The Nuts and Bolts of Planning an Industrial-Chic Wedding
Industrial Chic: It's as if Restoration Hardware and an old, empty warehouse had a wedding.
Olio | A Modern/Industrial Event Space
Industrial-chic weddings give new life to once-neglected or abandoned spaces like former factories, revamped warehouses, and converted lofts. Seemingly unappealing details such as exposed brick, peeling paint, visible pipes, and cement floors look strikingly beautiful when paired with modern wedding décor.
A throwback to the Industrial Revolution, this style mixes unrefined structures with sleek, contemporary design. The result is both gritty and glamorous, so it's no wonder industrial-chic weddings are having their moment.
If this style speaks to you, scroll down for 5 tips on achieving an elegantly edgy look:
1 } Find a "raw space" wedding venue.
Okay, so what exactly IS a raw space? When we say "raw" we mean that the venue is essentially just a shell: Four walls, a roof, and a floor. Bare bones. A total blank slate.
If there's one thing raw-space venues have in spades, it's character. Although you'll essentially be building your wedding from the ground up, the point of an industrial-chic wedding is to let the inherent features of your venue shine.
We have lots of Loft/Warehouse/Industrial wedding venues on HereComesTheGuide.com, but here are a few that really embody the essence of industrial chic:
Olio | A Modern/Industrial Event Space
2 } Be mindful of your budget.
Since raw-space venues are the opposite of all-inclusive, they have the potential to break the bank. After all, you'll have to rent even the most basic wedding items on your own tab.
These "extras" can include everything from the tables, chairs, linens, and flatware to the sound system and lighting—things you'd never have to worry about at, say, a ballroom wedding venue.
The good news is, industrial-chic weddings are no-frills by nature, so the flowers (assuming you even have them) and décor can be kept fairly minimal.
3 } Explore your décor options.
With your venue providing so much visual interest, there's no need for an overabundance of décor—but the things you do bring in should make a statement.
We recommend focusing on rich textures, mixed metals, architectural patterns, and sophisticated foliage to dress up your urban event space.
Here are some of our favorite industrial-chic wedding décor ideas:
• Acrylic & Lucite •
Adding crystal-clear acrylic or lucite elements lends a cool, contemporary vibe to an industrial space, while never blocking the view:
Gerber + Scarpelli | La Vaca Designhouse
Morgan Manufacturing | Kristin La Voie Photography | Liven It Up Events
Studio 52 | Madeleine Collins Photography
• Geometric Patterns •
The architectural nature of hexagons and other angular shapes makes them the perfect structural accompaniments to a stark setting:
Strongwater | Amy Peppercorn Photography
Laura Kelly | The Cake Whisperer
• Foliage •
We're partial to using greenery for raw-space weddings; however, monochromatic florals add a neutral touch of color:
Studio 52 | Madeleine Collins Photography
UNION/PINE | Catalina Jean Photography
• Draping •
Clean white draping adds an air of elegance as well as an eye-catching contrast to the brick-and-mortar backdrop:
Strongwater | Amy Peppercorn Photography
Luce Loft
Morgan Manufacturing | Kristin La Voie Photography | Liven It Up Events
• Mixed Metals, Stoneware, & Wood •
Galvanized metal, gleaming gold or copper, stainless steel, reclaimed wood, and even stoneware fit perfectly within the industrial theme:
Morgan Manufacturing | Kristin La Voie Photography | Liven It Up Events
Ashton Kelley Photography | Simply Gorgeous Events | EAlexDesigns
4 } Illuminate the space.
No industrial-chic wedding is complete without ambient lighting. However, this wedding style doesn't just use lighting as an accent—the fixtures that come with raw spaces are themselves often a sight to behold.
• Chandeliers •
Perhaps the most statement-making lighting fixture of them all, chandeliers may be the most surefire way to up the glam factor:
The Loft by Bridgeview | Studio 27
• Marquee Lights •
Salvaged-metal marquee letters are graphic enough to hold their own in an industrial space:
Strongwater | Amy Peppercorn Photography
• Edison Lights •
Edison-style light bulbs not only have an old-fashioned look, they cast a warm-yellow glow:
• Votives •
Votive candles look especially industrial when set in mercury glass holders atop a reclaimed wood table:
5 } Think outside the box for photo ops.
Juxtaposition isn't just a fun word to say. It's also our favorite part about the industrial-chic wedding style. Play up this concept by posing in your wedding best in front of the grittiest, grimiest, and most graffiti-d of backdrops.
Houston Station | Zoe Life Photography
Strongwater | Amy Peppercorn Photography
It's easy to see why industrial chic is in!
→ For even more inspiration, check out our Industrial-Chic Weddings board on Pinterest.
Fancy an industrial wedding venue? We got you, boo.
Photos: Wilshire Loft • The Pearl • Studio450
Filed under Ceremony, City / Urban, Cakes, Expert Advice, Offbeat, Flowers, Loft / Warehouse / Industrial, Wedding Venues / Locations
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