Mayowood Stone Barn

e cancelled their event and the couple on the waitlist before us also turned down the date, so we were able to have a Saturday wedding. All of our guests were amazed with how beautiful the venue was. It also has a great history behind it. My only complaint was that it was not easy communicating with the staff at the barn. Had I not wanted to get married here since I was little, I would have been hesitant about choosing this venue due to their lack of communication. They did go through a staff change between our booking and wedding, and we did notice some improvement afterwards, although it was still somtimes difficult to reach them via phone.

e perfection

really did everything they could to try and make the transition smooth and to help the best they could. I will say though, do not shy away now that Power Ventures requires you to go through their catering service Canadian Honker. Their food was absolutely amazing! I mean it was the best wedding food I have ever had! My family and friends are still talking about how amazing it was and my wedding was a month ago! Overall, I am very happy I decided to go with the barn. The new staff is amazing and they really try to make your day special. The catering staff really out did themselves as the service was amazing. My only comment is make sure they know what to do with the cake if you go through someone different. We got a small two tiered cake for us and our wedding party and after we did the cake cutting the rest never got cut or served to our wedding party. It was unfortunate, because since it was so hot out (110 F) we had to throw it away at the end of the night. It was just a miscommunication that could have been easily fixed.

w require you to use them as your caterer, but it just so happens that that's the caterer we had chosen. They are also very flexible and great at what they do. I got a bit worried when my contact at the Stone Barn left and was replaced by someone else a few months before the wedding, but Melissa (the new person) was wonderful! Melissa was available the whole time we were setting up and was very helpful in answering our questions and making sure things were set up where they needed to be. We got so many compliments on the venue. Our guests really enjoyed all of the outdoor activities (we set up bags and ladder golf and had a bonfire, and some people played football in the open space) - we were lucky to have a really beautiful day.

think anybody is really in charge or knows what's going on there. There is different, new people coming and going. Money pit! The cost what you initially see, is nothing close to final cost. There are so many hidden fees and payments that come out of nowhere and are not in the contract you sign. One of them being venue insurance, which we were informed about one month before the wedding. We had to ourselves purchase a 2 million insurance policy for a fairly small wedding, and were required to list them as the beneficiary. They provide tables and chairs, be prepared to hire out everything else from dance floor to table linens. Also their sound system is terrible. There is no upkeep, and no one taking care of the grounds. There are lots of weeds around the barn, and the bridal room does not get cleaned between use. The flooring in the barn is not safe!! Very unsteady, uneven, missing pieces. I understand it's rustic, but there are ways to preserve it and keep the beauty in it without tripping and potentially injuring yourself while walking. It's a beautiful place, but in 5 years I don't think it will be in good shape with the lack of care that I saw. Somebody is sitting on an awful lot of money and putting very little back into the barn. Their was nobody available the day of, I think I saw somebody go up to an office above the bridle room..but she definitely didn't want to be bothered. Not once did she pop in to say hi or offer anything. Be prepared to fully do absolutely everything yourself, pay a ton, and expect hidden fees. Also luckily we had absolutely perfect weather on our wedding day. If you need heat or A/C I think that could be a big problem to have to deal with. I'm sure it wouldn't get set up if it even works, and you would be paying again more money for it. I feel very lucky that I had a set up crew, family help, and worked with vendors that we're familiar with the barn. Do not expect anything from them but headaches, frustration, and more money, more money, more money! If you can get over that it's still a very beautiful venue to get married at.

was one of a kind. The Stone Barn staff was very helpful, and the communication with them about all of the pre-event details was very thorough. My husband and I knew this location was "the one" the minute we stepped on the property at our first viewing, and we are so glad we decided to have our wedding here!

sed several $1000's damage to my car. The owner asked that I not file it with my insurance, that he would cover it personally. This should have been a red flag for me. Flash forward 4 months, almost 5, and all of the damages have not been covered. I have called the owner many, many times and I have NEVER had a call returned. I have emailed the owner as well and have recieved no reply. Now I will have to contact my attorney to get the rest of the damages covered. This whole thing has been very frustrating, but reading some other posts here, I should not be surprised.

ooked mayowood 2 years prior to our wedding date -- I contacted them a year and a half out asking some questions about various idea's we had. And they had said they didn't have a date held for us. Apparently they sent out a mass email to all pending couples saying now was the time to book, WE NEVER RECEIVED this email, they didn't call or any other attempt than this email that was sent. SO they gave our date to someone else, with NO notice! This was devastating! Our date was our anniversary, our family and friends are 2,000 miles apart it was important for them to know the date ahead of time, for them to plan ahead of time. We took the day after our original date which was a Sunday, it was still beautiful and it did all work out, however we had maybe 50 people that couldn't attend because of the Sunday wedding. By the time I had contacted them and found out the bad news of loosing our date all the weekends were booked up, it was my only option unless we waited another year. Our contact that had this issues changed the day after we found out we had lost our date. I never had a call from the manager until the day before our wedding, emails were very few, and changes had to be made days before our wedding for their legal contracts. They didn't help us set up, or tear down. I only saw the on site coordinator once that day. We were also annoyed with the fact that we had paid over 4 grand for this venue and you have to be prepared that you don't get the venue until the day of your wedding unless you book both days. We got the venue at 8 am the day of our wedding and there were people out there taking photos, and senior photos while we were setting up. Random people would pull up into the area and gawk around. This was incredibly rude, we paid for this venue we should of had it to ourselves! The good and the bad -- The day WAS beautiful, this venue is one of a kind, it is stunning, simple, and elegant. You don't have to do a lot to it, it's simply beautiful. Our guests can't stop talking about this venue, and how much fun they have. I wouldn't have gotten married anywhere else, it was perfect. Just be prepared to do it all on your own, and to go with whatever is thrown at you. In the time we booked the venue as to now it's gone up 2 grand, I don't see how it can be worth that much when you have no one there to hep you!

