Heart of Rock Farm

07/09/2025

More about the wedding signs we'll have for sale this weekend.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16yNz5dPa7/

Send a message to learn more

07/02/2025

The next round is Saturday & Sunday, July 12th & 13th. If you know someone looking for wedding supplies -- or who just really likes a big garage sale -- send them our way!
More photos on the website: https://heartofrockfarm.com/huge_barn_sale .

Retired Wedding Venue! We're clearing out wedding decor, props, furniture, linens, dishes, wedding dresses, tables & chairs, florals, arches, favors, and so much more...including a 1951 flat bed...

06/17/2025

Retired Wedding Venue! We're clearing out wedding decor, props, furniture, linens, dishes, wedding dresses, tables & chairs, florals, arches, favors, and so much more...including a 1951 flat bed...

05/03/2024

A quick preview of our centerpiece options for Mini Weddings. There are a few season/color variations not shown...but you get the idea!

on Instagram

01/13/2024

***No dance in February. We'll announce March as soon as we get the date confirmed.***

11/11/2023

I absolutely L.O.V.E. Christmas-themed weddings! More photos next week.
Update: New photos added. The fuzzy ones are mine. The decent ones are sneak-peaks from AC Photography, LLC. (More to come later.)

10/24/2023

Our next Barn Dance is Saturday, Nov 4, 2023 from 7 pm to 11:30.

It has been four months since our last dance...it's time to get back on the floor!

***

Quick Details:

* Music: C&W, pop, rock, oldies & contemporary, swing, a little ballroom (we're request-driven, so be sure to ask for what you want!)

* $8 per person. Adults only.

* Casual dress.

* Doors open at 7pm and we dance until about midnight.

* Dance Lesson: 7:30 pm, Night Club Two Step with Andy Hebert

* Alcohol: No bar, but you're welcome to bring your own soft alcohol (beer, wine, etc....no hard alcohol). You are responsible!

* Refreshments:

~ We'll have a snack table: Feel free to bring something to share if you like.

~ You're also welcome to bring your own takeout and enjoy your meal here as part of your night out. We just ask that you pick up after yourselves.

~ Bottled water and canned soda pop are available for $1.

* Address: Heart of Rock Farm, 19270 SW Pacific Hwy, Sherwood, 97140. Look for our sign. Call if you get lost: (503) 309-0318 or (503) 313-2872.

* Parking: Park in the lighted grass lot if parking alongside the long reception barn is full. Please don't park next to the restroom, and don't block any exits or traffic paths.

* Departure: This is very important as there have been more accidents on 99W recently...when you leave, go out the back way (look for the arrow signs). This is a safer exit to 99W, from which you can turn left or right. The front road allows a right turn only, and it's a bit of a blind curve with traffic speeding around the corner as you're trying to depart.

(More information about the dances is included below**)

Looking forward to seeing you all soon!

More information is available on our website at

08/11/2023

Adult slushies at the camp bar...one of our regular Sturgis rituals.

08/09/2023

ENTERTAINMENT
Wedding DJ, Band, or DIY: What Will Work Best for Your Wedding?

When deciding how to entertain your wedding guests, it can be hard to decide. Couples are often torn between having live music, hiring a DJ, or providing their own entertainment (the DIY option). All three bring unique elements to a wedding celebration, but
there are pros and cons associated with each.
Some folks think a full band may cost too much. Others like the idea of a DJ, but are worried it might be boring. The DIY option can be less expensive, but it comes with challenges you might not forsee.

* THE DJ OPTION
Many people consider DJs to be a cheaper alternative to a live band; however, the cost of hiring a DJ will also vary a lot. This is because there are different types: some are mobile DJs who specialize in various kinds of events -- including weddings -- while others are well-known club or radio DJs who do private parties on the side.
If you're considering a DJ for your wedding, it's important to choose someone who understands the mechanics of a wedding -- the ebb and flow and formalities -- as well as the entertainment aspects.
With the rise of streaming services such as Spotify, many couples think they can just as easily organize the music themselves. Avid music lovers want to be heavily-involved in choosing the music for their special day. If you fall into this camp it’s worth remembering that DJs tend to work with clients’ likes and dislikes to tailor the music.
A DJ will ensure that the entertainment runs smoothly. The music won’t suddenly stop, being replaced by ads because you’re using a free Spotify account. They will also have an incredible number of tracks available and curated. The style of music will be tailored to you and will include your favourite songs, and in addition you might be introduced to some new favorites.
Another important consideration is that a professional wedding DJ will help you develop a timeline for the reception and will serve as your emcee. The DJ -- in the absence of or in concert with a day-of coordinator -- will keep you on track and manage the timeline you've developed together, allowing you to relax and have fun instead of worrying about what's next.
Just as important, a DJ will know how to read a crowd, and how to choose the right tracks to build the atmosphere at a party, bringing people (and keeping them) on the dance floor.

