In the beginning of 2013 many blogs and wedding websites were posting that barn weddings were one of the top trends for weddings. We saw a big increase in our couples searching for barn venues this past year. And luckily for us a few new barns popped up in our local area to help us out with the demand, so in our opinion barns are definitely here to stay!
Why you may ask? I think couples are looking for more unique venues, and they are wanting something that is different than the past weddings they have been to.
When I show barn venues to my couples, they are for couples who are looking for that rustic charm. I am probably not going to show a couple a barn venue and then a ballroom venue!
With a barn venue most likely you are starting with a blank canvas and building from there. You can go from the basics to very upscale and all look great. It’s easy to do farmer’s market flowers and
basic linens, but you can just as easily (as long as the budget allows) have chandeliers and chivari chairs!
One thing I must say is that barn weddings DO NOT equal cheaper weddings, there are a few venues out there where an extreme budget will get you something but at most you are bringing everything in which does make things add up.
Things to ask or think about: do they have tables, flatware, bathrooms, linen, heating or air conditioning, chairs, and the lighting you may want. You will also most likely need to check out caterers, and factor in costs not seen at banquet halls like staffing and rentals.
You also don’t have to love mason jars, cowboy boots, and lawn games to have a barn wedding. Rental companies have some amazing items that you can rent to create a gorgeous wedding without the stereotypical barn decor.
With the barn weddings we have done, I can look back through our real wedding blogs and see the same venue but a totally different look. It all depends on what you as a couple imagine your wedding looking like. 
Thanks to Pinterest and couples wanting to do more DIY we never know what will be used to create your very own personal wedding.
So if you are looking for something different, but don’t have the backyard or barn to do it, check out some of the great Michigan Barns. Because barn venues are so popular make sure you look into booking one right away; a few of the barns are totally booked for 2014 and in the process of being booked for 2015 as well!
Written by Melanie King – TwoFoot Creative, Ann Arbor