Thanks to Gwyneth’s courtroom looks and the recent Succession finale, quiet luxury continues to dominate the worlds of fashion, interiors, and now weddings. Spring 2023’s royal wedding - music royalty that is - of Sophia Richie and Elliot Grainge in the South of France, has set the trend for this year’s season. But there's nothing new about ‘stealth wealth’, this ‘old money’ style encompasses a pared down classic aesthetic that never goes out of fashion.
Despite its popularity, exactly what makes a perfect quiet luxury wedding is still a contentious subject, with many commenters proclaiming the Sophia Richie wedding to be anything but. With the bride’s three different Chanel dresses, it's certainly debatable. So, in this article we’re going to have a crack at defining just what quiet luxury is and share our thoughts on how you can channel this trend for your wedding with a beautiful pole and canvas marquee.
What is quiet luxury?
The quiet luxury trend encompasses an understated elegance, its minimalist and sophisticated. The look appears effortless and offers a vision of impeccably polished perfection. Think neutrals, clean lines and a break from maximalist gowns, sparkling jewellery and lavish decor. Quiet luxury offers a mood of old world romance with a fresh modernity. It’s not just a trend, it's a lifestyle.
Quiet or ‘silent’ luxury is all about simplicity and taste, with a focus on quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail, which, incidentally, is exactly how our clients and their guests describe our beautiful canvas and pole marquees. With that in mind, who could be more perfectly positioned to comment on the quiet luxury wedding trend than yours truly.
How to perfect quiet luxury for your marquee wedding
Our laid back, chic and timelessly elegant pole and canvas marquees are the perfect space for a stylish quiet luxury wedding. With some beautiful styling and attention to detail they can be transformed into a spectacular French Riviera ready backdrop for your modern understated wedding. Here’s how to achieve the quiet luxury experience.
Put your guests’ experience first
The focus of any quiet luxury event should be on the guests first and foremost. Much as we hate the word and it's sexist undertones, there are no ‘Bridezillas' aloud in this sophisticated space.
Be a gracious host, make your guests feel at ease and like they belong to a select group, here to be part of something unique, private and exclusive. Don’t make demands of them à la Pippa Middleton asking guests to bring a second outfit for her wedding reception.
Get this right from the very beginning of the celebrations with your marquee entrance. You can create an inviting welcome with a dreamy lantern lit walkway and a glamorous portico styled with breathtaking florals.
Create a pathway with our giant shepherd’s crooks. Adorn them with lanterns or add festoon lights to give subtle illumination as your evening guests make their entrance. Photo credit - Katharine Snowden
Our canvas and pole Portico, great for welcoming guests. This entry structure looks stunning styled with foliage and flowers and sets the scene for the good times to come. Photo credit - Katharine Snowden
Once your guests are inside the marquee, treat them to the wow factor, but make it quiet luxury with flower rings to compliment the marquee’s huge white swooping ceilings. Hire our beautiful bespoke oak panelled handcrafted bar and install it around the central king pole with a stunning flower ring above. This makes a statement without being loud or over the top. Create an atmosphere of laid back luxe with comfortable chairs and unfussy tablescapes. You can even incorporate sumptuous lounge seating in an area of the marquee or as part of a separate chill out area.
The bar looks great around the king pole in our larger marquees or in a separate chill out tent. Photo credit - Katharine Snowden
It’s all in the detail
It's the little things that have a big impact and can really elevate your wedding to a level of refined elegance. Think about things like whether the band’s set up is in line with your aesthetic, consider their outfits, their backdrop, does it all fit with your decor? Does the sound from the mics fill the marquee so everyone can hear the speeches? Is the flooring level and stable, is it carpeted?
Photo Credit - Agnes Black
At Peacock and Bow, as well as coir matting we offer a wooden floor with carpet on top in a choice of stylish colours, including neutrals, very on brand with the quiet luxury theme.
Little touches like amenity trays in the bathrooms and linen napkins can be easily overlooked in the whirlwind of wedding planning. So, get in the quiet luxury mindset and dial up the quality wherever you can.
We certainly have the details covered when it comes to your marquee. Our Will’s Marquees are handcrafted in Yorkshire, a county that’s home to several influential old money families don’t you know! Our marquees feature rope tensioned with beech timber sliders. Even the historic ‘Turks Head’ knots on each king pole add a stylish finish. Then there's our hand turned timber finials that top each side pole and our hand stitched white flags that crown the elevated king poles.
Video credit - Olivia Bennet
Stick to an understated colour palette
Focus on neutrals and add subtle pops of colour with pastels rather than bright hues. Steer clear of vibrant purples or hot pinks, you can get that out of your system at your Barbiecore hen, stag or fox party.
