Transforming a barn into a warm and romantic venue

Are you looking to get married in a location that can be made to look and feel just how you want it to?

Barns are perfect as they are often a blank canvas, giving you the scope to have your wedding styled exactly how you always imagined, however their size alone can be daunting.  Lindsey Hunter of Get Knotted gives us her recipe for transforming a barn from blank and chilly to warm and romantic.

To create warmth and intimacy in a large, vacuous area – a complete blank canvas – you will need:

Ingredients:

• Style, flair and vision
• Lighting
• Props
• One happy couple, friends and family 

Method: The entrance

• Make your entrance a teaser for your guests by decorating it with lanterns or fairy lights
• Arrange lights as a pathway leading inside The ceremony

The ceremony

• Create an aisle using fresh bay trees in baskets or silver storm lanterns to walk in between as you head towards your groom
• A floral arch makes the most romantic place to say your “I do’s” underneath
• Use plenty of candle light to add to enhance the romantic atmosphere as you get married
• Match your chair cover fabrics or bale covers and cushions with the drapes to carry your theme throughout the barn

​The décor

• Divide the space inside your barn into clearly defined areas – seating, chill out, dining, bar and dancing
• Use colourful drapes to soften the light and create smaller spaces
• Be bold with fabrics and colours for a unique look
• Barrels make great poseur tables and can be great for creating more intimate spaces
• Use lots of glass wear, candles and flowers to set the scene. Group stemmed cylinder vases of different heights with floating candles to emphasise the size and structure of your barn
• Create dramatic groupings of candle holders, flowers and even fruits depending on your style and theme for added special touches to your tables
• Create a seating area with low lighting and fun soft furnishings, such as inflatable sofas, straw bales and coffee tables
• Use wide trestle tables to make use of the space, which will also provide you with enough space for food and decorations
• Reduce vast expanses of empty wall with carefully positioned lighting such as twig lights or LED birch tree lights. Use these at different heights for some added warmth. You can also use lighting to show off quirky features in your barn

And there you have it, a recipe for transforming a barn into something wonderful. All you need to do now is enjoy your special day.

If you aren’t one for styling your own venue, Lindsey is a professional wedding planner and venue stylist. For more information about Lindsey and for some more inspiration, visit www.get-knotted.net