Farm Weddings
Farm weddings hold infinite possibilities for great photos and video footage —and although they're a great wedding venue, farm weddings can be tricky to plan. Some are very reasonably priced, while others have prices that rival a wedding at a five-star hotel in the city. Logistics like mud, portable restrooms and bugs are also factors to consider. Below are tips to make your farm wedding wonderful!
1. Make a Budget for Extras Unless the site is a full scale wedding venue, you may be responsible for the tables, chairs, dishes and linens. Extras like lighting, generators, tents, mats or portable walk ways (in case of mud) are other costs to take into consideration. You may want to make sure the farm is licensed and insured and has enough power (electrical and water) for any catering and entertainment (bands, dj, etc.) needs.
2. Sound Ordinance Rules Don't assume that because your farm wedding reception is in a relatively remote location, you can party all night. You should double-check any sound ordinance rules in the area and confirm what time your band or DJ should be wrapping up. Also, some historical sites have stricter noise ordinances than others. If the noise ordinance requires you to end the party early, you may want to consider having a casual after-party at a local restaurant or bar.
3. Walk the Grounds Make sure that the grounds can be walked easily for everyone – or wheeled for those in a wheel chair. If not, warn those guests that may have difficulty with the terrain so that they know what to expect before they arrive. Also make sure the farm has a “mud plan” just in case it rains close to the wedding. You don’t want your guests trudging through mud to see you take your vows. Also determine if high heels are advisable for the terrain and make adjustments if necessary. If you must wear high heels, check out Starlettos to keep your heels from sinking in the ground (buy some for your wedding party too!). If you go flat – make sure your wedding dress is altered accordingly. Consider having a basket of flip flops available for guests to use if the ground is unkind to heels. This information can go on your wedding website too.
4. Bite Back Being outdoors is great – but getting bit isn’t! You or some of your guests can be bug magnets and attract whatever is around – flies, bees, wasps, ants, mosquitos, gnats, etc. Ask if the grounds will be sprayed for bugs the day before – this is highly recommended. Stock up on citronella candles and have them set up around the perimeter of the event. Have small baskets filled with bug spray or clothing clips in the bathrooms for guests to take advantage of. Having Benadryl on hand is a good idea too.
5. Keep Your Guests Climate Comfortable Farm areas are not always climate controlled. Prepare your guests with clothing suggestions for warm or cold weather weddings. Parasols and fans (which can double as a program!) help to keep the heat away.
fans set up outdoors can help to keep your guests cool too.
6. Pretty Powder Room Not all bathrooms are created equal. Consider prettying up the powder room to match the theme of your wedding. Fresh flowers, potpourri, air fresheners and amenities baskets with mints, antibacterial hand lotion, hair spray, Band-Aids, safety pins and aspirin will make your guests happy. You can even hire a reception attendant to replenish paper goods and make sure the area stays clean throughout the night. If you need to order a porta-potty, make sure it has sinks and is ADA accessible.
Sidney Irving
has been providing wedding services for over 20 years and has seen the industry change over the years. By striving to stay ahead of the competition, she constantly offers new services and products that her clients have come to expect. She has been blessed to be chosen to shoot weddings locally, nationally and internationally and has provided services to large and small weddings, on land and on sea, for multi-cultured clients. Together with her partner Peace, Weddings by Peace & Sidney has unparalleled experience in the wedding industry. Please send them your wedding questions and they will provide the answers that you seek!