* THE LIVE MUSIC OPTION
Live music can have a massive impact on a party. Hearing some of your favorite music being performed live, by real musicians who are as passionate about the songs as you, is an incredible feeling. Musicians can also use the way they play music to engage directly with the audience. Similar to a DJ, bands learn how to read a crowd and responds to the mood of the audience. They might have fewer songs to choose from (still, they usually have at least 100 – 200 songs in their repertoire), but they can still change their set-list on the spot to up the tempo or wind down.
Bands usually take short breaks of 15 – 20 minutes between sets to have a quick rest (as playing can involve very high activity levels) and to rehydrate themselves. This is not necessarily a point against hiring a band, but something prospective clients should be aware of. Music from a playlist will usually play in the interim.
The size of a band can sometimes be an issue. Some venues have a large space dedicated to entertainment, whereas others will struggle with anything larger than a trio.
Bands whose core line-up consists of 4-5 people can often provide smaller trio or even duo options for smaller events and venues.

* WHAT ABOUT BOTH?
This might seem like a luxury, but it’s increasingly common to have live music earlier in the evening, before the DJ takes over towards the end of the night. Some bands will also offer a DJ service, so that you can book everything in one go. This usually ends up being cheaper than booking separately. Another set-up, which is gaining in popularity, is to have live music (such as a string quartet or single violinist) during the ceremony and through dinner, with a DJ for the party after the meal is finished.

* THE DIY OPTION
This can be a great way to save money, but it's usually not completely free and it does come with some special logistical and support requirements.
First of all, you'll need a way to amplify the music. That might mean renting a sound system or paying a fee to use the venue's system, if that option is available. If rented, someone will have to know how to set the equipment up and plan to take it down at the end of the night. Don't forget to include appropriate mics in your rental. Wireless lapel mics are best for the ceremony and you'll want a wireless handheld mic for toasts and announcements.
Additionally you'll want to appoint someone to start and stop the music at specific points in the program, make announcements, and manage volume.
Then you'll need to decide how to source your music and create playlists. As a minimum you'll want background music, dance music, and program music (ceremony, first dance, parental dances, tosses, etc.).
The playlists should be available in an easily-manageable music program that your appointed operator is familiar with. Determine in advance if the venue offers internet access that supports streaming. If not, the music will have to be pre-downloaded, or you'll need a reliable hotspot for your streaming device.
If plugging into the venue's sound system, make sure you know what type of wires and/or adaptors to bring.

If you're not sure where to start in searching out good entertainment, start by asking your venue or wedding planner. They will undoubtedly have good recommendations based on past experiences.

08/09/2023

How to Politely Tell Someone They’re Not Invited...

There’s nothing more awkward than someone assuming they’re invited to your wedding. So many couples are put in tricky situations because a friend thinks they’re bringing a plus one or children, or a colleague assumes they’ve scored an invite. The best thing you can do is address it right away, no matter how uncomfortable you might feel. The longer you leave it, the harder it gets.

How to Tell Someone They Don’t Have a Plus One:
The best approach is to be upfront about it. You should make it very clear on the Save the Date and your wedding invitations that it is addressed to only the person or people whom you want to attend.

If they still bring up the topic of a plus one, be polite but firm: “I’m so sorry but due to budget limitations/venue capacity, I’m afraid we can’t justify plus ones.” If you want to add additional reasoning, such as ‘...plus ones we don’t know well,’ etc. you can, but remember this is your wedding and you’re funding it, so you don’t need to explain yourself.

