River Winds Farm and Estate

Why So Many People are Choosing Barns for their Wedding Venue

Barn weddings offer you the space, atmosphere and all the amenities you could want to host your dream wedding!

The barn wedding trend has really been growing over recent years, and there are a lot of good reasons why! The barn venue option gives so much flexibility and room for creativity that it makes it a perfect option for couples who want to really make the environment at their wedding their own.

Here are some of our reasons why you should consider hosting your wedding at a barn venue:

Make the Space Your Own

A wedding barn venue is a blank canvas, with limitless ways to decorate and personalize your nuptials to fit your style and tastes. Today’s couples want to host their wedding and reception at a space that feels like it truly represents them. Your wedding venue should match your personalities, and that’s exactly what a barn venue can do.

We all know what to expect from a hotel ballroom, standard event venue, or country club wedding. Bland, unimaginative décor. With a barn setting, you’re able to decorate it however you like (working with the venue of course).

The large open space of barns offer lots of potential for decorations!

Many couples love the romantic yet casual setting of a barn. The rustic, hand-crafted style of barns give them a down to earth, personal feel. Barn venues also typically feature beautiful surroundings for your guests to enjoy, get some fresh air, and take in the pastoral setting.

The natural wood materials of barn interiors can pair with any color scheme (you can’t say that about a mauve ballroom!). The high ceilings and open space in barns allow for a variety of décor – you could create a whimsical feel with strings of lights and lovely flowers, or use antiques and vintage decorations to keep things a natural, rustic theme. If you’re passionate about design, you’ll relish the opportunity to create your dream wedding in such an ideal location. Rustic furniture or elegant tablescapes fit right in and the open floorplan means almost any setup can fit.

Add some truly unique and personal décor – slate chalkboards with handwritten signs, mason jar lanterns, and handmade favors are all great touches.

Barns Offer a Ton of Space

Barn weddings have plenty of space for everyone and everything, and can accommodate a large guest list. There are often outdoor spaces for your guests to spill out into as well. Perhaps you’d like to host your cocktail hour outside while the barn is transformed for dancing later.

If you choose to host your ceremony and reception at the same venue, a barn setting is a perfect place. You can have an outdoor ceremony and bring the party inside for dinner and dancing. Or set up your ceremony at one end, and the reception tables and entertainment still have plenty of room.

Event barn locations typically have plenty of parking areas for all your guests too. No one wants their guests to worry about parking tickets during their celebration!

Everything in One Location

As well as plenty of space, barn wedding venues have everything you could need for the perfect wedding, all in one location. There is no need to stress over the logistics of guests traveling from the ceremony to the reception location, hassling with parking, and finding your location.

The planning phases of your wedding and reception will also be much easier with only one location. You can really get a feeling for the flow of your day, and be far more successful at sticking to your schedule to accommodate photography, speeches and party time.  

At River Winds, we have a large, professional-grade catering kitchen next to the barn in the Austin House, as well as other smaller buildings for storage, refrigeration, and food preparation. The Austin House also offers suites of rooms for dressing and getting ready before the ceremony, and our Man Cave will keep the guys busy while the bridal party prepares. In other words – we have EVERYTHING you could need right on site!

Idyllic Pastoral Rustic Setting

Barn wedding venues truly offer something very special. You can escape the typical, and the frantic energy of the city. The idyllic setting of a barn wedding venue in the country makes people feel they have truly escaped to somewhere lovely.

The rustic atmosphere coupled with beautiful restoration and landscaping at River Winds will give your wedding authentic romantic charm.

Experiencing History Firsthand

Historical and vintage venues are always a popular backdrop. There is such a great “feel” and story to spaces that carry local and family history with them. Barns represent the timeless and traditional, while still offering an eclectic and inspired venue.

Endless Photo Opportunities

When you are planning the perfect wedding, you want to make sure your photos are amazing too! You really can’t compete with the backdrops and settings that a barn wedding venue offers. Rustic wood, mature trees, open fields (and we even have a pond!), and lovely landscaping are just some of the beautiful locations for your wedding photos, videos and candid shots.

At River Winds, you can have your formal wedding party photos taken outside on the lawn against our perennial gardens, gathered under our huge shade trees, or down around the pond. Be sure to get some shots of you and your partner walking hand in hand down one of our groomed bridal paths!

Barn Weddings Have More Fun

You are creating an experience for you and your guests at your wedding. Of course, fun is an important part of that plan! Barn wedding venues have plenty of space for guests to spread out, dance without bumping into tables, and enjoy an evening cocktail under the stars.

River Winds offers endless possibilities when it comes to making your big day a memorable one. And fun! Add lawn games, evening firepits, or the daybreak sunrise to your events. Leave time for roaming the fields and walking our paths down to the Saco River. With our on-site accommodations, you can make a weekend of it!

Find Your Perfect Barn Wedding Venue

When you consider all the great advantages of hosting a barn wedding, all other venues come up short. Where else could you find such a perfect combination of casual atmosphere, countryside romance, and rustic charm?  All within a scenic setting that wedding dreams are made of!

Schedule your tour at River Winds Farm & Estate and see how our barn venue compares!