​In recent years, outdoor weddings have surged in popularity, and it’s easy to see why. From rustic barn venues to picturesque vineyards and lush gardens, the charm and beauty of nature provide an enchanting backdrop that enhances the magic of any celebration. Here are some reasons why couples are increasingly choosing outdoor settings for their special day.
 
1. Natural Beauty
One of the most compelling reasons for the rise of outdoor weddings is the stunning natural beauty these venues offer. Rustic barn venues, often surrounded by rolling hills and expansive fields, evoke a sense of warmth and nostalgia. The wooden beams, twinkling string lights, and outdoor spaces create a cozy yet elegant setting. This natural ambiance requires minimal additional decoration, allowing couples to embrace simplicity while still making a striking statement.
 
2. Versatile Aesthetics
Outdoor venues provide versatile aesthetics that can be tailored to fit any theme. Whether you envision a romantic vineyard wedding, a whimsical garden celebration, or a chic barn affair, the natural surroundings can be adapted to your vision. Vineyards, with their lush grapevines and sweeping landscapes, offer a romantic and sophisticated vibe, perfect for wine enthusiasts. On the other hand, gardens bursting with colorful blooms create a fairytale atmosphere that feels both intimate and vibrant.
 
3. Fresh Air and Freedom
The appeal of fresh air and open spaces is another factor driving the popularity of outdoor weddings. Couples and guests can enjoy the freedom to move around, mingle, and explore the surroundings. This relaxed environment fosters a sense of connection and celebration that is sometimes hard to achieve in a more confined indoor setting. Plus, the natural outdoor light provides excellent opportunities for beautiful photography, capturing those precious moments in their most authentic form.
 
4. Emphasis on Nature
As more couples become environmentally conscious, outdoor weddings allow for a deeper connection to nature. Many outdoor venues prioritize sustainable practices, such as using local vendors and minimizing waste, making it easier for couples to plan an eco-friendly celebration. Choosing a farm or vineyard venue can help couples create a wedding that aligns with their values, promoting sustainability while enjoying the beauty of the great outdoors.
 
5. Increased Flexibility
Outdoor weddings often come with greater flexibility regarding layout and scheduling. Couples can choose how to structure their day, from outdoor ceremonies to open-air receptions under the stars. This flexibility allows for creative freedom and the opportunity to craft a unique experience that reflects the couple’s personality.
 
The growing popularity of outdoor weddings is no surprise, given the enchanting beauty and versatility these settings offer. Whether you’re dreaming of a rustic barn, a serene vineyard, or a blooming garden, an outdoor venue can create an unforgettable backdrop for your special day. Embrace the beauty of nature and celebrate love in a setting that feels both magical and genuine.
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Special thanks to all our wonderful locally owned wedding venue owners from across the country who continue to support and inspire our wedding venue daily, including:

Cornerstone Ranch Events Center
SpringHaus Farm
Adler Ranch
The Venue @ 112
​Wild Rye KC Ranch

M&B were ready to party with their family and friends, and even cut their cocktail hour a bit short to move on to dinner - one step closer to opening the dance floor! The bride's grandfather gave the blessing before dinner, and the couple provided a huge assortment of desserts including a traditional wedding cake, cupcakes, cookies, cannoli and chocolate crème brulée. At the bar, guests were treated to three different signature drinks based on some of M&B's favorite places: The Gloucester, Sea Isle Spritz and Lake Winnie.
 
Their amazing band Search Party rocked the house, with every guest up and on their feet. This was such a fun crowd! M&B, thanks for making us part of your love story!
 
Vendor team:
Photographer: Jess Sinatra
Catering: Woodland Catering
Desserts: Cake Ann
Floral: Beach Plum Flower Shop
Event management: CAtCH Events
Tent & rentals: PEAK Event Services
Entertainment: Search Party
Officiant: Anna Bacall
Mobile bar: Young, Wild & Free
Bar items: Kappy's OnCall
Hair & makeup: Jennifer Boss Beauty
Transportation: Grace Limousine & Boston Chauffe

Tours are an essential part of finding your perfect wedding venue. Typically, couples screen venues online first and then narrow their list down to 4-6 venues which they then tour in person. If you're planning a wedding from out of town, you might do phone calls before deciding which venues to tour.
 
Here at the Barn at Bradstreet Farm, tours typically last about an hour. We walk through the property as a guest would, beginning with parking, and take couples through the flow of the day - ceremony, dinner and reception - and end at our dressing suites. We also highlight all the best photo spots, including our gardens, pond and vineyard. Rather than a lecture, tours should be a two-way conversation and are a great chance to get all your questioned answered in person.
 
