So this idea has begun...

Blackbird230

FI and I are seriously considering having our wedding at the ranch we ride at. We're almost positive the owners are on board (we have to double check, but they have semi suggested it before.) It would save us money paying for a traditional venue. We would have to get a tent and all of the fixings, but we're thinking like country comfort food, homebrewed beer from FI's dad and wine from our favorite winery. Just keeping it cool, rustic and country. Of course the wedding party would all have to wear boots! We would probably do the reception and maybe the ceremony in the big open arena (it's a western rodeo/barrel racing kind of barn.) The space can definitely handle a tent. 

Have you ever been to a wedding like that before? Any advice/tips going forward? Has anyone had an experience with tents and rain?

Hummingbird125

As a horse person, I love the idea. My questions/concerns would be:

1) Are there cooking facilities nearby, or at least an area to prep any food that needs to be prepped?

2) Are there sufficient bathrooms, or will you need to rent? I wouldn't want to use ugly porta-pottys for a wedding, and the nicer portable bathroom trailers might be pricey, so it's something to factor in.

3) Can you set up the tent in an area that won't get at all flooded if it rain? I know barns tend to have a lot of dirt/sand, so it would be preferable to have your tent set up on high ground, just in case of rain.

4) Smell factor. As horse people, we are basically immune to the scent of horse manure (we even enjoy it), but some barns smell worse than others. I would recommend bringing by a few non-horse people to get their take on it. If I was at your wedding, I wouldn't notice a thing, but I have plenty of relatives who would be holding their noses the whole time at a barn.

That's all I can think of right off the bat. Good luck!

Blackbird230

1) The owners do have a house with a kitchen on site at the barn. We would mostly want to bring in food and keep it warm, but if we had to, we could probably use the kitchen in case of emergency. 

2) Right now, there's only a porta potty. It's the nicest one I've ever been in though. Definitely something to think about, thank you!

3) The big arena is on higher than the rest of the ground. I don't think I've ever seen it flood. Our round pen (where my siggy is actually) sometimes gets one big puddle, but that's all I've seen.

4) Hmm...all of the horses are outside 24/7. The stalls inside are only used for morning and evening feeds. They go in, eat and go out. All the manure stays out in the fields beside whatever horses poops in the aisle. So I THINK the smell isn't too bad?

[Deleted User]

@blackbird230

That sounds really nice! I've been to a couple ranch weddings and I've seen a few ranch weddings that my friends have been to. I think tents are a must in case of weather. 

As for things not to do...the only thing I  can really think of that one of my friends experienced at a ranch wedding was the use of hay....the ranch floor under the arena was covered in hay so their tables were standing on hay and she said it was really hard to walk on. Plus all the guests sat on hay bails and they did not particularly enjoy that.

Blackbird230

@southernpeach89, yea even I don't like sitting on hay! It may look cool, but it's not fun. The only way I've seen hay seats done well is to put something over them. Also, more people than not have hay allergies so I probably wouldn't want too much hay in the wedding in general.

buddysmom80

Here's an UO but I'm not a big fan of horses (they scare me), so with that being said, my nose is more sensitive to the horse/poop/barn smell. Also call the town the barn is at because some of the snootier towns in our state have noise ordinances and check about permits, liquor licenses, catering licenses, etc. We were kicking around having our wedding at a non-traditional venue in Stratford, but after all the time off one of us would have to take to jump through the town's hoops, it was easier doing an all-inclusive venue.

 

 

beanbot2002

buddysmom80 said:

Here's an UO but I'm not a big fan of horses (they scare me), so with that being said, my nose is more sensitive to the horse/poop/barn smell. Also call the town the barn is at because some of the snootier towns in our state have noise ordinances and check about permits, liquor licenses, catering licenses, etc. We were kicking around having our wedding at a non-traditional venue in Stratford, but after all the time off one of us would have to take to jump through the town's hoops, it was easier doing an all-inclusive venue.

 

 SITB to the bolded...this makes me so sad! I feel like I want to make you love horses now! Like I need to show you how wonderful and gentle and silly they are!

@Blackbird320 Hummingbird hit most of the points I was going to make, so yay! No need to type all that out. My only other reminder would be to remind your guests that horses are fight or flight animals, that they shouldn't enter the fields or sit on the fences etc. common sense horse stuff that WE know about but not all non-horse folks think of.

ETA: permits...yes. I know my coworkers and I issue tent permits on a fairly regular basis. Anything over your basic personal pop up tent requires permits and inspections (to check that there is appropriate egress, check that the tie downs are secure, etc)

Blackbird230

@beanbot2002, would including like a Do and Do Not in the program be a good idea? 

