THE BRIGHTHOUSE
A pretty nice space in a pretty nice place
THE ANTI-WEDDING WEDDING VENUE
With a profound love of design and a penchant for great experiences Jess went out on a whim in 2017 and purchased a 100 acre sprawling farm with a moderately rundown century-old farmhouse and an even jankier barn that smelled of cow shit.
The vision: an eclectic farmstay and an anything-but-typical wedding destination.
A pretty nice space in a pretty nice place. Where all you need is good food and good wine to have a good time.
FOUNDER | BRAND STRATEGY | BRAND NAMING | CREATIVE STRATEGY | VISUAL IDENTITY | CREATIVE DIRECTION | EVENT PRODUCTION | PACKAGING | CAMPAIGN AND CONTENT CREATION
In 2017 Jess got proposed to. After that, you usually plan a wedding. But she didn’t want to. She liked the idea of throwing a party for her nearest and dearest, but not all the hoopla that went along with it. The rentals, the decor, the wasteful dollars spent on florals that were tossed the next day, friends and family traveling from all over the world just to get together for one night.
So she reimagined the journey from start to finish, creating a weekend-long experience that resembled more of a getaway to a boutique hotel in wine country than a wedding along with a venue that was fancy enough without all the fluff.
A venue that felt more like your favourite bar than a wedding venue. The kind of place that already came with perfect lighting and thoughtfully curated furniture and decor, amidst fields of wildflowers and picturesque pastures.
The &OR visual identity and tone of voice breathes the brand's ethos into all creative elements with a straightforward openness, confidence, and connection to Earth. Through thoughtful choices in type, colour, and photography our visual language gives &OR's community permission to define their own version of a better life and/or a better planet.
PROCESS
OWN YOUR ROOTS
The perfect property for this endeavor was a rundown 1867 farmhouse with an exterior painted pink, blue, orange and yellow and an old dairy barn in similar shape. We dreamt of adding acres upon acres of brightly coloured wildflowers. Originally owned by a family with the last name Brighthouse, the name wrote itself.
A distinct brand identity for a wedding venue is quite uncommon in the wedding industry. On top of that, with branding resembling more of a boutique hotel experience than a venue.
In a time where millennials seek beautiful branding and packaging for even the most menial items like a pot or pan, it stands to reason they would gravtiate towards a brand that sets the stage for one of the most significant days of their lives.
So that’s exactly what we did.
STAY + PLAY
Part of that process was creating a space that was fancy enough without all the frills, so that added frills would be a nice touch, but not necessary.
Jess gave the farmhouse a head-to-toe makeover with a mix of high quality materials and eclectic vintage finds – and the barn a Scandinavian inspired revival featuring white walls, blonde lumber and textile accents to compliment its original stone walls and timber beams.
WINE + WED
Next she dreamed up her perfect weekend wedding itinerary. For guests that translates to a carefully curated weekend full of wine tours, beach barbecues, golf rounds, bonfires and bike rides along with a three-night stay with exclusive access to the 100 acre property, farmhouse and venue so that guests could gather for rehearsal dinners and morning-after brunches. On top of that were thoughtful touches like linen robes, a curated selection of local sips, snacks and artisan wares, custom scents, and a curated designed travel guide of favourite shops and spots.