Most couples who tour here are getting married for the first time, and frequently they'll say, "What questions haven't I asked?" With that in mind, here are six questions every couple should ask on a wedding tour:
 
- How many events do you do per day here? This is important because there are so many venues that are wedding factories, with multiple event spaces and multiple events happening at the same time. While many couples don't mind this at all, others do. It's fair to ask if your wedding will be the sole focus of the venue's attention that day.
 
- Where do my guests park? Often venues have limited parking, and this can limit the number of guests you can invite, or mean you need to budget for a bus or trolley to get your guests to and from the venue. Make sure there is convenient and affordable guest (and vendor) parking.
 
- Where do my guests stay? You don't want to discover after you book your venue  that the closest hotels are an hour away. Ask where couples generally book their hotel room blocks and make sure the locations are convenient.
 
- Do you have a service fee? This is a big gotcha in the wedding industry. Many venues have a service fee that adds another 18-24 percent to your venue cost. Sometimes this is not apparent until you see the contract. Ask about service fees up front, because they can make a big impact on your budget! (We solved this problem at the Barn at Bradstreet Farm by not having a service fee.)
 
- Is there a catering minimum? Many venues have a catering minimum. It's typically a dollar amount, but can also be a headcount minimum. If your wedding is on the smaller side (125 guests or fewer), you might be negatively impacted by a minimum and have to pay for more guests than you have or more food than you need. Best to know this up front!
 
- What's your rain plan? Unless your ceremony, dinner and reception will all be completely inside, you need to have a rain plan. The venue should take care of this for you - ask for the details on your tour. If you are planning for an outdoor ceremony, cocktail hour or even dinner, you need a rain plan. It's also smart to ask who does the work if tables and chairs need to be moved inside - does the venue handle that, or will the wedding party be expected to pitch in?
 
We hope this advice helps as you embark on your wedding venue tours!

S&A are both physicians who met during their residencies. They had a beautiful, intimate wedding with close friends and family ​here in June to celebrate their marriage. Their love for each other shines through in these gorgeous photos - both S&A were all smiles, all day! We loved this group! S&A, thanks for making us part of your love story!
 
Vendor team:
Photographer: Kate Donovan Photography
Caterer: Woodland Catering
Desserts: Topsfield Bake Shop & Woodland Catering
Florist: Beach Plum Flower Shop
Event management: CAtCH Events
Bar items: Kappy's OnCall
Rentals: PEAK Event Services
Hair & Makeup: Hair We Go Weddings
Entertainment: Kendra & Max Music

We are thrilled to announce that our own caterer, Woodland Catering, is going to host its first farm-to-table dinner here at Bradstreet on Sunday, August 25, 2024! The menu will feature traditional New England recipes and spotlights local farms and ingredients. Menu specifics will be revealed closer to the event when Woodland selects the freshest in-season ingredients from our farm and other local farms. We'll be serving Mill River Winery wines to complement the menu.

Enjoy an interactive farm-to-table experience with the BONS award winning chefs at Woodland Catering! You can buy your tickets here. We are so excited for this one!

G&D met at a bar – she was the singer in a band. And that’s why this amazing couple ended the night with a custom song from D to G based on the Shania Twang song, “Man! I Feel Like a Women!” substituting in her new last name for Woman. This day was a blast from beginning to end, with a fabulous group of family and friends. G was dedicated to making it a perfect day for his new bride, and he succeeded. Thanks for making us a part of your love story, G&D! Come back and see us!
 
Vendor team:
Photography: Callan Photo Wedding Photography
Videography: Precision Films
Catering: Woodland Catering
Desserts: The Angry Donut
Event Management:  CAtCH Events
Rentals: PEAK Event Services
Ceremony Harpist: Alex Raspe
Entertainment: DJ Nate
Bar items: Kappy’s On Call
Floral: Beach Plum Flower Shop
Hair & Makeup: Entyre Makeovers
Officiant: Anna Bacal

This was such a fun group and a great night! B&Z were grinning ear to ear all day long! They chose a beautiful, elegant fall palette that was perfect for the season, right down to the mini white pumpkins on the tables. And for their entrance, B&Z threw t-shirts into the crowd! Loved celebrating this couple with their wonderful family and friends! Thanks for making us a part of your love story, B&Z!

