251-300 guest capacity
This venue can host up to 300 guests
About this vendor
A Perfect Blend of Rustic Elegance and History
Nestled in the heart of downtown Monterey discover a hidden gem—a lush garden bursting with vibrant wildflowers, elegant roses, and fruitful trees. As you stroll through the mature gardens, you’ll be enchanted by the expansive outdoor terraces with warm romantic string lights and a picturesque barn providing a stunning backdrop for your special day.
The Barns at Cooper Molera is an all-inclusive venue, providing catering, bar packages, service staff, equipment: e.g. dinnerware, glassware, tables, wood chairs, linens, heaters, and much more.
Our priority is to ensure the entire process is stress-free and beautiful experience for you and your loved ones. Your dedicated event manager will liaison with your hand selected vendors, design your floor plan, oversee the setup and breakdown, and orchestrate your timeline. Our team will ensure a seamless planning process and a truly unforgettable celebration!
Book your dream wedding on any available Sunday in 2025 and enjoy a remarkable 50% off the venue fee. Valid for new bookings only. Food & Beverage Minimums and Blackout Dates Apply. Must book by July 31, 2024
Pricing details
Starting prices
Reception:
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Ceremony:
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Bar services:
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Catering:
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Starting prices don't include service fees, taxes, gratuity, and rental fees. Guest count and seasonality may also affect prices.
Amenities + details
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Business Attributes
- Woman-owned Business
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Guest Capacity
- Up to 300
Settings
- Backyard
- Barn
- Farm & Ranch
- Garden
- Historic Venue
- Industrial & Warehouse
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Cakes & Desserts
- Food & Catering
- Planning
- Rentals & Equipment
- Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
Reviews
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5
out of 5.020 reviews
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
The Barns at Cooper Molera is a highly recommended wedding venue with a stunning setting and exceptional staff. Reviewers praise the venue's beauty, the delicious food, and the convenience of having everything included in the package. Coordinators such as Jen, Frankie, and Charlene are commended for their attentiveness and professionalism, making the planning process seamless. Guests appreciate the venue's location in downtown Monterey, the delicious food options, and the memorable experiences provided throughout the wedding. Overall, The Barns receives high praise and is recommended for creating unforgettable weddings.Review photos
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It is so difficult to make this a short review because there are so many great things to say! The moment we stepped foot onto The Barns at Cooper Molera property, we fell in love. This is a gorgeous venue with so much natural beauty and special history.
Frankie was originally assigned to us as our event coordinator for our wedding. She was amazing to work with, and it was clear from the start that she knew her stuff. Unexpectedly, just a little over 2 months before our wedding day we were informed our wedding was being reassigned to Jen due to restructuring of the company. If I’m being honest, the communication started off a little rocky, and it was a lot of back and forth to get a call set up, which initially made me nervous. However, with patience on both ends, we made it through. We felt confident after meeting with both Jen and Frankie at our rehearsal to discuss potential layout changes due to the weather. My husband and I were pushing to stick to our planned outdoor ceremony, and Jen pulled through and made the buzzer-beater call. It felt so magical, with rain dripping from the trees and the sun coming out during our vows. I’m unsure what we would have done without Jen, the staff, and the rest of our vendor team. There’s no doubt that Jen and her team worked their butts off to make the vision for our special day come to life.
I have to add that the food and drinks were AMAZING. We are still getting compliments from our guests that this was some of the best food they’ve ever eaten, especially at a wedding! We had around 170 guests, and every single piece of salmon and steak was cooked to perfection. It was one of the most memorable meals that I wish I could go back and eat again. Also, the petite desserts table!! YUM! Everything was just so good.
To sum it up, this was the best day of our lives. It was beautiful and fun, and the Barns/Events by Classic team knows what they are doing. We’re big fans and highly recommend The Barns for your wedding or large event!
This was the most spectacular venue ever. The menu, the service, the grounds, everything was amazing. Our wedding was incredible and couldn’t picture it anywhere else!
Truthfully the best experience ever. My (now) husband and I have very demanding jobs and didn't want a wedding planning experience that would consume us and take us away from why we were getting married.
