As a newly engaged couple you want to choose your photographer carefully. Local photographers know the venue. We at Blueberry Hill have a list of preferred photographers that have been at the venue before. Choosing a small business owned venue and photographer are the best.

Choosing a wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you’ll make as you plan your big day. These pictures will capture the memories and emotions of your wedding, and you want them to be something you can treasure forever. Below, we’ve put together a guide to help engaged couples find the perfect photographer who can immortalize their special day.

Look at Their Portfolio

The first step in choosing a wedding photographer is to check out their portfolio. This gives you a sense of their style, quality, and creativity. Do they have a modern or traditional style? How do they handle lighting and composition? Make sure their aesthetic aligns with your vision. Look for consistency in their work—do all of their photos look well-composed and professional?

Inquire About a Second Photographer

Having a second photographer at your wedding can make a significant difference. They can capture different angles, reactions from guests, and moments that might be missed otherwise. Ask potential photographers if they offer the option of including a second shooter in their package. This can also be a lifesaver if unforeseen circumstances arise.

Understand Their Package Hours

Wedding days can be unpredictable, with events often running over schedule. Before booking, make sure you know how many hours are included in the photographer’s package. Will they be there for both the ceremony and reception? Can they accommodate any last-minute changes? Having this clarity beforehand can prevent stress on your wedding day.

Check Their Speed After the Ceremony

Another key consideration is how quickly your photographer can get through group shots after the ceremony. You don’t want to keep your guests waiting for an extended period while photos are being taken. A good photographer will have a system in place to organize and execute these shots efficiently so you can move on to the reception promptly.

Assess Their Skills in Candid Photography

Some of the best wedding photos are candid shots that capture genuine emotions and spontaneous moments. Ask to see examples of candid photos in their portfolio. This can give you an idea of how well they capture those unforeseen magical moments that make your wedding unique.

Thank you for stopping by our blog! We hope that you will consider hiring a locally owned wedding venue for your big celebration. Locally owned wedding venues provide the best wedding experience, they tend to have little to no turnover, they support the local economy and they are part of the community. Choosing a locally owned wedding venue means the world to our small owned wedding venues. In an effort to support locally owned wedding venues, we will feature five small business wedding venues in each of our blogs.  Find locally owned wedding venues in the wedding venue map on WeddingVenueOwners.com (link)

Congratulations on your engagement! Planning a wedding is an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming, especially when you start thinking about costs. But worry not! With a bit of savvy planning, you can have the wedding of your dreams without blowing your budget.

Here’s a breakdown of the key expenses you’ll encounter and some tips to help you stay on track financially.

1. Venue

The venue is typically the largest wedding expense, often taking up around 40% of your total budget. Look for venues that include more. We at Blueberry Hill are a locally owned venue with lodging included.and we try to make planning your wedding easy.

• Tips:
• Off-Peak Dates: Consider getting married on a Sunday, ask us about our prices to save on costs.
• All-Inclusive Packages: We include DJ, decor bartender, security and housing, which can be more economical than hiring separate vendors.

2. Photographer/Videographer

Capturing your big day is essential, but professional services can be pricey, ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 or more.

• Tips:
• Bundle Services: Some photographers offer discounts if you book them for both photography and videography.
• Less Time: Hiring a photographer for fewer hours can lower costs without sacrificing quality.

3. Clothing

The attire for the bride, groom, and wedding party is another significant expense. A wedding dress alone can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

• Tips:
• Sample Sales: Look for sample sales or consider renting your dress or suit.
• Secondhand Options: Thrift stores or online marketplaces can have beautiful, budget-friendly options.

4. Florals

Florals can quickly add up, depending on the size and type of arrangements you desire. Expect to spend a few thousand dollars on floral decorations. We will be glad to help you with flowers.

• Tips:
• Seasonal Blooms: Choose flowers that are in season to save money.
• Minimalist Approach: Opt for simple yet elegant arrangements.

5. Catering

Feeding your guests can consume a large portion of your budget. Whether it’s a sit-down dinner or a buffet, catering costs can vary.

