Rustic Beauty: 11 Barn Wedding Decor Ideas

There were more than 2 million marriages in the US in 2017.

The number of potential locations, themes, and wedding decor options is nearly as high as the number of marriages per year. But if you've already narrowed your location down to a rustic barn, then you're one step ahead. The next step is finding the right decor.

A barn is a perfect setting for a rustic, boho, or country-style wedding, but the sheer size can feel overwhelming when it comes to decorating. That's why you need to start collecting the best barn wedding decoration ideas.

Lucky for you, we've gathered the top 11 things to keep in mind for your rustic barn wedding. Keep reading to learn what they are.

1. Prepping the Barn

If the barn you've chosen is an event space, then you won't have to do as much prep. But if the barn is located on an operational farm, then there's likely a lot of prep work to do before your wedding.

Some of the items to think about include:

• Cleaning the windows, walls, and floors of dust, dirt, debris, and cobwebs
• Cleaning out any hay, dirt, and other materials from the barn and giving it time to air out
• Removing any hazards from where your guests will be (i.e. loose nails, splintered boards, rusted hinges, missing floorboards)
• Fixing up paint where necessary

Depending on how much prepping and cleaning the barn needs, consider starting this process several months before the day of your wedding.

2. Find Out What’s Permitted Before Gathering Barn Wedding Decoration Ideas

There might be restrictions on what you can do with your decor. It's best to find out this information before you get your heart set on your barn wedding decorations. Make sure that you can use things like candles or extra hangings and furnishings on the walls.

3. Get Communal With Your Seating

For a more intimate dining experience and to bring a touch of relaxation to your rustic barn wedding, consider swapping out formal chairs for long benches. This type of seating photographs really well, and the wooden finish will suit the rest of the barnyard decor perfectly.

Pair the communal-style bench seating with wooden tables. You shouldn't cover these with table cloths. Instead, embrace them with pretty decorated Mason jars for flower vases, twine, and straw placemats

4. Brighten Up The Barn With Cozy Lighting

With very little windows and indoor lighting, barns aren't the brightest spaces. If your barn isn't a regular event space, it's likely up to you to bring light into the space.

If permitted, candles make for romantic and cozy lighting that work perfectly with rustic decor. If you're not allowed to use real candles due to the hazard of an open flame, then opt for battery-operated or electric candles that look just as great. You can place them along window ledges, in wall scones, and on tables.

You can also wrap rope or twinkle lights along the beams and pillars. And for your main lighting attraction, chandeliers or elaborate lanterns hanging from the ceiling or rafters are a great idea. They draw the attention upwards and look beautiful in photographs.

5. Don't Overdo It With Florals

With a rustic wedding, less is more. Instead of splurging on elaborate floral arrangements, collect foliage, greenery, and seasonal plants to represent the season. You can create stunning and simple arrangments in Mason jars that are minimalistic and uncluttered.

You should also think about bringing some wood pieces into your decor. Whether that means birch branches in your arrangments or wooden candle holders, your barn will have a lot of exposed wood that can be accented and reflected in your decor.

6. Bring Some Life to The Barn Walls

When you book a more conventional venue, the walls are usually decorated for you with paintings and other decals. But with a barn, you have a lot of bare walls to work with. You can bring some life to the walls with:

• tulle, ribbons, and greenery along ledges, rafters, and beams
• themed pieces like wagon wheels or saddles hanging from or leaning against the walls
• quilts, Mexican blankets, and other fabrics draped as accents on some walls

The key with your barn walls is not overdoing it. You want to use the walls as an accent, but you don't want them to be too busy.

7. More Mason Jars

We've already mentioned Mason jars twice. But when it comes to rustic weddings, more Mason jars are a must. They work as candle holders, flower holder, centerpieces, wedding favors. These versatile little jars are affordable and give you the home-made look you want for a barn wedding.

8. Make Sure to Match Your Bouquet...

While not exactly part of the decor, you want your bouquet to match your rustic theme. Talk to your florist about the colors you're using, your other floral decor, and what you want from your bouquet. They'll likely recommend flowers like roses, hydrangeas, and trailing foliage for a more relaxed look that doesn't sit neatly.

9. ...And Your Attire, Too

You can't match mason jars, candles, and a rustic bouquet with a traditional wedding gown. Instead, complete your theme with the perfect rustic wedding dress. Think boho and flower crowns to really pull the relaxed look altogether.

Your groom can also reflect that theme in his attire for the evening. Look at tweed suits and avoid the traditional grey, navy, and black options.

10. Don’t Forget About Outside

While most of your evening will be spent inside the barn, don't forget about the photographs during the day. Outside the barn makes for a great setting for a photo shoot, and adding some accents can really pull those photo's together.

Make sure that the lawns and field are well-groomed. You might consider placing wildflowers in large bouquets around the perimeters. Stacked hay bales and corn stalks also add a bit of authenticity and can be made more feminine with tulle and ribbon accents.

11. Make Sure Your Wedding Reflects You

Most importantly, make sure that when you're looking for barn wedding decoration ideas, you're adding a bit of yourself into the mix. You want your wedding to reflect you and for your guests to see your personality in your decorations. And with platforms like Pinterest, the possibilities for creativity and customization are endless.

Searching For the Perfect Rustic Wedding Venue?

Barn wedding decoration ideas have to start with the basics, and that means thinking about prepping the barn and knowing about any restrictions. Once you have those details sorted, you can start planning the personal touches in lighting, seating, and wall accents. Just remember that when it comes to rustic barn wedding, less tends to be more.

And when you're ready to book the perfect venue for your rustic wedding, contact us to find out how we make your day unforgettable.