The Grand Opening event for the Overlook Barn, a new NC wedding venue, was something I’ve been looking forward to ever since I got the beautiful hand-lettered invitation in the mail. I’m a sucker for gorgeous penmanship and pastel watercolor designs so I RSVP’d immediately! 

Since a handful of couples getting married at Overlook Barn in 2016/2017 have chosen me as their wedding photographer, I’ve been eager to see the new wedding venue in person. It did not disappoint either! It’s an absolutely gorgeous NC wedding venue that sits on top of Beech Mountain in Banner Elk, NC. I think it’s by far one of the most beautiful in the area. Seriously.

The inside is absolutely stunning and they did a wonderful job of renovating and decorating the space. You can easily see that they put a lot of love and hard work into completely transforming the barn into an impressive wedding venue and that is reflected in all of the details they considered.

Overlook Barn NC Wedding Venue: Grand Opening

On the evening of the event the fog was so heavy we could only creep along at a snail’s pace. You could barely see the dirt road in front of us it was so dense. Cody and I had no clue where we were going. The GPS assured us that we had arrived at our destination. But all we saw was a thick cloud in front of us until we finally caught a glimpse of the lofty barn looming in the haze.

A photo posted by Wayfaring Wanderer (@wayfaringwanderer) on May 19, 2016 at 8:02pm PDT

Aside from the magnificent views (that I didn’t get to see), the newly renovated barn gets all the glory. Upon crossing the threshold of the building I was immediately blown away by the 30-foot ceilings and the bright light filtering in through the well-placed skylights. Barn weddings are popular for a great reason but they tend to be dark and cavernous unless you have tons of twinkle lights which is why Overlook Barn is different. I had no clue they were planning a styled shoot there that day, but I’m so glad that I brought my “real” camera so that I could take some photos of how lovely everything looked.

The barn itself is 6,500 square foot with concrete floors that look like marble and textured gray walls that give it a more elegant feel. They can comfortably accommodate 250 guests for a seated dinner inside the upscale NC wedding venue. Overlook Barn also has lots of room for an outdoor ceremony in the meadow with the mountains as your backdrop. Cocktail hour can be hosted outside as well and includes a propane fire pit and rock wall bench. The renovations took place in 2015 by/for Katie & David who decided to purchase and redo the barn that Katie’s grandfather built in the 1960’s for their wedding day.

Other upgrades introduced during the renovation include two getting ready rooms that they refer to as the Styling Suite & Polishing Room. The Styling Suite was like stepping into an upscale salon, it is well-equipped with multiple lounge areas, full-length mirror, and a make-up counter with enough room for 4 people + stylists. I’m so excited about photographing getting ready images in this beautiful space! There are also 4 bathrooms located inside the barn so that’s one less thing to worry about for the comfort of your guests.

While I would have loved to see the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountain views that surround the property, the fog was just as beautiful! The grand opening was a fun evening filled with good food & friends, awesome vendors, and lots of laughs. Thank you to Overlook Barn + CeCe Hampton Events for hosting! I’m excited to share this gorgeous NC wedding venue with you and I’m even more thrilled that I’ll be photographing several weddings there soon!

[WEDDING VENDOR LIST]

NC Wedding Venue on Beech Mountain: Overlook Barn

Event Coordinator: CeCe Hampton Events | Wedding Planner

Catering: Frugal Gourmet Catering Company

Florals: ShayBrey Wedding Florist

Vintage Rentals: Bushel and a Peck Rentals

Wedding Cake: Indulge Bakery

Calligraphy & Invitations: SJM Calligraphy

Music: High Country Boomers

ARE YOU NEWLY ENGAGED AND READY TO BEGIN THE WEDDING PLANNING PROCESS? 

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