Barnyard weddings are extremely popular nowadays and it’s easy to see why. The rustic charm, the air of intimacy, the beautiful scenery, what’s not to love?! Needless to say, we’re in love with barnyard weddings and luckily, so is the recently wed Kelly Liberis hailing all the way from New York City!
Kelly planned a flawless DIY barnyard themed wedding, reception, and rehearsal dinner this year in the beautiful Catskill Mountains. Today, she happily shares her experience with Beau-coup. The end results were gorgeous, extremely on-theme and seemingly effortless. So how did she do it? Read on now for her expert advice!
Q: What was your inspiration for a barnyard wedding?
A: To us, “our story” was a celebration of friends and family. It was very important to include everyone in the process and I thought a “summer camp for adults” would be a great concept. This was a natural progression towards the barnyard theme. The key components were nature, rustic, and intimate.
Q: What did this barnyard/country chic theme mean to you and your husband?
A: We’re not stuffy people. I don’t wear ball gowns and tiaras, or use fine china, like ever… So why on a day that celebrates who you are as a couple would you stray from what feels natural to you? We really wanted something intimate and close, a celebration of our friends and family. A warm and casual wedding was much more in line with our personalities.
(Keep flowers loose and “wild” to highlight the nature element of this theme)
(Barnyard animal favors adorn a simple and natural table setting)
Q: How did you decide on how to decorate your barnyard wedding?
A: I found a picture early on that stuck with me, it was of a dark brown wood table, with lush greens in a vase and white napkins, it was so rich and so simple. The barn itself was very raw inside which is what made it so naturally pretty. So I just played up its natural elements. I wanted decorations that wouldn’t feel out of place on a property over 150 years old, so using simple decorations (paper bunting flags with twine) and old mason jars as vases and printing the programs and menus on brown kraft paper all felt like things that could have been there 150 years ago.
Q: What resources did you find particularly helpful?
A: For inspiration, I referenced Once Wed. They have a lot of do-it-yourself ideas and tutorials that are simple and achievable and with a modern and fresh perspective, very Boho Chic and very on-trend with my wedding. I also utilized eBay, Amazon & Etsy for all the last minute knick knacks. I even bought my wedding shoes on eBay!
(The flower girls wore head pieces made from fresh plucked flowers)
Q: How did you pull it off?
A: I work a full time job and have a 2 year old, so being organized was essential. I used the internet to communicate with vendors and to make purchases. I kept charts to track budget and guest information. I created a binder with inspiration pictures from magazine clippings, pinterest pins, and dried flowers for color inspirations.
(Distressed furniture pieces coordinate well with the rustic barn look)
(Keep the decorations simple to highlight the natural beauty of the barn)
Q: What are your tips for our readers looking to throw their own barnyard themed wedding?
A: That details matter. Barnyard weddings are likely to be intimate and your guests at the wedding probably know you very well. So take this opportunity to get creative and personal. The more they see of you in the details, the bigger the impact. Also, if you’re having an intimate wedding, try to include everyone in all activities. We had a fire pit on the property (right next to the barn) and invited everyone to gather around the fire after the welcome dinner. Everyone got to get to know each other and it happened rather organically. It was very relaxed and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. This was one of my favorite moments.
Q: Any tips on things to avoid?
A: Yes! Avoid letting others influence your decisions. If it’s not you, then don’t do it. I thought I needed matching embroidered track suits until I realized that’s not me at all. Also, if you do plan on a DIY barnyard wedding, I think you need to decide on the look and details as early on as possible. I had the details figured out about 9 months before the wedding, and I spent that 9 months leading up to it slowly buying what I needed so the cost wasn’t overbearing and all at once.
Q: Did your theme extend to your honeymoon too?
A: Nope! While barnyard chic was perfect for the wedding, we wanted our honeymoon to be ultra-indulgent and luxurious. We hopped on a plane 2 days after the wedding and headed to the Caribbean!
There you have it barnyard wedding lovers. We had a blast interviewing Kelly about her wedding and are excited to see even more barnyard weddings pop up! Kelly tells us that it was a huge hit and that everyone had a great time. More importantly, she had a great time planning it! She enjoyed it so much in fact, that she’s thinking about doing it again! Planning for someone else’s wedding that is, not getting hitched again…
Got some follow up questions for Kelly? See below for contact information.
Kelly Liberis, email: kelly.liberis[at]gmail[dot]com
All images courtesy of Amber J Photography