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Love on the Farm Sparks a Dream Wedding Venue
Way before The Gallagher Barn became an Upstate NY Wedding Venue, Jenna & her Husband Martin were two kids who both grew up on dairy farms. How did their love story begin? No other place than Instant AOL Messenger! Fast forward to these two falling in love and marrying in Jenna’s parent’s barn. The couple had no idea their 2008 rustic barn wedding was going to become so popular. “At the time of our wedding, barn weddings were decidedly not a thing and Pinterest and Instagram did not exist”. The couple went on to enjoy married life, welcoming children and residing in the Finger Lakes.
After watching a family member’s barn-style wedding in 2014, they were reminded of how they adored their rustic wedding. “I have always loved bringing back the beauty in old things and those pictures were the precursor we needed to get our dreams dancing for a barn wedding space we could create for others.” In pursuit of recreating a beautiful venue, Martin knocked on the door of the locally famous Gallagher Property. A space iconic to the community but in very poor condition. After many negotiations, they not only purchased the barn, but a 14-acre property, a house, and a couple of other barns. Remarkably even with full-time jobs & 3 kids four and under at the time, they embarked on a year of construction to rehab the venue. The Gallagher Barn open its doors to its first wedding in 2016 and has been a dream venue ever since.
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Photo Credit: Jacqueline Connor Photography Photo Credit: Malorie Deperna Photography
This Upstate NY Wedding Barn Delivers a Unique Experience
What really sets this venue apart is it offers the use of a house. Both for getting ready and to spend the night after the wedding for the couple. “We love getting to know couples and feel this makes the day more relaxing and enjoyable for everyone involved!” Jenna, Martin, and The Gallagher Barn staff have set a very high standard. Their number one goal? To anticipate the needs of both the couple and their guests before they even know they need or want something! “We are super passionate about creating a unique experience for each couple that chooses to get married at The Gallagher. I have personally been at every single wedding ever hosted at The Gallagher and still tear up as couples are walking down the aisle!” Getting married at The Gallagher means you will have Jenna & Martin guiding you from start to finish.
Photo Credit: First Look Wedding Photography
Photo Credit: Weatherbee Photography
Let The Gallagher Barn Be A Reflection of You
Jenna believes the “most important aspect of keeping a business contemporary is to be willing to change”. The Gallagher loves to think out of the box incorporating all of their couple’s ideas. “A wedding shouldn’t be guided strictly by tradition, but by the things that make each couple unique in their own way.”
One example is when Jenna had a couple who wanted to incorporate their love for Disney without being “too kitschy”. She helped come up with ideas, gathered antiques, and made each table a vintage vibe of different Disney movies. “There was a beauty and the beast table with a vintage hand mirror, a single rose, and an antique book as a centerpiece. If you were to walk by the tables and didn’t know the theme – you maybe wouldn’t pick up on it but when directed to sit at the little mermaid table, the antique serving fork, seashell and pearl strand artfully arranged in the center of the table seem like the perfect subtle touch to give their wedding a stamp of something special to them!”
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Photo Credit: Trading Vows Photography
Get in touch with Jenna & Martin in their directory listing right here! If you’re a creative, local wedding pro who is interested in being featured – learn more here!