Vendor team:
Photography: Chris Ashton Photography
Videography: Salt & Pine Films
Catering: Woodland Catering
Bar items: Kappy's On Call
Event management: CAtCH Events
Floral: Beach Plum Flower Shop
Entertainment: Meritage Entertainment
Photobooth: Hipstr Photobooth
Hair: Odessa Weddings
Makeup: Courtney Martins Makeup
Desserts: Three Sweet Peas Bakery Cafe
Transportation: North Suburban Transportation & Michael’s Limousine

N&G did not let a little rain ruin their good time! We set up a beautiful indoor ceremony, and the weather cleared enough for some great photos all around the estate! We loved the florals for this wedding - lots of simple greens, whites and blue hydrangeas to pick up the blues in the bridesmaids dresses. The dog treat bar was a hit with guests, and the mobile bar served up both drinks and late-night snacks - perfection!
Thanks for letting us be a part of your love story, N&G! Come back and see us!

Vendor team:
Photographer: Jen Araya Photography
Catering: Woodland Catering
Floral: Beach Plum Flower Shop
Event management: CAtCH Events
Rentals: PEAK Event Services
Bar items: Kappy's On Call
Mobile bar: Young, Wild & Free
Dessert: Topsfield Bake Shop
Entertainment: White Label Wedding DJs
Hair: The Artists Hair & Makeup
Makeup: Shadowbox Salon
Transportation: Salter Transportation

The ​Barn at Bradstreet Farm announced today that its public events season kicks off in May with its first farm-to-table dinner of the year and a folk concert with Grammy-nominated musician Reed Foehl.
 
“We meet people all the time who say, ‘I would love to see the property but haven’t been invited to a wedding!’” said Michael Sabatini, who with his wife Michelle Faulkner owns the Barn at Bradstreet Farm. “These public events are a great opportunity for our local neighbors to visit our North Shore hidden gem.”
 
For the second year, the Barn at Bradstreet Farm is collaborating with The Farmers Dinner to bring a farm-to-table dinner series to Boston’s North Shore. Three farm-to-table events are planned for 2024:

• Sunday, May 26
• Sunday, Sept 15
• Sunday, Oct 20

 
Ingredients for each event are sourced from Bradstreet Farm and other local farms, and each menu is different and customized to the season. Tickets are available at https://www.thefarmersdinner.com.
 
In addition, the Barn at Bradstreet Farm is hosting its first concert, featuring local Grammy-nominated Folk/Americana artist Reed Foehl, on Friday, May 31. Tickets can be purchased here.
 
Other public events will be added throughout the year. To inquire about holding an event at the Barn at Bradstreet Farm, reach out to [email protected].

​The 2024 New England wedding season is almost upon us, and we’ve been deluged with questions from couples about food trends for this year. For answers, we went right to the top, to Ryan Costigan, Chef/Owner of Woodland Catering, winner of North Shore Magazine’s BONS Readers’ Choice ‘Best Wedding Caterer’ for 2023 & 2024.
 
Ryan is keeping an eye on these four wedding reception food trends for 2024:
 
Late night food
“We’re seeing a lot of clients add late-night food, a couple of hours after dinner, during the dancing and party part of the night,” says Ryan. “We’re doing a lot of upscale bar food, like fries, sliders, flatbreads, pretzels and wings.” He’s also fielding many requests for late-night grazing tables, usually consisting of charcuterie, cheese, vegetables and dips. (The Bradstreet team’s personal favorite: Woodland Catering’s late night mac-and-cheese bar with toppings like buffalo chicken!)
 
Farm-to-table beyond the center of the plate
For many people, when they think farm-to-table, they’re thinking mostly of the center of the plate – the main protein, like chicken breast or salmon. “More recently, we have many clients who want to ensure that their whole plate is locally sourced,” Ryan says. “Woodland Catering has always operated this way – we’re focused on farm-to-table – and it’s great that so many more couples are recognizing that this approach leads to much fresher ingredients and an overall heightened culinary experience for guests. We’re often picking up ingredients from Bradstreet Farm and other local farms the day of your event, and you’ll see those incorporated into every part of the menu, from cocktail hour through dessert. We’re fortunate to have an abundance of great local produce in our area, so we can tailor menus to the season.”
 
Grazing tables
“Grazing tables are the next evolution of the charcuterie trend,” according to Ryan. “They allow for an amalgamation of different stationary hors d’oeuvres, platters and displays.” In addition to charcuterie and cheese, grazing tables can incorporate fresh vegetables, breads, local honey, fruit and anything else the client desires.
 
“Most often, we’re seeing requests for grazing tables for cocktail hour,” says Ryan. “But we also have a few events this year where clients have opted to go cocktail style instead of doing a full sit-down dinner, and they are asking us to do themed grazing stations with food available throughout the night.”
 
Mushrooms!
Ryan is seeing big demand for mushrooms in 2024. “Mushrooms are so versatile,” he says, “and make a great substitute for meat.” It’s possible to source many types of mushrooms here in New England including shiitake, king oysters, and other wild varieties that are available seasonally.
 
We hope this helps with menu planning for your own event!