From Venue to Décor: 6 Essential Tips for Planning a Stress-Free Barn Wedding

Your big day is drawing closer

As a newly engaged couple, you most likely look forward to your wedding day. Your feelings are mixed; you are happy, but deep down inside, you also worry if everything will be all right for your big day. You tried to find space for your venue in many expensive restaurants, but although costly, they do not satisfy your expectations. 

Be calm, my darlings, it is the day you will remember for the rest of your life, but you are not king and queen of the Universe, and you do not have to fascinate the whole planet. So, instead of trying to impress everyone around you, choose a place where you two and your mutual friends and family will have a great time. You will have the party of your life, surrounded by people who love you and care for you and will most likely not have some nonsense complaints. 

So, have you ever thought of a barn wedding? That large rustic building, with lots of space for the ceremony and the party afterwards. Let us show you that sometimes less can be more: have less stress and more fun for your wedding day, so in the future, you will remember all the lovely and funny things that happened that day with a smile and warmth in your heart. 

In case you didn’t know, barn weddings are getting increasingly popular. And it’s no surprise, as they let you express your personality at most, choosing all the equipment just the way you like it. 

Hold the wedding ceremony and the party at the same place

To avoid stress about booking and decorating two different venues, organizing transportation for your guests, and other complications that may follow along, make it easy on yourselves and your guests, and hold both the wedding ceremony and reception at the same place. Just imagine your best man taking you to the place where the wedding ceremony is to be held, then going to the parking lot, running back to join the wedding ceremony, and after that running back to the parking lot to take you to the place where the reception will be held. For God’s sake, no! Finding the right place for both the wedding and the reception will spare both you and your guests all this waste of time and unnecessary fuss. You will have to work with only one team for decorations and payments, and you will avoid all the debate about going from one place to another, waiting for the guests to arrive twice, explaining where precisely the ceremony and reception take place twice, and so on. Instead, hold both of these at the exact location, and everything will be far more straightforward for everyone involved.

Make the best choice of a wedding barn

Not all barns offer the same facilities. You will have to do some research to find the one that will suit you best for your big day. You don’t need additional problems and stress on your wedding day, so you will need to check and see if the venue offers all of the essentials: 

• Does the place have permission to host events?
• What does the rental cover, only bare space, or are the tables and chairs, tablecloths, flatware, dinnerware and glassware included? If they are, there will be no additional expenses you need to worry about.
• Is the barn waterproof, is there adequate insulation for pole barn in the walls and ceiling, and does the barn provide any type of air conditioning? Do not hesitate to look strictly for waterproof, insulated and air-conditioned venues.
• Is the barn equipped with safe electricity, or should you provide generators and lighting yourself? Needless to say, this will only be an additional expense, so it’s best to avoid it if possible.
• How many persons can the venue comfortably accommodate?
• Are the restrooms all functional? Because no venue should be allowed to host parties of that kind if they’re not.
• Does the venue provide an excellent space for the wedding ceremony to be held?
• Are there noise restrictions and curfews you should know about?
• Does the place have a liquor license? Because you simply can’t have a good party if you and your guests cannot enjoy a few cocktails at most negligible.
• Is there a parking lot, and how many cars can it accommodate?
• Consider the wedding liability insurance, and get one even if it is not required.
• Check the estimated weather forecast and always have a backup plan ready if anything goes astray. This way, you’ll avoid having to come up with a plan B on the spot, which will significantly reduce stress.
• What are the additional fees, like corkage, catering, or cake cutting? You shouldn’t worry about these if they provide you only with the venue.
• Pick the space that already looks decent enough and the one that doesn’t require heavy decorating to cut your costs further. 

Choose the right time of the year for your wedding

Thinking of the right time of the year for weddings, keep in mind that people will enjoy spending some time out of the barn, taking a little break from the music and crowd. If it is too hot, they will not be able to enjoy staying outside for too long, and the same goes for situations when it is too cold. But then again, nobody managed to make a contract with Mother Nature to have perfect weather for their wedding day. There are situations when in the summer, we have some rainy and cold days, or those when in the early spring or in the autumn, there happen to be some lovely, warm days. So, be prepared for everything, and don’t let any surprises spoil your most important day.