It is known for feeling rustic, but it met the "mediterranean" vibes we were trying to capture.
The Barns not only provides a beautiful canvas to build your own experience, but it has everything you need, from catering, to bar services, coordination, and so many fun experiences throughout the planning process (couples get invited to a fun food-tasting experience, etc).
The venue is also in the heart of Monterey so it's walking distance to so many hotels which is great for guests, it's tucked away so it feels very private, and it has so much space for guests to hang out during the reception.
We had SO many people tell us the night of and call us/ text us, after saying that was the best food they've ever had.
10000000000% recommend and would do it all over again!
Any questions?
My daughters wedding was a success. The venue was everything we expected and more. The location is in the middle of the city of Monterey Ca. perfect to visit before and after the wedding. I received compliments from the guest on how everything about the venue was perfect. I would highly recommend this venue
Response from the Vendor on 10/20/2023
Dear Francisco,
I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for your warm words about the wedding. It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of this special day, and I'm truly touched by your appreciation.
Your daughter's wedding was a beautiful a...
nd joyous occasion, made even more memorable by the love and support of the entire family. It was a pleasure working with you all to create the perfect day for the bride and groom.
Your kind words mean a lot to me and the entire team. We're delighted to have been able to contribute to such a wonderful celebration. If you or your family ever need anything in the future, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Once again, thank you for your thoughtful message. It was a privilege to be a part of this momentous event.
Francesca & Team
Let me start by giving Susan and her team at the Barns such a big thank you! With the unpredictable weather we’ve been having they did an amazing job making shifts on the fly! The venue itself is breathtaking and the benefit of having a location that includes the table, linens, chairs, food and beverage with so much more is unbelievable. Susan herself went above and beyond from the multiple walkthroughs to answering my continuous questions. Her and her team also did an amazing job setting up my DIY decor, and it looked beyond any expectations. Our guests were obsessed with the food, and we still haven’t stopped receiving compliments for the chef! If you haven’t viewed this venue, definitely give them a look!
My husband and I got married at The Barns in November 2022 and our wedding was absolutely perfect! When you book the Barns everything is included! - incredible food and bar, a stunning setting, fantastic table settings and furniture, and a terrific staff. Most importantly, you’re assigned an event coordinator with your reservation, and we can’t say enough great things about our coordinator Charlene!
Charlene was fantastic to work with and made sure everything went off seamlessly. As a very detail-oriented and pretty anxious (lol) bride, Charlene was incredibly responsive to our questions and created detailed event sheets and floorplans that made us feel organized and prepared for our big day! And because of Charlene, our wedding went off without a hitch! We even lost power during the ceremony, and I didn’t even notice. Charlene and her staff were in complete control the entire day, so my husband and I could just relax and enjoy!
And a few more words about the setting - it’s like being in a fairytale! We loved how it was an outdoor/indoor venue, so our guests had plenty of room to walk around and we never felt cramped in the space. It’s also so wonderful to have such a beautiful outdoor space that isn’t inconvenient for our guests. The Barns is in downtown Monterey, so there are so many hotels within walking distance.
We can’t thank Charlene, the Barns, and Events by Classic enough for making our day so spectacular! Many of our guests said it was the best wedding they had ever been to! Book the Barns! You won’t regret it!
- Molly and Nick
After seeing many venues we found the Barns at Cooper Molera and fell in love! We originally did not want a barn, but the combination of the barn with the historic adobe buildings and the location so close to downtown, it was truly the perfect venue. They were super easy to work with and very detail oriented. Susan was on top of all the details and made the day completely stress fee and effortless. They worked with my vendors directly and the whole wedding day exceeded expectations. The team there is so kind and fun to work with. Absolutely loved everything about our experience!
