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Glamping Wedding Theme Trend

Have you heard of glamping?  Glamping is a popular trend that takes the “roughing it”out of camping.  For those of us who like the idea of adventure but miss the amenities of home.

Trendy “glamorous camping” has made it’s way into the wedding world.  Glamping inspired wedding themes are popping up all over wedding blogs and pinterest boards. For this theme combine rustic, woodland settings and decor with elegant touches and personal, carefree elements that play off the idea of camping .  Shindigevents.org shared some inspiration for an upcoming wedding show event; creating their own take on the Glamping Wedding theme trend.  Check out their post and pinterest inspiration pins here.

Inspired by their fun glamping finds, I’ve put together some of my own.  I do have to note I had to re-post ShinDig’s pin from celebrationsathomeblog.com; that marshmallow chandelier is such a great statement piece that captures the fun nature of the trendy theme.

Glamping wedding theme musts: to start with a fabulous outdoor or rustic setting.  Utilize tents or a spacious loft for an elegant reception.  Even if your glamping wedding takes place right in your local community or your own backyard make it feel like a destination wedding.

Mix decor with salvaged, rustic items like old jars, containers, hay bails and crates.  There is beauty in the ordinary; an assortment of wildflowers make a beautiful centerpiece and add a pop of color.  The uniqueness of this trend is to pair these rustic items with elegant table settings and romantic lighting.  Remember to bring the luxury of indoor amenities to your rustic locale.

Finally have fun with the wedding theme. Save with DIY items and salvaged or recycled pieces and splurge on a few luxury items.  A gourmet dessert bar or wine and cheese pairing before the meal would be something for everyone to enjoy.  Who knew camping could be so glamorous?

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Top Ten Coolest Glamping Honeymoons

I have to start off by saying that glamping just might be one of the worst words ever invented. Despite my disdain for the word, however, I can’t deny my love for this travel trend, mainly because it combines two of my favourite things: the great outdoors and a comfortable bed. Even though glamping is usually associated with tricked out safari tents, the trend has grown to include airstream trailers, tree houses, geodomes, and even teepees. There are so many options available now for the glamping enthusiast that it would be impossible to round up all the awesome glamping accommodations out there; so instead, here are my picks for what I think are the top ten coolest glamping honeymoons:

For the Art Lovers: El Cosmico (pictured above)

Location: Marfa, TX
Price: $65/night (safari tents); $80/night (Teepee); $110 -$150/night (trailer)

Marfa may have less than 2000 residents, but this tiny town has a big reputation in the art world and is something of a mecca for the modern art lover. For honeymooners coming to Marfa to check out Prada Marfa, the Donald Judd sculptures, and the Marfa lights, a stay at El Cosmico is a must. Something of a tourist attraction itself, El Cosmico offers three types of accommodations – safari tents, Sioux teepees, and refurbished vintage trailers – as well as year round workshops, retreats, and cultural events.

For the Architecture and Design Nerds: Tree Hotel

 

Location: Harads, Sweden
Price: $669 – $700 (for 2 people per night)

Leave it to the Scandinavians to make camping an architecturally interesting activity. Designed by some of Scandinavia’s leading architects, the Treehotel was created as a “place where nature, ecological values, comfort and modern design are combined for an exciting adventure”. In addition to the 5 beautifully designed rooms (the blue cone is not pictured above), the nearby tree sauna ensures that all guests have a truly relaxing stay.

For the Urbanites: Grand Daddy Hotel

 

Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Price: $150 – $265/per night

If nature really isn’t your thing, but you still love the novelty of camping, then the Grand Daddy Hotel in Cape Town is the perfect glamping destination for you. Centrally located on Long St., the Grand Daddy’s rooftop airstream trailer park provides all the kitsch you desire without any of the roughing it part. And with the Sky Bar conveniently located right next to the trailers, you never even have to leave the roof (although I highly recommend that you do).

For the Nature Lovers: Kolarbyn Eco Lodge

 

Location: Skinnskatteberg, Sweden
Price: from $60/per person per night

For those looking for an experience that’s more akin to camping, but with just slightly more comfort, there’s Kolarbyn Eco-Lodge. Billing itself as “Sweden’s most primitive hotel”, guests stay in forest huts with with 2 hard beds, sheepskin rugs, and a wood-burning fireplace. It might not be luxurious, but it does look cozy!

For the Winter Enthusiasts: White Pod

 

Location: Les Giettes, Switzerland
Price: $387 – $635/per night

Have you ever dreamed of sleeping in an igloo? Well if winter is your thing, the Whitepod hotel in Switzerland can make all your cold weather dreams come true in comfort and style. These geodesic domes come with views of lake Geneva, wood-burning stoves, soft carpets, and large beds with luxury linens; making them the perfect place to put up your feet after a long day of skiing. I hate winter and even I want to stay here.

For the Romantics: Treehouse Point

 

Location: Issaquah, WA
Price: $120 – $215/per night

Does a honeymoon up in the trees sound romantic to you? If it does, then you’ll want to consider Treehouse Point in Washington state. With five cozy fully furnished tree houses to choose from (Trillium is my favourite), it’s the perfect romantic hideaway for you and your love.

For the Traditionalists: Paws Up Resort

 

Location: Greenough, MT
Price: From $1075/per night (includes all meals)

As one of America’s top glamping resorts, I couldn’t do a glamping round up without including Paws Up, now could I?  If you want a luxurious glamping experience in the truest sense of the word then Paws Up is the place for you. With a camp butler, heated washroom floors, and king sized feather beds, this is glamorous camping at its finest. And to make the experience at Paws Up truly decadent, a visit to the tented Spa Town is a must.