@buddysmom80, Definitely need to check with the town. The thing that always confuses me is like if its private property, why do you need the town's permission for stuff? (Can we tell I've never dealt with this before?) It would be in Prospect.

buddysmom80

@beanbot2002 fun fact is that my mom is a total horse person, she used to have a horse, she goes on trail rides all that fun stuff. I don't mind them, just don't get me on a saddle. Tall person + tall horse + no control = GET ME OFF THIS THING!

beanbot2002

@Blackbird230 I think a quick do's/don'ts would be a fantastic idea!  And I know this might sound awful, but possibly reminding them of the inherit risk legislation? Or, if the legislation placard is posted at the entrance to the facility and other highly visible areas, you might not need to include that part.

beanbot2002

buddysmom80 said:

@beanbot2002 fun fact is that my mom is a total horse person, she used to have a horse, she goes on trail rides all that fun stuff. I don't mind them, just don't get me on a saddle. Tall person + tall horse + no control = GET ME OFF THIS THING!

But what if I could get you on a medium size horse and had total control of it? Would you be open to that??? I feel like this is my mission now LOL

buddysmom80

Blackbird230 said:

@beanbot2002, would including like a Do and Do Not in the program be a good idea? 

@buddysmom80, Definitely need to check with the town. The thing that always confuses me is like if its private property, why do you need the town's permission for stuff? (Can we tell I've never dealt with this before?) It would be in Prospect.

Because even if it's private property, you still have neighbors who are tax payers that may not want a huge party going on next door. Also you may only have a tent up for a wedding for one day, but permits are designed so that another person can't put a huge white tent up for weeks on end and say "well, the town doesn't say anything so screw you". If you get a permit, the town says "okay, you can have a tent on X property from this date to this date". You'd rather get all your ducks in a row than having the police shut your wedding down early, kwim?

beanbot2002

Everything that @buddysmom80 just said. Again, just speaking for my jurisdiction (everyone is different), we require them if they are on private property as well. 

Blackbird230

@buddysmom80 and @beanbot2002, what department in the town does permits? I'm trying to see if I can find anything out on the town website. It's kind of a small town. (5 miles by 4 miles lol.)

buddysmom80

@blackbird230 in our state it's the Town Clerk's office (I think) if not, they'll transfer you to the correct department. They'll appreciate that you're taking to time to do this so they're more than helpful.

Peaseblossom55

I've never been to a wedding like this.  I love horses, but after awhile the smell makes me nauseau.  It seems like a lot of work and things to coordinate. 

buddysmom80

Also I just thought of this, but horses are nervous animals so I would be worried that the noise, music, etc would scare them. I mean unless they feel safe in their stalls or wherever.

Blackbird230

@buddysmom80, since they all live outside, they're really good with noises. Obviously we wouldn't crank up the music crazy loud though.

buddysmom80

Blackbird230 said:

@buddysmom80, since they all live outside, they're really good with noises. Obviously we wouldn't crank up the music crazy loud though.

Oh okay, I wasn't sure (I'm not a horse person) I didn't know horses could live outside. Where my mom kept her horses there were stalls where they stayed at night, an indoor track, then some fields and trails. I thought all horses lived inside at night or something. I guess if they're used to noise they'll be okay.

Blackbird230

@buddysmom80, yea having it be a western ranch has definitely opened me up to all the different ways horses can live. We barely use the inside stalls. A lot of the horses can't stand being in the stall for more than a half hour. 

labro

I want to second @TwoDimes concern about the boots. It's definitely practical considering the venue but you may want to make sure everyone in your WP either already owns a pair or be prepared to buy them (or suggest a pair of comfortable flats that will hold up to sand and turf?).

My BFF was really limited in her music choices and volume at her wedding a few weeks ago because of noise ordinances and they had to shut off music after 10:30 - although socializing continued until past 11. Just something to keep in mind. It doesn't seem like you're picturing a really big loud dance party though so I think you'll be ok here.

How about catering bbq or some other food that would mostly be prepped off-site and then delivered? This will limit your dependance on the kitchen.

Will your dad be able to brew enough beer for your guest list? I'm assuming his beer is unpasteurized and is good for around 6 monthsish. I have no idea if you're thinking 25 or 30 people or 100 people, but based on mine and FI's incredibly recent experience with starting to brew our own beer...it takes time and work and lots and lots of bottles. Would you supplement with a couple kegs (not a bad idea for variety's sake anyway)?

Along with do's and dont's in your program, you can also include more detailed information about the horses and how to behave around them on your wedding website. You can also post information there about liability laws and what not if you need to.

I think this is a wonderful idea! I would be ECSTATIC to attend a wedding at a barn with horses!

