(Paging Celia) Suggestions needed - Rustic NJ Wedding on a Budget?

Yep, I'm calling troll

@OP I second Perona Farms that Celia mentioned in her post. I'm not a rustic kind of person, and even I thought that venue was so gorgeous! It is also known to not be a venue that is outrageously expensive that NJ venues can get to be

Priscilla, most brides wouldn't want their guests cleaning, setting up, and breaking down their venue before and after their wedding. I'd personally hate to ask my family to be wedding slaves. I'd be devastated if they had to offer.

I would want my nearest and dearest being able to relax and enjoy the day, not laboring to please their queen bride. yeesh.

My mom has an apartment in New Jersey. I can ask her if Priscilla can have a wedding there.

If you want to save money and diy some flowers (which get crazy expensive) check out this thread by Brittny: https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-forums/mock-up-centerpiece/dd04f6f8209f204d.html?page=2

And have you and your family ever considered attempting to grow anything? Wheat is easy to grow and can make for great rustic touches. For fall you could also grow pumpkins (forget a pumpkin and let it rot in the backyard and you'll probably have a patch the next year if you're like us), Indian corn, and gourds. That's my cheap wedding plan

Priscilla, please just stop. You're making my brain bleed.

Also, you said about PA areas. I'm not sure where in New Jersey you'd be, but it'd be a haul nonetheless. We rented out an old barn for $500 with a $250 security deposit, and it rents out for a week, but we will be doing a home-made soup and bread buffet with a lot of our items coming from our gardens. Our guest list is around 70-80 but it can supposedly hold up to 150 (might be tight if you would be interested). We are also responsible for renting out any tables and chairs we need, as well as buying string lights for decorations. Also, I'm not sure if they'd be available. We had to get there an hour ahead of time and there was already a small line at the door! PA can have a lot of small gems though, if you do decide to venture, and some of them aren't well known because they're owned by Mennonite farms and blend right into the property!

And we have self catering for the win.

Yum, food poisoning.

This just went from bad to worse.

@Ashley, self catering is an awful idea.

@A. L. I'm not having a fancy or big wedding. It's small and simple, and I came from a family that did that type of thing a lot. To each their own I suppose.

It doesn't have to be "fancy or big " to be hosted correctly. Don't self cater, don't put your loved ones to work on your wedding day. They should relax and enjoy the day with you.

Priscilla, on Monday I went to a wedding where DH and I were "helpers". It was nice because I bonded with DH's cousin over how sucky it was. I was not into it.

Ashley, 80 guests is not a small wedding. What temperature do you need to keep the soup at for it to remain safe? How will you transport the soup and keep it at this safe temperature? How will you ensure that it stays at the temperature during the ceremony and reception? Do any of your soups contain common food allergens? How will you ensure cross contamination? ETA: added users name

I was going to say Jack's Barn, but Celia beat me to it. Not sure of where in Jersey it is, but a friend is getting married there and says it very affordable

Jack's is in Oxford, and it's lovely. It's not a fortune and their choice of in house caterers are not wildly expensive either. Darren is wonderful to work with, and the venue is adorable.

I've been on my patio wearing an apron and looking bored for an hour, and no one has stopped by and asked to pay me 15K to have a wedding in my apartment.

I see alot of venomous spewing posts. Have you thought of posting positive examples of weddings you have gone to? Catering can be seperate from the venue, your caters can use the onsite kitchens to keep items refrigeratored. After cooking i think most catering services have the buffet trays with the sterno candles and thermometers. Besides there was a cool post about having a "taco truck" show up. Depends on the state but some are very well regulated. Actually an idea I'm gonna use later because, cafeteria like food from most caterers is bland >_<

I second Perona Farms - that's where I'm getting married very fairly priced in the expensive land that is nj. I'm not using the barn but that definitely screams rustic. It's beautiful. Good luck!