It’s also important to consider why this guest might want to bring a plus one. If they’re a friend that doesn’t know many people at the wedding, they might want to bring a date so they have someone to keep them company. If you think this is the case, you could always compromise and extend an invitation to their plus one, or offer to grant them a plus one if someone else RSVPs "no"; but it’s entirely up to you.

How to Tell Colleagues and Co-Workers They’re Not Invited to Your Wedding:
Eek! Is there anything more awkward than when your co-workers assume they are invited to your wedding? Again - the best way around this is to be clear that they are not invited.

You can say something along the lines of: “As much as I care about you all and enjoy working with you, our guest list is very limited so [PARTNER] and I have both agreed not to invite colleagues.”

If you have invited some colleagues and not others, ask them to keep it discreet. You might have the option of evening invitations for your co-workers if you’re close to them, but it’s entirely your right to have a work-free wedding, or only invite the colleagues you really get along with. In this case you can cite limited numbers: “Due to a really tight venue capacity, I’m afraid we’re only inviting people that we socialise with outside of work, but I’d love to celebrate with everyone with some cake once we’re back from our honeymoon.”

How to Explain Children Aren’t Invited to Your Wedding (Child-free Weddings):
People love to assume their kids are invited, don’t they? But it’s one of the number one rules for wedding guests: if their names aren’t listed, they’re not on the invitation list.
If someone asks you if their children are invited, you can politely explain by saying: “I’m sorry, as much as we love [CHILD’S NAME], we’ve decided to have a child-free wedding/limit it to the children of immediate family only. We hope you’ll still be able to come.”

Remember, it’s not always straightforward to arrange childcare, so if your guests decline to attend due to this, it’s not personal.

How to Not Invite Someone to Your Wedding:
When people hear about weddings, they love to make assumptions! If, from the moment you start planning your wedding, you know there are people you don’t want to invite, here are some simple ways to not invite someone to your wedding and how to explain it.

You don’t have to tell people straight up they’re not invited if they don't bring it up. It’s probably easier to not mention your wedding in front of people you don’t want to invite; but in case it comes up in conversation, here are some easy quotes to explain why they’re not invited:

* "We’re so sorry, but due to budget constraints we’re keeping our guest list really small."
* "As our family is paying for a significant portion of our wedding, we’re trying to keep numbers as small as possible."
* "We’re trying to save for a house as well as pay for our wedding, so we’re keeping it small as possible."
* "Unfortunately our venue has really limited capacity so we’ve had to really scale back our guest list."
* "We’re so sorry but we just don’t have the space in our venue to accommodate plus ones/children etc."
* "The venue we fell in love with has a max capacity of [NUMBER], so we’re really limited on who we can invite."
* "We’ve chosen to have a very intimate wedding celebration with just close family/friends. We’d love to celebrate with you at a later date though!"
* "We’ve decided to keep our wedding celebration really small; however, we’d love to invite you to our anni-ception next year."
* "Thank you for asking about our wedding! We’re keeping the numbers really small as we’d like to have an intimate wedding, but I do appreciate you asking about it."

Apology Letter for Not Inviting Someone to Your Wedding:
If there’s someone whom you’d genuinely love to have at your wedding but you can’t invite them -- whether it’s due to budgets, capacity or a more complicated personal reason -- you can send them an apology letter explaining why they’re not invited.

It doesn’t have to be a formal letter on paper delivered by post, but you can use the following apology letter template in a text message or an email even to explain politely:

"Dear [Name],
I hope you’re well. I just wanted to get in touch about our wedding. I’m so sorry to say we will not be able to invite you. As much as we really wish we could celebrate with you, we’re afraid that due to [budget limits/capacity/etc.], we’ve got to keep our guest list really small.
We understand that this may come as a disappointment to you, and we apologise for that but hope that you understand.
However, we’d still love to celebrate with you at some point. We’ll be having drinks and cake at [location] to mark the occasion and it would be wonderful to see you there.
Lots of love,
[Your names]"

You can tweak this template to suit your specific needs, reasonings and alternative celebration plans. Perhaps you’ll have a streamable link to your wedding they could watch or you’ll plan another party to celebrate your marriage at a later date.

It’s never easy to plan your guest list so go easy on yourself if you have to have some tricky conversations. Remember that, at the end of the day, it’s your party so you have the right to celebrate how you want to, with who you want.

~~ Adapted from an article in hitched.co. uk