The Barn at Reynolda Village is proud to be a LGBTQ+ Friendly wedding venue and we enjoy working with a wide range of diverse couples who are planning their heartfelt celebrations.  As a wedding ceremony venue, there are two questions we at The Barn at Reynolda Village are asked frequently:

“How do couples make use of your dressing rooms?

and

“How does the processional work for a same sex ceremony?”

During this joyful Pride Month, we are happy to share our suggestions and what we have learned from our couples about these two popular considerations.

Photo courtesy of Adornment Photo.

The Reynolda Loft and The Village Loft

Getting Ready

Long before The Barn at Reynolda Village became a premiere wedding venue, it was a working dairy barn for the Reynolds family. Designed by renowned architect Charles Barton Keen in 1916, the New Dairy Barn as it was called then, was one of the most state-of-the-art dairies of its time.

When The Barn was repurposed as an event venue in 2016, we were respectful of the original footprint of the building.  As a result, our two charming and well-appointed loft spaces on the second floor are not equal in size. That said, both The Reynolda Loft and The Village Loft offer charming architecture, comfortable and attractive furniture, stocked Keurigs, and a small refrigerator. The difference in size always leads to jokes about flipping a coin to see who gets the larger space.

But what about two brides or two grooms?  How can these enchanting areas serve the needs of non-traditional couples?   Here’s a summary of what we have learned from our recent same-sex newlyweds:

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On a day that is being customized for two people in love, who says you can’t enjoy each other’s company while getting all gussied up for the big day?  The Village Loft can accommodate up to 30 people so it is certainly roomy enough for a couple and the members of their bridal party and family to enjoy time together before the ceremony.  In this scenario, The Reynolda Loft down the hall can serve as an ideal spot to take a break for lunch!

Photo courtesy of Adornment Photo.

Flip A Coin

OK, not really! Instead have an honest conversation about which of you needs more space to spread out. Perhaps one of you might prefer an intimate space with just a couple key people spending time helping you prepare?  The Reynolda Loft, with its large picture window overlooking The Meridale Room below, is the ideal place to spend your prep time.

Photo courtesy of Arial Kaitlin Photography.

One Here, One There

Perhaps on your wedding day, you plan for two completely different get-ready experiences? One of you might like to take advantage of the entire second floor at The Barn at Reynolda Village and one of you might enjoy preparing in a completely different venue.  We have several options from which to choose.

The Graylyn Estate, conveniently located just down the road from The Barn at Reynolda Village,  offers a wide array of stunning accommodations.  The Estate is an easy 10 minute drive to a variety of hotels, VRBOs, and Inns in downtown Winston-Salem.  Have fun! Keep your photographer busy by planning fabulous “morning of” photos in various picturesque locations!

Getting Down the Aisle

In Keeping With Tradition

For those who have always dreamed of that center-of-attention moment being alone as you walk down the aisle, or of being the person who waits for their beloved at the end of the aisle, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with sticking to the traditional wedding procession. In this order, the officiant and either the bride or groom are at the altar, while the attendants from both sides of the wedding party walk down the aisle together in pairs. The bride or groom who wants “the walk” enters last, often escorted by one or two people.

Photo courtesy of Adornment Photo.

Take Turns

A slight twist on tradition for a wedding procession is to give each member of the couple a turn to walk down the aisle separately, allowing each to capture the audience’s attention. And there are several options for how to make this style work. Some partners choose to stop halfway down the aisle and wait for their fiancé to walk down the aisle. The couple then take the final steps together to where  the officiant is standing. If you choose this route, it’s important to inform your officiant as to when you would like the audience to rise—before the first partner, before the second, or at some other time.

Two Aisles Are Better Than One

Whoever said there can only be one aisle? Talk to your venue about creating two distinct aisles.    Each partner can walk down their own aisle  and then meet at the center in front of their officiant. If you and/or your partner are escorted, that person would leave at that point. Another option would be to enter from separate sides of the ceremony venue, with  wedding attendants marching behind, and everyone meeting in front at their designated places. If your ceremony will be held in our Reynolda Gardens, there are multiple entry points and options.   The magnificent landscape architecture offers multiple opportunities to create a picturesque processional!

You’re In This Together

Take simplicity and romance to the next level at your wedding by walking down the aisle together. Depending on the size of the venue, your escorts can walk down the aisle with both of you, or simply share one escort between the two of you. Or don’t.

Walk in together, hand in hand, faces beaming with joy on the day that was always meant to be yours!

For more wedding planning inspiration and ideas, visit us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and enjoy a virtual tour at our website! Or give us a call at 336.758.BARN.

Photo courtesy of Ariel Kaitlin Photography.

Once upon a time, when a couple became engaged, the first two calls they made were to a house of worship and then to a reception venue.  Often times, one or both were the same place that their parents rented for their wedding and very likely, many of their friends and family too.  Once those two spaces were confirmed, wedding planning could begin. And that planning would need to include well thought out logistics to be sure guests attended, and moved between, the two locations.

And then, something amazing happened! At some magical moment, the first couple said “How can we have both the ceremony and reception in the same place?” and the wedding industry was changed forever.

