Looking for a Picturesque Working Farm/Ranch to get Married on

[PinkSky]

Hello There!

I understand that this may be unorthodox, but all the commerical venues I've looked at are just a tad bit too commercial. So I am wondering whether some of you as photographers might have worked on wedding jobs at working farms and could perhaps recommend a location that is rustic, picturesque and non-commercial ...

i.e.:
- http://www.huckleberryprairie.com/bl...09/09/barn.jpg
- The Brides of Oklahoma Wedding Blog - The Brides of Oklahoma

We'd love to be able to decorate a rustic, wooden barn and set up a long table in there where our 40-50 guests can sit & eat and celebrate our union for a few hours (or set up tables outside, under a tree or similar.)

We are open to considering a farm anywhere between Bridgeport and Melissa, and all the way down to Waxahachie, about a maximum of 50miles from the DFW airport. We have researched official wedding venues extensively online but none offer what we are looking for: a real working farm (preferably with a rustic wooden barn,) and sufficient time to set up, decorate, celebrate and clean up so that we do not feel rushed. We would also very much prefer to support a working farm.

My husband is from the Bridgeport area and also lived in Denton & Dallas. He's in the Air Force and we are currently stationed in NJ. All his family members are in the DFW area. I, the bride, am originally from Switzerland and have worked on farms there, so it would mean a whole lot to me to officiate our marriage on a farm where sustenance and livelihood is produced through hard work.

Thank you very much,
R & J

[WarrenG]

Your offerings in this area are going to be a little limited. You might try the Frisco or Plano Heritage Museums.

If your willing to go further East (Hooks, TX), you could check out: Ramage Farm Weddings Ramage Farm Weddings - Northeast Texas Premier Ranch Wedding Venue

Outside of this, the only areas I know with an active ranch are going to be in the little towns between Austin & Houston, and in the Bandera area. You might think about reaching out to some ranchers and approach them with your ideas. My hunch would be the insurance issues will more than likely keep you limited to those commercial venues that specialize in weddings, though I realize your trying to avoid those.

Perhaps someone else will have some better options?

Cheers,

W

[oldfotopro]

In Texas you are more likely to get hits by searching Ranch Weddings.

Texas Weddings Dallas Weddings Fort Worth Weddings Weddings in Texas

The Ranch of Lonesome Dove, Catering weddings, wedding receptions & Christmas party in Dallas Fort Worth Texas

WB Ranch: Texas Corporate and Executive Retreat, Conference Center, Teaxas Ranch Weddings, Hunting Lodge 800-927-2624

Texas Ranch and Country Weddings

Romantic Texas Wedding Location - Lone Star Wedding Ranch - Near Dallas

Ramage Farm Weddings Hooks, TX - Wedding Sites - Event Venues - Texas

Lone Oak Ranch and Retreat Gainesville, TX - Wedding Sites - Event Venues - Texas

[RTexasRose]

I did a wedding in Wimberley, TX at Red Corral Ranch. It sounds exactly like what you need! Check it out.

[lyncca]

Tenroc Ranch is in Salado and it is beautiful. It is a working ranch and you can even get some shots with some longhorns.

[KHudd]

PinkSky, did you find a place? I am looking for the exact same type of place and having a hard time.

[PinkSky]

Thanks for all your replies. I chose Storybook Ranch in McKinney: Storybook Ranch: Picture-Perfect Wedding Chapel. It's intimate and I loved the decor in Wild Bill's and the little white church is beautiful.

Most individual ranchers I contacted were reluctant to offer their spaces, I presume due to liability reasons. It's too bad, I would have so loved to be in a non-commercial environment in the middle of nowhere on true ranchland with animals, being the county & farmgirl I am.

I think you just have to know someone who has a ranch/farm. Or get married further south (there seem to be more rustic ranch wedding venues around Austin.)

Oh, and small/red barns don't seem to exist in TX haha... I guess it's more of a NE thing. Most barns I saw are made of metal and are huge.

(Note: I did have a low budget, so I might have had more luck if I had more liquidity.)

[JoMa]

My family has a ranch a couple hours South of Fort Worth, so I end up spending a lot of time around ranchers with the kind of working ranches yall are trying to find. Your best bet is probably to go with a Storybook Ranch type place. Most working ranchers I've met tend to be very hesitant to let people they don't know do things on their land, so unless you already know someone, you'll probably have a hard time finding a truly authentic location.

[yelowrose109]

This is late but did you check out Nash Farm in Grapevine?

[yelowrose109]

Did you try this place? Its right in the heart of DFW intimate and more natural than some "farm" imo

The official city site has nothing to offer as far as pictures...but check this one out.

The World's most recently posted photos of nashfarm - Flickr Hive Mind