Barnyard weddings on the rise for 2019/20

Taking the rustic wedding trend one step further, couples are increasingly opting for rural settings and outdoor themes

The number of wedding ceremonies held in barns or on farms has doubled in the last five years, a recent report from John Lewis & Partners has found. 

One in eight wedding ceremonies now take place in these venues compared to one in 15 in 2014, and wedding receptions in agricultural settings are even more popular with one in six held there. Marquee weddings are also on the rise. 

It appears that - in tandem with the rise of Instagram - couples are opting for a seemingly more relaxed wedding theme with 'Instagrammable' elements such as bridal wellies, beautiful barns, wildflower meadows and glamping guests a firm fixture on the platform. 

In response to the findings, John Lewis & Partners has expanded its range of bohemian wedding dresses more suited to the great outdoors with a newly launched range of veils to complement. 

Billie Nicholls, partner and buying assistant, says: "Weddings are becoming less formal. Guests are wearing more versatile styles from jumpsuits to silk cami tops and skirts, rather than always opting for dresses with a jacket and hat. Even bridal styles have become more relaxed. Many women are opting for a more comfortable outfit - including floaty gowns for hitting the dance floor in the evening."

Commenting on the report, Sarah Harris - digital editor of Bride, comments: "A barn or farm wedding offers a host of opportunities to make a wedding a unique and personal expression of the couple. Barns and marquees present a blank canvas to create the wedding set-up of a couple's dreams and this provides the starting point for the overarching wedding theme. When all the aspects of the wedding combine - from the dress to the cake, the end result can be just as breath-taking as if it were held in a castle or stately home."