Affordable Rustic Barn Wedding in NJ?

A wonderful barn wedding I attended in Ithaca, NY.

UPDATE: Since writing this post, we managed to locate a great spot for a rustic NJ barn wedding. Check out Jack's Barn in White Township, Warren County. Does anyone know of any great, rustic settings for a barn wedding in NJ? Particularly ones where you aren't paying out the wazoo? If you rent out a wedding barn in this area, please contact me at info@njweddingonabudget.com and I will be happy to do a write-up on your venue.

Cocktails in the barn,
rustic and romantic!

I attended a barn wedding in Ithaca, NY that was most memorable indeed. My friend and her husband rented out a pristinely kept country barn, had family show up early to hang paper lanterns and twinkling lights, light tons of little candles, and otherwise bedeck the place. 

Creative DIY wedding
deco: string white lights
and paper lanterns.

The wedding ceremony was held outdoors on the premises, and was immediately followed by cocktail hour and a generous outpouring of Pimm's with cucumber, the drink of choice for the day. Guests gathered about and chatted at little tables inside the barn, kept the bartenders busy, or explored the pristinely kept grounds. Before long, the bluegrass band struck up some lively tunes which made for some nice background music and really added to the overall rustic atmosphere.

Live bluegrass makes for the perfect dinner music
 at your rustic barn wedding.

Following cocktail hour, we all gathered under a big tent where they had set up long dining tables, farmhouse style, and enjoyed a delicious buffet meal of pit barbecue with tasty sides. The band played their full number of sets, and after the meal we returned to the barn where the bride's brother had set up a DJ station/hooked up speakers, and we set to boogeying and dancing the night away.

Boogeying in the barn.

The next day, my husband and I enjoyed a day out in Ithaca where we hiked along some of the area's waterfalls, kayaked on Cayuga Lake, and partook in a delicious meal in one of the downtown area's great restaurants.

What a great party and wedding weekend! This was truly one of the most original and ambiance-filled weddings I've ever attended – all wonderful ideas for any bride who is trying to avoid all the cliche aspects of your typical NJ wedding.

I've never been to a barn wedding in NJ, but I would imagine there are some choice spots for this type of event. For those not familiar with the Garden State, we still have plenty of preserved farmland left on which to appreciate the fruits of the earth!

Again – to talk about your awesome barn wedding or to advertise your rustic barn wedding venue, please contact info@njweddingonabudget.com.

http://njweddingonabudget.blogspot.com/2016/04/jacks-barn-rustic-barn-wedding-in.html?m=1

Reasons to say "Definitely" to a Day Wedding

Image courtesy of RuffledBlog.com

As an eager NJ bride, you may think that a day wedding is the low-rent wedding option. "Oh, we can't afford anything more than that." Yes, a wedding that starts at noon instead of 6 pm may in fact be the more economical choice.

However, for all you NJ brides who are feeling let down by the thought of getting married during the daylight hours... maybe no one has filled you in on the many ways that day weddings totally rock.

They cost less. I can't resist re-stating this. Our wedding was held in November, on a Saturday, at noon. It included open bar, cocktail hour, buffet dinner and dancing, and ended at 5 pm. The price was $60 per plate.

Less time to be nervous. When you have a day wedding, there's no time to fret all day about how the wedding will go, if you'll get to the church on time, and so forth. You'll just be rushing around trying to get out of the house... and then suddenly, you're getting married!

You can kick off the festivities bright and early. Maybe this isn't the option for you younger brides... but my friends and I all have kids, some on the younger side. We start our days a little after sunrise, and tend to shut it down around 10 or 11 pm. I'm not saying that you'd want to stick to your usual bedtime schedule on your wedding night! But a day wedding may very well work with your parental body clock.

Old folks will appreciate it, too. A day wedding can be particularly thoughtful to the older relatives who don't drive well at night, and are simply livelier before the sun goes down.

Day weddings tend to be a bit more casual. My husband and I are not really fussy types. We complain when we have to wear constricting clothing, and generally feel out of sorts in places where one must dress to the nines, put on airs, and try not to accidentally break expensive items. A day wedding was a nice option for us to have a "come as you are" kind of day for our wedding celebration.

You actually have longer to keep the party going! Here's how our wedding went: married at noon, cocktails at 1 pm. Dinner, then dancing, then say goodbye. Old folks mostly go home – some hang out at the hotel, or maybe head back to our parents' houses for a post-wedding get-together. Bride, groom and good friends all shower up, then head down to the hotel bar/lounge area to drink beer, play cards, and thoroughly enjoy each other's company. For a busy bride and groom who typically spend their entire wedding running around greeting people, taking pictures and dancing/doing various rituals for an audience... a day wedding can actually give you some time after hours to finally relax and let your hair down.