Summer wedding inspiration at Rivervale Barn

Summer at Rivervale Barn is a season of sunshine, warmth and outdoor celebrations bathed in light and laughter. Flowers are in full bloom and the gardens are alive with life and activity, simply longing to be filled with happy couples celebrating their love with friends and family.

Why Rivervale Barn is the perfect Hampshire wedding venue, come rain or shine.

Rivervale Barn is not only one of the very best outdoor wedding venues in Hampshire, it is absolutely gorgeous on the inside too. So, if you want a venue that offers you style and flexibility, look no further.

 

Rivervale Barn in the sunshine

There’s no doubt that Rivervale Barn looks stunning when the sun shines. The Spinney is our idyllic outdoor ceremony space, perfect for fair-weather wedding ceremonies. Here, you can take your vows underneath the trees, surrounded by friends, family and the best nature offers. Otherwise, the full-height windows in the Ceremony Barn let light flood in, so you’ll feel as though you’re outdoors.

When it’s time to start the celebrations, what could be better than drinks and canapes in our glorious gardens? There’s seating, shade and sunny areas so all your guests will be comfortable on the day, and the gardens are beyond perfect for photos and entertainment.

In the evening, the Courtyard comes to life. This is the best spot for BBQs, spit roasts and street food as your lucky guests watch their evening food cooked and served right in front of them. Our expert on-site catering team can also set up fabulous interactive drinks stations here, so if you’d like to create your own Bellini or mix yourself some hard lemonade, this is the place to do it.

Of course, it’s nice to be able to escape from the sun on super hot days and you can be sure that if you step inside, you’ll feel instantly cool. The Dining Barn is always the perfect temperature for wedding breakfasts, and it’s shady enough to protect your cake from melting on even the hottest days.

Rivervale Barn on rainy days

Should the forecast for your big day look a little cloudy or chilly, there’s no need to worry. Rivervale Barn really is a venue for every season, and whatever the weather, we’ll make sure that everything is perfect.

If it’s too cold or wet to get outside for your drinks reception and photos, there’s plenty of space inside. If the sun does appear, you can easily pop outside to grab those all-important photos.

The Dining Barn is always light and welcoming, even on the darkest days. The fairy lights around the pillars will brighten any occasion, and if the rain really is coming down, all the spaces at Rivervale Barn are under one roof, so there’s no need to dash around in the rain to move from your ceremony to your reception.

We should also mention the Pamper Room and Cornstore Cottage too. Again, both of these brilliant spaces have been designed with you in mind, so wet weather is no problem. Both areas are really light, so perfect for pre-wedding hair and makeup, and they’re also warm and cosy on colder days so that you can relax in comfort and get excited for your big day here at Rivervale Barn.

How to style your summer wedding at Rivervale Barn

Deciding on the decorations and details for your celebration is most definitely an important part of your wedding preparations, and styling will play a big part in the overall feel of the day.

If you are hosting a summer wedding, here are some ways to embrace the season and design and decorate your day uniquely and memorably.

 

Summer colours

Pastel hues are always popular, but we love seeing pops of bright colour in summer, and this is a perfect way to inject a little fun into your wedding. How about bright confetti, tassel garlands, colourful summer flowers and stationery that add colour to your tables? We love seeing couples having fun with colour, and whether you add bright shoes to your wedding attire or go for a brilliantly bold wedding cake, colour can help to create an excellent atmosphere at your summer wedding.

 

Summer in bloom

The light-filled Ceremony Barn looks amazing with the addition of seasonal flowers and blends beautifully with the garden, which is a great spot for drinks and canapes. Don’t worry about decorations here – it’s perfect just as it is. Why not take inspiration from our gardens when choosing your summer wedding flowers for a cleverly cohesive look?

For ceremonies outside, why not say your vows underneath the trees, surrounded by friends, family and the very best that nature has to offer? Add seasonal flowers to the registrar’s table, line the aisle with more blooms and fill the air with music for an unforgettable ceremony.

 

Playful details

Summer is definitely a time to have some fun, so think about including some playful details in your day. Huge balloons are a lot of fun and look great in photos. Also, they look fab around your cake table or to frame your photo booth area in the evening.

Suspended décor is an impactful way to add drama to any space. Think floral installations, paper lanterns or pom poms in summer colours. Fabric drapes and bunting also look great.

Why not speak to our Recommend Suppliers, who are authorised and experienced to assist you?

