Logistics of a wedding on a family farm

[Raymond Lin]

Just organise a bus at set times. Or maybe even two or three. Wouldn't be too hard to organise between 40 people.

Be cheaper overall and then everyone, mostly everyone, arrives at the same time

This is a good idea, essentially your own private bus service.

Pick up at X, Y, Z time. Then ask them to call a taxi if they miss the bus.

And then the reverse in the evening.

The obvious thing is this will cost you money.

So this is a wedding i photographed in a field, that belongs to the bride's father.

It rained a little on the day, so you need to lay on the the walking route with something, and provide adequate lighting outside.

 

[Guest2]

This is a good idea, essentially your own private bus service.

Pick up at X, Y, Z time. Then ask them to call a taxi if they miss the bus.

And then the reverse in the evening.

The obvious thing is this will cost you money.

So this is a wedding i photographed in a field, that belongs to the bride's father.

It rained a little on the day, so you need to lay on the the walking route with something, and provide adequate lighting outside.

Thanks. Outside lighting is a good point, there are some on the house but the marquee will need some from a generator(s)

 

[Raymond Lin]

Thanks. Outside lighting is a good point, there are some on the house but the marquee will need some from a generator(s)

or get Solar powered lights for your garden, put a few of them perhaps in dark spots that perhaps not main route but still need to be lit. I mean they aren't the best or most reliable, but for like £30-50 you should have like at least 10 of them to put around the place for a few hard to reach areas for your main lights. May be if there is a step in the ground or something, for tripping hazards.

 

[Jim99]

I tried to organise a birthday party with about 40 guests at a relative's house and found it to be hell.

Despite having a massive car park across the road which we'd asked people to use, a bunch of people figured they could use the driveway "because they're family" and "that's where I always park".

Then the owner got annoyed and put a cone and sign in the drive saying not to park here, which his wife took umbrage with because she thought it was too aggressive for family.

Since then we've booked a cheap local venue with its own car park.

Anyway.

I'm sure you'll make it work, and saving on wedding costs is a no-brainer given how nuts the charges are. But it will probably be a hell of a lot of work to figure all the logistics out with those limitations, and I'd expect the guests to act like morons.

The bigger question to me is who is going to do the shouting, corralling, laying down of the rules? You don't really want someone core to the wedding who is supposed to be enjoying themselves doing that, but that's usually who winds up doing it.

You don't want the best man / father of the bride spending half the day standing in a road redirecting traffic.

 

[moon man]

my youngest went to a big sprawling farm venue in Kent with amazing grounds and barns . also cottages on site to stagger back to , came to over 30k ,they wanted a totally free bar but supplied their own quality wines ect , they live in London btw

 

[Guest2]

Anything obvious im forgetting?

Parking - how many spaces for catering / band. Drop offs near local pub. Someone to direct traffic
Portaloos - standard for 2 £400 / luxury £1400. Not all people can use portaloos
Catering - Requires electrics/gas or standalone? Storage of food
Drinks - Bins for empties, anyone working at the 'bar' or free for all. Cans/Bottles in wheelbarrows in ice, wine on tables. Beer Keg
Band - Requires electrics, generator
Marquee - setup and takedown. Big enough for it it rains
Outdoor lighting - battery solar powered
Tables and chairs for marquee and ceremony / hay bales for ceremony seats
Isle - where & dectoration
Master of ceremonies - who?
If it rains - Mud! Marquee big enough for all guests
Post wedding cleanup (and setup)

Other -
Flowers
Cake and stand
Cutlery
Glasses
Napkins and white linen
Table plan
Photographer
Bridesmaid Dresses
Groomswear
Rings
Ceremony fees

 

[GarethSouthgate]

Isn't it fashionable to hire a photo booth or some form of entertainment these days?

General and table decorations?

Mini gifts for guests?

What's the book called that people can sign/draw willies on?

 

[Guest2]

Isn't it fashionanle to hire a photo booth or some form of entertainment these days?

General and table decorations?

Mini gifts for guests?

I did have that down - Instax & disposible cameras

 

[Feek]

Anything obvious im forgetting?

Invites for the mod team. An apostrophe

 

[COYS]

Have you considered whether the owners of the farm might need public liability insurance? It is a working farm after all.

 

[Raymond Lin]

I would get half a dozen white umbrellas too, just in case it rains.

 

[Guest2]

Have you considered whether the owners of the farm might need public liability insurance? It is a working farm after all.

‘There is no legal requirement to have public liability insurance for a private party’
Wouldnt it be like me going to the same farm for a party and getting injured. Why would public liability insurance be required?

 

[COYS]

‘There is no legal requirement to have public liability insurance for a private party’
Wouldnt it be like me going to the same farm for a party and getting injured. Why would public liability insurance be required?

Yes but that's not for a party at a farm is it. I suggest you conisder looking into it with the farm owner. Most likley a farm will have such insurance, but they should consider if hosting a party omn the premises is also covered.

 

[Guest2]

Yes but that's not for a party at a farm is it. I suggest you conisder looking into it with the farm owner. Most likley a farm will have such insurance, but they should consider if hosting a party omn the premises is also covered.

There have been multiple parties at the farm before (not weddings) but ~50 odd guests.

 

[Lopéz]

I went to a fairly big wedding on a farm - they had a pop up bar, big marquee and all that sort of thing. They also laid out huge steel chequerplate sheets so that vehicles could get in and out.

Several vehicles still got stuck, including mine being driven by my girlfriend.

In fact she got so stuck that we had to call the AA and it took three hours for them to come because it was in a rural farm in Kent

5am we got to our hotel.

Just saying, I'm sure it will all be fine.

 

[[FnG]magnolia]

I would get half a dozen white umbrellas too, just in case it rains.

Is this a Backstreet Boys reference because hell yeah brother.

e: content. Arrange transport for your guests.

 

[tom_nieto]

Ignore the naysayers and go for it. It’s absolutely possible to set all this up. Catering companies will know what they need and will probably be able to quote for no electricity/gas hookup scenarios.

Make a very detailed itinerary for guests and assume they don’t know where anything is. Be very clear how to get to and from the venue otherwise you’ll find guests scattered all over the hedgerows the next day!

Plan for a complete washout.

 

[K.C. Leblanc]

A few points

You mention generators. It's not just a case of plonking in a generator. You may also need a distro (it's a bit like a consumer unit) and cabling to get power to all the required places. If you have posh toilets they'll need to be connected. If the farm has a 3 phase socket (or even a large single phase) in a suitable place you may be able to avoid getting a genny.

If you're hiring a band make sure they are providing PA. If it turns out they need PA and a sound engineer you need to make sure this is budgetted for.

 

[Semple]

That had not even crossed my mind - thanks, a grand start

You can get posh ones, basically a bathroom on wheels, so you're actually doing your business into a proper urinal/toilet as opposed to something that resembles an airplane toilet. I remember first seeing them during graduation ceremony at my uni.

 

[the shadow]

Ask the future mother in law what she wants