Rustic Barn Venue in Indiana's Amish Country
IN, MI, IL, OH
Service area
Holds ceremonies and receptions
Kara Byers
EVENTS DIRECTOR
Typically responds within 24h
Lakeside Occasions isn't your run-of-the-mill barn wedding venue. We were one of the first in our region and have made steady strides since our first official season in 2014. Since then, we've gained invaluable hands-on experience in the wedding industry and we may be biased, but believe our quality and customer service is second to none!
So, you ask, "What do you have that the others don't?"
Well, first and foremost, our property is absolutely gorgeous. The barn is set on a small, but charming lake in the heart of Northern Indiana's Amish Country and surrounded by peaceful farmland. We take great pride in our lawn and landscaping care - in fact, our favorite time of year at the venue is late spring - early summer when the flowers and trees are in full bloom. Also, our sunsets are insane!
Other reasons to put us on your "list":
* Endless photo opps & wide open space outdoors for you & your guests to lounge or explore
* Indoor spaces are air conditioned/heated for your guests' comfort
* Real climate controlled restrooms - no humid, smelly potty trailers!
* Let's just say you won't find changing rooms like ours anywhere else (silo & 50s style diner)
* The interior of the barn is naturally beautiful, so minimal decorations are needed (plus we have some cool pieces you can use for no extra charge!)
* The venue offers bar services with certified, responsible servers & very reasonable prices on alcohol - and who else has a GRAIN BIN BAR?!
* We allow you to choose whomever you want for food (as long as they're licensed), photography, music, lighting, decor, cakes/cupcakes, and more. This is YOUR wedding and we want you to have it your way! But, we also have some great recommendations if you need them, and work with some of the best Wedding Pros in the biz.
Don't get "wedding envy!" Please come see us in person. I promise, you won't be disappointed! THE ONLY TOUR YOU'LL REGRET IS THE ONE YOU DIDN'T TAKE!
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Guest Capacity
Up to 250
Settings
Backyard
Barn
Farm & Ranch
Beach
Waterfront
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Destination Weddings
Service Staff
Any questions?
Meet the team
Kara Byers
Events Director
After graduating from USI in 2003, I spent the next decade as a TV news producer in Knoxville and then Atlanta. In 2014, my hubby and I left the big city behind (& the TV news biz) and settled in his quaint hometown of Topeka, IN with our newborn son. His family had recently transformed his Grandpa's 1880s dairy barn into an amazing wedding venue - so I jumped in headfirst. Fast forward to today - I'm manager and event coordinator at Lakeside Occasions. I adore our couples and genuinely love getting to help them create the wedding day of their dreams!
Reviews
4.8
out of 5.014 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Lakeside Occasions is a beautiful and cozy barn venue with exceptional staff, particularly praised for their kindness, helpfulness, and attention to detail. From the initial walk-through to the day of the wedding, reviewers highlighted Kara's professionalism and personalized service, ensuring a perfect and smooth experience. The venue's rustic charm, ample photo opportunities, and the ability to bring own decorations were appreciated, making it a highly recommended choice for couples seeking an intimate and original wedding setting.Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 3
Cassie W
Highlighted review.
5.0
10/06/2025
Communication was amazing. Kara is so kind and makes you feel so welcome. It is such a beautiful venue that if you brought in zero decorations it would still turn out gorgeous. We loved everything about the venue, the people that worked with us, and the overall feeling it brought to our wedding day.
Response from Lakeside Occasions on 10/06/2025
Thank you so much Cassie! We loved hosting your reception and working with your awesome fa...
milies. ❤️ Best wishes to you & Josh!
Kevin S
5.0
11/05/2025
We were originally booked for another venue until it burnt down. Janet, the owner, reached out to me offering Lakeside. We did one walk through with Kara and was sold. Everything was perfect! The barn itself is absolutely beautiful and cozy! Kara was great through it all! Definitely recommend if you are looking for that barn originality and intimate wedding style!!
Response from Lakeside Occasions on 11/13/2025
I’m so glad we still had your wedding date available and everything worked out beautifully...
! Thank you so much for choosing us! It was a pleasure working with you & Amanda ❤️ Best wishes to you both!
Any questions?
Blake M
5.0
7/26/2025
Super pretty venue and all the staff is so kind and helpful!!
Response from Lakeside Occasions on 07/28/2025
Thank you, Blake! We really enjoyed celebrating with you and Mary Beth! ❤️
Melissa L
5.0
6/10/2025
Lakeside Occasions is a beautiful venue with the most amazing staff. Kara was fantastic from the first walk through to the day of our wedding. She offered advice, was very responsive to our questions and her day of coordinator service allowed our day to be perfect! The attention to detail to everything from flowers, decor available to be used and the stunning red barn not only made our day special but offered beautiful photos we will cherish for a lifetime!
