Barn wedding venue tour checklist: what to check in person
By the Venue Answers team · · 4 min read
Barns photograph beautifully, and the photos hide the things that make or break the day: how hot it gets inside in June, how far the restrooms are, where the band plugs in, and what the parking field looks like after rain. This checklist is built for a tour. Print it, bring a pen, and check each line before you leave. Then compare what you saw against what each barn venue publishes.
Before you go
- Tour at the same time of day as your ceremony if you can. Light, heat and bugs at 11:00 am tell you little about 6:00 pm.
- Ask to see the barn set for an event, or ask for photos of a real wedding in your season, not a styled shoot.
- Bring your guest count, your month and your budget. Every answer below depends on them.
Climate
- Is the barn heated, cooled, both, or neither? "Climate controlled" can mean a full HVAC system or a few portable units.
- If there is no HVAC, what is included: fans, space heaters, or nothing? Who pays for fuel or extra units?
- Stand inside for five minutes. Is there cross-breeze? Do the big doors open?
- Ask what the inside temperature was at their last July wedding and their last November wedding.
Restrooms
- How many restrooms are there for guests, and are they inside the event building or a walk away?
- Are they flushing restrooms in a building, a restroom trailer, or portable units?
- Is there a separate restroom in the getting-ready suites?
- Who restocks and checks them during the reception?
Power
- Where are the outlets, and how many separate circuits serve the barn?
- Can the band, DJ, caterer's warming equipment, coffee and lighting all run at once without tripping a breaker?
- Is there power at the ceremony site for a microphone and speaker, or does it run on batteries?
- Is a generator ever needed, and who provides it?
Parking and ground surface
- Is parking paved, gravel or grass? Grass turns soft after a wet week.
- How far is the walk from parking to the ceremony and the barn, and is it lit after dark?
- Is there a shuttle, golf cart or staff to direct parking?
- Can a shuttle bus or a catering truck reach the door?
- Walk the ceremony path in the shoes you plan to wear. Heels sink in grass and catch in gravel.
Bugs and outdoor comfort
- Ask whether the venue treats the grounds for mosquitoes, and when.
- Are there ponds, a lake or tall grass near the ceremony site?
- Do the barn doors have screens, or will lights draw insects inside after dark?
- Is citronella, bug spray or fans allowed or provided? Are open flames allowed?
Lighting
- What lighting is installed: string lights, chandeliers, dimmers?
- Is the ceremony site lit if you run past sunset?
- Are the paths, parking and restroom route lit?
- What are the rules on candles, sparklers and hanging decor from beams?
Rain plan
- Where does the ceremony go if it rains, and does that mean flipping the reception room while guests wait?
- Who makes the rain call, and how late?
- Is a tent needed for your guest count, and is it included or extra?
- See the backup at every venue in our rain plan guide.
Accessibility
- Is there a step-free route from parking to the ceremony, the barn and a restroom?
- Are any key spaces up stairs, such as a loft or a getting-ready suite?
- Is there accessible parking close to the door?
- Can a guest in a wheelchair cross the ground surface after rain?
What each barn venue publishes
Here is what the barn venues we track, plus two farm venues with barns, publish on the items above. "Not published" means we could not find it, so put it on your tour list.
| Venue | Climate control | Rain plan | Parking | Step-free access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Bluff | Not published | Barn and shelter house in addition to the lakeside site | On site, shuttle to ceremony | Not published |
| Forever Lakeside | Full | Indoor barn | On site | Yes |
| Highland Oaks | None (space heaters and fans included) | Ceremony moves under the barn; reception is in the barn | On site | Yes |
| Silo Farms | Full (three heating and cooling systems) | Not published | On site, handicap parking | Yes |
| The Trestle | Full | Indoor ceremony space in the barn | On site, staff-directed | Not published |
| Hazelnut Farm | Full | Covered porch or ballroom with room flip | Paved lot, ADA-compliant access | Yes |
| The Destination | Not published | Indoor ceremony in the barn loft | Large lot, valet available | Not published |
On restrooms, Silo Farms lists handicap-accessible restrooms, Hazelnut Farm lists four event bathrooms, and The Trestle and Silo Farms list a private restroom in the bridal suite. The rest do not publish restroom details, so count them yourself on the tour.
For live numbers on every barn and farm venue, including price and capacity:
| Venue | Seats | Peak Saturday | From Louisville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forever Lakeside Venue Shepherdsville, KY | 200 | $4,000 | 30 min |
| Silo Farms Weddings & Events Shelbyville, KY | 200 | $4,250 | 40 min |
| Cedar Bluff Weddings and Retreats Corydon, IN | 300 | $4,900 | 35 min |
| The Destination LLC Salem, IN | 150 | $5,000 | 55 min |
| Highland Oaks Wedding & Events Palmyra, IN | 300 | $5,995 | 25 min |
| The Trestle Depauw, IN | 300 | $6,000 | 40 min |
| Hazelnut Farm Events Louisville (Fisherville), KY | 350 | $8,500 | 30 min |
After the tour
- Write down anything that was "probably" or "usually" and ask for it in writing.
- Price the gaps: heaters, a tent, a restroom trailer or extra lighting if the venue does not include them.
- Run the contract questions in 18 questions to ask before the venue deposit.
- Check the weather for your month in the best month for an outdoor wedding.
Compare all barn venues side by side on the barn and farm venues page or the venue search.