Continuing our wedding tour, we are headed an hour and a half east to the small Iowa town of Denison. Located in this Midwest town with a population of only 9,000, the Stables at Copper
Continuing our wedding tour, we are headed an hour and a half east to the small Iowa town of Denison. Located in this Midwest town with a population of only 9,000, the Stables at Copper Ridge pulls out all the stops for couples looking for a rustic wedding.
When you first drive up to the property one the first things you see is the large stable building, which was purchased by the Matthews family back in 1999, who then moved on to the property a year later after building their home nearby. With 43 acres of rolling hills, this is a majestic property with sweeping views for miles out.
Mining for copper, finding a diamond in the rough
Housing their stud horses and mares, the Matthews family enjoyed 15 years of bliss with their baby foals running amuck. Then, in 2016 life looked a bit different after the sudden death of their beloved husband and father. Wanting to bring a little happiness back to the property, they opted to have a family wedding here on the rugged dirt ground.
Realizing she enjoyed the planning aspects of hosting a wedding, owner Laura Matthews, decided to look into the cost of performing an entire renovation of the stables, which included pouring a concrete floor, refinishing all the original support beams with 500 gallons of varnish, and even building out an on-site kitchen and bar.
Kitchen and Bar
Look at these cute His and Hers bathrooms!
The stage crafted from the salvaged stall boards
Look at that stained glass window!
With the help of family and friends, renovation was completed in just under a year, and one of my favorite touches is the main stage which is built out of salvaged stall boards, and is evident by the remnants of hoof marks from studs and mares kicking the walls. Couples can also have an outdoor ceremony surrounded by columnar trees, then after the reception they can warm up in front of the fire pit, enjoying the night air under a canopy of stars.
Plan your event here!
Able to host 560 guests, this event venue is perfect for the couple planning a very large wedding. And with a suitable and reasonable rental fee of $6,500 for the entire weekend, this should be on your list of venue options if you want to have that epic gathering.
***The following photos are not mine, but permission was granted to use. Photographers are credited for their work.
Below: Kiana Grant Photography
Below: Kiana Grant Photography on the left; Photography by Katie McDonald on the right
Below: Photography by Katie McDonald
For more information regarding rental options, check out their website (https://stablesatcopperridge.com/), and to see how other couples have decorated their weddings, visit their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/laura.stables65/) and Instagram account (https://www.instagram.com/the_stables_at_copper_ridge/?hl=en)
In all, this was my second stop on our wedding venue tour, but one of my most favorites. I love the story, the architecture and landscape, and don’t forget about the stained-glass window salvaged from the demolition of a local church. With so many photo-ops, you’ll have pictures for days and memories for a lifetime. But be sure to book your event sooner than later because Zoey, the event coordinator, informed me they had 56 events just this year, so spots fill up fast!
Happy planning!
712-298-0547
2199 Ridge Rd
Denison, Iowa 51442
