The year 2022 marks seven of being in the wedding business. We went from hosting four weddings in 2016 to averaging over 30 weddings per year. During these years we learned so much when it comes to wedding planning as well as what we can offer as a venue. The barn and landscape has also changed significantly. We wanted to provide you with some tips and advice when planning your wedding.
Book your venue asap. We tend to book a year to two years from the wedding date. We also have a handful of weddings that will book two and a half years in advance. As with other venues, the fall months (September and October) seem to book the fastest. The year 2020 brought lots of challenges and postponements. We found 2022 and 2023 had lots of weddings due to people waiting until they are more comfortable to gather.
Guest Comfort. This is something we take for granted lots of times as we have all grown accustom to heat and air conditioning everywhere we go. We knew as we got into our second year of hosting weddings that air conditioning is a must. Guests do not appreciate being sweaty on those horribly hot/humid days.
Space. Space. Space. Most people never gave much thought about how much space people need until the pandemic. Even at 300 guests, there is still space for guests to move around the barn. Outside space is also important at weddings. You don't want people cooped up inside a venue on a gorgeous day. We added a walking trail, covered our bridge to the larger outdoor ceremony area and built an arched bridge to cross our farm creek in the spring of 2020. Guests can take a leisurely stroll and get some beautiful pictures.
Decide what's important. Couples often set a budget and decide what they want to splurge on. Perhaps it is flowers, or a special dessert. Think about what you most want guests to remember from your wedding. Is it fireworks, an amazing late night nacho buffet, a string quartet at your ceremony? Often times it is the simplest things that guest remember - were they too hot/cold, was there enough food, did the dj just play Baby Shark all night long even though there were not any kids there. Looking back at all the weddings I've attended or been part of the bridal party, I can't remember many of the details, but more so how I felt at the wedding. (Sounds like another blog about "a letter to my former bride self"...) The atmosphere is what makes guests comfortable and stay to dance the night away with you. We have very rustic weddings all the way to black tie weddings. The possibilities are endless - just decide what it is important to you.
Avoid unnecessary stress. Easier said than done, right?! This mainly comes with planning. We make it a point to stay in close contact with all our couples starting from the time they inquire. We are very transparent and tell them that the more we know about their day, helps us run things on our end. In essence we are part wedding planner - offering you suggestions for vendors, timeline and decorating ideas. By offering Friday set-up, everyone is able to come in, decorate and have have rehearsal (if the ceremony is held at the barn). By the time everyone leaves Friday night, you can relax knowing everything is just how you want it for the next day.
Enjoy the planning process. Wedding planning is supposed to be fun and exciting... not stressful. Sometimes you need to take a break and unplug from it all. I can only image what my wedding would have looked like if Pinterest had been around when I was planning. Take advantage of being engaged and enjoy the food tasting as a couple. Continue to date each other and talk about something not related to the wedding. In the end it is not about the party, it is about the marriage.
We always tell our couples to be sure to reach out with questions they have along the way. No question is unimportant and most likely you haven't planned a wedding before. We wouldn't know what works and what doesn't if we did not host weddings almost every weekend. Trends change over the years so we are adapting our venue to make it suit the needs of the time. We look forward to working with you to plan your upcoming wedding at Eron's Event Barn.
"Not only are John and Melissa the nicest people to work with and make the planning process so effortless, you can tell that they LOVE what they do. I helped my brother and his wife plan their wedding that took place this past weekend and John and Melissa were there every step of the way answering questions, offering suggestions, and making sure the day was everything the bride and groom wanted. Our family cannot stop talking about how perfect the weekend was and we could not have done it without the help of the Eron’s staff. If you’re planning any event, but especially a wedding, make sure you put Eron’s at the top of your list! And thank you again John, Melissa, and staff for giving us a weekend our families will cherish forever." ~Emily, sister of the groom