I’ve ‘crashed’ lots of weddings. Two of my own and many others I put together as an event planner. The type of ceremonies range between hour-long masses, risky chair raisings, cozy house parties and, my fave, a surreal, leather and tutu-clad festival on the playa at Burning Man. But by God, and no thanks to Pinterest, it’s been almost 10 years (arguably) since the trend began, and I am still waiting for my invitation to a farm wedding!
Slowly but surely the traditional wedding setting has transformed into a competition amongst bride-to-be perfectionists determined to create a most ‘likes-able’ event. Social media has made DIY bad AF and the more bad ass, the better the posts. According to Psychology Today contributor, Emily Matchar, the “Farm/Rustic/Vintage/DIY Wedding neatly telegraphs the values of today, values we see over and over in New Domesticity: DIY over purchased, artisan over mass-produced, rustic rather than high-tech, small and personal over large and generic.” Basically, a ‘radical departure of tradition.’
After Matchar’s own nuptials at a local goat farm, which featured over 80 man hours in printing and hand stamping goats and pigs on invitations, she surmised that farm weddings have birthed from a 21st century celebration of hyper-individualism. And Pinterest has banked on this “it’s MY party” concept since the trend began. Just search ‘farm weddings’ on the app and you get more than what you ‘barn-gained’ for in DIY projects i.e. tree trunk centerpieces, beer barrows, family tree photos (on a real tree), mason jar fairy lights and hundreds more!
One of the best examples I’ve viewed while scrolling my timeline was my colleague Keith Fuller’s farm wedding with a Star Wars twist. He and his lovely wife Kathleen chose a local farm owned by a good friend to get hitched and the photos are fascinating, particularly the money shot of the bride and groom stance clenching light sabers, ready to strike back! Keith is a bad ass chef of downtown Pittsburgh’s hot spot Pork and Beans who prepared many local farm to table dinners at Churchview Farm south of the city where he and his bride thought it appropriate for a wedding shin dig where they worked together often. Her dress: vintage style lace with gold overlay and petticoat she made by hand. Her bouquet: DIY paper roses made from library books. Amongst a crowd of 150 guests (and a few goats), Keith and Kathleen’s best memory of that day was exchanging vows on a tractor. Seriously. That post had to have had at least a million likes just for that pic alone.
“So many more rustic venues are popping up such as our picturesque and historic Stone of Scone Farm. Tricia Derry, event planner and owner of Vintage Alley Rentals, doesn’t believe the farm ‘trend’ is going anywhere.”
With so many more rustic venues popping up such as our picturesque and historic Stone of Scone Farm, Tricia Derry, event planner and owner of Vintage Alley rental and design shop, doesn’t believe the farm ‘trend’ is going anywhere. Each venue is unique and different in its own right, which steers away from tradition. “They come to me to bring the magic to the barn and farm weddings offer a laid back, comforting feeling where guests feel at home,” Tricia explained. The top selling points of farm vs. traditional venue that she has experienced as a wedding planner is the potential to get married and celebrate at the same location. “It’s the whole entire package and less stress” when you don’t have two places to plan both wedding and reception.
Banking on this new demand for unique settings and experiences, Tricia opened Vintage Alley a few years ago and both her Holly and Taylor entrance doors are ceremonial must haves for rustic weddings. These doors plus the barrel bar, Maurel mantel, and John Buford clawfoot porcelain tub would fit perfectly on the landscape of Stone of Scone’s Bannuokburn Barn, Aberdeen Patio, and Tynecastle Springhouse.
Tricia does warn clients to be careful of too much DIY and recommends brides and grooms focus on enjoying their wedding day instead of running around like chickens on a farm trying to craft wildflower centerpieces and making other things perfect. She recommends leaving most of the unique settings to the professionals. And, when this happens, she, like most of her clients, guarantee guest satisfaction and memories of a great time.
Instagram fame and guest experience wins over the tradition of hotel ballrooms, so it seems. “I keep getting (from guests) that it was the best wedding celebration. “Our ceremony was short and the party was huge!,” Keith described. This had to be one of the coolest weddings I’ve never been. Maybe I should start being a little bit nicer and step away from the dark side. I have cookies!
See article on Stone of Scone Farm website!
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About The Author
Colleen is a writer, food lover and rookie world traveler. She lives to leverage her life experiences and new found passions into a fun and challenging journey. Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she currently resides anywhere in the world barring her luggage does not exceed 50 pounds. Contact Colleen at leftandinside.com.
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As described by Rodgers, the tour of the farm begins as you leave Littlestown Road and enter the property’s winding road. The view is sudden and spectacular: an old brick farm house on the left. Continue around the hand-made brick structure and a view of Tynescastle Springhouse appears nestled in a hollow fed by a natural spring that flowed for hundreds of years before the first Europeans settled. Beyond the springhouse lies the large cold water pond and Bannockburn Barn stands in full frontal view, with remnants of the Appalachian Mountains (known locally as Pigeon Hills) rising in the distance.
The beauty and mystique of the farm after restoration could not go without others to see and experience. So my long lost friend, Patricia Green, partnered with Rodgers and helped plan the next phase of the farm as a unique event destination. Green blended her PR smarts with Rodgers’ old world heritage and attention to detail to create Stone of Scone Farm. They delight in the prospects of the farm hosting private retreats, corporate meetings, annual local events, and barn weddings.
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