We got married at The Barns in August of 2022 and it was truly the wedding of our dreams. The day was magical, and we couldn't have done it without all the help of our amazing coordinator Nicolle. I was a bit nervous to be on this journey without a wedding planner, but as our coordinator, Nicolle provided all the help I needed (and more!). She made our wedding planning experience such a positive one, we actually had a lot of fun! Every email was answered quickly, every detail was discussed thoroughly, and every one of our worries was put to ease. Nicolle was made for this job and I am so glad that we had the opportunity to work with her.
And on the day of the wedding, everything was even better than we had dreamed. Nicolle kept us on track, was by my side when I needed her most, and was extremely helpful throughout the setup/breakdown process. I never thought these words would come out of my mouth, but absolutely NOTHING went wrong! The day was perfect and went off without a hitch.
We had such a great experience at The Barns and cannot speak highly enough of the food and staff. Highly recommend all around!
Where do I even begin? The Events by Classic Group (specifically Charlene!) and The Barns venue was such an incredible experience from start to finish. We had such an out of this world experience partnering with Charlene throughout the entire planning process. Charlene is extremely knowledgeable in the wedding industry, unbelievably organized, super prompt in her email responses, tremendously professional, and an absolute gem of a human being to work with. Words cannot even remotely express how grateful we are for Charlene - she is truly the best and we owe everything to her! Our wedding day was so seamless and extremely well executed - she truly went over and beyond for us and we seriously can't thank her enough. YOU HAVE TO BOOK CHARLENE!! We always felt so at ease knowing that Charlene was right by our side the entire time.
Aside from Charlene being absolutely perfect at everything that she does, the Events by Classic Group team is also such a wonderful company to work with as well. From booking the venue with Amanda (She’s awesome!!) to the high level of service that the catering team provided during dinner was absolutely phenomenal. We chose the plated dinner option and the catering team provided such a wonderful and seamless experience for our guests that made the entire evening run so smoothly. Our guests still cannot stop talking about how incredibly delicious the food was! They all kept saying that it was better than eating at a fancy steakhouse restaurant! The food is out of this world good.
I have nothing but incredible things to say about Charlene, the Events by Classic Group team, and the catering team - it’s truly the dream team and I can’t recommend them all enough! Our wedding guests were absolutely blown away with how classic (no pun intended) and beautiful our wedding was and we owe it all to Charlene and the team! We highly recommend booking Charlene - she’s simply the best!!! Your wedding will be a million times better if you book Charlene!
Response from the Vendor on 11/02/2022
Thank you so much for your kind words! I truly enjoyed working with you two and had so much fun seeing your vision come to life. I loved all the white pumpkin decorations you had (but you already knew that!), and how incredibly thoughtful that ...
you provided place settings for all your vendors! We were privileged to be a part of your special day and wish you every happiness in your new adventure as Husband and Wife. ~ All the best, Charlene and the Events by Classic Group Team
As soon as we got engaged, we knew we wanted The Barns at Cooper Molera to be our ceremony & reception venue. The location is perfectly nestled in downtown Monterey walking distance to nearby hotels, the beach, shops, restaurants. The Barns themselves are so beautiful and easy to get to. Our Venue Coordinator, Susan was fantastic and worked with us over the course of a year to ensure we had the right day/time/food/setup we dreamed of. She was there helping us out on our wedding day as well. With the venue, you also get a lot of great options you can use such as their arch, corn hole, outdoor heaters, silverware, plates, linens, inside and outside bars. The upstairs bridal suite when rented for the night also includes champagne and a full cheese and fruit board. Every guest I talked to during the wedding and even days after were complimenting how clean and organized everything was and how absolutely phenomenal the food was. We were so glad we chose The Barns for our big day and that we can go back and see it every time we're in Monterey!
The Barns at Cooper Molera was an amazing venue for our wedding! Charlene was our designated wedding coordinator that guided us through the whole process and went over and beyond to help us in any areas we needed. When last minute changes came up, she made sure to take care of all of them.
All our guests kept saying how beautiful the venue was, how amazing the food was, and how convenient it was to be walking distance from their hotels. You got the best of both worlds with this venue of it being an outdoor and indoor venue. Especially during the summer season, the weather is amazing! We are so happy we picked this venue, the staff was amazing!
