“I wanted to hate this place.” – famous last words of our first Barn Bride of 2017.
No, seriously, those are real words that Brianna spoke to me the first time I met her. Spoiler alert: she didn’t hate it, and ended up booking it for May 6th, 2017. So, how did she get to that point? I’ll let her tell her story:
“I found the Barn at Bunker Hill completely on accident. I was scrolling through Facebook when I came across their event, āMeet us at the barnā, which was a small vendor fair with local vendors and a chance to check out the barn. It was only 20 miles from Muscatine, but I had already decided that it was just too far for everyone to drive for our wedding. My Fiance, Connor, didnāt have the same reservations, but finding the right venue was my number one priority. As we made our turn into the driveway, I reminded Connor that this was absolutely, positively not a viable venue option. And I donāt think Iāve ever been more wrong.
I lost Connor to the dark side before we were even out of the car. He gave me a look that I thought was reserved only for kids asking their parents for an adorable puppy. Honestly, if you had asked us what a perfect venue looked like before that moment, I donāt think either of us could have put it into words, but standing there OUTSIDE the barn (we hadnāt even made it through the door yet) we both would have said āthisā. I still tried my very hardest to hate it. I kept telling myself the drive was too long. I said āweāre not barn people, no one will be in boots, I donāt want ANY burlap: our wedding wouldnāt make sense here.ā But, as we walked into the first room we swooned at the staircase, we loved the open ceiling to the second floor, the rustic perfection of every design aspect killed me, and to be honest we even got excited about the lightbulbs. We talked to the other vendors, but each conversation ended up circling back to the barn.
Connor and I took a moment to stand along the railing of the second floor and look down to what we imagined would be our dance floor. The sun was beaming in the open windows and it filled the entire barn with beautiful natural light, while we were beaming like idiots because we were so in love with the barn (and also each other, of course). We talked about how we could see this place filled with our friends and family and I tried not to get emotional. At that moment I gave up trying to hate it, but then it came time to really talk about what it would take to have our wedding here.
We went back downstairs and found Hannah waiting to answer any questions we might have. I still think she might regret that moment because I had a PILE of questions to ask her. She talked us through all of them and told us the story of how the barn came to be what it is today. If we hadnāt already been sold, the obvious passion and excitement that she had for the barn would have sealed the deal. Connor and I left the barn that day with our decision made and I havenāt questioned it for a second. Thereās still the distance, but people will make the drive, if not for us then should at least come out to see the barn.”
We’re so excited for our 2017 season, and know that Brianna and Connor’s wedding will be the perfect way to kick things off!
