Please Be Seated: Rustic Bridal Shower Seating Solutions

Please be seated:
Seating Solutions for a Rustic Bridal Shower
or any outdoor event like a Graduation Party
or Family Reunion.

 

Back in this post we started planning a Rustic Bridal Shower.

We’ve come up with a few ideas to use in this theme, such as

incorporating natural elements and

these rag bows you can make to tie things down in case of wind –

every outdoor party’s biggest spoiler.

 

 

Unique Seating Solutions for a Large Event

Today we’re going to make a quick Pinterest grab for seating ideas for a Rustic Bridal Shower.

Our favorite idea, although not necessarily the easiest one to pull off, are these

 

Hay Bale Benches

We have neighbors with horses,

so I’d probably ask them if we could buy their bale supply for the next month.

They wouldn’t say no, would they?

And I wouldn’t have to waste perfectly good bales that I have no use for

other than the seating, of course.

(If they’re really good neighbors, they might let you borrow from their barn, then bring them back.) 🙂

A way to make the bales go further,

as in, not having to buy so many,

would be to use one at each end of a bench as the anchor

to hold wide boards for benches.

The most people you’ll seat on a typical bale is 2, so if you have a large crowd,

you’d end up with a barn-load of bales.

Not good when you live in the city and have no hay trailer to haul them.

So the bales-with-boards benches could be a better solution.

 

 

 

Tree Stump Benches

This one is fun,

however, it may be slightly difficult to pull off.

I know a yard man (he’s the best) who removes trees on a fairly regular basis,

so it wouldn’t take long to save up enough sturdy tree stumps.

As for the wide planks you’d need to create the seating spanning the stumps?

Your local big box lumber store sells 12″ pine boards for about $25 for an 8 foot length.

The cheapest 2x4x8 checks in at $6.50, and you’d need 3 for each bench. A slight savings, but more work.

You’d also need screws to keep them attached to the tree stumps.

Ouch! That adds up fast.

So I hope you know a builder who could loan you the boards for an evening,

then use them in the next house he puts up.

We have several families in our church who are building homes right now.

That might be an option…

Sometimes new cheap boards ooze sap, so you’ll want to cover the benches.

Old quilts, throws, drop cloths or bandannas would all make cute rustic bench covers.

 

 

 

Simple Plank Benches make a great rustic seating solution

These would take an investment of time, money and effort.

You could probably sell them afterwards,

because they make spectacular farmhouse décor.

Each 8′ bench made with this tutorial would cost about $25.

You could later sell the finished product for $80 to $100.

 

 

Cinder Blocks and Wood for a rustic shower seating solution

Another rustic bench diy option is cinder block benches.

Build a stack of cinder blocks at each end, then load planks through the holes in the blocks.

You can also rest them on top of the blocks.

However you do it, be sure to attach them in a way that no accidents happen.

 

 

 

 

Rentals for rustic shower seating solutions

Given the popularity of farmhouse and rustic styles now,

it’s easy to rent the benches or chairs you need.

One place in our area even carries the exact design of bench we show in the tutorial above.

 

 

Would you try any of these rustic shower seating solution ideas? 

We don’t have any bridal showers in our near future,

but we do have graduations coming up…