Community› Wedding Discussion Boards› Wedding Reception Forum
Wedding Reception Forum
New Discussion

Equestrian Chic Theme

Knottie47504212Knottie47504212 member
in Wedding Reception Forum
Hi there! I'm getting married in October and I'm stuck on reception ideas. I really loved horses, I ride and want to incorporate that into my decor. I'm thinking something equestrian-chic, rustic, barn, with ribbons and horses and other horsey-things. Does anyone have any ideas or maybe has done something like this?? Thanks!
Report Reply to Post
«1

Re: Equestrian Chic Theme

  • mikenbergermikenberger member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    flantastic said:

    Knottie47504212 said:

    Hi there! I'm getting married in October and I'm stuck on reception ideas. I really loved horses, I ride and want to incorporate that into my decor. I'm thinking something equestrian-chic, rustic, barn, with ribbons and horses and other horsey-things. Does anyone have any ideas or maybe has done something like this?? Thanks!



    No one knows what on earth "equestrian-chic" is. While the animals themselves are beautiful and elegant, the care for them (i.e. being an equestrian, including the barn and whatever else) does not bring elegance to mind and in fact seems rather contradictory. If I was your friend and you volunteered the information that you were trying to make the theme of your wedding "equestrian-chic" I would roll my eyes at you for trying too hard.

    Another thought - you love horses; how does your fiancé feel about this (especially the whole barn venue idea)? It's his wedding too.

    That said, you can certainly incorporate horses into the décor of your wedding. As horseshoes are a symbol of luck, you could use those in a lot of different ways. I've seen people make hearts out of 4 horseshoes. You could include horse figurines in the centerpieces.

    All of these things. 

    And you want horses like IN your reception venue (if it's in a barn?) What about the smell? What about if the music is too loud for the horses? If my friend said her wedding was going to be equestrian-chic, I may laugh. And then wonder how anything is going to be clean in the barn because barns, with live animals in them are inherently dirty. 

    There are tons of ideas out there though on barn weddings/rustic minus the animal details. It's very popular right now.

    image
    Report Reply
  • southernbelle0915southernbelle0915 mod
    Moderator 10000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary
    What on earth is "Equestrian Chic"? Did you just add the word "chic" to make it sound less like a stable?
    *********************************************************************************

    image
    Report Reply
  • Liatris2010Liatris2010 mod
    Moderator 5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its
    Draw inspiration from what ever you like (maybe the Kentucky Derby?), but the theme of your wedding should be marriage, not horses.
    image
    Report Reply
  • TrixieJessTrixieJess member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary First Answer
    ohannabelle said:

    I think the color should be purple, and you should invite this fellow as the guest of honor, because he is, in my opinion, the very definition of chic.


    image
    Truly. It doesn't get any more chic than a custom made, perfectly fitted onesie. Look at his face. Most animals look kind of demeaned when wearing clothing, but this fellow is so perfectly dressed that he is absolutely rocking the onesie. Don't like his onesie? He gives zero fucks. He knows he looks good, and has that confidence that only perfectly dressed, confident horses can have. 


    (You guys knew the horse picture was coming, didn't you? How could I resist?)

    OP, in all seriousness, what you're planning is fine. But try not to go crazy over the top "everything must be horse themed." That's absolutely unnecessary, and receptions don't need elaborate Pinteresty themes.
    Every time I see this horse I laugh! Mainly because I know a girl with a horse who wants to find this onesie...
    Report Reply
  • MandyMostMandyMost member
    Knottie Warrior 1000 Comments 500 Love Its Name Dropper
    If you start putting horses on everything, it's going to look ridiculous. But if you want an overall feel that you consider "equestrian chic" you can do that. I'm thinking about inspiration from the Kentucky Derby, horse shows, and polo matches (which I only know from Pretty Woman). Immediately I think you should aim for an outdoor wedding someplace with a lot of grass, and get married earlier in the day. It would be more casual than a typical evening wedding. And you can incorporate something horse-related somewhere, like maybe horse-shoes on the escort cards for example. 
    Report Reply
  • flantasticflantastic member
    Tenth Anniversary 2500 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    atlastmrsg said:

    I sort of did this.  I have horses and they're a huge part of my life.  My wedding was on a horse farm.  I didn't play it out a ton, but I used this suite of horse invites in chocolate brown and red:


    image

    My shoes were Gucci with the horsebit over the toe.  Similar to this pair on Google images:

    image

    The flowers incorporated red roses (derby) and one of the signature drinks was a mint julep served in a Derby glass.