• Tip:
• Limited Menu: Offering a limited menu can help control costs.

6. Bar

The bar can be another major expense. You are allowed to bring your choice of beer and wine to be served by our provided bartender.

7. Desserts

Wedding cakes can cost a pretty penny, ranging from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars.

• Tips:
• Simple Designs: Choose a simple cake design and decorate with fresh flowers.
• Dessert Buffets: Offer a dessert buffet with a variety of sweets, allowing you to serve a smaller cake.

Your wedding day will be one of the most memorable days of your life, and it doesn’t need to be overshadowed by financial stress. With careful planning and a savvy approach to spending, you can enjoy a beautiful celebration that reflects your love and commitment without compromising your financial future.

Happy planning! ????

Thank you for stopping by our blog! We hope that you will consider hiring a locally owned wedding venue for your big celebration. Locally owned wedding venues provide the best wedding experience, they tend to have little to no turnover, they support the local economy and they are part of the community. Choosing a locally owned wedding venue means the world to our small owned wedding venues. In an effort to support locally owned wedding venues, we will feature five small business wedding venues in each of our blogs.  Find locally owned wedding venues in the wedding venue map on WeddingVenueOwners.com (link)

• All 4 One Farms,
• CHÂTEAU JOLI,
• Catawba Falls Events,
• Love Grove Estate,
• Within Sodo,
• Legacy Lakes Venue,
• Laurel Haven Estate,
• Legacy at Serenity Farms

The Importance of Wedding Punctuality at Wedding Venues in Northwestern NC and everywhere across the nation

In the past 10 years of hosting weddings at our locally owned barn wedding venue, we have seen many guests either arrive too soon or as the bride is walking down the aisle. For engaged couples, planning a wedding requires juggling many details, with timing being one of the most crucial. Whether you’re the bride, groom, or a guest, understanding the significance of punctuality can make or break the day’s flow. Here’s why arriving on time is essential and how you can contribute to a seamless celebration.

Key Considerations for Wedding Timing

Finalizing Venue Details

Wedding venues often operate under tight schedules. Arriving on time ensures that the couple has ample opportunity to finalize any last-minute details with the venue staff. This includes confirming seating arrangements, ensuring the décor is just right, and checking in with vendors like caterers and florists.

The First Look

For many couples, a “first look” photo session before the ceremony is a cherished moment. It offers a private opportunity for the bride and groom to see each other before the whirlwind of the day begins. Arriving late can shorten this intimate time together and rush a moment that should be savored.

Pre-Ceremony Photos

Before the ceremony starts, photographers often capture important pre-wedding photos. These can include shots of the bridal party, family, and candid moments of anticipation. Arriving early or on time ensures these memories are captured without stress or interruption.

Ceremony Interruptions

Late arrivals can be one of the most disruptive elements of a wedding ceremony. Picture this: the couple stands at the altar, exchanging vows, when a guest noisily arrives late, drawing attention and disturbing the intimate moment. Punctuality helps preserve the sanctity of the ceremony for everyone involved.

Personal Anecdotes and Examples

Having attended numerous weddings, I’ve witnessed firsthand the impact of punctuality (or lack thereof). Late guests can unintentionally cause a stir, their entrance distracting to the wedding party and other attendees. On the flip side, guests who arrive too early might inadvertently interrupt pre-ceremony photos or encroach on the bride and groom’s much-needed alone time.

How You Can Help

• Guests: Plan to arrive at least 15-30 minutes early to account for unexpected delays. Use this time to find your seat, silence your phone, and settle in.
• Couples: Communicate clearly with your guests about the schedule and the importance of timeliness. Consider including this information on your invitations or wedding website.
• Family Members: Assist in guiding guests and helping them adhere to the timeline, ensuring the couple has their space and moments of tranquility.

Whether you’re a couple or a guest, respecting the schedule helps ensure a beautiful and memorable experience for everyone.

