Rustic Country Barn Wedding
Barn weddings seem to be all the rage for brides. For that reason, if you do decide to have a barn wedding, you’ll want to put your own unique spin on your day. This bride took it into her own hands, and with some creative help, handmade some simple as well as not so simple décor. I am not usually one who would jump for fake flowers, but these bouquets are amazing. The burlap sunflower centerpieces fit in perfectly for a rustic country barn wedding. Here is what the lovely bride, Autumn, had to say about planning her wedding:
What was your budget and did you go over or stay under?
“Budget is very important, I went in blind! I knew the kind of wedding I dreamed of, but once I began looking at caterers, DJ’s, and venues, the money added up very quickly!
“Set a price range for yourself, and stick to it. It’s important to talk to your parents and his parents to figure out how much they can help. Realistically, not all parents can pay for the whole wedding. We had no problem helping out where needed.
“I definitely went over budget. Do I regret it? Of course not. However, looking back a lot of it was not necessary.
“We saved money by making all of our decorations are selves. Luckily, my Maid of honor, who is also my sister, is very creative. We used fake flowers except for the baby’s breath. We made our bouquets, boutonnieres, gifts for our wedding party, and many of the decorations. My grandpa and dad made all of our wood items and bench for our guest book.”
Brides/bridesmaids Attire
“Our bridesmaids wore yellow dresses from David’s Bridal. I picked a dress that was flattering to everyone. I did not want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. I bought their cowgirl boots from Kohls, and made their necklaces and earrings! I found my dress unexpectedly at a dress shop in a small town called Rosegate Bridal. It was an A-line style, strapless in ivory with lace. I wore pearl earrings and a necklace. I also wore cowgirl boots. I bought mine from Cavender’s Boot City in Conroe, Texas. They were brown with a crystal heart made by Corral.”
Any tips you would like to share with brides planning their own wedding?
“As crazy as it sounds….don’t stress! I got really sick the week of the wedding. I tried to do everything myself because I felt that I needed to do it all in order for it to be my own. Let your family and friends help out as much as possible. At the end of the day, you don’t remember all the details, you remember the first moments as husband and wife, and sharing it with your friends and family.”
What were some highlights from the ceremony & reception?
“I honestly couldn’t pick one highlight from the ceremony and reception. Although, I will never forget the revealing. I urge every bride to experience this. Many brides want to wait until they walk down the aisle, but honestly, I wouldn’t have changed it. It was just us and our photographers. It was more special because we didn’t have everyone’s eyes on us. It was great to take some time to ourselves and really enjoy it! When I look back on that day, I remember having a blast. A bride had once told me, take it all in. Take a step back, breathe in the love and excitement from the day, because it’ll all be over too quickly. I told myself that the entire day, and it truly helped. I’ll never forget our own vows and the speeches at the reception.”
How many guests did you invite to your wedding?
“We invited 275 people and around 150 attended.”
Was it hard narrowing down the guest list?
“It was extremely hard narrowing down the list. I would say that was one of the hardest things to do. There were so many friends that we have made over the years that we wish we could have invited, but you have to take into account the venue and your budget. I convinced myself that people understood that we can’t invite everyone and that it didn’t mean that those particular people weren’t special to us.”
Discuss a few challenges you faced planning your barn wedding?
“Challenges….oh, the challenges. I think that challenges will come your way, even if you have every little detail planned. It is bound to happen. What I realized was, that things WILL go wrong, but those challenges won’t ruin your day if you don’t let them. I am the type of person who wants to please everyone. It was a HUGE challenge realizing that it is OUR wedding, and at the end of the day we want it to be about us.”
Location: Noblesville, Indiana, United States
Wedding Date: Oct 19, 2013
Bride: Autumn Davis
Groom: Paul Francis
Vendors
Photographer: Jennifer Van Elk Photography
Cake Designer: Jackie Barlow
Caterer: Archer’s
Makeup Artist: Champagne & Lipstick LLC
Professional: Crush and Brew
DJ: Howell’s DJ Services
Floral Designer: Liggett’s Greenery
Dress Store: Rose Gate Bridal
Reception Venue: Mustard Seed Gardens
Meredith
Despite her dreamy wedding blogger lifestyle, Meredith's day job is running ClassicVeils.com and a full-time mom to an active toddler. If she could, Meredith would spend her days taking cruises, helping animals in need, and watching Big Brother!
