A Harper’s Ferry Wedding

Real Weddings

Matt and Shalena were married at historic River Chase in Harper’s Ferry on in June, 2021. The ceremony was held in a small, scenic courtyard, against the stone backdrop of the original 1870’s barn, followed by a cocktail hour at the quaint “Rathskeller” – a separate bar area underneath the barn. The day included lots of great guest entertainment – lawn games, a fun activity table for the children, and dancing well into the night.

A rustic sign leads to the bar area located underneath the barn. The courtyard was the perfect size for Matt and Shalena’s ceremony, and afterward became a convenient spot to sip drinks during the cocktail hour.

The barn at River Chase opens up onto expansive lawns, and has plenty of room for lawn games, lounge furniture, and a fire pit.

Shalena and Matt had a first look along the tree-lined path that runs past the manor house and along the main lawn. We love Shalena’s choice of a blush pink dress. Proof that you absolutely can wear a color other than white and still look classic and beautiful. She changed into a white dress for the reception – best of both worlds!

Proof that the dress doesn’t have to be white to be classic.

Pastel pink florals by Westvirjeni decorated an arbor at the ceremony site.

After the ceremony, guests enjoyed cocktails from the Rathskeller bar in the courtyard, and wandered about the lawn playing yard games and lounging under shade trees.

Two great ideas that are easy to implement – a vow book and a children’s activity table. A vow book is much better than pulling out a crumpled piece of paper, and will look lovely in photos. And the children’s activity table? This is an absolute must if you have more than a few children and expect their parents to stay for most of the reception.

The barn’s spectacular lighting is a highlight after dark, with large wheel chandeliers covered in string lights. The venue provided all the tables and chairs, and re-purposed ceremony flowers at the sweetheart table were all this lovely rustic barn needed to make it elegant and inviting.