A Revamped Barn Wedding Venue In Manitoba

In 2006, Manitoba couple Robert and Tammy Belanger embarked on a two-year project to restore a nearby 1940s barn and turn it into a wedding venue. They relocated the structure to their property in East Selkirk, about half an hour northeast of Winnipeg, and it instantly became the rustic venue of choice for prairie-residing couples. The original, dome-shaped barn burnt down at the end of 2016 in a fire, but the Belangers were committed to rebuilding—and unveiled the new-and-improved, 6,000-square-foot venue, made mostly from recycled materials like unused beams from the logging industry, in the spring of 2018.

The new space retains its bucolic charm, but is decked out with everything couples could possibly hope to have on their big day—including, crucially, air conditioning, so your future hubby doesn’t have to hide extra shirts in the bathroom. There’s also a chic-looking bridal suite for getting ready, an impressive stone fireplace and a second-floor mezzanine with a billiards table and an excellent view of the dance floor (just add twinkle lights for décor). The grounds have a rural trifecta of landscaped trails, lush forest and wild-looking fields, and couples can hold outdoor ceremonies atop a giant granite boulder that functions as a natural altar. It costs approximately $4,500 to rent out, but you’ll have to book far in advance.

76024 Rd. 33E, St. Clements, Manitoba, hawthornestates.ca