Quiet luxury is all about low key decor, extravagant florals being the exception, don't go for an over the top theme if you want to achieve the sophistication of quiet luxury. Pair our white canvas marquess with lush green foliage, white tablecloths and limewash chiavari chairs for a timeless elegance.
Lush green foliage adds texture as it hangs above our classic limewash chiavari chairs. Photo credit - Claire Graham Photography
The marquee lighting makes or breaks the ambiance you are trying to achieve with your decor. Our fairy lights look magical up in the high ceilings of the marquee, while festoons give a cosy and intimate glow. Our flying lights on the exterior of the marquee add a touch of majesty when the sun goes down.
Our unique flying lights hover above the swooping roofline and bring drama to your marquee's evening vibe. Photo credit - Katharine Snowden
Bridal look
Clean girl, ‘no makeup makeup’ screams, or rather whispers, quiet luxury and is the perfect look when our pristine white marquees are your backdrop. Invest in some high end skincare and get that complexion glowing. For inspo see Lily James’ chic bridal look in her latest ad campaign flogging some lovely diamonds.
No logos
The main thing quiet luxury isn't, is flashy. That means things like wedding party outfits and favours should display only taste and class, not labels! So hold off on the Fortnum and Mason teas and your personalised mini Moet bottles. Instead go for an experiential wedding favour. Event planner to the stars, Jung Lee, told wedding inspiration website Over The Moon, about her favourite experiential wedding favour; “Everyone got their own car to take them home [at the end of the night]...No one needs another trinket when you’re leaving the venue at three in the morning. But when there’s a car already waiting for you. That’s quiet luxury.”
Incorporate family heirlooms
Bringing family heirlooms into your wedding is a beautiful way to embrace the quiet luxury trend. By making use of such treasured pieces, you infuse your special day with a sense of rich heritage, sentiment and meaning. From wearing your grandmother's vintage necklace to displaying your great-grandfather's pocket watch, these heirlooms become symbols of love, tradition, and family legacy. Such thoughtful details not only elevate the aesthetic of your wedding but also create an intimate and personal atmosphere that resonates with the quiet luxury trend.
As well as wearing family heirlooms, you can make them part of your marquee decor as well. Dress your tables with antique teacups or vases with simple floral arrangements.
One of our wonderful clients introduced a family heirloom as the centre piece that stood behind the couple as they were married in our ceremony marquee. It was a table made by the bride's grandfather who was a talented joiner. They had many examples of his work but this was a firm favourite and got centre stage.
Photo credit - Katharine Snowden
No doubt you’ll have a stunning location that incorporates beautiful grounds, historic buildings or rolling landscapes. Our marquees bring the outside in and capitalise on their surroundings with their clear walls that can be rolled away to let in the fresh air.
All our marquees have clear walls that can be rolled away out of sight to bring the outside in. Photo credit - Katharine Snowden
Quality tipple
The drinks you offer should reflect a refined and sophisticated taste. Classic cocktails embody elegance and indulgence, serve them with a twist, such as a lavender-infused gin and tonic or a champagne cocktail with a delicate rose petal garnish. A curated wine list featuring high-quality vintages from renowned vineyards demonstrates quality and attention to detail. For non-alcoholic options, create artisanal mocktails using fresh ingredients and inventive flavour combinations. Think cucumber and mint spritzers or a refreshing blend of citrus and elderflower, perfect for a whimsical English country garden party wedding.
By providing a thoughtfully curated drinks menu, you are sure to enhance the quiet luxury atmosphere of your wedding. However, flashy recognisable brands like Cristal, Dom Pérignon and Diva Vodka are definitely not quiet luxury.
Your top quality libations will be suitably stocked behind our beautiful handcrafted 360 degrees oak panelled bar, perfectly on trend.
Photo credit - Katharine Snowden
Embrace quiet luxury with a pole and canvas marquee wedding
So, what features of Sofia Richie’s now iconic quiet luxury wedding style will you steal for your big day? Quiet luxury means high quality craftsmanship, fine fabrics, clean lines and a deeply rooted history. So it goes that Peacock and Bow’s fine English marquees are the epitome of quiet luxury. Instead of a grand ballroom or an ornate castle, choose a traditional pole and canvas marquee and ensure that your wedding is intimate, understated and elegant with a sense of exclusivity that is perfectly in line with the quiet luxury trend.
Photo credit - Holly Clark Photography
If you have quiet luxury marquee wedding ideas that you would like to discuss with us, give us a call and find out how we can bring your vision to life.