[Callers] Barn Weddings are a thing now

[John Sweeney]

Hi Luke,

              I call for two or three weddings a year.  There are as many non-weddings as weddings in barns. Some of the barns are terrible!

 

              The weddings tend to be in the better quality barns.

 

              I think a number of old barns have been refurbished to make bring them up to wedding/conference standard.  I think those refurbishments are the reason more weddings are held in barns.  The number of brides who want a barn dance has probably remained unchanged.

 

            Happy dancing,                          

                   John                                   

                                    

John Sweeney, Dancer, England   john at modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574                          

http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs                                

http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent                                          

 

From: Callers <callers-bounces at lists.sharedweight.net> On Behalf Of Luke Donforth via Callers
Sent: 14 August 2018 15:02
To: callers at lists.sharedweight.net
Subject: [Callers] Barn Weddings are a thing now

 

This is tangentially related to calling, but apparently the percentage of weddings hosted in barns has grown from 2% to 15% in the last decade (https://tinyurl.com/ycbm9god). While the article doesn't specific that called dancing has increased as well, I'd be surprised if it hadn't. 

 

A decade ago is about when I started calling. I'd appreciate hearing from folks with longer records how they feel the prevalence of wedding gigs has shifted over time; and how that varies geographically. 

 

Although possibly the fluctuations are too large to get a decent signal out of the small sample size. From my own records:

 

2017: I had 14 One-Night-Stand gigs, and 1 of those was a wedding. 

2016: I had 14 family level dances, and 4 of those were weddings. 

2015: 10 ONS, 3 weddings. 

2014: 14 ONS, 7 weddings

2013: 13 ONS, 2 weddings

2012: 4 ONS, 1 wedding

 

As an aside, I really think the 15% of couples having their wedding party in a barn should be framed as a rebound from a longer historic decline. But if it's getting noticed and push-back from banquet hall trade groups, it may be coming to a close. 

 

-- 

Luke Donforth
Luke.Donforth at gmail.com <mailto:Luke.Donev at gmail.com> 

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