When you picture your dream wedding, where do you feel happiest; the most connected, relaxed or content? Does ‘getting away from it all’ for the big day conjure ideas of wilderness, birdsong and green vistas? The gentle trickle of a water feature in a country garden, hazy dappled sunlight, the scent of wildflowers in the breeze and the comforting sensation of grass between your toes? Is the sensory deprivation of your daily urban grind leaving you wistful for a multi-sensory nature hit? You’re not alone!
What is Biophilia?
Biophilia is ‘the love of life or living systems’, and it’s instinctive. We have a deep-rooted connection to the natural world and yet our busy modern lives often limit our time within it.
Biophilic Design is a term coined and popularised by American psychologist Edward O Wilson in the 1980’s, born out of his concern of the negative effects of urbanisation. The idea encourages the use of natural elements in the design of your surroundings. It’s no coincidence ‘Greenery’ is the Pantone Colour of the Year.
The aim? To stimulate all your senses, as nature would. By consciously using natural elements in interior design, we are unconsciously re-connecting with what makes us most happy.
You may have started to notice elements of biophilic design at weddings such as living green walls, water features, pockets of urban gardens, atmospheric scents and natural materials that make you instinctively think of the great outdoors are being utilised by sharp event planners focused on well-being.
What can biophilic design add to your wedding?
Concepts that spring to mind when you imagine weddings are those often heavily associated with nature. Marriage is life, renewal, growth, harmony, freshness, safety, fertility, and environment. The principles of biophilic design both celebrate and embody these concepts.
The key to harnessing biophilia in the design of your wedding is to create a restorative space that subconsciously connects your guests to the sense of well-being they feel when outdoors. You don’t have to create a jungle for your herds. Closeness to nature doesn’t necessarily mean proximity to a pot plant or two.
Take them back to a material connection with a natural environment; with hints of raw earthiness, such as the knots and grains of wood or scatterings of plants and herbs. Use materials, grains, textures and elements in design that distinctly reflect the environment to create an overarching sense of the natural world.
A marquee event is particularly advantageous for this purpose. By mimicking the finer details of the natural world with textiles, artwork, light, shapes or patterns and stunning views of nature you can re-create the biophilic human connection to great effect. Where better to immerse your guests in nature and fulfil their desire to reconnect than in a beautiful tented palace in the outdoor space of your choice?
You don’t have to find the perfect country seat to embrace biophilic design. If your budget doesn’t stretch, or you’re planning an urban city wedding, clever hints of nature can subconsciously transport your guests to greener realms. For decor, think lush green foliage and wildflower centre-pieces.
Adorn rustic furniture, or reclaimed wood outdoor-seating, with natural fabrics such as cotton, sheepskin or hessian. Make an impact that wows with large-scale decorative features like our bespoke twisted twig, leaf and floral chandeliers.
Living green or moss walls can make a space feel alive and add an instantly fresh hit to contrastingly urban environments, or replicating a natural element to an otherwise non-natural object, such as this Astroturf bar, really helps to achieve this look.
Never underestimate the power of a water-feature to add a touch of classic serenity to any setting, whether indoors or in the great outdoors. Incorporate foliage trees to bring the outdoors, in works too.
The principles of biophilic design embrace a love of nature with all our senses and we are inspired to explore unusual elements wherever possible. To add a finishing touch to your biophilic world, our scent machines can flood a space with the smell of cut grass, summer breezes or sensual and musky evening Oud tones.
Play around with the design of your lighting. It’s a too-often overlooked feature that we feel should be a key consideration when setting the scene for an evening affair.
Whether you are planning sun-downer drinks in country gardens or you are taking your guests inside to kick-start the party; add warmth with natural, soft, peachy and muted sunset tones. The most impressive way to ensure your guests are making the most of an evening in nature? Add a little fire!
Biophilia can be played upon beautifully when hitting the design board for your wedding.
