Covering hay bales

I've been to two different wedding that used hay bales. One had the covered the other didn't. Both were ridiculously uncomfortable.

Onawho is right, I was apparently taught all kinds of wrong! But still, no seeds/nutrition in straw, while there are seeds in hay (heavier, dense, etc.)

Can you cover them with allergy-protectant covers? Because I would die attending your wedding (not literally, but I would be a mess).

Chairs > blankets on ground > no seating at all > hay/straw

I would be so annoyed to see hay bales, I would think we are going to the farm not see friends/family get married. Have you thought about your elderly guests?

Oooh! I know! You can cover them with cement and then put chairs on the cement! :-P

Arg. They're too low for comfort, itchy and messy, and by the time you cover them with anything effective, you'll be in for more bucks than chairs.

I've done three weddings with bales of whatever, and the guests' gaze upon the scene with horror.

Get chairs. or benches. or stability balls, but don't do hay, okay?

Benches would be a really nice alternative

Coming from a farm girl who has tossed a lot of bales in my life if you get them make sure they are very very very tight. If you don't they will start to fall apart. Also to cover put a thick blanket over them and then a sheet. Maybe for the older guests have chairs available since they need the support of the back of the chair.

I would never consider providing hay bales for my wedding unless it was getting married in a horse's coral....with wranglers on.....and horse poop on my cowgirl boots.....so that would NEVER happen. If this is not your wedding setting, please re-consider!! Chairs are very cheap to rent.....treat your guests well! Country or not!

So it seems like most of the women are not in favor of hay bales. You asked. You (sort of) got answers but overwhelmingly...the advice is to have chairs instead.

I would recommend ditching that idea and just renting chairs. Your guests are going to be uncomfortable, and what if some of them are allergic to hay?

For a girl who is all about the country theme my answer is simply do what you want but please consider this:

1. If your wedding attire is not casual i.e. all guests will be wearing jeans or clothing that is not super dressy/formal do NOT do this.

2. If not EVERY single one of your guests is a "country" or "outdoorsy" person offer different seating options like benches and rustic chairs in addition to the covered hay/straw bales.

If you are insistent on hay/straw bales, I would suggest plastic over the bale and thick quilts over that. An inexpensive way to get them and give you that rustic country feel is thrift stores. My Grandmother used to shop thrift stores all the time and get bags full. Some thrift stores even have $1.00 bag days where you go into the store and whatever you can cram into a garbage bag you can get for $1.00.

Ok, this is old lady talk but the idea of the thrift store blankies on the hay/straw is giving me the Sheldons

LOLOLOL Tina!

Wait...big bang Sheldon, right? LOL

Yes!

I grew up on a farm. You don't want to know how cut up I always was from playing on hay and straw bales. They will not make good seating unless everyone is wearing jeans. I've seen them covered with blankets to avoid the poking problem, but that defeats the purpose. Bales are something that's great for a Pinterest wedding, not real life.

I'd be crying the whole ceremony and probably the whole reception too, and not bc of sweet vows but terrible allergies!

Pinterest "rustic wedding ceremony" skip over everything with hay bails, and get some real ideas with benches and chairs.

No, just no. Basically what everyone else says. I assume this is probably for a 'rustic' theme you are having, but you can do it another way. You don't know allergies, they are uncomfortable, they smell, even if your wedding is casual people will still dress up and no one wants to sit on hay bales. Also is it an outdoor wedding with hay bales because you can't know the weather for sure. I know some people that went to a wedding and had hay bales and guess what it rained and although they had a tent to cover, etc the bales still got went and started soaking up water...awesome.

I grew up on a farm and the only time hay is somewhat comfortable is when you have jeans on. I use to get scratched to pieces from it and bugs, mice and other little creatures hide in it. I would get chairs because they have backs to them, cleaner and are much more comfortable plus hay isn't cheap.