without freshly baked goods—and lots of them. These adorable wedding cakes, pies and cupcakes will have your dessert table overflowing with treats.
23. Strawberry Cake
Garnish your cake with bright red strawberries and whimsical decorations, like buttercream polka dots and piping. While you're at it, choose a strawberry-based wedding cake flavor, like strawberry shortcake or chocolate and strawberries.
24. Floral Cupcakes
Photo: ALIZA RAE PHOTOGRAPHY
Serve cupcakes instead of (or along with) a traditional wedding cake. These are decorated with single pansy flowers, which also happen to be edible.
25. Sugar Flowers
Sugar flowers look just as cute as real flowers for your cottagecore wedding cake. Choose pastel colors, like butter yellow, for an extra-sweet look.
26. Pie Table
Homemade pies and tarts are a cornerstone of the cottagecore wedding aesthetic. Incorporate these sweet treats into your dessert table using family recipes or getting the pies from a local farm stand or bakery.
27. Buttercream and Flowers
If you decide to decorate your cottagecore wedding cake with flowers, skip the elaborate arrangement in favor of a more playful approach. Cluster the blooms in different colors and sizes on alternating sides of each tier.
28. Fresh Fruits
Naked cakes are a popular option for outdoor weddings, since you won't need to worry about the outer frosting melting in hot temperatures. Decorate yours with fresh berries and other fruits for a homemade, countryside-inspired look.
Editor's Cottagecore Wedding Favorites
Want to know our must-haves for a cottagecore wedding? On top of the decor and flowers, here's what we'd recommend.
29. Bow Motif Invitations
Dainty bows are a key element of cottagecore, and they look so adorable on your stationery. Add sketches of bows and flower motifs to your invitations to show off your cottagecore wedding theme from the very start.
30. Cottagecore Wedding Dress
Vintage-inspired details, like lace fabrics, empire waists and corset bodices are just some of the things to look for when you're shopping for your cottagecore wedding dress. To complete the look, sweep your hair up into a messy chignon or leave it undone to show off loose curls or waves.
31. Picnic Blankets
Photo: BRIDGET BADORE
This cottagecore wedding idea is one that your guests will always remember. For an outdoor cocktail hour or reception, arrange picnic blankets where people can relax and mingle (and take cute photos, of course). Add some oversized floor cushions, throw pillows and flower centerpieces for even more charm.
32. Twinkle Lights
Perfect for celebrating after the sun goes down, string lights will make your wedding space feel cozy and welcome—and they're helpful for guiding guests safely along dark pathways.
33. Flower Toss
Celebrate your just-married status by having guests toss flower petals as you make your way down the aisle during the recessional. Fill paper cones with dried flowers and arrange them in a basket near the venue entrance so they're easy to grab.
34. Gingham Suit
Skip the ultra-formal tuxedo in favor of a blue gingham suit instead. This look is relaxed enough to fit in with the cottagecore aesthetic, but it's also more polished and put-together than your regular button-down shirt and dress pants.
35. Honey Jar Favors
You don't have to hand out wedding favors during the reception, but if you do, we suggest going with something that's handmade or extra-personal to you and your partner. Ideas include locally sourced honey, small-batch candles with a custom scent or cocktail napkins embroidered with guests' initials.
