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We both grew up in rural midwest communities: my husband in a small Illinois farm town and me on an Iowa farm. We were very fond of all the buildings we played in and thought were wonderlands as a kid, from corn bins and sheds to silos and barns. Actually, my husband almost bought a barn near his hometown for a place to retreat, work on, and store his growing hobby of vintage cars and trucks. Phew! That was a close one; he was outbid at the auction!!

Then coming to our senses, living on 40 acres in Smithville, we thought, "why not just build a barn on our property?” My husband could use it for his expanding fleet of cars and I could host a few events each year… Perfect, right? Ahh, the compromise of marriage... You’ve got to admire that!

So, I started my quest with a conversation with local zoning and planning to see what kind of hoops I would need to jump through to have a business on our acreage. Well... let’s just say it was a lengthy conversation with no straight answers or direction, but resolute curiosity pushed me to continue my research. 

As a recent empty-nester, the number one fielded question I get from friends is, "what led you to build the barn?" Before diving into my story, I gently nudge them with a smile, wink, and say, "you mean a swanky event venue?" They smile back and I begin... 

My patient husband, who always knew my passion for connection and chaos, wondered why I held onto my corporate job so long and so tightly; he was continually encouraging me to move on, be closer to home, travel, etc. Well, I insisted that I needed a focus, something to put my energy towards before walking away from what I saw as comfort and value, although a bit mundane. Yes, I am one of those risk-averse midwestern girls that does what it takes.

We had you in mind from the beginning. 

Words from our owner,
Rebecca Hofmeister

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In the meantime, I shared my tamed ambitions about building a barn and hosting occasional events with Amanda, a special education teacher with a burgeoning wedding coordination business on the side. I've known Amanda since she was a young girl and I wanted to gain some industry insights from her and discuss how comfortable she would be with showing the barn to her future brides. Amanda lit up and expressed her excitement for me, as it had been her dream to switch careers and run a venue of her own. Well, that immediately sparked the next obvious question, right? “Amanda, if I scratched plan A – building on our existing property and wrangling with all the zoning limitations, would you be interested in plan B – shopping for a piece of property without all the zoning issues and we could run a full-fledged, all-in venue?” She ultimately said “yes” to the Barn and has been an integral part of almost every decision, twist and turn for White Iron Ridge ever since.

Amanda has been an integral part of almost every decision, twist and turn.

She said “yes” to the Barn

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Our picturesque countryside setting provides tranquility while offering all the amenities found in an urban setting.

Our monochromatic design allows for the adaptation to any style of event, regardless of the occasion. 

Our scenic views provide serenity and privacy for any event.

Our passion lies in creating one-of-a-kind celebrations.

WHAT SETS US APART