Go through your guest list twice

Before you decide on your wedding venue, take some time, take a piece of paper and a pencil, and make a guest list together. Write down the names of all of the people you wish to invite. Then, once you start panicking due to the sheer number of people, it’s time to take a more clear-headed approach and start shortening the list. Ideally, your guest list should match your budget, so by shaping the one according to the other, you’ll have a much easier time deciding on the final number of guests. Think of your finances, and it will help you a lot. Remember that this is the very beginning of your lives together, and you do not want to start off your journey in debt.

Help your guests easily follow the “rules”

It is your wedding, and you are the right person to develop the concept. Be creative, find an exciting theme for your wedding, and suggest a dress code that goes well with the music. For instance, it can be inspired by your favourite book or a movie that left you breathless. Whatever you choose, however, give your guests clear instructions because they might not have read the same book or watched the same movie. Embellish your invitation cards with motifs that will help them follow the pattern.

Put a particular emphasis on the date of your wedding day so they can easily remember it.

Inform your guests about the venue and surroundings so they can choose what to wear and which type of footwear to opt for. 

Finally, explain to your guests where exactly the barn is located. Nowadays, you can even give them the exact GPS coordinates or email them the link showing the venue, backed up by Google Street View or Google Maps. 

Lighting and Safety: Must-Have Tips for Your Barn Wedding

Good lighting is key to making a wedding look amazing and keeping everyone safe. The lighting inside and outside the wedding place is an important place to start. You want to ensure there is adequate lighting so everyone can move around without bumping into stuff. 

Additionally, the proper emergency exit signs are essential. Emergency exits that are easily visible and unobstructed are crucial for everyone’s safety. You can confirm all emergency exits are clear of furniture and decorations. It’s important to keep them clear and easily accessible so those pathways are always clear. Ensure you have visible exit signs that are easy to spot and well-lit. Clear exit routes ensure safe and quick evacuation during emergencies.

You will need to hire the right staff

If you want your wedding day to be perfect, hire staff with different profiles. They are people who will take care of all the little details. You pick your favourite music and decide on the food and drinks you like the best, and then relax, there are professionals to make sure everything else goes smoothly and according to plan. 

• It would be best to decide about a hair stylist, makeup artist, and nail technician because you probably already have professionals you trust to handle this. 
• Finding a cake baker to make your dream wedding cake would be best. Talk to some of the bakers, tell them more about the theme you had in mind, and decide which cake you would like the best. 
• When you choose the venue, get informed if they have a list of preferred staff and if you have to use the team from the list or are free to choose your own. 
• Maybe the venue has a wedding coordinator, and you must hire one. This person will ensure that everything is controlled and the timing is right. They will also be on top of the situation in case of anything unexpected happens.
• Check out the timing, and get informed what time the florist and other decorators will be allowed to set up and when to remove decorations. Also, see if they have to take care of this right after the reception is over or if they can leave it for the following day.
• Help the florists and decorators by introducing them to the story your themed wedding is supposed to follow, and tell them more about your preferred colour scheme, lighting and decorating style. 
• It is good to know if the venue has catering, if you will have to engage one, and if they can use the kitchen completely – provided the platform has one.
• If you don’t already have a photographer and videographer, you can ask your wedding organizer to share suggestions and see which would work for you. However, remember that you’ll need to hire these professionals well ahead of time if you don’t already have a deal with someone, as they tend to be quite busy and booked months and months in advance. 
• Check to see if the DJ can use the venue’s equipment or if it would be better for them to bring their own. It is standard for every DJ to feel comfortable using their equipment. Additionally, share your ideal playlist with the DJ, but still, be open to some suggestions.

Sometimes it is better to go with staff provided by the venue, while other times, it’s better to hire your professionals. You must research before deciding the best option for you and your finances. 

Congratulations!

Be sure to take lots of photos, and do not hesitate to frame at least one of them, so you have an everyday reminder of why you are the happiest couple in the world.