Now as couples type the words “wedding venue” into their search engine, they can expect that many of the results will be all-in-one venues that offer options for ceremonies of various sizes and receptions all at the same address. According to a 2022 survey of nearly 12,000 couples married in calendar year 2022, couples said that being able to host both events in one location was the second most important factor when researching wedding venues.  (Cost was #1)

Photo courtesy of 1828 Collective.

So what are some of the reasons that hosting a wedding at a venue that provides both ceremony and reception spaces is so popular?  It comes down to three key factors:

Cost

When you compare venues, those that offer space for both ceremony and reception will typically offer packages with pricing to encompass both events. This can be beneficial vs. the premiums you may be quoted by ‘ceremony only’ locations.

When you opt for one venue for your wedding celebration, a clever tool for saving money can be the repurposing of décor throughout your two events. Items like archways and oversized floral designs might find a new role for guest photo opps or can be on display behind the head table or the sweetheart table. Another fun idea is having the wedding program also be the dinner menu! With your ceremony and reception in one place, you can get creative finding fun, multi-use options.

You should also realize a savings in transportation costs for the bridal party and guests when choosing one venue. Whether you would have rented a shuttle between nuptials and the reception, or guests would have navigated on their own, travel costs are reduced, and logistics simplified for everyone by sticking with one location. 

Photo courtesy of Adornment Photography.

Simplicity for Guests

Let’s face it, even with GPS providing details about our every move, driving in an unfamiliar place can be stressful. Opting for the same venue for both ceremony and reception saves drive time, and makes it easier for out-of-town guests to navigate.

Choosing one location also makes it more cost-effective for guests to use car services like Uber or Lyft with only one destination.  Not to mention, removing travel time means spending more time celebrating!

Photo courtesy of Adornment Photography.

Simplicity for Planning

By choosing one venue for your total wedding celebration, you reduce some of the stress associated with event planning.  Committing to one location allows you to avoid managing two venue’s expectations, two planning timelines, and working with multiple venue representatives. Choosing a venue that offers a full day, ceremony and reception package, connects you with one wedding professional who is experienced with both events.

Another benefit of one location is a cohesive design aesthetic. When you book both ceremony and reception in the same venue, you can more easily execute your wedding visions. And working with one style will also help you save money on décor!

Photo courtesy of Adornment Photography.

The Barn at Reynolda Village offers wedding packages that include spaces for ceremonies and receptions, from 10 people to 310 people!  Find details, prices, a virtual tour, and inclusions here or give us a call to schedule your site visit.

And be sure to follow us on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook.

2023 is off to an exciting start at The Barn at Reynolda Village!  Not only have we been busy, busy, busy with a steady flow of new inquiries, bookings, and events, but we also launched – for the first time ever – a Virtual Tour of our venue and its many spaces, inside and out!

When we learned about the option to create an interactive, 3D tour that prospective clients could view at any time, we knew it was something we wanted to offer! The convenience of being able to showcase our multiple venue options in a way that brings the space to life from wherever it’s being viewed is so valuable to those considering or planning an event in Reynolda!

The Virtual Tour of The Barn at Reynolda Village, now live on our website, allows visitors the ability to see inside each of our unique rentable space while also learning more about how the different areas are utilized for events including “pop up” photos from previous celebrations, meetings, and get-togethers.   No special software is required – it’s truly as simple as a few mouse clicks and you can be “inside” all of the historic spaces inside The Barn at Reynolda Village or strolling Reynolda’s grounds and botanical gardens in seconds!

If you would like to take our Virtual Tour with a more personal touch, just let our sales manager know and she can invite you to join a live walk through.  You can both be in your offices, at home on your couch, or wherever is convenient, while also moving from space to space together.  You can ask questions and have them answered just as if you were standing in The Barn together!

Photo courtesy of Hillary Muelleck Photography.

“Our clients love it!” says Tabatha, sales manager at The Barn. This is a game changer especially for clients who live out of town but wants to get to know The Barn and surrounding areas!  With Barn weekends devoted almost entirely to wedding events, my ability to provide site visits on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays has always been a big challenge.  Not anymore!  Now we just set up a virtual tour time, go to the website from our personal computers and I am able to invite folks to virtually walk through with me! 

For those already booked and in the planning stages of their event at The Barn at Reynolda Village, our Virtual Tour provides a helpful planning tool.  Can’t remember if there are windows at the far side of The Wexford Room? Go there on the tour to check!  Having a staff retreat in The Village Loft but can’t decide which set-up will work best?  Invite your colleagues to view the Virtual Tour and weigh in.

Operations manager Jenn is also looking forward to using the virtual tour to meet virtually with our busy event clients to work on their event set-up plans together. “Clients, planners, and I can all be “in” The Barn together from three different places but we can accomplish so much! Where should the cake be placed, where the bride and groom make their grand entrance, which side of the Garden will host the ceremony - the list goes on and on!”

To take your virtual tour inside The Barn at Reynolda Village, visit our website and click the Virtual Tour banner at the top of the page.

You can also find prices and package information under Packages & Prices. And as always, we welcome your call to us at 336.758.BARN.