y. Numerous times I heard how much like a "fairy-tale" it felt to people, and that's what we were going for. The staff at the Stone Barn, albeit hard to reach most times and seemingly unorganized until last minute, (constant staff changes. Our contacts changed about 3 times over our 2 year engagement) they were accommodating and gracious and helped pull things together on the day of. Our day-of contact, though MIA for most of the day was there from morning until we left after midnight and even helped us do tear-down. We loved this venue and were incredibly pleased with most everything. Our negatives, besides the difficult time staying in contact, would basically be that they will try to squeeze every last penny out of you. We were told last minute that if we wanted the barn heated it would be an extra $300, and we needed to provide our own propane for the outdoor heaters and firewood for the campfire, and although I paid the extra $250 for full use of the furniture barn I found out the day-of that use of the really beautiful antique furniture was an additional $100 on top of that. Overall, despite the insanely high cost, it was and is a fantastic venue for an unforgettable celebration. If we can ever afford another party like our wedding, you can bet we'll make the Stone Barn our venue.

had to cancel our reservation at Mayowood Stone Barn (MSB). The cancellation was 14+ months prior to the reservation date. After acknowledgement from several people at MSB that we were due a full refund, we are here 6+ months later still waiting for our refund of $2,000. Calls and emails are no longer answered. They blew off the Better Business Bureau and their rating now stands at an “F” (see link below). They have also failed to respond to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office. Unbelievable!! I am sure by the many positive reviews that this is a beautiful venue for a wedding if you jump through all of their hoops and there are no issues, but if there are issues … BUYER BEWARE… you may find our real fast like I did, how unbelievably unprofessional these folks can become. Do your due diligence and best of luck. http://www.bbb.org/minnesota/business-reviews/wedding-chapels-and-ceremonies/cpdc-mayowood-stone-barn-in-rochester-mn-96385752

sometimes even needing to repeat our emails. In general we loved this venue, and so did all of our guests. Rain or shine, this place is a beautiful location. They staff are very accommodating to your needs. If I had to do it again I would choose this place!

ave a 'wedding party kickball' game, but weren't sure if the owner's would go for it...Shelly thought it was awesome and helped us pick the best spot to play! I can't stress how helpful Shelly was. She was on our-site coordinator and worked so hard make sure everything went smoothly. We had literally zero worries the entire day, but we may have if we didn't have Shelly handling everything! The venue itself, as I said, is absolutely stunning. We had so many compliments on our choice of venue. Everything - the barn, the land, the tree swing, the bridle suite, the blacksmith's lounge comes together just right for the perfect rustic wedding location. So happy with our decision to get married at the Mayowood - it was a PERFECT day and we couldn't have asked for anything better. Thank you, Shelly and Homer!

rst about asking them all to drive to Rochester. In the end - all were raving about our venue and what a good time they had there. It was totally worth the drive!! Shelly and Homer are the sweetest, most genuine and helpful couple and we loved working with them. They've had to jump through hoops placed on the barn by the Rochester City Council, and have handled all of the changes gracefully. My husband and I wanted a memorable, unique wedding that was classy and comfortable, in a barn with character. We got all of that and more, and wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Best day of our lives, thanks to the Mayowood Stone Barn!

for the entire land and are then stuck inside. The loft is gorgeous though, and not at all a bad second option for the ceremony. Everyone we came into contact with was extremely helpful and communicative through the entire process. The day ran so smoothly!

om a list), but having a coordinator helps the flow at this location!

fter I signed it and added more limitations that added to the cost. Otherwise, the venue is gorgeous. My photographer loved it because every where you turn is a great photo op. If you get get past the sub par service, you wont be disappointed with the location

one was on site who knew how to fix it. I didn't appreciate having my guests out on the lawn trying to fix the proprane tanks.

s located there. The owners and manager are awesome and the setting was a fairy tale. I would never get married any other place in Minnesota.

derful to have an easy rain site option on the property, which would have been wonderful as well. Shelly and Homer were really great to work with, though communication was difficult at times. When it came down to it, everything was perfect, and I loved spending my entire wedding day at the Mayowood Stone Barn.

or amazing photos and for an unforgettable day!

ize things with the barn. I also found that I had to re-state things multiple times that had already been discussed and taken care of. I do know that the barn has hired an event coordinator now which I think will be so helpful! They definitely need someone full time to organize all the details of the weddings :) Everyone was amazing help the weekend of the wedding and even though communication was sometimes lacking leading up to the big day, everything and everyone at the barn far exceeded my expectations!

filled with butterflies and excitement!!

nts for our photographer. All of our guests commented on how unique the place was and kept asking us how we found it. It was convenient because we were allowed an outside caterer so we could choose one for our budget. There is also a room for the bride and bridesmaids to get ready in which is definitely worth renting because it is the cutest room! Our experience there was unforgettable.