For the Free Spirits: Free Spirit Spheres

 

Location: Qualicum Bay, B.C.
Price: $155 – $225/per night

These sphere shaped accommodations suspended in the trees of the B.C. rainforest aren’t for everyone, especially those prone to motion sickness (they rock and sway in the breeze), but for the more free spirited honeymooners, they are a truly unique experience in themselves.

For the Road Trippers: VW Surfari

 

Location: from $100/daily
Price: Los Angeles, CA

Couples looking to hit the open road and camp along the way can kill two birds with one stone by renting one of the VW Surfari refurbished camper buses. At $100 a day for accommodation and transportation, it’s a great option for adventurous honeymooners on a budget.

For the Ultimate Splurgers: Gorah Elephant Camp

 

Location: Addo National Park, South Africa
Price: $686/per person per night

If you’re looking to go all out on your glamping honeymoon and really splurge, then you need to pack your bags, head to Africa where glamping originated in the 1900′s, and book a stay at the Gorah Elephant Camp in Addo National Park. This resort is 5 star luxury and while it doesn’t come cheap, the experience is said to be out of this world; with elephants roaming past your tent, how can it not be?

Title image credit: Car Scoop
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7 Places to Go Glamping – Upscale and Luxury Camping

By Lois Friedland, About.com Guide

 

“Glamping” is an increasingly popular way to set yourself up in exotic or unusual destinations. The word is a mix of “glamorous” and “camping” and includes a wide range of accommodations from basic tents and yurts with comfortable beds, to luxurious two-room tents with king beds, handmade furniture, heated bathroom floors and butler service.

Here are seven choices, ranging from posh to simply comfortable, plus Web sites where you can find many more places to go glamping. Prices vary wildly, from about $60 a night to more than $1,000 a night. Many of the more expensive glamping choices include activities ranging from day safaris in Africa to hiking and kayaking in Canada’s wilderness.

The Resort at Paws Up, Montana
The Resort at Paws Up, a ranch resort in Montana, has a couple of glamping options. The two-bedroom tents in Cliffside Camp, which opens in summer, 2013, are located atop a soaring cliff that overlooks the confluence of the Blackfoot River and Elk Creek. These tents have climate-control cooling fans and heaters, and luxurious bathrooms with jetted tubs.(The honeymoon tent has a copper tub.)

In the Moonlight Camp, there are one-bedroom tents and two-bedroom tents, that even have heated slate floors and double sinks in the bathrooms. This camp is located less than 1,000 yards from a great fly-fishing spot on the ranch’s 10-mile stretch of the Blackfoot River. Guests dine in a central pavilion in each of the camps.

Sanctuary Swala, Tanzania
Sanctuary Swala sits in a private section of Tarangire National Park in Tanzania. Stay in one of 12 canvas pavilions shaded by acacia trees and within view of a waterhole, where lions, leopards and bull elephants come to drink. Don’t let the word “canvas” mislead you. Inside these pavilions there are king or twin beds, sofas and bathrooms with indoor and outdoor showers. Personal attendants address each guest’s needs.

Ketchup’s Bank Glamping, Australia
Ketchup’s Bank Glamping is a luxury bush retreat in a secluded setting in the Scenic Rim, a 90-minute drive south-west of Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The eco-tents are a far cry from classic Aussie bush camping. Lie in bed or sit on the deck and enjoy a view of the eucalyptus trees and the mountains in the distance. Evenings, toast marshmallows on your campfire.

Safari West, California
Stay right here in the U.S. at Safari West and you may find yourself eye-level with inquisitive giraffes. Designed like an Africa tent camp, these tents are on platforms set in a section of the 400-acre wildlife preserve. Lodging is not luxurious, but the chance to see exotic animals is outstanding because Safari West is the home of zebras, giraffes, cheetahs and other exotic creatures. (And the wildlife preserve is in the middle of California’s wine country!)

Yurt Camp in Patagonia
People travel to Patagonia for adventures in a wild, rugged landscape. Why not stay in one of 18 yurts set in a beech-tree forest facing Lake Torro and the Paine Massif. These yurts are decorated in woven fabrics and locally handcrafted furniture. They are heated, have king or twin beds and private terraces.

Clayquot Wilderness Resort, Canada
Clayquot Wilderness Resort, near Tofino on Vancouver Island in Canada, has roomy prospector-style quarters set on raised platforms. The deluxe tents, connected by boardwalks and set in a rainforest, have thermostat controlled propane wood stoves and Adirondak-style beds. Private Composting Environmental toilets are located just outside of each tent and a private shower in the nearby shower house is dedicated for each Deluxe Tent’s personal use. The newest tents have ensuite bathrooms with in-floor heating, flush toilets and indoor/outdoor showers with double showerheads.

Staying here, you’ll get a chance to experience adventures in the wilderness, from wildlife viewing and learning how to surf on pristine beaches, to hiking in forests and kayaking on a mountain-fed river or horsback riding.

A Roundhouse in England
An Iron Age Roundhouse isn’t a tent or a yurt, but it’s an entertaining choice for an overnight if you’re visiting Cornwall, England. You’ll find one at Bodrifty Farm. Unlike ones built in the distant past, this roundhouse has a a handmade four-poster bed with flowers woven into the willow headboard, Egyptian cotton sheets and a duck-down comforter.
Geodesic Domes in Patagonia
You can stay in a geodesic dome at EcoCamp, which is set at the foot of Las Torres in the Patagonia wilderness. Choices even include a dome suite with a loft!

At night, you’ll have a spectacular view of the stars. During the day guided treks will take you to riverbanks where guanacos roam, and views of icebergs floating on Grey lake.

Web Sites Listing Glamping Vacations
Another choice for interesting locations is Glamping.com.