Thank you for stopping by our blog! We hope that you will consider hiring a locally owned wedding venue for your big celebration. Locally owned wedding venues provide the best wedding experience, they tend to have little to no turnover, they support the local economy and they are part of the community. Choosing a locally owned wedding venue means the world to our small owned wedding venues. In an effort to support locally owned wedding venues, we will feature five small business wedding venues in each of our blogs.  Find locally owned wedding venues in the wedding venue map on WeddingVenueOwners.com (link)

As a newly engaged couple, you have many decisions to make when planning your wedding. Refrain from spending money that will not be appreciated. A locally owned wedding venue will be there for you and help you plan and organize your wedding. We at Blueberry Hill are here for you and want to make your day memorable. We include the DJ, lodging, bartender, and security, which makes planning easier.

Save the date cards:

Consider building a wedding website and sharing it with your friends and family. This digital platform not only saves on postage and printing costs but also provides a central hub for all your wedding-related information. From RSVPs to lodging details, your guests can access everything at their convenience. Plus, it’s a great way to keep everyone updated throughout the planning process.

Champagne toast:

Why force a drink on your guests when they already have their favorites? Let them toast with their chosen drink, and the sentiment will be just as heartfelt. This personal touch will make your guests feel valued and considered, enhancing their overall experience.

Printed schedules:

Printed schedules waste paper and printing. Instead, add the schedule to your website. Free apps like (dot .memories.com) can be integrated into your website, providing a convenient way for guests to access the schedule and share their photos. This resourcefulness will make you feel confident in your ability to plan a modern and eco-friendly wedding.

Late-night bites:

By the end of the night, guests are usually more into dancing and partying, and these late-night bites might not be as appreciated as you think. Instead of spending on these, consider putting your money into a wonderful meal. Guests will remember the dinner from your wedding (good or bad). Make sure they remember how delicious it was.

Favors:

Your guests will not miss having a koozie with your name and date on it. Instead, they will remember a wonderful night of socializing, eating, and dancing with good friends and family.

Spend your money where it will make the most impact with excellent food and drink, stunning decorations, and pleasant surroundings. We love to help our couples plan an entire weekend with friends and family, from the Friday night welcome party to the goodbye breakfast on Sunday morning. Call us at Blueberry Hill to schedule your tour today (336-366-0577)

#barnweddings #mountainviewweddings #ncweddings #weddingcosts

Congratulations, you are engaged, its time to plan your wedding. Many newly engaged couples consider a wedding venue’s ability to handle inclement weather a top concern. At the Barn at The Barn at Blueberry Hill, we understand this and assure you that we can accommodate your wedding regardless of the weather conditions. Our flexibility is your peace of mind. Look at locally-owned wedding venues to get that personal touch.

Rest assured in your decision. We are fully prepared to support you if you decide to proceed with an outdoor wedding. We have many umbrellas for your guests and can quickly dry the benches in case of a sudden shower just before the ceremony. Your wedding day is in safe hands with us.

What if it rains on your wedding day? It would help if you always had a plan B. Some couples embrace the rain and use umbrellas. Others move inside the barn to the climate-controlled space. On a rainy day, having a barn wedding can be a great option. You can utilize the climate-controlled space to ensure the weather doesn’t dampen the festivities. The rustic backdrop of a barn can be charming and create a cozy atmosphere for your special day.

Many engaged couples are concerned about how the venue will handle lousy weather when choosing a wedding venue. At the Barn at Blueberry Hill, we understand this and want to assure you that we can accommodate your wedding regardless of the weather. Our flexibility is designed to give you peace of mind. If you move the ceremony inside the barn, we can set up the space in as little as 30 minutes. During the social hour, our staff can quickly arrange the space for your reception in less than 15 minutes

Conditions might also be too hot or cold on your wedding day if the ceremony is outside. Just be sure to have a backup plan in case of unexpected showers! Rain is one of many reasons for a plan B. Having the ceremony outside might be too hot or cold on your wedding day. Plan B should always be in the back of your mind

#barn wedding #ncweddingvenue #locallyownedweddingvenue

On July 11, 2014, The Barn at Blueberry Hill hosted their first wedding. It was 86 degrees that day, and we had no air conditioning then. Thank goodness for an afternoon thundershower to cool things off. We learned that we needed to add air conditioning quickly. Bryon and Erica Kennedy were excellent to work with. It was a heartwarming family affair, with everyone pitching in to make it a perfect day. The groom was so happy he danced to the front of the steps to meet his bride. Since that first wedding, we have constantly added amenities to the barn. The barn remains rustic with modern comforts.

