The most beautiful, stress-free wedding venue – Lea & Josh at the River Barn

Lea & Josh married at The River Barn on 25th May 2024.

Photography: Rebecca Clare Photography 

We wanted a wedding venue that had light, open spaces with a homely feel for our guests to relax and feel comfortable and somewhere that was accessible to elderly grandparents and to the small children we had in our bridal party. Outdoor space in the case of good weather and being surrounded by nature was also important to us, especially for photography and videography.

We focussed our search in the Lancashire area, as we knew we wanted to stay local and for our guests to not have to travel too far. Again, it was important for our guests to feel comfortable and easy travel routes played a big part in that.

We booked our wedding two years in advance as we knew we needed the time to plan without any added time or financial pressures.

We knew that we wanted to find a middle ground between a rustic farmhouse site and a stately home or manor house, so when we came across the designs for The River Barn renovations, we were immediately interested. The quaint charm of the main house, with its winding driveway and characterful rooms was the perfect contrast to the modern barn conversion, with its light and airy space. We booked a visit to speak with the wedding team and were given such a warm and friendly welcome, plus their enthusiasm for the renovation work and aspirations for the end goal really helped us to get excited. We provisionally booked and were not disappointed when we attended the eventual opening day. The barn and manor house are decorated beautifully, the greenery and foliage really blending in with the natural surroundings and complementing our aim for an earthy colour scheme. The team were insightful, calm and easy to communicate with, which made for a stress-free build up to the day. We were particularly drawn to their relationships with the suppliers we chose, as they were all able to work together seamlessly, with minimal input from us. The local transport networks and accommodation options were also a selling point, as we had family travelling from across the UK, all of whom noted how easily accessible the venue was. The open days we attended and meetings with the team were really well organised and gave us a realistic insight into what our day would be like and so from the start we were able to stay calm and really get excited knowing that we would be well looked after.

The whole site is a photo opportunity and I really mean that! Our favourite photos are on the driveway leading up to the house, but we also have some beautiful ones with family and the bridal party in the walled gardens. The glass entrance and pond area were lovely too during golden hour and there are also plenty of indoor spaces with aesthetically pleasing backdrops within the barn itself, particularly near the bar, the fireplace, dancefloor and even against the photo wall in the loo!

Fleur Designs styled our venue and provided all the florals. We had a mixture of olive green, toffee and beige which we felt really complemented the natural foliage within The River Barn and the natural backdrop to the venue. We kept the ceremony and reception florals to a minimum as we didn’t want to detract from the beautiful natural foliage that already hung in the space. We love to spend time in nature, walking through the countryside and it was important that we were able to bring our personalities into our wedding day. 

We couldn’t thank the team at The River Barn enough for their calm and caring nature, particularly in the weeks leading to the day itself. Nothing was too big or too small and a member of the team was always on the end of the phone or an email. We were also lucky enough to be encouraged to bring our families and bridal party along to the venue on separate occasions for a tour, which made for really special memories. The wedding day itself ran so smoothly, as a bride and groom we didn’t have to think about or get involved in any problem solving which I’m sure happened behind the scenes. The team kept us on time, made sure our guests were looked after and really catered for us to have the most special day with our loved ones. The aftercare we received was also incredible, we often receive emails from them to ask how we’re getting on and to take part in showcases of our wedding day which is so lovely to be asked. 

Planning a wedding can be daunting and for some it can be hard to know where to start. We stumbled across The River Barn using a wedding planning app at the beginning of our search and are so glad that we did because everything really did flow from there. The recommended suppliers list given to us by The River Barn, the insightful knowledge from the wedding team and the support and encouragement we received really did ensure our wedding journey was relaxed, calm and personal to us. Our family and friends are still talking about our wedding day and in particular the fun we were able to have during the lively wedding breakfast and reception together as a result of the organised team of people working behind the scenes in a beautiful, accessible location. I can’t recommend The River Barn enough and hope this helps others to book their special day there!

VENUE:
The River Barn

86A Mains Lane
Poulton-le-Fylde FY6 7LE
www.theriverbarn.co.uk
@riverbarnweddings

SUPPLIERS:

Photographer: www.rebeccaclarephotography.co.uk

Dress & Suits: ameliasbrides.com

Bridesmaid Dresses: www.sixstories.co.uk

Florist: www.fleurdesigns.co.uk

Caterer: www.twelve-restaurant.co.uk/event-management

Make-up: @__Bridalbyabbey 
@Browz.byjodie 

Hair: ribblevalleybridal.co.uk
www.meganmariehair.co.uk

Stationary: @the_crafty_mutt

Cake: Ambles Bakes

Singer: www.jadeleighparr.com

Host & DJ: www.patmulligan.co.uk

Sax Player: www.simonlevisax.com

Videographer: Jake Rainford – creativeindividuals.digital

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