Trying to decide about ceremony space

julieanne912

So we have our reception venue booked.  It's a barn.  This is it: http://www.dbarn.net/index.html  

They also have a yard area to the side of the barn (it's actually the front yard of the house the owners live in).  It's quite pretty and private with lots of trees and an arbor.  We can use this yard for a ceremony for an extra fee of $900, which would include chairs.  The main issue with it is there is a busyish road right behind it, so it could be a bit noisy.  

Part of me thinks we should rent the yard to have a separate ceremony area, so it's more picturesque, etc.  But the other part of me is like, well, it'll be about a 20 minute ceremony, so $900 is a lot for 20 minutes.  

Our other option is to just use the barn for the ceremony, with everyone sitting at the tables (which will be long rectangles set in a herringbone pattern, with an "aisle" down the middle.  

What do you lovely Knotties think?  Worth the extra to have a more scenic ceremony, or just say "fuck it" and do our vows real quick in the barn and get our party on? 

larrygaga

It was pretty important to me that the ceremony space was separate from my reception space. I'm getting married under a gazebo. It was worth the extra money at the time! 

Now obviously my plans have sorta changed, but it's still good.

I say go for it if your budget allows for it! It makes it more special, I think.

southernbelle0915

Would you get your money back if it rains? That would probably make or break the decision for me.

ashley8918

I would not pay an extra $900 to make something a little more "picturesque".

lyndausvi

I wanted to have a separate ceremony and reception areas.    That was the plan but mother nature decided I was to do both at the reception locations.

If you have the money and are already hosting people properly, I would go for it.

louxnoelle

Would they allow you to take pictures in the front yard under the arbor even if you don't book it for your ceremony space?

I'm having my ceremony and the reception in the same space. I don't see the harm.

PamBeesly524

My ceremony and reception spaces are separate, but if it rains (which it looks like it isn't going to), then they'll both be in the reception space. I don't see the harm, and if you're going to save $900 I say go for it!

beachyone15

It's totally up to you. If you have the money and want to do it, go for it. We actually SAVED money by having our ceremony in a separate location (our church) which worked out b/c it's what we wanted anyway.

julieanne912

Thanks for the opinions y'all.  I'm not sure what the policy is for if it rains, I'm supposed to be setting up a meeting with my MOH/pseudo wedding coordinator and the venue owner, so we can go through the layout and ask more questions, so that's something I'd ask.  Rain isn't very likely here in September, but yeah, you never know.  If it was "pay for it rain or shine" then I definitely wouldn't do it.  

I would also have to ask about pictures in the yard... I'm guessing they would let us for a small fee (this place has a pretty cheap base fee, but lots of small fees for everything "extra", and that area would be nice for the family pictures we would like to take.

Money definitely is on the tighter side (entire wedding budget is 15-17k), so $900 is a decent amount.  I just didn't want it to seem weird to do our ceremony in our already set up reception space.  I think we could add up a curtain or something to make the background of where we'll stand a bit nicer inside maybe.  It might also be pretty as we plan on hanging lots of twinkle lights and fabric bunting across the entire barn.