5 Tips For Choosing The Right Barn Wedding Venue
If you are engaged to be married and are planning a shabby chic barn wedding, you're not alone. Fifteen percent of couples in 2017 chose a rustic venue like a barn, ranch, or farm. While this kind of venue is perfect for a barn wedding, it is important that you carefully consider the venue you choose.
With the popularity of these wedding themes, some people have hopped on the bandwagon and advertised their barn as a wedding venue when in reality it isn't really a suitable space. Here is what you need to know to ensure you choose the right barn wedding venue.
1. Does the Venue Have the Right to Operate?
Naturally, most barns, farms, and ranches are in a rural area that is zoned as agricultural. In order to operate as a wedding venue, most municipalities will require permission. Be sure to verify with the venues you are considering they have the legal right to operate as such. Otherwise, you could find yourself without a venue if they are shut down for going against zoning laws.
2. Does the Venue Have Adequate Power?
You may be planning a rustic wedding, but you can't eat and dance in the dark! You will want to ensure the venue you choose has a powerful-enough electrical system to keep the lights on, the chafing dishes warm, and the band's amps fired up. If the venue you are considering doesn't have enough power, you will have to spend money renting a generator.
3. Does the Venue Have Any Restrictions?
Rural communities may have a noise ordinance that requires quiet after a certain time. For example, 10:00 p.m. is a popular cutoff time. For many wedding receptions, that's when the party is just getting started. Be sure to ask prospective venues whether they have a noise ordinance or any other restrictions you should be aware of.
4. Does the Venue Have Heating and Cooling Options?
Most barns are not equipped with a central air conditioning unit or a furnace. Depending on the climate where you live and the season you are getting married in, a barn could be uncomfortably hot or cold. Check to see whether the venue offers fans and portable heat lamps to ensure you and your guests are comfortable.
5. Does the Venue Have Restrooms?
A real working farm is unlikely to have much more than a simple sink and toilet, if that, and you certainly don't want people using a nearby outhouse or finding a bush to do their business. Ask what the toilet situation is. You will likely need to rent upscale portable toilets.
To learn more about barn weddings, reach out to a company such as Saxon Manor.