    The guest book was a Gucci horsebit leather notebook.

    All centerpieces were in silver urns and small florals on bathroom vanities, hi-top bar tables, on coffee tables in front of lounge sofas, etc. were in silver julep cups.  

    It evoked equestrian and Southern without having horses on everything, hay, horse shoes everywhere, etc.
    Classy. I like it. Wouldn't do it myself, but this is done well without being tacky (pun very much intended).
    Report Reply
  • southernbelle0915southernbelle0915 mod
    Moderator 10000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary
    Holy shit @ohannabelle... If ever there were a perfect moment for that pic, it is now! Lol
    *********************************************************************************

    image
    Report Reply
  • theartistformerlyknownastheartistformerlyknownas member
    10000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers First Anniversary
    MandyMost said:

    If you start putting horses on everything, it's going to look ridiculous. But if you want an overall feel that you consider "equestrian chic" you can do that. I'm thinking about inspiration from the Kentucky Derby, horse shows, and polo matches (which I only know from Pretty Woman). Immediately I think you should aim for an outdoor wedding someplace with a lot of grass, and get married earlier in the day. It would be more casual than a typical evening wedding. And you can incorporate something horse-related somewhere, like maybe horse-shoes on the escort cards for example. 

    This ≠ rustic. Two very different things. I agree this can be a nice wedding motif/design inspiration IF you keep the barns/hay/boots out of it. Big difference between derby hats and sipping a mint julep out of a daintily-gloved hand and wearing shit-kicker boots in a pile of dirt while you spill the sweet tea out of your mason jar glass onto your sundress, wondering why that horse is looking at you like that.
    image
    image
    Report Reply
  • tcnobletcnoble member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary First Answer
    I also ride horses, but refused to have my wedding resemble a child's birthday party because they love ponies!

    DH is a welder, so he welded together two horse shoes to make stands for our table numbers. That was the limit of my equestrian passion being incorporated in to our wedding, and it also displayed his talent for welding.
    Wedding Countdown Ticker
    Report Reply
  • Jen4948Jen4948 member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    Maybe something with apples in the menu? I remember another poster once mentioned that her wedding would be at a horse farm, and several people suggested apples.
    Report Reply
  • Jen4948Jen4948 member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    Maggie0829 said:

    Jen4948 said:

    Maybe something with apples in the menu? I remember another poster once mentioned that her wedding would be at a horse farm, and several people suggested apples.

    Hmm, when I think of horses I think of carrots LOL!  So maybe apples and carrots?  Ooh or just have bowls of sugar cubes everyone.  Don't horses love sugar cubes?

    But seriously, equestrian chic is not a thing.  It just isn't.  But if you do still want to incorporate horses or the equestrian lifestyle into your wedding you can by following the awesome suggestions by PP.  Any type of theme should be used subtly.
    Oh, I agree, "equestrian chic" doesn't make sense to me (most themes don't) and I'd go light on whatever theme there is besides "wedding." This is just one more possible way to do it lightly.
    Report Reply
  • PrettyGirlLostPrettyGirlLost member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer
    edited April 2015
    I'm an equestrian and I don't get the seersucker connection?

    And I agree that Kentucky Derby and Polo are not rustic in any sense. They are two of the bougiest horse events in the world. Polo is the sport of Kings, afterall.

    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


    Report Reply
  • TrixieJessTrixieJess member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary First Answer
    PrettyGirlLost said:

    I'm an equestrian and I don't get the seersucker connection?

    And I agree that Kentucky Derby and Polo are not rustic in any sense. They are two of the bougiest horse events in the world. Polo is the sport of Kings, afterall.

    I think (and please tell me if I'm wrong) but Seersucker is more of a "Southern" fabric and is associated with the Derby? Please set me straight, I'm Canadian and am getting my info from my seamstress mother who used to go down to the Derby on a yearly basis to drink and pick-up men.
    Report Reply
  • thisismynickname2thisismynickname2 member
    5000 Comments Sixth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer
    Great advice above on how to make this elegant. 

