Farm Weddings in Virginia are timeless; they showcase the beauty of our state with simple elegance and the potential to personalize every minute of your wedding day. But, like 6 Pastures, many farm venues are still working farms, so here are a few of our top farm wedding do’s and don’ts in Virginia.
Don’t… Expect any barn to work for your venue.
You may think you just need a place for everyone to gather, so you can use your aunt and uncle’s barn down the road. Unfortunately, when you’re hosting a wedding, there are lots of logistics for which you need to account. Your caterer usually needs access to power and potable water. Your guests need more than one working restroom (indoors – preferably!). You need a place to park all of your guests (and in the field is never ideal.) Plus, you need rentals, good lighting, and a place to get ready and store your stuff. It’s always less stress, and usually much cheaper, to find a barn venue that is already set up for weddings.
Do… Give yourself time.
One of the perks of a barn wedding is that you can choose how extravagant or simple you want the décor to be. You can add a few lights or an abundance of flowers. But either way, you won’t want to be rushed when getting ready, setting your final touches, or taking things down. At 6 Pastures, we pride ourselves in having just one wedding each weekend, so you have plenty of time to come early and decorate. You also don’t have to worry about staying late to take your decorations with you after the party, as you can come by the next day. Your coordinator and florist especially will thank you!
Don’t… Forget about the weather.
Farmers work through the sun and rain, suffer through allergy season, and don’t mind the bugs at night. Wedding guests… are generally not farmers. Prepare for your wedding by considering the season and having backups. Spring and fall are gorgeous in Virginia, but you may want to provide some throw blankets for guests at night. Summer in Virginia can be downright hot, so if your barn venue isn’t air conditioned, maybe choose another date. There’s also a chance for rain, any time of year, so make sure you ask your venue about their weather contingency plan.
Do… Consider the logistics.
It’s the details that will make your day run smoothly. Make sure you check on parking and the ease of walking from the car to the ceremony, and from the ceremony to the reception. Does your venue have a liquor license or a full-service kitchen for a caterer? Is the venue easy to find, or do you need to place some signs along the road so guests don’t get lost? Most of these questions will be addressed when you visit the farm for the first time, so don’t feel like you need to show up with all the questions.
As long as you choose an experienced wedding venue, be it a barn or a banquet hall, they should have the amenities you expect. So the most important factor when considering your farm wedding do’s and don’ts in Virginia, is to make sure the space fits you and your vision for your wedding day. Please let us know if we can help.
