Summer is coming, which means it’s time for the return of the iconic barn wedding! 

Full of vintage charm, intimate vibes, and southern personality, it’s hard not to love all that a barn wedding has to offer. 

So, what are the pros and cons of a barn wedding? How should you plan? What’s the secret to the perfect wedding event?

Here are all of the practical tips and tricks you need to know for your upcoming barn wedding!

1. Choose the Perfect Venue

The great news is that no matter where you live, there are probably several gorgeous barn wedding venues available near you. Or, if you’re a bride on a budget, you can always use a friend or family member’s barn. 

When choosing the venue for your big day, don’t forget to consider these questions:

• Does it include extras (i.e. electricity, a sound system), or do you have to provide them?
• Is there a place for the bridal party to get ready onsite?
• Does the barn have restrooms available?
• Will guests who have trouble walking be able to get to the venue easily? Will you need to rent transportation to take guests from the parking lot to the venue?
• Does the barn have heat or air conditioning? Will you need to rent or buy something to help ensure your guests are comfortable throughout the event?

Here are some of our favorite barn wedding venues in America:

• Blue Hill Farm, Tarrytown, NY

• Pippin Hill Farm, Charlottesville, VA

• The Ashford Estate, Allentown, NJ

• The Rusty River Barn, Utica, OH

• Barr Mansion, Austin, TX

• Saint Terre, Benton, LA

• Hammersky Vineyards, Paso Robles, CA

• Sweet Meadow Farms, Tallapoosa, GA

2. Choose Your Barn Wedding Style

Before you can start decorating your wedding, you need to choose your wedding theme. Not all barn weddings are alike! 

Every barn wedding has its own flare, but there are three common themes brides love for their country nuptials. 

THE THREE TYPES OF BARN WEDDINGS:

Country barn weddings often feature hay bales, horses, cowboy boots, sunflowers, country music, and cute southern charm. 

Boho barn weddings might feature gypsy rugs, old velvet couches, moody colors, lots of bold flowers, dream catchers, moss, and vintage accents. 

A vintage chic barn wedding often features white flowers, chandeliers, twinkle lights, candle towers, lots of greenery, and dramatic accents. 

Which style fits you best?

3. Carry Your Theme Through Your Invitations

Set the tone for the perfect barn wedding with the perfect booklet wedding invitation! (Yes, we said BOOKLET wedding invitation—meaning it’s multiple pages!)

Choose a wedding invitation that not only matches your theme and colors, but also sets the stage for all of the fun to come. Share your photos, love story, and wedding details all in one jaw-dropping place. 

Click HERE to shop booklet wedding invitations now!

4. Create an Atmosphere with Lighting

Since barns often allow less natural light in, playing with the lighting is an incredible way to transform your space for your barn wedding! 

Add sweeping lights from the top, around the banisters, or on the sides to transform your barn wedding venue into a romantic getaway. 

5. Create Cozy Seating Spaces

We love barn weddings so much for their rustic charm and intimate feel, and one way to emphasize that is to create seating nooks throughout your decor for your guests to enjoy. 

With the relaxed feel of barn weddings, you don’t want these seating areas to be too uniform. In fact, you can probably borrow the couch from your house or a friend’s house to accomplish the right look! 

We especially love when brides set up these spaces outside of their wedding barn using patio furniture and cute rustic touches. It helps create a beautiful and cohesive feel outside and inside your venue! 

6. Be Smitten, NOT Bitten

Barns often mean less insulation, which could result in mosquitoes or bugs invading your special day. Have a bug back-up plan ready just in case!

Bug spray, anyone?

7. Feature Pictures of the Bride and Groom

Be sure to include lots of pictures of the happy couple throughout the decor. In addition to engagement photos, people love to see pictures of their first date, when he proposed, and special memories they shared while dating. 

We recommend printing off large canvases of your favorite pictures to feature—they’re a really affordable way to make an impact!

8. Rethink High Heels for the Bridal Party

Will the bride and bridal party be walking outside a lot? It might be a good idea for the bridal party to opt for flats instead of traditional heels. 

There’s nothing worse than getting stuck in the dirt, especially when you’re trying to make a dramatic entrance or capture that perfect photo!

9. Use Signs to Direct Your Guests

Make sure your guests can clearly identify the correct driveway and know where to park and what building entrance to use. If your barn venue has other buildings surrounding it, this is even more important. Nobody likes to feel lost! 

Outdoor signs are also a great opportunity to make an impact before your guests have even entered the building. Whatever wedding theme you choose, be sure to theme your signs to match.

10. Bring the Outdoors, Indoors

Since barn weddings really embrace the outdoors, don’t forget to bring a little bit of that magic inside. Flowers and greenery are one of the easiest ways to make an impact at your big event! Here are some of our favorite flower choices for the three main barn wedding themes:

Country:

• Sunflowers

• Daisies

• Baby’s Breath

• Wildflowers

• Leather leaf fern greenery

Boho:

• Wildflowers

• Ranunculus

• Peonies

• Baby’s Breath

• Anemone

• Seeded eucalyptus greenery

• Tulip

• Olive greenery

• Dahlias

Chic:

• White gardenias

• Dahlias

• White hydrangeas

• Roses

• Olive greenery

11. Go the Extra Mile

What’s a small detail you could add that would blow your guests away? Here are some of our favorite “extra mile” details to top off the perfect barn wedding!

• Provide blankets in a charming display in case your guests get cold.

• Offer a place for girls to store their heels while dancing.

• Offer a cute display with flip-flops or comfortable dancing shoes for girls who don’t want to dance in heels.

• Create a special photo opt where guests can capture the moment.

• Give your guests succulents to take home.

• Provide polaroid cameras at your guests tables to allow them to help capture your big day.

What are your favorite tips for barn weddings? Let us know in the comments below!