Congratulations on your engagement! It’s a really exciting time and there’s plenty for you to be getting on with, so it’s not a bad idea that you’re already starting to seek a bit of guidance online. There’re lots of blogs, websites, magazines and books out there to help you, so even though the whole thing feels a million miles away and entirely overwhelming, you’re not alone.
The general guidance is that once you’ve sorted out your budget and your guest list (or at least a first draft), you should start looking at wedding venues. There will usually be two – one for the ceremony and one for the reception – although some couples choose to have the whole thing in the reception venue to lower costs or because they don’t want a religious ceremony.
If you’re going to two different venues, you need to think about how your friends, relatives, and the wedding party are going to get the church and the reception hall (or wherever the different elements of your day will be taking place). A barn wedding venue with accommodation is often a good idea, as this means the guests can drive to the church before returning for the evening’s celebrations where they can leave their cars if they’re staying the night. Barn wedding venues with accommodation aren’t the only way to put up your wedding party – there’s lots bed and breakfasts, hotels, and even luxury caravan parks all over the country, and if you’re likely to be renting out a huge proportion of the rooms, then the chances are you will be able to get a discount whether you’re looking for a barn wedding venue with accommodation or a smaller hotel or bed and breakfast in the area.
Next you’ll need to access the catering situation. Food is really important for weddings, with the first meal you eat as a married couple taking place, and giving an excellent opportunity for everyone to catch their breath after all the excitement of the morning. The meal tends to be followed by the speeches, and so you want to give everyone a chance to pull themselves together a bit before the tears and the laughter happen.
Some venues will have their own catering facilities and yet will still be happy for you to bring in your own team. You might get a discount on the barn wedding venue with accommodation if you book everything together, but if you have a reasonably priced caterer in mind you could still end up saving money overall.
