Barn Weddings in WI

Wisconsin Barn Wedding Venues

Choosing your wedding venue is likely one of the first things you will do after you’re engaged (of course after announcing your exciting news). This process will likely set your date and allow you to start choosing other vendors for your day. I’ve linked up some of my favorite venues for barn weddings in WI – feel free to browse around and click through to find your perfect venue.

What to think about when planning your barn wedding in Wisconsin

Barn weddings are beautiful, but planning one can be tricky! Depending on the venue you choose you may have some extra work cut out for you in the process of planning your day and making sure that your guests are comfortable. Below I’ve compiled a list of a few things that I think are key to think about when planning barn weddings in WI.

AMENITIES

Each wedding venue will offer a variety of amenities for you and your guests. I feel one of the biggest you should be thinking about when booking your barn wedding venue is whether they have restrooms but that isn’t the only thing you should be thinking about. Do they have adequate parking? Tables & chairs? A bridal suite & groom’s getting ready area? Do they have an extra fee for setting up early? Make a list of all of the amenities that are important to you and check them off from there. Do you really want to be using a portable outhouse for the entirety of the night in your gown? Probably not.

PARKING

Parking can be tricky at any wedding venue! With most barn venues you will most likely have enough space to fit your guests cars, however make sure you check to see how parking is laid out for guests that might have a little more trouble getting to and from the barn.

Ask about if the parking situation changes if there has been a lot of rain. You don’t want a soupy, muddy field for your guests to park in. Make sure to arrange acceptable parking for your guests.

ACCESSIBLITY

One of the biggest sticky situations I feel that comes into play with barn weddings is accessibility. There are a ton of great barns in Wisconsin that are accessible for ALL of your guests, but I feel like this is a huge item to check into. Do you want your grandparents or other family members who may need a little extra help to be struggling with getting in and out of your venue? No. You want them to fully enjoy the day!

LIGHTING & ELECTRICITY

Check with your venue or those you might be taking a look at in your process of narrowing down your venue about what kind of lighting & electricity they have. Will you need to hire an uplighting vendor? Will you need a generator? Will you need to bring your own extension cords, or will your vendors need to bring them? All key points to ask.

WEATHER CONSIDERATIONS

Depending on the venue and what you choose as a preference for your ceremony location you will want to figure out the logistics of a backup plan in case the weather isn’t cooperative the day of your wedding. If your ceremony will be at your the barn can it be moved inside if need be?

Sometimes it’s not just rain you need to think about it’s the sweltering heat & humidity that we can often find ourselves dealing with on Saturdays in the middle of a Wisconsin summer. Does the venue offer fans or air conditioning? The flip side of that is if you are getting married on a day that is unseasonably cold, does the venue offer any heat sources?

LIQUOR LICENSE & CATERING

Currently in the state of Wisconsin barn venues do not have to carry a liquor license but there has been much talk of the laws changing in this regard. Keep tabs on whether your venue needs or has a liquor license and what you need to do to ensure that you don’t run into any hiccups with your beverages.

Ask about catering. Many venues have a list of preferred caterers who know the ins and outs of those certain venues. They know the way the dinner service flows, how many guests they can serve in a time-frame and more. Make sure to ask about catering options and rules.

PREPARING YOUR GUESTS

Preparing your guests for a semi-outdoor wedding is extremely important! Make sure to ask your guests to wear the proper footwear (those stilletos aren’t going to cut it walking across the field to your ceremony), attire (no black tie here folks), etc. A good way to let your guests know about this is with an insert in your invitation and on your wedding website. Let them know you’ll be getting married at a gorgeous venue and they’ll also be spending a good deal of time outside. If it’s cold, ask them to bring extra layers.

Let guests who might need a little extra help getting around a bit more about your venue and designate a helper for them if need be.

It’s also a good idea to think of your guests the day-of your wedding. Create fun baskets with bug repellent and sunscreen for the sweltering summer days and pashminas or cute blankets for chilly days.

LOOKING TO SEE MORE BARN WEDDINGS IN WI?

Looking for a photographer who can handle all of the tricky situations barn weddings in WI can bring? Contact me for more information!