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Country Manor Acres, a 60-acre Townsend site for outdoor, garden weddings and receptions, has introduced its Appalachian-style barn and refurbished it as the “Party Barn” for a country-style wedding venue.

Originally built as a long-awaited, state-of-the-art horse barn for owners Reid and April Jopling’s horses, it was complete with horse stalls, huge center breezeway, tack room, feed room and restroom. At the request of a bride in search of a western venue for her wedding last year, the Joplings took down the sliding doors to the stalls, pressure-cleaned the walls and added new overhead paddle-fan lights and a white-sand floor.

Strands of Christmas lights were hung from the ceiling and old-fashioned carriage lights were hung on the walls. The Joplings added hardwood flooring to the tack room and restroom, turning the tack room into an air-conditioned bridal dressing room that also doubles as the ladies’ lounge during receptions and events.

The feed storage area, with shelving, a mini refrigerator, a microwave and coffee maker is perfect for the caterer’s storage or prep area.

April Jopling said, “This renovation was a little extreme, but it shows the efforts we are willing to go to for the bride’s dream to become reality.”

Reid added, “There will never be horses in that barn again, however. It is now and forever more a ‘Party Barn.’”

Boots to black tie

Reid said their motto is “from boots and blue jeans to black-tie affairs, both city slickers and country folk are welcome.”

April explained, “We’ve removed trees from the forest to clear a site for an outside wedding in the shade. We’ve used the dike behind our pond for the bride and bridegroom’s ride to the ceremony — by horseback — with all the guests watching from the opposite side of the pond. We’ve used hymns played by the chimes of a nearby church as the signal to start the ceremony. One couple arrived by motorcycle, with the bride in long formal gown.

“We can hang kites from the big oak tree in the middle of the horse pasture, or move our wedding arbor or rent a gazebo or tent to place on top of the hill, or in a private valley — exactly where the bride wants. We can help to stage a shotgun, Bonnie and Clyde-style wedding, or use a horse-drawn hay wagon to transport the guests from the ceremonial site to the reception site, or for the wedding party to unwind at the fire
pit with acoustic music and a marshmallow roast at the end of the reception.”

April’s favorite event was a small, simple wedding, followed by an Old English-style candlelight dinner for two, decked out with pewter serving pieces, while dining on steak grilled on location and served in the middle of the big Party Barn. The couple retired to spend a two-week honeymoon in the Hay Loft Sky Cabin above the barn.
Some of the Country Manor wedding couples honeymoon in the private guest suites at the Country Manor House, and sometimes the out-of town guests vacation at the Hay Loft.

Another wedding event planned for the Country Manor veranda includes the bridal couple and the guests overlooking the peaceful horse pasture at the foot of the porch. The bride plans to use the church-chime hymns to begin her horse-drawn carriage ride to the site, and April’s son, Jeff, will play the wedding processional and recessional following the hymns. “We love it best when our son gets to participate with his music, whether it is his singing, his keyboard or his country band,” the Joplings said.

Much to offer

One of the Joplings’ lodging guests said, “It just seems that people fall in love with this 60-acre estate. With all that Townsend and their property has to offer — such as the fishing pond, the small john-boat, the pony rides, feeding the horses, watching the blue heron steal fish from the pond, enjoying a picnic beneath the huge weeping willow tree, hiking the many trails or relaxing on a park bench while watching the wildlife and the antics of the domesticated animals. It offers privacy for couples, or activities for children, or intimacy for family gatherings.”

In addition, the Joplings have partnered with their church and donated land for a mission garden.