For the past couple of years the barn
backdrop has been embraced by several love stories and weddings. The heart of North Carolina has several barns
and farms to choose from. Some private
farmers have restored barns and have opened them up to the public. These give you all of the rustic elements
with modern day twists. Some even are
still working farms and have livestock in the background. Just remember if you are invited to use a
private farmer’s barn and land to respect that it’s more than a venue to the
owners, its HOME. They are inviting you
into their backyard and technically into their family. Always ask what decorations are allowed,
areas that are off limits and times the property are available for use the day
of your event. Let’s explore a few of
the local barns and farms.
L’A Brie at Linwood is a large pole barn
that will put you in a country mood the moment you begin to drive up to
it. It has a porch that is great for the
buffet line and a large patio off the back; which is perfect for cocktail hour
and yard games. We’re planning on
renting a few wine barrels for an upcoming wedding instead of cocktail tables
to add to the rustic vibe. It includes
tables and chairs for up to 200 guests in the barn. One of the best parts of this venue is no
extra uplighting is needed, they’ve done an incredible job in planning the
“look” of the barn. There is even a side
barn for your vendors to use as a “working and prepping: area away from your
guests. There’s plenty of parking and
although they have a golf cart, we recommend renting a few extras for the day
due to the size of this property. They
have an entire wing of their home that is used for the bridal party to use to
get ready and a separate house for the groomsmen to use prior to the
wedding. And if you are looking for a
water feature for your ceremony, they’ve even got a fountain in the middle of a
large pond that makes a beautiful backdrop for your “I dos.” 
Traveling through Kernersville, we found a
farm house turned into a wedding venue.
Dewberry Farm is still a working farm that allows weddings from April
through October. They have a barn that
is a beautiful ceremony backdrop. While
most choose outdoors the inside is just as beautiful if liquid sunshine shall
fall upon your wedding day. They offer a
changing area for the wedding party to get ready in their private home. The backyard is the best feature of this
amazing venue. The flowers offer such a
beautiful backdrop, wedding decorations are a minimum. The 
We didn’t make it far before finding our
next local farm. Surrounded by country
living makes it easy to find amazing places to accent with sunflowers, babies
breathe, burlap and lace. Our next venue
is located in Mebane North, Carolina. If
you are looking for a large farm house as a ceremony backdrop, Merry Hill Farm
is your destination! You have the house
to use to get ready in with a private groom’s house on the property to avoid
seeing one another. While most use the
lily pad pond as a ceremony spot some have used the front porch. They can handle weddings up to 300
guests. With this venue you rent the
property and build from there by adding tents, lighting, tables and
chairs. You can make this property your
own for the day by adding your own personal touches. If you like livestock, they have plenty of
it walking around. They have donkeys,
peacocks, dogs and cats, but if you are not looking to have animal crashers at
your wedding, they will make sure they are pinned up for your event. However, how cool would it be to take a photo
with a peacock in your wedding dress? (photos are Merry Hill Farm Facebook page)
Looking for a unique venue for a birthday
celebration, rehearsal dinner or a small wedding celebration? Our next venue takes us to Hillsborough to
Maple View Farm and Agricultural Educational Center. While they are famous for their homemade ice
cream, milk and fudge they also have a small venue that they rent for small
gatherings. How awesome would it be to
have a homemade ice cream party right in the backyard of where even the milk
comes from? They can host events up to
120 people. Their general store and ice
cream parlor also makes a great date night or day trip for the family. Make sure to take home some of their fresh
milk.
Our last stop on our barn tour today takes
us to Roxboro to The Gazebo at Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm. This venue can host up to 200 guests but we
personally think this venue is perfect for smaller intimate weddings and
events. It includes tables and chairs
for 100 guests. The Gazebo at Sunset
Ridge Buffalo Farm overlooks a large pond full with a large fountain which
makes a great ceremony spot between April and October. While they do offer off peak pricing also
during November through March. This
working buffalo farm allows several barns as backdrops in photos and beyond the
gazebo. They have a large tent to use
for your reception and your wedding party has large space to get ready in. This rental has everything you need to host a
unique country wedding.
So as you can tell the heart of North
Carolina has all kinds of styles and sizes of barns and farms to add to your
country vision. There are several ways
you can add rustic to any venue. You
just have to be creative. Start going
“picking” at flea markets and yard sales.
Start looking for old crates, mason jars, and lace. Order old signs or farm equipment to use as
props. Use old books or wood slabs to
add height on dinner tables. Look for
old frames to add pictures of your courtship or other family portraits to add
something for guests to talk about. Wild flowers can add lots of color to your
beautiful day. We love adding farm
tables, rustic chairs, benches and wine barrels for furniture for country
weddings and receptions. Hay bales with
quilts laying on them make for a great ceremony seat. Use old doors or an old mantel for your focal
point for your “I dos”. Remember when
it comes to rustic, everything doesn’t have to match. The more eclectic the better. Any of these venues will lay the foundation
for your country wedding all you need to add is your personal touch to tell
your story. Allow the dirt road to start
your journey as one.
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