ShallowSeas

There's definitely a lot of things to take into considerations as PPs have mentioned, but i think it sounds like a great idea!!  Its so nice that you have the option of using their ranch for your wedding. I would definitely be excited to attend a wedding like what you've described.

labro

My best advice - I would sit down and make a list (or an excel, I love spreadsheets!) of all the things you need. Rentals (tent, plates, cups, silverware, linens, tables, chairs, and more), permits, food options, beverage options, music (do you need speakers?), and anything else you could possibly think of. Then go down that list and write down approximate or known price for all of these things to come up with a total. I think this will clarify whether or not this is practical for you. Find some rental companies in your area and have them give you a quote for the things you would need based on your estimated guest list. Call the city office about the permits. Their main receptionist will definitely be able to help guide you to who you need to talk to.

carliealissa

I think it's a very cool idea.  If I were invited I'd probably have to decline- I'm practically having an allergy attack just envisioning it (horses, outdoors, dust, pollen, hay, smell, etc.)  But, that won't be as big of an issue for the majority of your guests.  Some of the older/more traditional guests might have a problem with the setting, but you face that issue any time you plan anything a little out of the norm.

Great advice from others about sitting down and budgeting out permits, rentals etc.- you may find that this could cost quite a bit more than you expect.  It's one thing if it's just your dream wedding but it may not be a real cost saver in the end (you can make that determination once you do the math)

buddysmom80

beanbot2002 said:

buddysmom80 said:

@beanbot2002 fun fact is that my mom is a total horse person, she used to have a horse, she goes on trail rides all that fun stuff. I don't mind them, just don't get me on a saddle. Tall person + tall horse + no control = GET ME OFF THIS THING!

But what if I could get you on a medium size horse and had total control of it? Would you be open to that??? I feel like this is my mission now LOL

I'll get on a horse (pony) that I can drag my feet on the ground. If you can do that, I'm good.

FoxandBunny

I'm a horse person, so I think this sounds like a cool idea. However, I do second most of the things PPs have said about logistics and non-horse people. I would especially check the ordinances about sound and bathrooms and all that stuff. I don't know if where you ride has any horse shows, but if they do, you may want to ask what they have to do for that as it would be similar noise and people wise (parking, amount of people, bathroom requirements, ect) to what a wedding would look like.

I would be careful about requiring boots, because your wedding party may not have them, and if they do, they may be uncomfortable wearing them to a wedding. 

Also, you mentioned having it in the arena. Does this arena have deep sand? Or even not so deep sand/dirt? I know many riding arenas have a special "flooring" that can be hard to walk on even in riding boots, much less shoes your guests will wear to your wedding. And you can't require boots for all, so I would think about that. And I have a feeling no amount of warning people about this will get the point across (especially to non-horse people who don't know what arena flooring is like) and you'll still have people wearing sandals and flats and heel and nice dress shoes, meaning they might not be happy going into an area that's like walking on the beach in those kinds of shoes. I know I would hate to get sand/dirt in my shoes.

bethsmiles

I think you've gotten really good advice from the PPs, my one main thought is to make sure you have a back-up plan for the beer. My parents used to brew their own beer all the time and every once in awhile they just got a bad batch. 

Also, it just seems like having a wedding there is going to take a lot more planning than if you used a more traditional venue. Make sure that you really want that. You won't have a coordinator or anyone else from a venue to help you out. You are responsible to make sure you think of everything, pay for everything, and all your vendors are reliable and will show up the day of. Honestly, I feel like it will be more stress, especially if you don't have any event planning experience. Make sure it's something you are really ready to take on.

phira

I am not a horse or outdoorsy person, but I'd likely attend. My allergies get pretty bad, but it might be nice to have, like, complimentary Zyrtec or Claritin or something!

I think that this is a lovely idea, and that the best way to go about it would be to figure out what kind of event you could host (like what kind of food, how you'd do music, etc), and having a wedding website and a program. Use both the website and the program to make sure your guests are prepared. TO HAVE FUN.

eilis1228

I think it's a great idea! Everyone has definitely brought up some good points as well. As someone living in Texas, ranch weddings aren't all that uncommon. Those weddings are honestly some of the prettiest I've seen too. I think if you make a list of the concerns raised and work with the owners to ensure those concerns are addressed, you should be good. Also, if there are any local ranch-like wedding venues, you may want to tour them to see the different amenities they offer for guests, the layout for where the animals are vs. the ceremony and reception, the bathroom situation, etc. I really love the idea for you guys though and definitely think you should pursue it.

buddysmom80

Another issue is liability insurance. If someone got injured at the event who is responsible? The hosts or the people who own the property and their homeowner's insurance?

Dignity100

Everybody has made excellent points.  As a side note, when I was looking at venues online, one venue made the list only because they had horses on premiss.