Barn Style Tea Party Wedding
When planning her wedding Rachael wanted it to be a tea party, but not the stuffy ordinary sort. This brides idea was to put on such a spectacularly over the top tea party that it would give the Mad Hatter a run for his money. Together with her family members she assembled a custom tea cup chandelier, and built a cake table arch out of vintage china and tea cups. They also hung strings of tea cups, doilies and twinkle lights around the inside of her families barn; The effect was not unlike stepping into a whimsical fairytale with cakes and tea galore.
The Pinwheel Collective was there to capture all the amazing details of this rustic tea party wedding at The Glasgow Farm. To see all the adorable elements that went into making Jonathan and Rachael's day so special you can visit the full gallery here.
From the Bride:There is no other place we could have been married that means more to Jonathan and I than my family's barn. It is the place I spent most of my time as a child, where Jonathan and I met and fell in love, and where he proposed to me. What better place than to be married right where our love began! When dreaming of our wedding, I wanted to push the bounds of what you may think a "tea party" would be, and flip it upside down into something magical, unseen and unimaginable. My father created three functioning teacup chandeliers, as well as 25 teacup lights that filled the inside of the barn from top to bottom.
We collected hundreds of antique items including china salad plates for every place setting, animal figurines, antique teapots, brass candlesticks, teacups that were strung loft to loft, and many more interesting objects we found in our thrifting adventures.
We love the sweetheart table that is intimately put off to the side, but thoughtfully decorated with a doily banner hanging over head.
We hand crafted mini scrolls for each persons name card at their chosen place setting that were mounted to homemade marshmallows my mother baked for all 170 guests! My mother and I also spent countless hours making mini diamond-shaped chocolate truffles. They were dusted with edible gold dust, and wrapped in paper mache boxes I hand painted and wrapped with velvet ribbon.One of our favorite features of this wedding is this unique cake table arch. this eye catching piece was assembled by the bride and her family from vintage china they found at thrift the store.
I really wish I would have gone around to every table at the reception to greet the guests. The barn was so packed, I could hardly maneuver my way around in my wedding dress! If I could have, I totally would have made a big point in talking to everyone. Fortunately my husband made up for it in the end and spoke to almost everyone who came!
I also wish I had brought my touch-up makeup to the reception, I totally forgot! It would have been great if I had appointed someone to just touch up my makeup throughout the night.
Get a closer look at this rustic tea party wedding by watching this wedding video that Joseph Armstrong captured and Rachael edited below.
https://vimeo.com/68148340
Read on to see how much this rustic tea party wedding cost. Please note that costs change as the years go by, and prices are subject to change. This is just one couple’s breakdown to give you a rough estimate on how much a wedding like this may cost you.
WEDDING EXPENSES Photography: $1500
Venue: $0
Wholesale Flowers: $750
Boutonnieres: $0
Cake: $0
DJ: $150
Reception Lighting: $320
Wedding dress + veil + alterations: $2000
Jewelry: $25
Brides Shoes: $30
Food: $600 (desserts, main meal, appetizers, drinks)
Drinks for toasting: $90 (champagne, wine)
Waiters and Waitresses: $360
Church: $710
Pastor $250
Videography (just shooting): $300
Ceremony Musicians: $150
Table décor and centerpieces (teapots, china, candlesticks, antiques): $315
Candles: $20
Trellis: $20
Table runners: $110
Chiffon fabric for barn door curtains: $40
Rental drinking glasses: $85
Napkins: $150
Invitations: $275 (stamps, envelopes, printing, return address label)
Programs: $80 (printing and paper)
Favors: $180 + $60
Name card marshmallows: $60
Sound system: $0
Wedding Rings: $350 each Bridesmaids dresses $100 each Flower girl dress: $0
Groomsmen suits $180 each Ring bearers suits: $30 each
$8,630 in all (excluding wedding rings and bridal party apparel)
- Cinematography: Joseph Armstrong
- Dress designer: Pronovias
- Fashion: Tiffanys Bridal
- Groom & His Men: Express
- Officiant: Pastor Robert Greene
- Photographer: The Pinwheel Collective
- Stationery: Rachael Glasgow Curry
- Venues: The Glasgow Farm