Plan your perfect barn wedding in the springtime

Real Life Wedding – 12.04.23

From seasonal flowers to preparing for the weather, here’s how to plan a spring wedding at a barn wedding venue.

A spring wedding is oh-so-romantic. There’s something rather poetic about flowers bursting into bloom and new buds emerging in nature just as your married life begins. With spring just around the corner, we are eagerly anticipating the season of new beginnings.

As with all seasons, when it comes to planning your spring wedding, there are many things to consider. Here are some ideas to help you along your way as you plan your day at a barn wedding venue…

1. CHOOSE A VERSATILE BARN WEDDING VENUE

While we hope you’ll be blessed with a beautiful, sunny day, spring is an unreliable season! Choose a venue that has equally good indoor and outdoor wedding venue facilities, enabling you to make the most of a sunny day or to retreat inside if the weather isn’t playing ball.

In an ideal world, a great wedding venue will be able to host ceremonies both indoors and out, allowing you to make a call on the wedding morning. A barn wedding venue with floor-to-ceiling windows like ours allows natural light to flood in, helping to make the most of the longer daylight hours, even if there is still a chill in the air. Similarly, a dining space with windows that can be opened on a warm day will delight guests at a spring wedding.

2. GET PLANNING

We all love spring, so it comes as no surprise to learn that it is a popular season in which to tie the knot. May is a particular favourite so, if you’re selecting a spring wedding date, it’s important to start making plans and bookings as soon as possible. When you’ve chosen your key suppliers (ceremony and reception venues, caterer, photographer and florist), lock in the date and pay any necessary deposits. From then on, you can take a breath and enjoy planning the rest of the details from your cake to your dress.

3. MAKE THE MOST OF THE BANK HOLIDAYS

With May Day falling on the first Monday in May and Spring Bank Holiday falling on the last Monday in the month, we’re rather fortunate to have two long weekends to enjoy in the midst of spring. Consider planning your spring wedding on one of these weekends so that you can take advantage of a Sunday wedding – with most of your guests already having the day off work on Monday. You might even decide to organise a three-day celebration at your barn wedding venue! However, bear in mind that suppliers sometimes raise their rates over holiday periods so you could end up spending more money than you initially planned.

4. STICK WITH THE SEASON

Spring brings us an abundance of wonderful, seasonal produce that you can take advantage of. When talking about food for your wedding breakfast, lamb is a popular choice for spring weddings. A delicious selection of vegetables such as asparagus, jersey royal new potatoes, spinach and watercress make for a vibrant menu. You might even be able to enjoy strawberries and cream towards the end of the season!

Seasonal produce is always magnificent and generally less expensive than anything that has to be imported. With a nod to a more sustainable way of wedding planning, many caterers prefer to cook with seasonal goods.

It’s also a good idea to consider where you will enjoy welcome drinks and canapés to celebrate the arrival of spring. Perhaps a lovely lawn in the sunshine or an elegant, light and airy bar area if it decides to rain.

5. FABULOUS FLOWERS

When it comes to adding colour to your barn wedding venue, there’s no better way than with flowers. Spring has much to offer when it comes to flowers, with a multitude of colours and varieties. From cherry blossoms, snowdrops and crocuses in early spring to sweet peas, ranunculus and peonies later in the season, spring flowers couldn’t be more romantic. If you choose to host the majority of your day indoors, bring the outside in with seasonal blooms.

6. A SPLASH OF COLOUR

In nature, spring is a season alive with colour. Reflect this in your wedding theme and decor. From pretty pastels to splashes of bright colours, spring weddings call for a romantic colour palette.

7. DELICATE DETAILS

You might consider lining the aisle with spring blooms or scattered cherry blossom petals for a romantic nod to the season. Add budding foliage to chair sashes or dot floral arrangements in milk churns around your barn wedding venue to echo the surrounding countryside.

If you are lucky enough to marry at Mythe Barn in lambing season, tailor your favours to mark the occasion with woollen keyrings or iced biscuits in the shape of a lamb. Hang floral arrangements from the oak beams in the barns and string festoon lighting up in the courtyard to make the most of the outside space in the evening too.

8. BE PREPARED

Sometimes those spring rain showers seem to come from nowhere and, if they are short and sweet, you don’t necessarily want to have to come inside. A basket full of umbrellas should be on hand to keep a few raindrops away (and they make excellent photo props). Consider offering a selection of shawls to your guests if the evening is pleasant but cooler – an additional warm layer could mean you all stay outside surrounded by candlelight. How romantic!

REAL WEDDING

Follow in the footsteps of Rosheen and Ben who celebrated with a spring wedding at Mythe Barn.

Dreaming of a country barn wedding venue, they fell in love with the Mythe Barn. The couple quickly booked their spring wedding date and started planning.

“The long driveway captured us on our first visit. It felt like something very special was about to happen!” smiles Rosheen. “The venue itself is stunning and had a real sense of calm. You could have the wedding ceremony and reception both on-site which we loved!”

SPRING WEDDING DAY DETAILS

The couple chose a metallic colour palette, focusing on gold, silver and copper for their March wedding. Brass lanterns and white confetti lined the aisle of the Oak Barn and Rosheen made floral hoops using hula hoops and artificial flower garlands. In the Grain Store, pretty tea lights created ambient lighting, while the table numbers were made from corks and the florist supplied grey table runners and beautiful floral centrepieces.

“I always wanted pampas grass for that boho wedding feel and anemones. Our florist used those with other white flowers and muted foliage in a relaxed arrangement,” explains Rosheen.

The bride stunned in a classic A-line dress with a sweetheart neckline from True Bride, while groom Ben and his groomsmen looked dapper in their grey suits and ties. The two bridesmaids were stylish in elegant grey dresses, in keeping with the metallic colour scheme.

THE ORDER OF THE DAY

Following the romantic ceremony in the Oak Barn, a drinks reception was held in the Cart Barn, with Elderflower Cosmopolitans and delicious canapés. The light flavours were the perfect choice for their spring wedding.

Moving into the Grain Store to dine, baked brie with Parma ham and brioche was followed by a beef fillet main course and, for pudding, tiramisu.

“It was all perfection and the beef just melted in the mouth,” gushes Rosheen. “Our guests still rave about how good the food was.”

Wood-fired pizza was the perfect choice for evening dining, alongside dancing to their chosen DJ and getting sparkly with a DIY glitter bar, which proved to be great entertainment!

The couple’s favourite moments were the first and the last dances.

“Everyone formed a circle around us, adorned with glow sticks and covered head to toe in glitter. Ben and I linked hands and spun each other around!”