Response from the Vendor on 08/10/2022
Thank you, Mykal, for your generous review! You and Garrett were such a joy to work with and I’m so honored to have had the opportunity to help you with all the details – both planned, and last-minute changes! I’m so glad to hear how much the t...
wo of you and your guests enjoyed your Wedding at The Barns. We wish you both all the love and happiness in the world! ~ Charlene & The Team
Our wedding day was everything we could have hoped for and more. We have SO many positive things to say about The Barns it's hard to sum up our positive experience in a single review!
Our venue coordinator was Frankie and to say she went above and beyond feels like the understatement of the century. During the planning process Frankie scheduled several phone calls with us to go through every day-of detail imaginable. She made sure we covered it all, and really helped bring our vision to life. For example, instead of a cake, we really wanted a champagne tower. Frankie set it up during our reception (picture below) and it made for such a fun moment and pictures. On the day of Frankie made sure that us and our guests were well taken care of. One of my favorite moments was walking into the barn post ceremony to Frankie waiting with champagne for myself and my (new) husband. She also made sure the staff brought us passed apps since we'd be busy taking photos during cocktail hour.
We had multiple guests tell us the food was the best wedding food they've had. The Barns did a great job managing multiple dietary restrictions and allergies and every.single.person got exactly what they ordered. We also got MULTIPLE compliments on the bar especially the spicy margaritas! During the planning process we had expressed to Frankie not wanting long lines for the bar. She (and the Barns staff) made sure cocktails were ready, and had passed beer and wine to keep the lines down during cocktail hour. I don't think we ever saw a line longer than a few people.
We had the day and night of our life and are so grateful to The Barns staff and especially Frankie for everything!!
This is the perfect place to get married. Nestled in the middle of down town, it is easy to access and walking distance from the wharf and several hotels. The barn is meant for weddings- from the loft for the bride to get ready to the dance floor in the barn. My husband and I got married under one of the oak tree branches and it was PERFECT! Susan, the coordinator, was so helpful and calm at all stages from planning to day of preparations. She was quick to respond to my emails and always professional and kind. The food, well, it was amazing. My husband and I are self proclaimed foodies as were several of our guests. We got countless compliments about how this is the best wedding food people had ever eaten. The venue also has a lot of included perks that we did not have to rent such as tables, chairs, and heaters. This was the best place to get married and my husband and I could not recommend them more!
Words cannot describe how incredible and special of place this was to have our wedding at this past weekend. We were one of the couples that had to prolong our wedding due to COVID and honestly, we couldn’t have asked for a better team to navigate through those waters with. They not only continued to be extremely communicative when everything was still very up in the air, but after changing our date 3 times they also gave us back our security deposit per contract because we had postponed it so many times and technically didn’t have to pay until 90 days before hand. If you ask me, this shows how they went above and beyond to be loyal, follow their contract and provide the most incredible customer service.
Now for the aesthetics and location. PRIME!! It is nestled right in downtown making it so easy and convenient for your visitors to walk around during the wedding weekend and made it so easy for everyone to find something to do. You can get food, drinks, Cannery Row, hotels/motels and farmers market all within walking distance. You never felt like you had to entertain your guests while you were busy with your own wedding because the options were unlimited! Also, in our opinion the convenience of place to stay after the wedding was extremely important to us because we didn’t want to worry about Ubers at the end of the night. There are at least 5 hotels within walking distance from the venue.
Aesthetically, Cooper Molera gives you all the feels and encompassing even more than we could have asked for. It is a huge piece of California history, it is thoughtful, unique and special in so many ways. It was the only venue both my now husband and I LOVED and after this wonderful weekend, solidified that we truly picked the best one.
Food was unparalleled to any food we have ever had at a wedding. We had a guest list of 160 people and every single person got the correct food they ordered, it all came out hot, cooked perfectly and at the same time. Every single person raved about it being the best food they have ever had at a wedding and we couldn’t agree more. The steak was cooked perfect, and the salmon was crispy on the outside and medium on the inside. Hats off to all the chefs and servers that made this possible. Once again it exceeded my expectations. Drinks were some of the most fresh and delicious we have ever had as well.