Summer-inspired food and drink at Rivervale Barn

Whatever the weather, your wedding food and drink will play a big part in the success of your day. Start your drinks reception with some canapes that make you think of holidays – fish and chips or mini summer-inspired favourites from around the world.

Add to this the most perfect summery tipples such as sangria, Pimms or even a create-your-own Bellini bar. Our on-site catering team’s interactive drinks stations are ideal if you want to get guests involved and are always hugely popular.

When it comes to your wedding breakfast, there are plenty of seasonal delights to choose from. We love the huge antipasti boards that give the impression of a super luxe picnic for starters. Don’t be afraid to serve a hearty main course during summer – your guests will probably have had a long day and will appreciate a big meal that stops tummies rumbling. Chocolate works at any time of year, so chocolate tart, chocolate mousse or our famous chocolate brownies all make a great dessert.

In the evening, serve food that’s fun and encourages conversation. The Courtyard comes alive in the evening and is the perfect place to serve your evening food. You could serve popcorn or even ice cream from our very own ice cream cart. Wood-fired pizza is another option our couples love, and the firepit BBQ is ideal for summer. Our chef stations are also great for summer – how about Turkish meze, Indian favourites, classic Paella or Greek barbecue? You won’t want the evening to end with such delicious food!

Real summertime wedding inspiration at Rivervale Barn

There’s no better way to inspire your summer wedding theme than to showcase a handful of summer weddings we’ve been thrilled to host at Rivervale Barn, each entirely different and beautifully sunshine-filled in their own way.

 

Blush pink – a summer favourite

Maxine and Michael’s summer wedding day at Rivervale Barn was simply perfect. Maxine spent a lot of time on Instagram and Pinterest in the build-up to the big day and settled on the prettiest blush pink Wedding theme – a true summertime favourite.

“I knew I really wanted lanterns in the Dining Barn and we combined these with round mirror plates, square mirror vases and blush pink roses surrounded by candles.”

The couple also placed big LOVE letters behind the top table to complete the look, while the Ceremony Barn was also dressed to fit the theme. There were ivory ribbons decorating the chairs and lanterns and petals lining the aisle.

A vintage-inspired summer wedding

When Lucinda and Rob first visited Rivervale Barn, the beauty of this Hampshire wedding venue in summer made an instant impression on the couple.

“We quite simply fell in love with Rivervale from the moment we pulled up outside. Everything about the venue made us both know instantly that this was the place where we wanted to hold our wedding.”

“We went all out with our wedding decorations. For our table centrepieces, we chose bird cages full of flowers on top of wooden slices and surrounded by candles and jam jars full of flowers. We added lanterns all over the venue too.”

A shabby chic summer wedding

When Charlotte and Michael started planning their wedding, they had two things on their list of wedding must-haves. The couple set out to find a wedding venue that would give them just what they wanted – a spacious location with beautiful surroundings and fantastic food and drink.

Their summer wedding was full of amazing handmade details that really brought their gorgeous shabby chic wedding theme to life.

And choosing a summer wedding meant that the couple could opt for a fire pit BBQ to fuel guests into the evening. Burgers, halloumi skewers, hot dogs and chicken kebabs were all very popular and gave everyone the energy to party long into the night.

A fun-filled summer wedding

For their summer wedding, Terri and Brian wanted a beautiful reception venue that could host a fabulous party. Theirs was a fun-filled day at Rivervale Barn that mixed elegant details and light-hearted touches.

“When we came to the Open Day and saw the barn dressed for a wedding, we knew just how beautiful it could look on our special day. The gardens are stunning, and the barn is just what we wanted – bright, airy and spacious.”

Guests enjoyed a brilliant drinks reception and were treated to strawberry rose sangria which was a huge hit. To make sure that their wedding breakfast was as enjoyable as possible for their guests and to work with the informal feel of the day, Terri and Brian chose a delicious, summer-inspired BBQ buffet.

“This was so delicious. Our guests got to choose their meats and salads, and everything was freshly prepared. We wanted an informal meal where our guests could have some choice, and the BBQ buffet worked perfectly.”

Get in touch to plan your summer wedding at Rivervale Barn

There’s no doubt about it – summer at Rivervale Barn is absolutely beautiful, and it’s a wonderful time for a wedding. We would love to welcome you to the barn for your personal show round, so do get in touch to book your visit now. We’re also here to answer any questions that you might have on 01252 413232.