Scenic barn weddings are more popular than ever before, especially in Michigan. More brides are opting for barn weddings because unlike traditional wedding venues, rustic barns can be a more unique setting for the big day. Additionally, more wedding magazines and online planning resources are embracing the barn wedding trend – providing suggestions for centerpieces, favors and decorations.
If you’re planning a barn wedding this summer or fall, here are some helpful tips to get you started – these six items are a must-have for any Michigan barn wedding:
Signage
Barn weddings are held on farms, which often have a large number of buildings, driveways, walking paths, and so forth. Without signs to tell guests where to park and where to go, they may be lost trying to find the right location. Place a sign off of the main road to let guests know that they’ve arrived in the right place and then lead them to the parking area with additional signage. From there use signs to tell guests where the ceremony is taking place and where the cocktail hour and reception will be held. Nothing ruins an event like having guests miss out on the best parts of the wedding because they couldn’t figure out where to go.
Tent
If your ceremony is being held outside of the barn, having a tent to protect guests is a good way to safeguard against inclement weather. A tent will also shield guests from direct sunlight on hot summer days. After the ceremony, the tented area can serve as an outdoor seating area for guests that want to get some fresh air and get off of their feet after lots of dancing.
Restrooms
Some barn weddings are held at more rustic locations that do not have indoor plumbing in the wedding space. In these instances, luxury portable restroom trailers are a necessity. Other barn weddings do have indoor restrooms, but they may not be conveniently located or there may not be enough of them to accommodate all of your guests. For this reason, you may want to supplement the bathroom options for guests by renting luxury restrooms for your wedding. Restroom trailers are great for events year-round because they are heated and cooled to provide a comfortable climate for guests.
Cocktail Area
Having a designated cocktail area for guests to wait while the bride and groom pose for pictures with the wedding party is a great way to keep the event organized. Guests will enjoy a cocktail hour that allows them to easily get drinks and snacks while socializing before going to their tables. By keeping everyone together, it makes it easier to wrangle everyone in for the start of the reception as well.
Wheelchair Ramp
If any of your guests need handicapped accessibility, that’s something that you should look into before booking a venue. Some locations will already have handicapped accessible seating and restrooms, but others will require that you rent a temporary wheelchair ramp to use during the event.
Outdoor Activities
Having outdoor activities for guests to enjoy during the reception is a great way to provide some fun for families that may have kids who aren’t too keen on sitting through toasts, father-daughter dances, and other traditional wedding hallmarks. Some farms will even provide things like an animal petting zoo or hayride tour of the farm for no additional charge.
Kerkstra Luxury Portable Restroom Service Inc. provides portable restroom service across Michigan and luxury restroom trailers for all of the states surrounding the Great Lakes. We cater to community events, weddings, concerts, festivals, parties and much more!