April 30th 2012
As a bride-to-be, I’m currently on the lookout for a place to tie the knot, so when I come across a beautiful wedding venue, I feel the need to share the knowledge with other brides-to-be. When I stumbled on Rivervale Barn recently, I had to see it for myself to really understand what the venue was like. In pictures, it looks amazing, and I am happy to say that in the flesh, it’s even better!! I have genuinely fallen in love with the place. It’s got everything you need. And better still, it’s perfect at any time of the year, which is something not all venues can boast.
The Ceremony
If you’ve always dreamed of getting married in a church because of the tradition and beauty of the buildings, but you don’t want to have a full on religious ceremony, then Rivervale Barn might be the very place you’ve been searching for. The ceremony barn at Rivervale was purpose built for marriages and civil ceremonies, and was designed with tradition in mind,. The interior looks just like an old, gothic church with curved arches, open wooden beams and an arched windows and doors for maximum impact and effect. You have to see it to fully appreciate it. It boasts an entire wall of sky high windows, which let the light pour in on your ceremony, even on the dullest of days. It’s tranquil, peaceful and there’s something about the room which makes you feel like something very special happens here – which is, of course, exactly true. Personally, I couldn’t dream of saying “I do” in a room that doubles up as a conference room, or somewhere that didn’t feel special. You can be sure at Rivervale Barn that your ceremony room will blow your guests away and fill them with a warm feeling that can only really be achieved by a room that devotes itself to making marriage happen on a daily basis.
The Reception
As for the reception barn, which is adjoined to the ceremony room by the entrance barn, it’s light, bright, modern and beautiful. And the best thing about it is that it’s a blank canvas. No gaudy red and yellow carpets to contend with, no ancient artwork adorning the walls, ready to clash with your colour scheme at a moment’s notice. It’s fresh and clean and ready for you to put your very own wedding stamp on it for the day.
When I was visiting, they were setting up for a wedding the next day, and were busy twisitng pretty vines around the wood beams and hanging little tea light holders from them to add an earthy, Midsummer Night’s Dream feel to the room. It was idyllic (and gave me a few ideas for my own wedding to boot.) Whatever your theme, whatever your colour scheme, it will work here. You’ll find yourslef picturing your colours and ideas as soon as you enter the room. It’s too difficult not to!
The staff at Rivervale are friendly, warm, welcoming and above all, very helpful. They’l be able to talk you through all the different options available to you for food and drink, and they’ll also show you the gorgeous added feature of the Cornstore Honeymoon Cottage where the bride can get ready the morning of the wedding and the new Mr and Mrs can stay after the festivities and enjoy their first night together as husband and wife!
Outdoor Space & Accomodation
On top of the gorgeous indoor space, there’s even a beautiful perfectly enclosed private garden that’s absolutely ideal for those all important wedding photos, and an adorable little courtyard which doubles as an incredible sun-trap complete with a romantic water fountain… Did I mention I love this place?
The great thing about Rivervale Barn is that if you’re lucky enough to have bright sunshine on your wedding day, you’ve got plenty of private outdoor space to enjoy the day in the courtyard and gardens, but if the rain comes and threatens to scupper your plans (as it invariably tends to do) you’ve got a light, bright, airy ceremony and reception room which will give the impression of brightness even on a cloudy day. Check out the Rivervale Barn Website to see pictures of the Barn covered in a white sheet of snow, making it even prettier than perhaps the bright summer sunshine does!
The evening reception takes place in the entrance barn in between the ceremony room and the reception room. It’s just enough space to party the night away with your guests (and there’s even room for a casino table or two if you want to really treat your friends and family to a night of classy and buzzing wedding entertainment!)
With all this and more, you’d be a dafty to not go and see the place yourself. It’s a dream. There’s loads more information on their website, including photos and useful links. So if you’re looking for the “Wow Factor” for your wedding venue, and you value intimacy and romance for your big day, take a closer look at Rivervale Barn.
