The Barn at Aspen Acres

I recently had a wedding at The Barn at Aspen Acres, and I must say, it was an unforgettable experience! From the moment we arrived, I was struck by the breathtaking beauty of the venue. The staff at The Barn were exceptional. They were incredibly professional, attentive, and went above and beyond to ensure everything ran smoothly. From the initial planning stages to the final send-off, the team was there to assist with every detail, making the process seamless for the happy couple. Overall, The Barn at Aspen Acres is a perfect choice for anyone looking to host a wedding. I would highly recommend it to any couple looking to say "I do" in a truly magical environment!

I attended as a guest, the wedding where the owner refuses to refund the newlyweds their deposit due to their septic backing up . How is it the fault of the wedded couple where the owner who is hosting one wedding after another neglects to maintain their septic system? It is NOT the customers problem, it is your problem. To worsen the matter, the smell from the backed up system could have easily ruined what was supposed to be a memorable event, not to mention guests could have gotten sick!! The water canteens had tepid water temp, it was a warm day and I ask for ice and they acted as if I was asking for something I shouldn’t be asking for. The outside area where wedding took place had what appeared to be buried irrigation lines but not properly covered Which left an uneven terrain. One guest actually twisted their ankle that I could see and it happened from that area. As the evening went on I had requested coffee and they said I would have to go talk to the bride and groom if I wanted coffee. I have been to a lot of weddings in beautiful places and have fond memories of each but I have to say this wedding venue falls extremely short in many areas. Owner you should do the right thing and give that couple their deposit back. That sad story should be Brought to the attention of the Better Business Bureau within that area because this simply is not right.!! OK I guess I would up my rating if you return the deposit to that couple!!!

I don’t write reviews, but what I witnessed at this venue was so unbelievable and bizarre, it was surreal. There are a multitude of reasons why you should not patronize this business, but let’s start with the biggest, most offensive reason. The behavior of the Owner, who ironically, refers to herself as a “service-driven entrepreneur”. 1. UNPROFESSIONAL -This venue, for whatever reason, cannot acquire the appropriate liquor license, so the Owner, has her employees, on foot and in a golf carts, follow any wedding guest to and from their vehicles because she suspects that they may be consuming outside alcohol.

The Owner, is not only unable to act in anyway professional, she is RUDE, IRRATIONAL and borderline PSYCHOTIC. She approached Guests and demanded that they hand over their water bottles and drinks (even the drinks that they purchased from the bar). She then proceeded to open the water bottles and SNIFF the contents. Finding nothing she would hand it back to the guest! ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING AND UNBELIEVABLY UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR FROM THIS WOMAN. She did this to at least five guests. And made sure that everyone knew, as the owner, she wielded all the power to throw ANYONE out of the venue at her sole discretion. ***Please note there was no apologies to any of the guests after she determined there was no alcohol in the bottles!

One guest refused to hand over their drinks, stating that she had no right to search their belongings and pointed out that it is not safe or reasonable to demand that in a PANDEMIC. This is where her total meltdown began. She raised her voice, incoherently yelling at the guest “it’s a felony and she could call the cops”. Another guest interjected, trying to calm her down, saying something to the affect of, “do you really want to do that and ruin the bride and groom’s wedding day”, to which The Owner replied, “I DON’T CARE!” 

The Owner is NOT capable of acting tactfully or professionally and has no regard for her clients - the Bride and Groom. It is understandable wanting to stop outside alcohol, but the way she handled it was incredibly inappropriate. She continued to follow, badger and harass the guests who didn’t allow her to sniff their drinks. 

After conversations with locals, it became known that this is not an isolated incident and similar situations have occurred at past events. 2. CEREMONY SITE - The ceremony was held on the grass, riddled with 2 inch deep trenches, making very uneven terrain to safely walk on. Several female guest twisted ankles, lost balance and almost fell. These trenches running across where everyone must walk is just a blatant failure to provide a safe environment for her clients. I assume, eventually she will be sued by someone who gets seriously hurt. 3. STAFF - The wedding was scheduled to go until 11:00pm. The Owner and her employees started closing up chairs and tables and cleaning up around 9:00pm. This made guests feel uncomfortable and that it was time to get out. It felt intentional to get people to leave so that The Owner and her employees could go home early. Because the Owner really ruined this wedding event for so many guests, I would NEVER return to this venue for any event. South Dakota State Parks have breathtaking views and venues for weddings for a fraction of the cost and you won’t have to worry about your guests being attacked by this completely unprofessional, unstable, horrendous woman (aka, "The Owner").

Peace. Something my husband and I prayed for before we chose our venue. There was no doubt that The Barn would be aesthetically perfect for a wedding, but would it be a place we would feel peace on the most important day of our lives.. We visited The Barn when it was still under construction and saw pictures of the end result, but we still couldn’t be quite sure how it would look in the end! After meeting Tia and Dan it turned out this place didn’t only bring us peace, but it also brought the most personable owners we could’ve ever asked for. Flash forward two years and a postponed wedding later we had our dream day! Our wedding wouldn’t have been possible without not only the space of the venue, but the people. Not only was it beautiful views, but the staff went above and beyond to make sure everything went perfectly! We will be forever grateful for The Barn and all the people that came with it. If you’re looking for more than just a place to host your wedding, but a personable experience that you’ll never forget then The Barn At Aspen Acres is your place.