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PA Barn Wedding Venues: Red & Green Flags
- Linnea Peckham Geno
- Jul 7
- 8 min read
Barns have become a staple of Pennsylvania weddings in recent decades, and there's no shortage of reasons why. They are architecturally timeless, with an aesthetic character usually lacking in the ballrooms and country clubs that previously dominated the industry. They're often blank slates in terms of decor, meaning they can be "dressed up" for black tie events, adorned rustically for country-themed affairs, or anything in between. Perhaps most importantly for many couples, ideal PA barn wedding venues are surrounded by nature and provide a peaceful, private backdrop for their nuptials.
That said, many couples drawn to the idea of a barn wedding (and their families!) want to know about the potential pitfalls of the countless PA farm venues now in operation. What green flags should you look for, and what red flags should you generally avoid? Every couple is different, and what may be a low priority for some could be a non-negotiable for others. That said, the downsides of certain barn wedding venues typically boil down to a) lack of amenities/services and b) inconvenient setting. We’ll get to specifics in a moment, but before we do it’s worth mentioning we designed Sylvan Ridge Farm, our barn wedding venue outside Milford, PA, expressly to avoid the common drawbacks of other farm venues. Now, on to those flags!
PA Barn Wedding Venues Red Flag #1: Setting Mismatch
Couples who’ve been venue shopping for a while know the feeling well. You’ve researched a venue, its offerings seem like a great fit, the photos on their website or Instagram are to die for... maybe the price tag is even surprisingly affordable. You set up a tour, plug the address into Google Maps, and head off with excitement coursing through your veins. This could be the one!
And yet as you pull in, before you even get out of the car, your stomach sinks. You recognize the buildings and the backdrops from the venue's Instagram or website, but the setting isn’t what you were expecting. Strategically taken photos gave the impression of a picturesque barn amongst forests and fields, but in reality the farm is in the middle of a rundown town. Or right next to a busy road. Or surrounded by smelly animal pastures.
So the first green flag to look for is a setting that matches the impression given on a venue’s website and social media. You can even do this before investing time and emotional energy into visiting a venue by looking for drone photos or video of the whole property on their website, or if you can’t find any (red flag?), checking Google Maps’ satellite view. Truly idyllic PA barn wedding venues like Sylvan Ridge Farm are out there, so don’t settle for anything less than your vision!
PA Barn Wedding Venues Red Flag #2: Remote to a Fault
There’s another way for a farm venue’s setting to pose a problem, and that’s the remoteness of the location. Maybe you found a venue with aerial photos galore—there’s not a neighbor in sight! But how are your guests going to get there, and even more importantly, where will they sleep? Some of Pennsylvania’s most bucolic farms are miles and miles from the nearest hotels, let alone airports.
And it’s not just about guest services! It’s also worth considering proximity to other wedding vendors. Most barn venues rely on outside catering and rentals at least to some extent, and you’ll likely be hiring some combination of florist, DJ, hair/makeup, photographer, etc. If a venue is in the Middle of Nowhere, PA, your vendor options may be more limited than you realize or may incur a hefty travel fee.
Again, every couple’s needs are different, so if you’re looking at a local venue and the vast majority of your guest list is made up of fellow locals, this may not be an issue for you. If, however, your PA barn wedding would be a mini destination for you and most of your guests, finding one relatively near a major airport and with plenty of nearby lodging options is a big green flag.
Speaking of which, Sylvan Ridge Farm is a true unicorn when it comes to location. Set off a mountain road with a beautiful view and total privacy, the property is also less than 10 minutes from a major interstate, multiple large hotels, and a historic downtown area that’s to die for. Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport is an hour away, Newark Liberty Int’l is an hour and a half, and trains and buses connect our area directly with both Newark and Manhattan. It’s a rare combination of privacy and accessibility.
PA Barn Wedding Venues Red Flag #3: Not a Real Barn
Once the barn wedding trend started taking off in the early 2000s, it was easy to predict one inevitable outcome: the rise of “barn” and “farm” venues that use rustic language and design elements, but that are recently built structures on newly developed properties with no actual connection to Pennsylvania’s rich farming tradition.
The extent to which the authenticity of your venue factors into your search is totally a matter of preference. If you find a barn-shaped ballroom that fits your needs and vision perfectly, more power to you. That said, we’re more than a little biased towards barn venues that have history behind them! There is something truly special about welcoming your guests to celebrate your union on a storied property with rich character and the obvious visual signposts of having been a working farm.
At Sylvan Ridge Farm we’re fortunate to have that X factor of a unique backstory, which we traced out with painstaking historical research. The buildings and grounds have unparalleled character, with eye-catching touches like hand-built fieldstone fireplaces, the original farmhouse well (now repurposed as an outdoor dining table), and historic porch furniture kept from the farm’s days as a summer camp. We love how each and every wedding held here is woven into this tapestry!
