Restoring for weddings

Something new is growing at the Runyon farm northwest of Bryant — a wedding venue.

The idea came from an unexpected source said Dawn Runyon, who will own and operate the venue as Sunflower Hills Historic Barn.

“One day my hairdresser said, ‘Hey, you’ve got some old barns, don’t you? … Did you ever think about cleaning one of them out for a wedding?’” Runyon recalls.

She had never considered such a thing. The idea did not appeal.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she remembers saying.

The conversation, however, stayed with Dawn as she and her husband, David, found themselves discussing ways to diversify their income in anticipation of retirement. Dawn’s husband and son, also named David, farm some 900 acres. The family has been in the area since 1937 and the younger David, now 25, plans to continue the tradition. 

In 1972, the family purchased a small farm that adjoined properties they already owned. They cultivated the fields, but the homestead area — house and barn and surrounding plot — gradually fell into ruin. The house was demolished some time ago. The barn needed serious attention.

Could that land somehow add to their income?

Dawn described her family as “adamantly against” confined animal feeding operations. What else could the property be used for? 

It has easy access to a road and space enough for a small parking lot. Could the barn — with timbers dated 1911 — somehow become a wedding venue like her hairdresser suggested?

Yes, it could.

Sunflower Hills Historic Barn will have the same footprint as the old barn and use as many of its timbers as possible. The ruins of two other old barns on family property have provided additional wood and timbers. 

“It’s actually three barns that have been deconstructed and reconstructed in the original site (of the homestead barn),” said Dawn Runyon. 

In addition to timber and land, the Runyons had another asset. They live just across the Adams County line from Schwartz Timber Frames in Geneva. 

Johnny Schwartz and his team go all over the country reconstructing barns with old timbers.

They created the civic center in Winter Park, Colorado, from a barn from Chickasaw, Ohio. 

“We took it down and moved it there,” Schwartz said.

If this sounds a lot like the TV show “Barnwood Builders,” that’s no accident. Schwartz appeared on some episodes and was asked by the producers to take over when the former host left the program. He declined. 

“I didn’t want all the publicity,” he said. “Besides, the cameras are right there in your face.”

The Runyons were familiar with Schwartz’s work and waited for him to be available before tackling the venue project. 

    Johnny Schwartz and his crew from Schwartz Timber Frames in Geneva prepare to put siding on a new wedding venue near Bryant. The firm travels the country reconstructing barns with old timbers. (The Commercial Review/Louise Ronald)

“This is what he does,” Dawn said. “We wanted it done correctly and we wanted it done to our standards to keep the integrity of the historic properties of the building. We wanted the right person on the job.”

So far, they’re making good progress. The hope is to have the venue ready by the end of 2024 and a website up to take reservations beginning in January 2025.

The main room of the reconstructed barn, with its soaring timber ceiling, will provide space for wedding ceremonies, dining and entertainment. An addition to the back will have restrooms, bridal party dressing rooms and a kitchen area with warming ovens and a microwave. Cooking, however, won’t be allowed on the premises. 

Despite the use of old wood, the venue is considered a new build and is subject to the approval of the Department of Homeland Security. That means a lot of regulations. Having a stove in the building would require a full fire suppression system with sprinklers. That would “ruin the ambience of that (timber) ceiling,” Runyon said. 

She’s applied for a variance on the sprinklers, but there will be plenty of other safety measures, including nine exits, smoke detectors and extinguishers. 

“We don’t want any of our guests hurt,” she said. “Safety first.”

Runyon uses the term “historic barn” to describe the venue, but stresses that the new venue is built to code with heating, air conditioning and ADA-compatible restrooms. At the same time, she is selecting furnishings and finishes that reinforce the historic feel of the place. For example, some old pieces of barn siding with the original red stain were salvaged and will be used as interior paneling. 

Runyon has been collecting antique furniture for the dressing rooms and other areas. She purchased an old beamed porch that will provide an outdoor location for photos. And, of course, the Sunflower Hills Historic Barn eventually will be surrounded with rows and rows of sunflowers set to bloom throughout the summer months.

    The reconstructed timber ceiling will be a highlight of the wedding room at Sunflower Hills Historic Barn. Construction on the new venue is expected to be complete by the end of the year. (Photo provided)

Parking for 150 cars is planned — “If somebody’s wanting something really big, this isn’t your venue,” Runyon said — and in the future, she hopes to include a turnaround so visitors can be dropped off at the barn. In consideration of the neighbors, events won’t go beyond 11:30 p.m.

Runyon says there’s a lot of interest in the venue. Folks keep asking her when it will be done.

Schwartz is confident the barn will be ready by the end of the year and that the endeavor will be successful.

“We’ve actually done quite a few of these (wedding venues),” he said. “I have never built one that didn’t stay busy.”

That makes Runyon feel more confident about the future. 

Income from the venue could “allow for us to continue farming at an updated level — update our machinery and things like that,” she said. “Agriculture has gotten challenging. This is a way to diversify the farming operation yet keep it as agricultural as possible.”