We absolutely love to decorate at Marlene’s Event Barn in Metamora, IL. The owner actually went to high school with one of the barn owners. What a crazy small world!
Here’s a few of our favorite tips and tricks for decorating your wedding at Marlene’s Event Barn.
- The Barn can hold up to 220 seated guests, but if your guest count isn’t quite that many we love to add a lounge in the corner extension near the DJ. It’s the perfect spot for a cute lounge or a photo booth.
- Marlene’s provides both brown and white garden chairs. You can choose which you prefer outside for the ceremony and which you prefer inside for the reception. We have a sample of both chairs in our studio and it’s nice to see both options with your decor so you can choose which chair you prefer. Although we don’t do it very often you are also allowed to rent other chairs to use instead of the garden chair options.
- As of 2025 Marlene’s will now provide white or ivory linens with your venue rental. Those linens will be 132″ round linens that will fall to the floor and will be provided by I Do Events. How exciting is that! You can always upgrade to another color or style, but you absolutely don’t have to.
- Marlene’s also provides a few ceremony arbor options for placement under their pavilion. We will often accent these arbors with fabric draping or silk or fresh floral arrangements for a finishing touch at the ceremony.
- Marlene’s allows real live flame, but it must be enclosed. This feature along with the dimmable light options can really set the ambiance for the wedding or event. Lighting is such a key element in design and we love that Marlene’s has great options.
- Marlene’s has a stunning bridal suite on site and we will deliver your personal flowers directly to the suite for your convenience.
- Just outside the bridal suite is a hallway into the main reception room. We love this space for so many reasons.
- It separates the kitchen and bathrooms from the main area.
- It’s a great place for the buffet line when seating is tight in the main room.
- We love it when you close the doors and make your grand entrance through those doors into the reception space. Talk about a WOW entrance!
- And It is the perfect spot for doing a great assigned seating moment.
- And last but not least do yourself a favor and allow time for wedding party pictures outside with the barn as a backdrop. The photos are always gorgeous and no matter what color palette you choose your crew will pop off the silver background.