PA Barn Wedding Venues Red Flag #4: Limited Amenities
Once you’ve found one or more wedding barns with a setting that fits your needs and vision, the specific amenities of the venue(s) come into play. There is a certain charm that comes with a preserved barn that’s gone unchanged since the days of oxcarts and lanterns. However, an older structure that hasn’t had to meet current building codes will not have climate control. Or bathrooms. Or running water, for that matter.
Anything is possible, and some incredible events have been held at farm venues with extremely limited infrastructure! It all comes down to what you’re willing to live without (and ask your guests to live without). Trailer bathrooms are no biggie for some couples and an absolute no-go for others. The same could be said for no air conditioning (a bigger concern in summer, but these days even May and September can be sweltering) and no heat (strongly discouraged for spring and fall dates).
On the other hand, there are authentic PA barn wedding venues out there that have not only the basics, but all the amenities you could hope for—we know, because Sylvan Ridge Farm is one of them. Our event barn is up-to-date with heat & AC, endless dimmable lighting, modern bathrooms, and built-in bars with sinks, fridges, and ice machines. Our farmhouse and cottage provide overnight lodging for couples and their wedding parties—think pillow-soft mattresses and luxury bedding, blackout curtains, customized climate control in every room, cozy couches next to stone fireplaces, a covered porch with a perfect sunrise view… we could go on. Did we mention there’s a pool? Hot tub? Fire pit with fairy lights? Hiking trails? Ok, ok, we’ll stop.
PA Barn Wedding Venues Red Flag #5: Accessibility Issues
This one really should have been at the top of the list, because when choosing a wedding venue, there isn’t anything more important than ALL of your guests being able to access ALL areas of said venue. It’s easy to overlook things like paved parking spots and walking paths until guests with mobility issues start reaching out to ask about such considerations. Vendors from DJ to florist also absolutely appreciate ease of access for setting up their equipment. So if you see nothing but grass and gravel as you walk around a venue tour, or notice event spaces only accessible by stairs or steep/uneven paths, ask hard questions.
A venue your guests with mobility issues can easily navigate is a huge green flag! Prior to opening Sylvan Ridge Farm, we actually worked for a safety standards company, so we’re intimately familiar with accessibility needs and intentionally designed SRF as a fully accessible venue. The parking lot and walking paths are paved, there is an elevator in the barn for easy access between the upper and lower level, the bathrooms are ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant, and the farmhouse and cottage both have no-step entries and ground floor sleeping spaces. ‘Nuff said.
PA Barn Wedding Venues Red Flag #6: A Little Too DIY
This last red flag in our list will hit different couples differently. You may be the DIY all the way type who can’t wait to spend countless hours in the months leading up to the wedding accumulating and assembling decor items. And if that’s you, that’s awesome! If, on the other hand, you’d like to turn such things over to a trustworthy vendor team, we see you. But there’s one element of wedding planning that really shouldn’t be DIY, ever, unless maybe you are literally a wedding planner yourself, and that is the nuts-and-bolts coordination of the wedding weekend.
A barn venue that strictly rents the site and is totally hands off is a barn venue where weddings won’t consistently run smoothly—how could they if every wedding is being overseen by someone who is unfamiliar with the space? If you pick a venue like this that expects couples to handle their own coordination needs, make sure you at least find a professional, respected wedding planner to coordinate your day. But even then, there is an element of uncertainty if your planner doesn’t already know your venue inside and out.
On the other hand, a barn venue having a dedicated wedding coordinator on staff is a major green flag. It took us a while to figure this out, too, so we understand if you aren’t convinced quite yet. But after operating for several years as a “BYO coordinator” type of venue, we saw firsthand the issues that arise. Some you might expect, like when Aunt Susie who planned a few grad parties was left in charge of the entire day, or the Maid of Honor was pulling double duty as de facto coordinator. But to be totally honest, some of the biggest headaches arose when supposedly top-notch wedding planners were calling the shots.
So we switched course several years back and hired a dedicated Event Manager to personally coordinate every wedding, and it has been a night-and-day difference. Couples who book with Sylvan Ridge Farm have total peace of mind that a professional who knows the venue intimately will help make their timeline, confirm all details with their vendors, and run the show behind the scenes on the day of the wedding so all the little things that can (and do) go wrong are handled before you or your guests even know they’re happening. Oh, and if you aren’t the DIY type, she can also set up your decor for you. :)
PA Barn Wedding Venues Green Flag Recap
Now that we've covered some of the prominent red flags you may encounter as you search for a PA barn wedding venue, what are the positive takeaways to look out for? To summarize, the perfect Pennsylvania barn venue will have:
✓ an idyllic setting that matches its marketing photos
✓ a convenient location near hotels & airports
✓ authentic history & architectural character
✓ modern amenities to keep you & your guests comfortable AND entertained
✓ accessibility features for guests with limited mobility
✓ in-house services, including but not limited to wedding coordination
As you've probably noticed by now, Sylvan Ridge Farm checks all of these boxes (and many more). Whether you're just starting the search for your perfect PA barn wedding venue or you've been on the hunt for ages, please contact us to schedule a tour and see this one-of-a-kind property for yourself!