What To Expect On Your Wedding Day

What To Expect On Your Wedding Day!

The 2022 Bridal Season is fast approaching! We have many eager couples for this upcoming summer and we cannot wait to celebrate with everyone! At The Meadow Barn and The Veranda, our goal is to make your big day as stress free as possible. One way to alleviate stress and anxiety is preparation! Below we will tell you everything you need to know about our venue, what to expect for your wedding day, and what is included with your venue!

Each booking includes two onsite facility managers; one for the morning and one for the evening. A typical day at The Meadow Barn and The Veranda begins at 8 am, with our well trained and friendly staff greeting you and your wedding party at the door! Planners, vendors, bridal party, etc. are allowed onsite at this time. Decorating usually begins right away with hair and makeup starting during that or shortly after. If you have a planner or decorating crew, hair and makeup can start asap! Hair and makeup can be done at the wedding venue in our bridal suite or offsite at a salon. Your morning manager will assist in vendor communication, embellishment prep, serving drinks during the day, and more! (Please note, the facility managers are not wedding planners. They do not set up or tear down your décor.) If any questions or concerns arise, please be sure to reach out to your day manager!

The evening manager will arrive later in the afternoon. The evening manager will be responsible for the ceremony/reception time frame of the day. Don’t worry though, our managers are great at communication and all pertinent details will be exchanged prior to shift change. Around this time, the bartenders arrive for bar service. Drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) can be sold prior to their arrival (HELLO MIMOSAS!). Our day and night managers are able to serve your party until the bartenders arrive. Ceremonies usually begin between 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm – dependent on the day of your wedding, followed by Cocktail Hour and dinner. Around dinner time, the manager will light the fire pit and will set out any “evening” embellishments, such as the Smores’ Bar or the Hot Beverage Station. The dancing begins after dinner and the party can last until 11:30 pm! Throughout the evening, the night manager will make sure the embellishments, such as the Infusion Beverage Station, are out for your guests and refilled all night long.

At 11:30pm, the music and bar shut down. At this time, the night manager makes sure tabs are paid and will assist in making sure you have all your belongings. All décor, personal belongings, food, vendors, guests, etc. must be out by 12:30am. At The Meadow Barn and The Veranda, the night staff cleans the venue and tears down chairs and tables. All you have to do is grab your things and head off to honeymoon bliss.

(HMU is Hair and MakeUp!)

Helpful Tips, Tricks, and Hints

Decorating

• All chairs and tables will be set up prior to your arrival. So, the morning of your wedding, all you have to do is decorate. We suggest hiring a planner or floral company to come decorate, but it is not necessary or required.
• We encourage you to organize all décor prior to the morning of your wedding. You don’t want to waste precious time organizing the day of. We suggest you have your boxes/bins labeled and a printout of how you would like the venue decorated. Linens should be ironed or steamed prior to arrival as well. When it comes to decorating, the ultimate goal is being fast and efficient!
• Remember to pack lighters. You can’t light your candles without them! Also, be sure to assign someone to light your candles. We recommend this is done as soon as the ceremony finishes.
• Bussers can be hired through The Meadow Barn and The Veranda. Bussers are able to assist with lighting candles, clearing trash, and barware.
• Keep all boxes until the very end of the night. It might seem unnecessary but extra boxes always come in handy!
• All décor, food, personal belongings, etc. must be taken with you at the end of the night. Please assign someone to be in charge of tear down once the reception ends. This will ensure everything is out of the building by 12:30 am.

Food

• The day of your wedding is full of activity. We recommend you bring in breakfast and lunch for your family and friends. Food will help curb anxiety and help absorb alcohol prior to dinner!
• Both venues have a self-served Keurig station in the bridal suite. This is not to be used to serve coffee at your reception but as a courtesy to our early morning preppers. You are welcome to bring in your individual specialty coffees from your preferred coffee shop as well.
• Coffee Service is a highly requested service by guests during receptions. We offer our Hot Beverage Station which includes coffee, hot water, and a wide variety of teas and hot chocolate. This is our most requested and most popular embellishment!

Ceremony, Cocktail Hour, and Reception

• Ceremony time is dependent on each couple’s preference. With that said, we have found that the best ceremony time on Fridays is between 4:30 pm and 5 pm. For Saturday weddings, the ceremony can begin earlier, around 3:30 pm to 4 pm.
• For cocktail hour, we recommend having appetizers or snacks available for your guests. Popular food items have been charcuterie boards, popcorn, peanuts, or trail mix.

We understand that there is so much that goes into a wedding to make it perfect. At The Meadow Barn and The Veranda, our staff is dedicated to assisting you in running a successful and smooth wedding.

Now that you know what to expect on your wedding day, we hope that you feel a bit more relaxed and less stressed. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns!

You can also find all this information and more on The Meadow Barn website!