By Tabatha Renegar, sales manager at The Barn at Reynolda Village

Thank you for taking the time to read this blog.  I know that there are about 30 million things trying to get your attention and I am grateful to have it.

As the sales manager for The Barn at Reynolda Village, my main role is to meet with prospective event clients and to help them see that The Barn is the ideal venue for the celebration, meeting or gathering that they are planning. It’s not a hard job.  Don’t get me wrong! I don’t mean that just anybody can do it, I want to give myself some credit!  But what I mean is that The Barn itself is such a gem of a venue that talking to people about it and envisioning their time in it is more pleasure than work.

Photo courtesy of Coordinating Dreams.

Since joining the team in November of 2018, I have had the distinct pleasure of booking over 500 weddings, corporate functions, non-profit events, rehearsal dinners, birthday parties, baby and bridal showers, graduation parties, proms, formals, sorority and fraternity events, celebrations of life, anniversary parties, and holiday parties galore!  Those events represent 1,000s of people coming through the doors into The Barn at Reynolda Village, a building that originally served as The Reynolda Village Dairy Barn for the Reynolds family and was home to prize-winning bulls and cows for decades.  Do you think that the original dairyman, Adrian Sigmon and herdsman, Thomas Monroe ever had a conversation about how the Barn might someday be one of the premier event venues in the Triad?  It’s funny to think about isn’t it?

Photo courtesy of Reynolda House Museum of American Art Archives.

As I reflect on all that The Barn was, has become and will continue to evolve into, I am grateful for so many of the things that could easily be taken for granted that make my job the true pleasure that it is.

·       The many vendors that partner with us to provide the best quality event support possible!  Planners, caterers, photographers, florists, DJs, lighting experts, tent builders… the list goes on!  Thank you for the hard work and long hours that you put in each and every day to make The Barn at Reynolda Village shine!

·       The clients who have grown into friends.  I know that you had other lovely venue choices in the Triad and it is an honor to have been your choice and the backdrop for your important events!

·       And last but certainly not least, my team mates! If it wasn’t for their dedication to supporting my role and to superior customer service, my job would be a LOT harder! They take the vision that I have promised our clients and guests and they turn it into reality, time and time again. (Just read our reviews to see proof of that!)

Photo courtesy of Nancy Ray Photography.

I hope that you are able to find time in your day to look back with joy and gratitude on the last couple of years. It wasn’t always perfect, Lord knows we have all faced unforeseen trials and tribulations. But I hope that you had moments of pure delight, unbridled laughter, and serenity as I have.  And that many more are ahead for us all.

Photo courtesy of Vesic Photography.

Choosing an event venue is often a couple’s first endeavor into their wedding planning and vendor research.  Naturally they have many thoughtful questions about how to best utilize the space, most comfortable guest counts, the various catering options, décor limitations, music, and more. Our job at The Barn at Reynolda Village is to answer what we can and to explain options in a way that helps them envision their big day with us.  Easy!  However the one question we often hear on site visits that is a bit harder to answer is:  How much should I expect to spend on my wedding?

Photo courtesy of Dauntless Pines.

Wow, talk about a loaded question!   It's no secret that wedding budget planning can feel daunting, particularly because weddings are expensive. In fact, The Knot 2021 Real Weddings Study found that the average cost of a wedding is $28,000 (excluding the engagement ring). For many engaged couples, it might be the most expensive thing they have ever committed to!

Photo courtesy of Hart Creative.

Which is exactly why we recommend that all newly engaged couples, or even soon-to-be-engaged couples, start their wedding journey with the least romantic, yet most important, thing possible: RESEARCH.

Start that research with each other.  What’s most important to each of you when you envision your wedding celebration?  Are you on the same page about the components that you each feel will “make or break” the ideal wedding celebration?  You might find out that your soon-to-be-spouse isn’t interested in having alcohol and you thought they were!  You can now adjust your budget accordingly.

Photo courtesy of Hart Creative.

Did you attend a wedding recently or know someone else planning a wedding?  If your relationship with that person or couple permits conversations about money, ask them!  Especially if the event took place in the same region that you are planning for.  They will very likely have some great tips on things they overspent on and areas where they wish they had invested a bit more.

So, where to begin?   Here is a list of the expenses typically associated with planning a wedding.  Keep in mind that some of these may not apply to you, depending on the kind of celebration being planned.  The coolest part about modern day wedding planning?  You can do as much or as little as you want by customizing the day to include exactly what’s important to YOU!

WEDDING PLANNER

VENUE

CATERER

FLORAL DESIGNER

PHOTOGRAPHER and/or VIDEOGRPAHER

BAKERY

STATIONARY

DÉCOR (ie: linens, arches, furniture)

MUSIC (DJ or Band)

FAVORS

TRANSPORTATION

INSURANCE

To begin your wedding venue research, spend some time on our website where you will find rental rates, catering partners, terrific photos, and an inquiry form to get your first site visit planned!  We hope you will only need one!

Inspiration can also be found on our Instagram page, on Facebook, and of course, Pinterest! And you can always give us a call at 336.758.BARN.

Photo courtesy of Nancy Ray Photography.