My husband and I had a beautiful wedding at Lakeview on 4/23/22, and received SO many compliments! There are many reasons that I was happy with our venue choice, so I’ll try to hit the main points for future brides doing research (I was you!).
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Beautiful without Décor:
The owner, Deb, takes pride in the beautiful grounds and it truly shows. Beautiful hanging baskets are placed around the property. The ceremony site is breathtaking with the horses in the background. The flameless candles along the walls of the barn add the perfect ambiance when the sun goes down. Also, DO sunset pics!
Open barn:
My favorite part of this venue is what they call "Open Barn". Couples that have booked are able to show up during a specified time (I’ll let the venue disclose that information) to see how the couple that day arranged things and decorated. This allows you to see the barn several times to get ideas! This is also a great way to meet the staff and ask questions. I remember getting the "wedding factory" feel when touring other venues. At this venue, you aren’t just a number. They really want you to have a uniquely "you" best day ever. This venue is DIY-friendly… but you certainly don’t have to be DIY at all, see below.
Borrowed Room:
The borrowed room has the potential to save you A LOT of money! Essentially this venue has a collection of items that you can use for your wedding day for free! I’m talking signs, easels, centerpieces, jars, lanterns, cupcake stands, table numbers, etc. It is also organized with pictures and counts. There is really something for everyone here – all styles. This room is something that you can look through during “Open Barn”.
Flexibility:
Lakeview’s goal is for you to have your dream wedding the way that you want it. Being able to pick your own vendors is HUGE and plays a big role in your wedding budget. If you book a Saturday wedding, you have access to the property 10AM – 6PM on Friday (to include the rehearsal walk-through). This is HUGE for DIY brides. It was plenty of time to set things up stress-free. You will be assigned to a “Day-of Coordinator” and “Helper” about 2-3 weeks prior to your wedding, which are INCLUDED! I had Tara and Lacey, and they were wonderful. Quick responses to questions, very organized and experienced. Tara and Lacey were great at keeping us on track with our wedding day timeline. They aren’t afraid to take charge when needed!
Now that I told you about all of the great stuff, I want to include some things I perceived as drawbacks so you can have my true, honest opinion. But, it’s important to mention that I gave 5 stars because the pros FAR outweighed the cons. You can’t get ready on-site, or access the venue until 1PM on the wedding day. But, when you see the beautiful bridal suite, you will understand that they don’t want to risk ruining furniture with makeup, etc. At one point the barn burned down and was rebuilt, so they don’t allow any flames. Battery operated candles only, which is understandable. If it rains, the ceremony, cocktail hour and reception will all need to be inside the barn. BUT – at least there is a backup plan for rain.
Overall great experience and I would choose the same venue again!
My wedding video link is below so you can see some things discussed in this review:
https://vimeo.com/704136782