Having brainstormed our ideas, gathered our thoughts, drawn up a guest list (and reduced it, and then built it up some more), we have finally finished our venue search. We came so close last week to finding “the one”, but we just knew that it couldn’t be it if it couldn’t accommodate all of our family and friends. Our brief was a relaxed family affair with all of our close ones present having the best time of their lives.
On a positive note, we have found a venue that captures all of the above! Our first desired ‘type’ of venue was a barn for the laid back country feel, but we soon noticed there was no accommodation on site of any we looked at. Understandably, as they were not built for human accommodation in the first place! Unbelievable, we have found a barn (okay it was purpose built for events), with accommodation on site, exclusive use, and gorgeous outside grounds.
We arrived on a gorgeous sunny afternoon; just like the picture above which certainly helped! We met Annie, the Hotel and Wedding Barn Manager, who kindly showed us around and shared her extensive knowledge with us about the venue and how our day would progress. Annie encouraged Dean and I to visualize a day that represented us, as opposed to the expected. (That’s the champagne and canapes out of the window, hopefully in favour of Pimms on the lawn with a summer picnic/ afternoon tea feel!)
I could see the glint in Dean’s eye that told us he had fallen for the venue head over heels. The ear to ear grin gave it all away really! In a nutshell, Dean would love to live somewhere like this, let alone just get married there! What made it ‘us’ was the rustic design; it was built with reclaimed stone and timber beams and had sweeping countryside views. To top it off, it was contemporary and modern with subtle uplighting in the main barn, a purpose built bar, and lots of parking with accommodation on site.
Can an outside wedding feel more country than this?
The top floor of the wedding barn features luxury toilets (complete with sofa for the ladies who like to go in groups and chatter, resting their feet near the mirror) and a large dressing room suitable for the bride and her bridal party to get ready. Hyde Barn really has thought of everything!
Grandparents can be comfortable, kids can roam free in the sun, and the groom (to-be) and I can have the time of our lives, surrounded by family and friends we love. And my Californian family will feel like they are living a day in a postcard! (Being short of history and natural green landscaping in Southern Cali themselves!)
The next step for us is to reserve our date; we are popping back on Sunday with my Dad so he can get a feel of the place. (He is slightly bias towards it already knowing Hyde Barn can arrange with a local brewery to get a real ale in by the barrel…)Â We are absolutely thrilled to have found it, now to start visualizing the details from here!
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