    Upon reading the original post, my original thought on "equestrian chic" was polo matches in London, not rustic barns. 

    I carried a horseshoe with my bouquet, but because it's a symbol of luck, not because of horses. So, with that idea, you get a two-for-one. 
    ________________________________


    Report Reply
  • MyNameIsNotMyNameIsNot member
    Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    TrixieJess said:

    PrettyGirlLost said:

    I'm an equestrian and I don't get the seersucker connection?

    And I agree that Kentucky Derby and Polo are not rustic in any sense. They are two of the bougiest horse events in the world. Polo is the sport of Kings, afterall.

    I think (and please tell me if I'm wrong) but Seersucker is more of a "Southern" fabric and is associated with the Derby? Please set me straight, I'm Canadian and am getting my info from my seamstress mother who used to go down to the Derby on a yearly basis to drink and pick-up men.
    Seersucker is a southern thing for summer. Kentucky is not that southern, and Derby is in spring (first Saturday in May), but people wear it anyway. 
    Report Reply
  • TrixieJessTrixieJess member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its Fourth Anniversary First Answer
    MyNameIsNot said:

    TrixieJess said:

    PrettyGirlLost said:

    I'm an equestrian and I don't get the seersucker connection?

    And I agree that Kentucky Derby and Polo are not rustic in any sense. They are two of the bougiest horse events in the world. Polo is the sport of Kings, afterall.

    I think (and please tell me if I'm wrong) but Seersucker is more of a "Southern" fabric and is associated with the Derby? Please set me straight, I'm Canadian and am getting my info from my seamstress mother who used to go down to the Derby on a yearly basis to drink and pick-up men.
    Seersucker is a southern thing for summer. Kentucky is not that southern, and Derby is in spring (first Saturday in May), but people wear it anyway. 
    Thank you! 
    Report Reply
  • theartistformerlyknownastheartistformerlyknownas member
    10000 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers First Anniversary
    MyNameIsNot said:

    TrixieJess said:

    PrettyGirlLost said:

    I'm an equestrian and I don't get the seersucker connection?

    And I agree that Kentucky Derby and Polo are not rustic in any sense. They are two of the bougiest horse events in the world. Polo is the sport of Kings, afterall.

    I think (and please tell me if I'm wrong) but Seersucker is more of a "Southern" fabric and is associated with the Derby? Please set me straight, I'm Canadian and am getting my info from my seamstress mother who used to go down to the Derby on a yearly basis to drink and pick-up men.
    Seersucker is a southern thing for summer. Kentucky is not that southern, and Derby is in spring (first Saturday in May), but people wear it anyway. 
    Yeah I was only thinking "southern summer kind of goes with horses sort of." Not like bridesmaids are going to be wearing riding breeches, and seersucker would go with the overall "look" of fancy people hanging out with some horses. :-p
    image
    image
    Report Reply
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    1000 Comments 500 Love Its First Anniversary Name Dropper
    edited June 2015
    .
    Report Reply
  • PrettyGirlLostPrettyGirlLost member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 500 Love Its First Answer
    lolo883 said:

    MyNameIsNot said:

    TrixieJess said:

    PrettyGirlLost said:

    I'm an equestrian and I don't get the seersucker connection?

    And I agree that Kentucky Derby and Polo are not rustic in any sense. They are two of the bougiest horse events in the world. Polo is the sport of Kings, afterall.

    I think (and please tell me if I'm wrong) but Seersucker is more of a "Southern" fabric and is associated with the Derby? Please set me straight, I'm Canadian and am getting my info from my seamstress mother who used to go down to the Derby on a yearly basis to drink and pick-up men.
    Seersucker is a southern thing for summer. Kentucky is not that southern, and Derby is in spring (first Saturday in May), but people wear it anyway. 
    Yeah I was only thinking "southern summer kind of goes with horses sort of." Not like bridesmaids are going to be wearing riding breeches, and seersucker would go with the overall "look" of fancy people hanging out with some horses. :-p
    Ah ok, I get it now.

    I don't like horseracing- to many ethical issues for me- so I don't do the Derby thing.  The hats are fab, though.  If he racing industry cleaned up it's act I could get on board just for the hats.

    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards