A WEDDING BARN

A couple in Washington builds a barn in their backyard to use as their wedding venue.

A couple in Washington builds a barn in their backyard to use as their wedding venue.

Sometimes hardships are the gateway to our dreams. In Matthew and Elizabeth Impola’s case, the pandemic motivated them to finally build the barn they’d been dreaming of for years. “In normal times, we probably wouldn’t have built it,” says Matthew. However, the pandemic restrictions persuaded them to put aside their fears and construct the perfect wedding venue in their own backyard.

THE POSSIBLE DREAM

The couple built the barn on their two-acre farm property in Battle Ground, Washington, but it wasn’t their original intention to use it for their own wedding. Elizabeth’s dream was to build a venue where she could host, coordinate and photograph events, and Matthew hoped to use the structure as his business warehouse. “That’s how we connected when we met,” says Elizabeth. “This wasn’t what we expected or had in mind, but we had to release our expectations and control.”They set their wedding date for October 2020 to beat the harsh winter weather, giving them only two months to build the barn from start to finish.

IN THE NICK OF TIME

This short timeframe was possible due to Matthew’s experience in construction. He builds tiny houses for his business, Handcrafted Movement. “I grew up on construction sites,” he says. He also has family members in the construction industry, and they helped with the barn build.

Matthew already had professional plans drawn up for a much larger warehouse barn design. To make the structure work for their wedding, he simply adjusted the plans to be smaller and simpler. Though they finished in time, it was a close call, as they were still putting finishing touches on the roof two days before the wedding.

SPRING INTO FALL

Even though their wedding was held in the fall, Elizabeth is partial to spring colors and didn’t want to let the season dictate her vision. “I grew up in California, and I wanted to hold on to that California sunshine,” she says. “I stuck to my gut with muted colors that were more on the spring side like blush roses and sage.”

The décor was a mix of fresh greenery and flowers, Facebook Marketplace finds and rentals. “I wanted to keep it simple and natural,” Elizabeth says. Custom metal chandeliers, string lights and the floral arch backdrop created a dreamy farmhouse atmosphere that pays homage to how this adventure all began.

Since their wedding, the couple has had multiple inquiries, asking for use of the barn as a venue. But they’re not quite ready to rent it out yet.

“This barn was a test run, as we plan to open a bigger venue on another property that’s open to the general public,” Matthew says. It’s clear that whatever future plans they tackle, they’ll be making others’ dreams come true as well as their own.

SEE SOURCES, PAGE 128.

The barn has 28 windows that fulfill Elizabeth’s desire for natural light. “I had originally drawn the plan with four windows, but when Elizabeth asked for more, I surprised her with 10 on each side,” Matthew says. A friend from their company custom made the metal chandeliers, and they hung fresh eucalyptus from them for the wedding.

(above) They left the interior structure exposed for the sake of time and budget. “We had to embrace that we weren’t going to have time to finish it, but we liked the unique look, and we’ll eventually be insulating the walls and adding shiplap and paneling,” says Elizabeth. (below) This barn was a dream come true for Matt and Elizabeth—quite literally. “Three or four years ago, I had a dream of a white barn that would be a small wedding venue, and the name Providence came to me in the same dream,” she says. “It means the protective covering of God, and I held that close to my heart.”

(right) Elizabeth wanted minimalist table décor so it wouldn’t look oversaturated. Eucalyptus, roses and candles were scattered over a dusty blue table runner for a simple look that added subtle color to the neutral setting. (bottom, right) White chocolate raspberry cheesecake was one of the desserts served at the wedding. “The food was set out buffet style, but we had everything served, to keep everyone from handling the same objects as a Covid precaution,” says Elizabeth. For a glitzy feel, add gold silverware to your table setting.