If you’re dreaming of a barn wedding day that gives pure glamour vibes, we highly recommend checking out the Ashery Lane wedding venue! As MN wedding coordinators who specialize in barn weddings, we’ve been to our fair share of venues, and Ashery Lane is one of the most luxurious options.

We had so much fun planning with bride Des in person at our office in Plymouth. We use Aisle Planner to track all of the info for the couple’s big day. We include amazing resources like the guest list tracker, budgeting tool, month-to-month checklist, and a handful of coordination forms.

As coordinators, our favorite part of planning is filling out our “Master Details” form. This document ends up being about 10 pages long and is where we keep track of all the decor, vendor arrival times, cleanup details, and of course, the full timeline. We love filling out this document with couples during our planning meetings so that we have all the details at our fingertips on the day of the wedding!

Rustic Elegance owner Kellie and bride Des worked together to fill out this document during their planning meetings. That way, Des and her groom, Tommy, could be fully present with their 160 guests on the big day!

THE MORNING

The big day took place in late November, which can be pretty chilly in Minnesota. It was a brisk morning at Ashery Lane Farm, but MN blessed us with a beautiful 59-degree, sunny fall wedding day!

Our team arrived at 12 p.m. sharp (the earliest we could get into the main barn) and began prepping as many items as we could. This included decorating the fireplace mantel, memory table, and gift + card table.

One of our favorite parts of Des and Tommy’s wedding was their Dog of Honor, Willow. She’s the cutest little dachshund! You’ll see her in photos and details throughout the day, but we especially loved the dachshund card basket with a photo of Willow alongside it.

Meanwhile, the ladies were enjoying their glam session with Lady Vamp Artistry. Our team popped into the groom’s suite to help pin on boutonnieres. Once Des slipped into her stunning gown from My Darling Bridal, it was time for their first look!

Des looked flawless as she approached her groom, who was patiently waiting for the tap on his shoulder. As he spun around, the couple embraced and had that in-love smile on their faces for the rest of the day!

Tay Ericson Photography took the couple around the property for a few portraits before Willow, the Dog of Honor, arrived with Bailey from Metro Dogs. Obviously, she became the star of the show and did amazing in all of the photos with her parents (okay, maybe she was bribed with a few treats)!

Not long after, the wedding party joined for group photos. We loved the whimsical bouquets created by Bellagala!

Our team then pulled the wedding party together for a quick day-of rehearsal. This included running through the ceremony, chatting with the DJ and officiant, and discussing duties with the ushers.

Once everyone felt good about their part, they made their way back to the suites. The couple took this opportunity to sign their marriage license, and everyone cleared their personal items out of the suites.

During this time, the RE team was busy with last-minute preparations for the ceremony before guests arrived. This included lighting the candles on the mantel and ensuring all of the other vendors were ready to go.

THE CEREMONY

As guests arrived via the shuttle from Lorenz Bus Service, they enjoyed hot chocolate to keep them warm. The ceremony took place inside the main white barn on-site, which is temperature-controlled (perfect for fall and winter barn weddings)!

Expert note: Having the ceremony in the barn does require a room flip to set the space for dinner. That’s where having an experienced team of wedding pros is especially important!

Once guests were seated, we began cueing the processional. The couple’s ceremony consisted of sweet words, a special reading, and a unity candle before they shared a kiss and made their way down the aisle as husband and wife.

Des and Tommy headed straight to the gray barn, where cocktail hour was taking place. Our team was waiting with their preferred drinks ready as they arrived!

THE RECEPTION

As guests enjoyed cocktail hour with drinks and appetizers served by D’Amico Hospitality, the vendors were busy flipping the main barn for the reception. The RE team quickly cleaned up the ceremony decor before the room flip began. Then, while D’Amico’s team rolled out the tables and linens, our team went straight to decorating the dinner tables according to the couple’s requests.

We placed the bridesmaid bouquets on the head table and a select number of guest tables. The bride also provided a coloring project for us to place at each child’s seat.

The couple loves to golf, so their tables were organized by the names of golf courses in Minnesota. We loved this unique touch!

Once the reception space was prepared, we grabbed the couple so they could have a preview of the room before it was filled with guests. This is always such a magical moment. We love watching the couple’s reaction as they see the space they’ve been dreaming of for months come to life!

While the couple was alone in the reception space, they did their cake cutting. They also surprised the bride’s parents with a special cake at their dinner table since it was their wedding anniversary!

Guests were invited into the white barn and began finding their seats for dinner as soon as the couple wrapped up their cake cutting. DJ Benny Nord then hyped up the crowd for the couple’s grand entrance. The room erupted in cheers as Des and Tommy entered. It was so clear how loved these two are!

The bride shared a quick welcome speech, which was followed by a prayer from the officiant. Guests then enjoyed a delicious buffet served by D’Amico Hospitality.

After dinner, guests enjoyed desserts and a hot chocolate and coffee station provided by the caterer. The drink station was perfectly named “Willow’s Hot Cocoa and Coffee Bar”!

Around 8 p.m., it was time for the special dances. The bride and groom shared their first dance to “Yours” by Russell Dickerson, followed by a father-daughter dance to “Forever Now” by Michael Bublé.

DJ Benny Nord then opened up the dance floor to everyone and kept it packed all night long. Every song was a hit!

The rest of the evening was spent dancing, enjoying late-night pizza from D’Amico Hospitality, and sitting by the bonfire managed by the Ashery Lane Farm wedding crew.

Guests were able to get a safe ride back to their hotels via Lorenz Bus Service at 10 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., so they could party the night away with the couple of honor. Meanwhile, our team completed our Cleanup Package and loaded everything into the couple’s truck and trailer.

Des + Tommy, we hope that married life has been absolutely wonderful! Thank you for making our team feel so appreciated throughout our time together.

Shoutout to Tay Ericson Photography for sharing these wonderful photos with us!