The Do’s, Don’ts and “Have You Seen This?” of Farm Weddings

Unless you abstain from social media, you’ve likely seen the viral photos of what one father did to make sure rain didn’t ruin his daughter’s big day. All it took was six combines and several large tarps to save her outdoor wedding—and go viral in the process.

Farm families have certainly made their mark on the wedding industry. Over the past decade, barn weddings have exploded in popularity. And there are other smaller ways of incorporating the rural lifestyle into your nuptials. In fact, in some states you can even rent llamas and alpacas to entertain wedding guests.

The average wedding cost recently reached an all-time high of $32,329, according to a survey by The Knot with 13,000 responses from U.S. brides and grooms. In sum, the U.S. wedding industry is booming and hit $72 billion in 2016, according to IBIS World.

So brides and grooms are spending more on weddings than ever before, but farm families need to consider other, less pleasant expenses. With potentially millions of dollars in assets involved, weddings on-farm are also a business decision.

Protect the farm

When farmers get engaged, Amy Salladay, an attorney and partner at the Knight and Salladay law firm in Columbia, Mo., advises the couple to start planning not only the wedding, but the prenup, early. Ideally, prenups should be created six to nine months before the wedding.

“Farmers tend to tie up all their wealth in the farm, which means a divorce can be catastrophic,” Salladay says. While it’s certainly the last thing on any newly engaged couple’s mind, for the sake of the farm it needs discussed.

“It may seem negative, but a prenup is about protecting the business,” says Mike Barton of Bellatti, Barton and Cochran in Springfield, Ill.

For more detailed information about what to include in prenup agreements or why farmers should consider them, check out these stories:

How Prenuptial Agreements Protect Farms

Do Farm Kids Need a Prenup?

Protect with a Prenup

Fun on the farm

Farmers and farm kids are never short on ideas of how they can incorporate their passion—farming!—into their weddings. Check out these fun ideas and share pictures of your wedding in the comments below!