Amanda, Cassandra, Francesca, Nicole as well as the rest of the staff, thank you for making this day absolutely PERFECT!! We would do it all over again times a million and truly made it the best day of our lives!
XX,
Steph and Alec
We highly recommend getting married at The Barns Cooper Molera!
We had such a positive experience planning our wedding here. A few things to call out:
The team: We started working with Amanda and Frankie who were both wonderful! They were very professional, organized, and took the time to get to us as a couple. They also made it super easy to navigate the changes with COVID. The day of our wedding, the entire Events Classic team brought their A-game and we didn't have any issues.
The food: AMAZING! Normally, wedding food can be forgettable but everyone (I mean everyone) was raving about how good the food is. It was also soooo convenient to have catering done in house. The convenience and the tasty menu are a HUGE advantage.
The venue: This is such a gem in the middle of downtown Monterey. It's the perfect location - close to hotels, shops, restaurants, the wharf and the beach (great for our guests who could walk everywhere). But as soon as you step through the gates, it feels like you've escaped to somewhere else. The venue itself is stunning and beautiful - and our guests also had so many good things to say about it!
If you're considering The Barns, this is your sign to go with it! We have no regrets!
I would highly recommend The Barns for your wedding ceremony and reception! My husband and I live in Colorado but wanted to have our wedding in Monterey, California because it was where we met and made it easier for our friends and families to attend. Because we were planning out of state, it was essential to us that we kept things as simple as possible, which meant we were looking for a venue that could do it all within our budget. At The Barns, you get so much more than just an event space, but they include linens, glassware, tables, lighting, catering, and staff to keep your day running smoothly. Not only that but The Barns is committed to eco-friendly and sustainable practices, which was very important to me during planning. I was particular with the type of vendors I wanted to hire, and I am proud that we hired women-owned businesses, businesses that practice sustainability, and small businesses for our wedding.
We worked with Susan Villani, who was helpful and communicative throughout the entire process. Susan understood my vision and gave personalized recommendations on where to host our ceremony and reception to allow proper lighting and heating for our guests. Susan ensured the day went smoothly, and we are so grateful for all of her help and assistance.
I love The Barns at Cooper Molera because it is a transformative space. You can go all out if you want or keep it very natural and still have a one-of-a-kind wedding. We added rentals for lounge seating in the barn and a firepit with Adirondack chairs outside, which our guests loved. Our guests are still raving about how unique and beautiful our wedding was and how delicious the food was! Our guests loved the bar set up and an open bar featuring signature cocktails. We chose the Old Fashioned and Rosemarry Me. The staff at The Barns also promoted safety for covid-19 and followed guidelines for prevention. You will not go wrong if you book The Barns at Cooper Molera!
Perfect venue for our wedding celebration! Venue was accommodating with our COVID-induced date changes, and was great to work with. Staff was fantastic, and everything went off without a hitch. Beautiful venue and COVID-friendly arrangements; our guests commented all night what a cool place it was and how beautiful and serene it all was. Loved it all and wished it would’ve lasted twice as long so I could’ve soaked it in more!
My husband and I cannot thank the staff enough at Events by Classic, especially Rosie Balcar, and The Barns for making our wedding day the most perfect day ever. We had so much fun and everything from start to finish working with them was effortless, stress free and amazing. We hired Rosie as our "Peace of Mind" coordinator and she completely transformed our vision (which we gave very little direction on) into the exact reality we had in mind.
We felt so well taken care of by all the staff at The Barns and just cannot believe how amazingly everything went. The Barns is such an amazing venue with three distinctly different areas where we were able to have our ceremony, cocktail hour and dinner. Each area was spacious and had a different feel but was elegant and perfect for what we needed it for. We had about 110 guests at our wedding and it never felt too crowded or like there was too much space. There is also a wonderful upstairs suite where we were able to get ready and get out some of the jitters before the ceremony or just take a moment together. We feel so lucky to have found such an amazing venue and our guests were raving about it as well. We are genuinely sad to be finished working with Rosie and Events by Classic, but would work with them again in a heartbeat.
Response from the Vendor on 11/05/2019
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are thrilled your vision came to life and will genuinely miss working with you too! ~ Rosie Balcar & Team
We booked the Barns before the they were complete, so it was site unseen (hard hats, ripped up floors and scaffolding) once we finally got to see them done, it surpassed all our expectations! It was thoughtfully constructed and the interior has many special touches that make you feel as if you are in someones home. Upstairs there are comfy chairs, a huge full length mirror and more... everything you want when getting ready or wanting a space to relax. Downstairs has a really cool rustic bar and lots of space to have dinner and dancing.
The staff is very friendly, and let us drop by to see how the Barns were coming along, and kept us up to date on what was happening. The Barns are beautiful, we didn't need a lot of extra decorating which meant we could cut down the costs on flowers and extra rentals since they made such a perfect backdrop already.
We had our Cocktail hour outside, and a plated dinner and dancing inside. We hosted our Ceremony at a nearby church, so unfortunately we didn't get ready here, however I wish we had, it would have been such a great backdrop for photos. Upstairs was closed to the general public, so that's were we had the wedding party keep all their personal items (purses, spare shoes etc). I loved using the 2nd floor for the boutique and garter toss! Due to running behind, we took a moment to ourselves, sneaking upstairs using the kitchen entrance, while the guests were at cocktail hour and quietly looked out the upstairs windows before being spotted by guests and running down to greet everyone.
We were the first couple to have round tables inside, so there was a little manipulation needed once the tables got set, but thanks to my Day-of Coordinator (Amanda) everything went seamless, regardless of what came up (timing, spacing etc), I would highly recommend hiring one of their day-of coordinator s to help make sure you can be stress free.
The only complaint from our Wedding was it ended too early, but I'd rather leave people wanting more than feeling it was too much. We did mix things up and did a grand exit prior to the ending, and it worked out great, it let those who had to leave still have an ending, and pushed those remaining onto the dance floor for the final hour. The barns are also close to lots of bars and restaurants, so if guests want to continue after the wedding is over (like some of our guests) they can easily walk somewhere.
The Barns were a great mix of elegant and casual, cousins who 'hate' weddings complimented ours, while others who like more 'sophisticated tastes' told us how beautiful the venue was as well.... I couldn't ask for a better location!
My husband and I chose the Barns as our venue to host a welcome party for all wedding guests. There were about 100 guests. From the very beginning, Rosie was accommodating and very responsive. On the day of the event, Rosie was flexible allowing us to deliver all decor early in the day. We returned later in the afternoon to decorate the site. When we did not have batteries for one of the games, Rosie and her staff were on it. Staff was very helpful in the pre-party preparations, and everyone was very cheerful.
When our guests arrived, we all gathered in the outside courtyard for passed appetizers and cocktails. We chose to have the premium open bar. We appreciated that the Barns offers a set per person drink price so that we knew what our costs would be. The appetizers were delicious. And our guests had fun socializing and playing outdoor yard games. In fact, our guests were having so much fun it was difficult to get them inside for dinner.
However, once they saw the food stations, all began to thoroughly enjoy their meals. We decided upon the grilling station with tri tip and salmon. The accompanying sauces were fantastic. There was a great salad and roasted vegetables. In addition, people raved about the mac and cheese bar. Over a month later we are still getting rave reviews of the food. Not having huge expectations when 100 people are being fed, we were beyond thrilled with the quality of the food.
For dessert, we decided upon the s'more station. Our guests loved it! We also appreciated that we had bars inside and outside as our guests enjoyed mingling both in and out during the evening. The heater lamps were a bonus.
At the end of the evening, our guests did not want to leave! But there was a wedding the next day! The wedding at Pebble Beach the next day topped off a wonderful weekend. And everyone keeps talking about the Barns. Thank you, Rosie and your staff! We would definitely host another event at the Barns.
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535 Polk Street, Monterey, CA
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The Barns at Cooper Molera
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