My favorite thing about wedding days … okay, one of my favorite things … is getting to interact with the other amazing wedding vendors in Sioux Falls. I first met Amanda of Blue Haven Barn two years ago and I was immediately so impressed with her business, as well as IN LOVE with the venue. I won’t pretend like I’ve shot at every wedding venue in Sioux Falls (yet!), but it’s safe to say that as of now, Blue Haven is my favorite.
The first time I explored Blue Haven, I was in awe with how perfect the place was for a photographer. Seriously – my job is so easy here! The whole place is light and bright, and everything is so clean and modern, but still super romantic and intimate. It is a dream to shoot here.
If you’re looking for a wedding venue in Sioux Falls, I can’t recommend Amanda and her team highly enough. Blue Haven is a top notch wedding venue – some of my favorite images EVER have been captured here. I’m so excited to chat more with Amanda and share it all with you. Keep reading!
M: How did you decide to build a venue like Blue Haven?
A: When my husband and I got married, I dreamed about getting married at a beautiful country venue. At that point Sioux Falls didn’t have any venues that fit my dream wedding criteria. I always wanted to run my own business and I saw it as a opportunity to bring a great new venue to Sioux Falls.
Blue Haven is unique in that it’s a barn venue, but it’s more modern and elegant that an actual barn. (Which is why I am obsessed.) What was the process like of deciding how Blue Haven should look and feel?
We Initially started with a rustic barn look, but after researching I just fell in love with the more elegant look. We switched our design at the last minute to incorporate a more romantic design with whites, grays, and light blues.
What sets Blue Haven apart from other venues in Sioux Falls?
Our couples are priority to us. We meet and discuss every detail with them to ensure the event is executed flawlessly. We are proud to have the same staff at every event that have been at Blue Haven since opening.
In addition, one major thing that sets us apart from other is our ability to host indoor “traditional” style wedding and do a flip into a reception. This way, a couple gets two very different looks from ceremony to reception, if the ceremony location is inside. We did this by incorporating curtains into our design to hide tables for a quick transition from ceremony to reception. This design keeps us very busy with ceremonies and weddings all year long. We also have a beautiful outdoor area that is beautiful year round that couples just don’t get with city venues.
What are some of the advantages of booking a wedding at a barn venue?
Blue Haven is set up perfect for a romantic/modern wedding, which is easy to decorate. Our tables are a beautiful light grey and don’t need linens. Most couples spend the entire day here getting ready in the bridal suites, enjoy the afternoon taking pictures and relaxing on the patio, get married onsite with several ceremony locations to choose from, and drink, eat and dance the night away!
What’s your favorite wedding trend you’ve seen recently? This can be a general trend or something specific to barn weddings – or both!
I love to incorporate new floor plans. I spend lots of time on Pinterest researching different floor plans, figuring out how we can incorporate them in our space to make weddings unique and fun. We recently rolled out a chevron table layout. Loved it! Decor wise, I still love the soft colors – dusty blues, rose, whites, and grays. Our space is so unique that every color choice looks amazing.
What’s your favorite part about your job?
I love to see the space decorated differently every weekend. I get asked often if I want to buy decor from weddings, but I decline because every bride has their own style and every wedding is different and unique to each couple.
What does a typical day look like at your job?
As an owner, we work all week with no days off getting ready for the weekend events as well as doing tours, emailing and meeting with brides. In the summer, we are constantly busy outside mowing, planting flowers and trees, power washing sidewalks, cleaning windows, etc.
What does a typical wedding day look like at your job?
Most people don’t know this, but once Friday morning comes our weekend is non-stop day and night until Sunday, sometimes Mondays. Because our venue is open 8am-midnight, we only have from midnight – 8am to get ready for the next wedding. We have staff that stay late to move furniture to set-up the next days event and we come in very early to do cleaning from the prior days activities both inside and out. We have to have everything perfect by 8am as people are eagerly waiting to start decorating and start hair and makeup.
Once the hustle slows down in the morning, the men typically arrive and pictures officially begin. The afternoons go fast. Our bar usually opens early and we get the bar stocked and ready for a large rush of people before and after the ceremony. As you can image, our bar is very busy at weddings. Throughout the night, we move tables for the dance, change garbages, bus glasses, and clean up until the end of the night. Then we start all over setting up and cleaning for the next days event.
Most Common Blue Haven Timeline
8am Arrival
8am-11am Decorating / Hair and Makeup start for ladies
11am – Men Arrive and Pictures begin
Noon – First looks and more pictures / Lunch
4pm – Ceremony
5pm – Social and yard games
6pm – Dinner
7pm – Speeches/Cake Cutting
7:30-11 – Dance
11- Clean up
What has been the best part about owning a wedding venue?
Getting to meet and share this big day with some many couples and families.
If you were talking to a bride about Blue Haven and trying to convince her to consider a barn wedding venue, what would you say?
I usually don’t have to say much. Once someone walks in the doors they are in love!
What is your best advice for a bride planning her big day?
Ask your vendors for recommendations! They have been through a lot of weddings and they know what works the best to create a stress free day.
What are you excited about for Blue Haven in the next year?
We just added a full liquor license, and so far this summer planted over 40 new trees. We are continuing to add and reinvest in the properties’ landscaping to create the best outdoor space in our area. We have lots of projects planned and I can’t wait!
