The wedding and event barn industry in Wisconsin is alive and well! With well over 200 barns scattered across the state, there are plenty for people to choose from. I was able to stop out at Bridle Barn & Gardens in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin to visit with owner, Robin Marohn, to learn more about what makes their barn unique and about the industry as a whole.
The Bridle Barn is an 1870’s amish built horse barn, that has been part of their family for years. When they first purchased the barn and land, Marohn and his wife were unsure exactly how to make use of it, as they did not know anything about raising horses nor about growing crops. Wedding barns at the time were gaining popularity on the east coast, and they decided it was a good route to go with only a few wedding barns in Wisconsin at the time.
“There were a few years where everybody wanted to get married in a barn,” Marohn said. They saw a huge wave for a while, that has slowly backed off now. Even though they’re not at their high point, wedding barns are still very popular for people looking for a more rustic or country wedding. Marohn mentioned that being in the Blue Valley near Mt. Horeb makes for beautiful scenery and a very peaceful location. He says, “that’s what sets us apart.” Other than that, it is just continuing to adapt and stay relevant that keeps the customers coming.
During the pandemic, unfortunately the barn had to basically shut down other that a few “tiny events” that they hosted. Luckily though, the majority of their customers were able to move their dates from 2020 to 2021. They are excited to see that Dane County restrictions are being lifted and that things are getting back to normal. As soon as things started to look better, “the phone started ringing, we started getting emails,” said Marohn and things have been getting back to business as usual.
They are very busy preparing for their first event of the year. “It’s like the reawakening in the spring, it’s the reawakening of the barn and gardens to get everything ready for their first event,” said Marohn. Their normal season runs from the end of May to October, so they are almost ready to kick things off for the year.
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