Air conditioning and heat were added in the late summer of 2014, making the barn climate-controlled. That fall, we hosted several barn weddings, but winter was the time for more improvements. We added insulation and a bead board ceiling during January and February of 2015.

By the winter of 2017, we had outgrown the original barn space and needed to add a wing on the side of the barn. That January, one of our friends wanted to get rid of a pack house in Pilot Mountain. It had beautiful German siding, which I knew would be the walls in the new addition. Rogelio, Miquel, Nabor, and I were off to Pilot Mountain to harvest the wood. We were then ready to start the addition. Samuel Johnson and Jamie Davis constructed the addition, and we were prepared to finish it with recycled materials. This added much-needed space upstairs and a gathering spot for appetizers before the reception. We updated the bar and photo booth on the middle floor. A groom’s suite was added during this renovation as well.

In 2018, we saw the need to improve the outdoor space. Nic Robson and his crew installed pavers on the walkway to the arbor. With all the traffic, the grass would look dead by midsummer. The pavers made it easier to walk down the aisle.

In 2019, it became apparent that the bridal suite was too small, so it was time for another addition. Samuel was back to the rescue. We turned the old bride’s room into a gathering room, and the new bride’s dressing room was equipped with mirrors and plenty of counter space for makeup. We added outlets at each station for all the hair styling tools.

We all know what happened in 2020. We bought rental property below the venue to offer our couples and their guests housing. We purchased this property in January and finished the farmhouse renovations by March, then Covid hit. We canceled or rescheduled 17 weddings that year. It was a challenging year for everyone.

2021 wasn’t much better, but we were still trying to accommodate the 2020 weddings and could only book a few other weddings that year. We finally managed to finish the other rental property and turn it into a bunkhouse. It was ready in August 2021.

We had our last Covid scheduled wedding in April of 2022. We added an arcade to the barn’s bottom level, which has been a hit for the youngsters and the young at heart. We paved the parking lot and marked off the parking spaces. It is amazing how many cars you can park if there are lines to define the space.

In 2023, we celebrated 50 years of marriage by taking the entire family to Puerto Rico and had a blast.

2024 is going strong. We have refinished the barn floors and cleared around the pond so it can be seen from the wedding venue. It has been a lot of hard work and lots of money, but I would not change a thing. I have been able to preserve the barn and keep up the farm. I have also been able to spend time with family and friends. My dad was sick with dementia when I started renovating the barn in 2013, but he got to see it completed before he died in 2017. I am grateful that I could retire from nursing to help care for him. We lost my father-in-law in 2023. Time spent with family and friends is always well-spent, and we must make the best of our time together.

#barnwedding #ncweddingvenue #affordablewedding

We at Blueberry Hill are always trying to improve our services and add quality to our wedding package.

While many wedding venues are reducing the quality or quantity of their services/products and still maintaing or increasing their prices. This is a response to inflation and the costs of maintaining their venue.

Examples of shrinkflation at wedding venues include:

• Reducing the number of staff, we on the other hand have added staff and will have a minimum of 3 staff members at your wedding. We have added the DJ and bartender as part of the package.
• Substituting cheaper flowers for your bouquets. We will offer you different quotes and allow you to chose how much you want to spend.
• Some venues have decreased the number of hours for the rental period, we still give you 2 full days so you can have a less stressful wedding weekend.
• Other venues have decreased services, we now offer onsite housing for the wedding party and guests. We offer tables, chairs, linens, place settings and decor as part of the package as well.

It is essential to be aware of shrinkflation and carefully review contracts. Our contract is transparent and you will have listed everything to make you wedding day special.

“I’m looking for someone to share in an adventure that I’m arranging, and it’s very difficult to find anyone.” —J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit