Before The Open House
I personally use the walking trails at Mahr Park Arboretum and have known about the transformation of one of the maintenance barns into an event center since the early summer of 2020. Being able to see firsthand the transformation as you visit Mahr Park on a regular basis was truly an experience in itself.
As a Wedding Photographer, I was very curious if The City of Madisonville would be interested in using the space for weddings or if they were going to lean more towards organizational functions, company meetings, etc. As the construction began to get closer and closer to being finished, I was beginning to get pretty excited about the opportunities this might bring for the Wedding Industry here in Madisonville, KY. It seemed as though on the outside it could certainly be used as a Wedding Venue and so much more.
As soon as I knew there was going to be an Open House for local businesses and the public, I couldn’t wait to come and take pictures. Below are some of the images that I captured that day. If you would like to see all 80 images, you can visit our Facebook Post about it.
The Event Barn Open House
On October 16th, 2020 The City of Madisonville put on the Open House for the new Event Barn. I got there early because I wanted to try and take as many images as I could without people in them to truly show off the Event Barn and what it had to offer. I began by taking images of the exterior and then worked my way inside.
Once inside, I was amazed at how beautiful the interior was. The black and white theme inside can go with any type of event you could ever imagine, the white walls and large windows help to brighten up the room (which will really help photographers take amazing images in the future).
One of the first things that you notice in the center of the room is a wall that has a unique wooden pattern. It really is the focal point of the room and gives a nice background in images. It also helps to hide doors behind it which will also help create better images. The pattern is also on the back wall in the band or buffet area.
The round tables and wooden chairs are a welcoming addition to any event. They look modern yet rustic at the same time.
The wooden beams on the ceiling that match the exterior beams are a really nice touch that really pops with the black ceiling.
One of the biggest attractions was the centerpieces that were created by Metcalfe Florist. They absolutely knocked it out of the park with these centerpieces!
On the back patio, they had local musicians playing music and the black and white theme continues outside with smaller tables as well.
When you’re inside the building, you certainly notice the enormous roll-up doors on the back wall. However, when you’re outside on the back patio, they become a more prominent focal point.
Besides the big spacious single room inside, there is also a kitchen area, bar area, band or buffet area, VIP room, and restrooms.
As a Wedding Photographer, I was very interested in the VIP room. It looks like this is where a bride would be getting ready on her special day. It comes furnished with a couch, tables, chairs, and a lot of other decorative items to fill the room and make it cozy.
Open House Finishing Thoughts
After attending the Open House, my final thoughts are very positive. This is exactly what was needed here in Madisonville, KY. More and more couples these days are moving away from getting married in a church setting as the previous generations did. Not because they are less religious, but because weddings these days are becoming more about the experience. The bride and groom want their family and friends to have fun, to enjoy a great experience, and most couples are choosing to do that at a dedicated Wedding Venue.
I expect that over the next five years The Event Barn at Mahr Park Arboretum will become a popular place to get married. I believe that as that popularity continues to grow, The City of Madisonville will start to implement more construction around the new Event Barn and cater more towards weddings.
I think that this will be a very positive thing for local wedding vendors, the local community, and be a positive revenue stream for The City of Madisonville. Of course, only time will tell, but I am staying very optimistic.
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