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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'>Hi Luke,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> 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!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> The weddings tend to be in the better quality barns.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'> 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.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> Happy dancing, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> John <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>John Sweeney, Dancer, England john@modernjive.com 01233 625 362 & 07802 940 574 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>http://www.modernjive.com for Modern Jive Events & DVDs <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>http://www.contrafusion.co.uk for Dancing in Kent</span> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US> Callers <callers-bounces@lists.sharedweight.net> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Luke Donforth via Callers<br><b>Sent:</b> 14 August 2018 15:02<br><b>To:</b> callers@lists.sharedweight.net<br><b>Subject:</b> [Callers] Barn Weddings are a thing now<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>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 (<span style='font-size:9.5pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><a href="https://tinyurl.com/ycbm9god">https://tinyurl.com/ycbm9god</a></span>). While the article doesn't specific that called dancing has increased as well, I'd be surprised if it hadn't. <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>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. <o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Although possibly the fluctuations are too large to get a decent signal out of the small sample size. From my own records:<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>2017: I had 14 One-Night-Stand gigs, and 1 of those was a wedding. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>2016: I had 14 family level dances, and 4 of those were weddings. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>2015: 10 ONS, 3 weddings. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>2014: 14 ONS, 7 weddings<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>2013: 13 ONS, 2 weddings<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>2012: 4 ONS, 1 wedding<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>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. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal>-- <o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Luke Donforth<br><a href="mailto:Luke.Donev@gmail.com" target="_blank">Luke.Donforth@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>