There are many different ways that you can host your wedding. The options range from small, intimate ceremonies in a local church, all the way up to huge location weddings in old Italian villas overlooking the Tuscan countryside.
One increasingly popular option is to have a farm wedding. You get to enjoy a private, rustic celebration in the heart of the countryside, surrounded by your loved ones – sounds perfect, right? If you’re aiming for a farm wedding in the coming years, then here’s what you need to know to hold one successfully.
Getting the right venue
When you host a farm wedding, the first thing you need to do is choose a venue. There are quite a few variables that you’ll need to check – everything from capacity and accommodation questions to cost and availability.
It can be a good idea to go with a more complete service like Heaton House Farm if you’re trying to host a farm wedding. It can be even more difficult than usual to coordinate a whole wedding for a location with specific access requirements, and if you’re working with a team that can take care of that side of things for you, all the better.
Check access
Some farm wedding venues might be slightly more complicated to get to than their more urban counterparts, and you’ll want to check their access before you book one in.
Look at what the closest railway station is, whether there are any local taxi companies, and what the parking situation will be like on site. You’ll also want to check about wheelchair access and any other specific requirements you might have for your elderly or movement-impaired guests.
Bad weather back-ups
At a lot of farm weddings, your main goal might be to have the ceremony and the majority of your celebrations outside. This can be lovely, but given the somewhat less than totally predictable British weather, it’s a good idea to have some backups.
Have some gazebos on standby, and if you’re expecting high winds, make sure that they’re properly secured. It’s a good idea to try to find somewhere with a barn or other large indoor space as well, in case things get really bad.
Local produce
Food and drink are central components of most weddings. You want to provide your guests with delicious food and drinks, and if you’re having a farm wedding, what nicer way to do that than to give them produce from the surrounding area!
Ask the venue what food they have available, and for recommendations of local breweries, farms and vineyards. Some areas of England are producing world-class white wines, and it’s a lovely way to eat and drink local while really settling into the season.
Holding a successful farm wedding isn’t too tricky, so long as you take your time with the planning process. Take the various elements outlined above seriously, and you should be able to put together a celebration that sticks with you as a special memory for years to come.