Jolene M
5.0
9/21/2024
Kara and her team at lakeside made our day absolutely perfect. They go above and beyond to make sure everything is what YOU want for your special day.
Response from Lakeside Occasions on 09/22/2024
Thank you for the kind words Jolene! It was such a pleasure to help you & Jerry with your ...
wedding day. It was nearly perfect.. minus the cool breeze. ;) Wishing you guys many blessings!!
Natashia A
5.0
7/01/2024
We absolutely loved this venue! The barn is beautiful and rustic! Kara is great to work with and very helpful and quick to respond. There are multiple different areas outside to take photos too. Couldn’t recommend this venue enough!
Austin D
5.0
6/07/2024
The staff at Lakeside did a fantastic job! Kara fully understood what we were looking for in our wedding and did a fantastic job in helping us make sure everything was taken care of. The day of the event her and her staff did an amazing job of making sure the day went as smoothly as possible.
Response from Lakeside Occasions on 06/07/2024
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Austin! Your day was beautiful and we were honored...
that you chose to celebrate with us! Best wishes to you and Mrs. Deckard!
Racheal F
5.0
9/16/2023
They were more than accommodating for everything we needed for our special day, and it went so perfectly. The barn is beautiful and the perfect venue for weddings!
Response from Lakeside Occasions on 09/18/2023
Thank you, Rachael!! We enjoyed having you, Jonathan, and your families & friends and wish...
you lots of love. 💗
Brittney M
5.0
11/16/2018
Absolutely beautiful and perfect venue for our wedding and reception!
Response from Lakeside Occasions on 11/19/2018
Thanks, Brittney! We loved having you guys and wish you and Cameron lots of love and happy...
years together! <3
Wesley W
5.0
10/03/2017
This was the venue my husband and I were looking for when we initially imagined our wedding day. The barn is beautiful, rustic, clean, air-conditioned, and taken care of. The land it is on is gorgeous and open. It was the perfect location for an August wedding. Kara was available to answer questions when needed. The price point was great if you're looking for a "classy" barn wedding. Make sure you give this venue a visit before making your final decision. We are so happy that we came across Lakeside. Our day could not have been any more perfect.
Rachel W
5.0
6/24/2017
Such an amazing location! The barn is absolutely stunning year round. The Byers were wonderful to work with and everything flowed so smoothly. I would recommend this venue to any and everyone! You are truly getting a stunning venue for a great price!
Tara S
4.0
10/23/2016
wonderful setting
Jade M
3.0
6/01/2015
The venue was beautiful and everything was set up just the way we asked. However, the owners were watching my guests like a hawk. Post-Wedding I heard various stories about several of my guests being scolded by the owners due to smoking in a supposedly non-smoking area however there were no signs anywhere designating where guests could NOT smoke. I understand their want/need to keep the property clean as well as fire hazards, but from what I understand from my guests they were not pleasant to deal with. Like I said, the wedding day was beautiful, however I don't appreciate my guests being yelled at. I think the situations could have been handled differently and with far more grace.
Response from Lakeside Occasions on 06/02/2015
Thank you for taking the time to review our facility! We do hope you enjoyed your special ...
day and are truly grateful that you chose Lakeside Occasions for your wedding! Lakeside Occasions is our home and we spend countless hours working to provide a beautiful facility so that couples can have the wedding of their dreams. We only want to make it comfortable and pleasant for all in attendance. In order to accommodate our smoking guests, we have one designated smoking area. Prohibiting smoking in other areas and making sure cigarette butts are placed in the receptacles helps us keep our property looking nice and reduces cleanup costs. We understand that your guests may not be aware where the smoking area is located, so when we see it we try to inform them in a respectful way. If we have offended anyone, we apologize, but sometimes our requests are not honored. We will be posting more signage in the near future, however too many signs takes away from the beauty of the property.
Betty V
5.0
12/09/2013
Our wedding at Lakeside was everything we dreamed of. I love how unique it was and would encourage any couple in the area to check it out. Janet and Darrell went out of their way to make us comfortable and fill any request or need that we asked for...They were such a great support system for us and made our day feel and be like no other!!! The barn inside was beautifully decorated with lights and a chandelier....just breathtaking. If you are contemplating a wedding in the near future....Call them FIRST!!
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Lakeside Occasions
Kara Byers
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Events Director
Typically responds within 24h
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