You’ve got the ring, you’ve set the date, and now all you have to do is plan the perfect barn wedding.
But it’s been done so many times. How do you create an atmosphere you and your guests will love while keeping it personal and authentic for you and your partner?
There are plenty of ways to add personal and romantic touches to your country barn wedding, all while keeping it in budget and making it a night to remember for years to come.
From the lighting to the food, from the ceremony to the reception, there are countless details to consider for your perfect wedding. Keep reading for the best ideas for planning your rustic barn wedding.
Ultimate Barn Wedding Ideas
Planning your wedding can quickly get overwhelming. You’re never sure which details are worth it and which are too much.
Ultimately, whatever designs and themes speak to you are the ones that deserve to be a part of your day, so trust your gut and grab inspiration from these ideas for your barn wedding.
Lighting
The lighting is the mood-setter for your entire event. Do you want to keep it soft and gentle, or light and bright?
Depending on the mood you’re trying to achieve, you can use candles, string lights, or lanterns to make it happen.
Tables
To attain a chic rustic barn vibe, consider holding off on the tablecloths. Naked wooden tables have a more earthy and country feel.
If you can’t go without some kind of tablecloth, consider a woven runner for the center of the table. The table will still be decorated while keeping the beautiful wood visible.
Food
Bringing your rustic theme to your food may seem like more of a challenge because you don’t want to offer pine needles and hay for your dinner.
Little touches like a frosted cake that is partially naked and decorated with wildflowers is a great alternative. Or, a s’mores bar for your guests to enjoy after dinner, perhaps around a campfire of some sort.
There’s nothing like a farm-to-table meal to make your rustic barn theme feel complete. Plus, since all the food is local, it’s bound to be of the highest quality. There are also many other benefits of farm-to-table meals that are well worth considering for your wedding day.
Attire
You may already have your eyes set on the perfect wedding dress, so here are some tips for selecting the barn wedding attire for the rest of your wedding party.
Focus on natural and romantic colors, like soft pinks, deep reds and blues, and practically any shade of green. You might consider including wildflowers in your bouquet, or even flower crowns for your bridesmaids.
Setting
While your barn wedding can quite literally be in a barn, the barn can also be the rustic backdrop in your ceremony or reception. Bringing the party outdoors is always a big hit.
You can set up seating areas with vintage furniture, or even use wooden benches to create a family and community atmosphere at your reception dinner.
Yard Games
It wouldn’t be the perfect barn wedding reception without the classic yard games.
Set up a game of horseshoes, ring toss, or croquet for your guests to play after the ceremony. The kids will be able to entertain themselves, and frankly, the adults will appreciate it too.
Chalkboards
Chalkboards are practically essential for a barn wedding. Use them as signs for table seating, menus, directions to the venue, or anything else you can think of.
You can use real chalk or chalk markers for a cleaner look. You can also line the chalkboards with wood detailing or wildflowers to truly tie them into your rustic theme.
Photo Gallery
Create a clothespin photo gallery of you and your partner’s journey together. It will be a cute and nostalgic way for your guests to admire how far you two have come.
If you have a photo booth or put disposable cameras at your tables, you can also hang a blank clothespin gallery for your guests to add their own photos as memories from your special day.
Mason Jars
Mason jars are a great multipurpose option for your barn wedding. They can be used as glasses for drinks, or you can fill them with candles or flowers as decoration.
If you’re feeling super creative, you can string together several mason jars with candles and create a mason jar chandelier to hang over the dancefloor or dinner tables.
Barrels
Barrels add that rustic feel to your event while simultaneously serving as tables or seating. You can get old barrels from breweries and then DIY away with them to make them just right for your rustic theme.
They work great as cocktail tables, or even just as recycling bins for all the empty bottles at your reception.
Party Favors
If your chosen barn setting is on a functioning farm, take advantage of the local products that they provide. Include local produce, jam, or tea as party favors for your guests.
It's a convenient way to support your local farms while also having easy access to quality plants and herbs.
The Perfect Rustic Wedding
Now that you have an idea of how to bring your rustic barn wedding theme together, you’re ready to get planning. There are so many benefits to outdoor and barn weddings. It’s hard to count them all.
Your wedding day is bound to be one of the best events of your life. It’s important that you make it count with all the right details. For more rustic inspiration, visit our page for how to make your wedding the most romantic barn wedding ever.