When we think of a barn wedding, we instantly think 48 Fields! Why? Because not only do our clients love it, but their guests do too. If you are wanting a rustic chic wedding, 48 Fields is perfect. One of our favorite things about 48 Fields is every wedding has a different vibe, but still an overall barn wedding feel!
Let’s start with the venue coordinator, Kelly! She is easy to work with, quick to respond and assists couples with what the venue has to offer. Most of my couples, I meet for the first time at the venue walk-through where Kelly and I sit down with the couple and outline and review the details for the day. At this point in the planning process, my couples have already been given a timeline from me and we are finalizing all the details. Kelly composes the venue floor plan for the couple to review. We review details for the vendor side of things such as making sure the caterers know they need to bring potable water on-site and where to park their cars/catering trucks. Kelly also works alongside me to make sure the little details are thought of. For example, deciding to place the bar in a specific area to try and avoid a bottleneck that will block guests access to food, where the table assignments should be placed (our favorite is by the bar because it gives guests something to do while they stand in line)!
Ceremony options. Don’t take this for granted. This is where you are saying your vows, what the day is about. You want this ceremony spot to be perfect for you! Many venues don’t have multiple ceremony options, but 48 Fields has two fields to choose from: a tree-lined background (which even has multiple different setup options) or a barn view.
Rain plan! Don’t worry, they have you covered (literally)! The downstairs of the barn is one of our favorite ceremony options of all time for how light and airy it is! You really don’t need a lot of decor without pretty all ceremony options, but 48 Fields provides couples with wine barrels to use as they please. They are great for wedding signs, to place wedding programs, flower arrangements, your card box, and the list goes on! They also offer a moon gate or a wedding arch! The moon gate can be repurposed again upstairs to be used behind your sweetheart table because of how light it is!
The wedding altar, although it can’t be moved very easily, is still amongst the most popular choice for couples to choose from to marry under because of how versatile it is for a florist to decorate with.
Now, let's slide right into cocktail hour. They have a mini barn out back that can be used for cocktail hour or you can use the downstairs of the barn (Kelly’s team can move in lounge chairs for mingling and/or elder guests to have a seat)! Outdoor games are always a favorite such as Yahtzee for guests and the umbrella wine barrels provide just enough shades for guests without blocking the beautiful view of the barn.
When it is time for the reception to begin, it is easy as a coordinator for us to just open the doors and guests naturally move inside or upstairs. The exposed beams of the barn and the overhead lighting 48 Fields has, just draws people in! Guests love it (more than they already did). Now the upstairs is not overly large, the venue itself comfortably sits no more than 125, which we love as a coordinator as well, because it is more intimate of a feel. Long tables are our favorite set up of the barn because of the family-style feel they have to offer. Again, not a ton of decor is needed, greenery tablescapes work perfectly here and a mix of high low candles really just adds a romantic element.
Guest movement is always very nice because it allows natural transitions to a wedding. So we love transitioning guests back downstairs after dinner for dancing (key if you want a packed dance floor!), cake, and lounge furniture for the elderly guests to sit back, sip a drink, and enjoy the ambiance.
An extra perk that 48 Fields has to offer is a complete bridal house with ample space for the bridal party to get ready. With the groom and groomsmen downstairs and the girls upstairs, you won't accidentally run into one another, yet the excitement that your better half is just downstairs is exhilarating!
The bridal house has a dressing room, large bathroom, and even a hair and makeup room, perfect for your hair and makeup team to come in and style everyone!
Overall, 48 Fields should be top on your list if you are looking for a barn wedding in Northern Virginia as it gets 5 stars from this wedding coordinator!
