Local News

Finding new life: Local barns reinvent themselves as wedding, event venues

On a 300-acre property in Tyrone stands a barn that once echoed with the sounds of dairy cows shuffling through stalls and chomping on grass.

Today, The Barn on Pennington Road serves as an award-winning wedding venue that is full of music, laughter, chatter and dancing as families come together to celebrate.

For more than 55 years, Terry Branstetter Sr. has been working on the barn, caring for 20 dairy cows and managing the land. But when the herd was sold in 2015, the Branstetters began working to turn the barn into an event venue after friends and family showed interest in using the barn.

To turn the space into a venue, Branstetter Sr. and Terry Branstetter Jr. added an additional section to the barn with beams and siding to match the original structure. Branstetter Jr. said they wanted to stay true to the original style of the barn and keep its historical characteristics. Besides the new addition, the Branstetters conducted routine maintenance and made repairs to the barn, but the original walls, floor and siding remain intact.

In 2022, the Branstetters officially made the nearly 150-year-old barn available as a wedding venue, joining the list of several other barn venues in the local agriculture industry. Branstetter Jr. said that the transition "became a natural fit," with people using the venue for weddings, baby showers, corporate and social events.

"We are foremost farmers who have found a way to extend that way of life for others to glimpse, experience, and enjoy for a short period during their special events," Branstetter Jr. said. "We'll do whatever it takes for them (guests) to have a good time."

Throughout the barn, the Branstetters planted antique decorations with a few modern pieces to "soften" the space. Most of the antique items are repurposed from the barn and have a story behind them.

On the lower and main levels of the barn, the Branstetters added bathrooms, bars and rooms for the bridal party to get ready. A variety of decorations are made from old items, including a copper apple butter kettle used as a cooler, two garage doors set on top of barrels to make a table, barrels used as trash cans, milk cans scattered throughout and an old wagon turned into a table for snacks and gifts, among other details.

While Branstetter Sr. describes the barn as rustic and eloquent, he said that people make the space their own.

"I tell everyone, there's a lot of nice wedding venues around, but they're all different. You may not care for this at all, or you might fall in love with it," he said.

The Branstetters offer a four-day rental package where guests can hold their ceremony in the meadow, set up their decorations in the barn and enjoy outdoor activities like cornhole, football, bubbles and other lawn games. An element of the farm that Branstetter Jr. said is unique and different from other venues is having air conditioning and being able to control the climate.

While the barn is now filled with smiling faces, dancing and laughing, the Branstetters said agriculture remains the heart of the property.

"The barn is set in the middle of an agricultural setting. We never try to take it away from agritourism," Branstetter Sr. said.

Being surrounded by a working farm, the venue's landscape defines the property and the generations that have grown up on the land. Branstetter Jr. said preserving the history of the land is what makes the barn a special place.

"When we realize that it's been in our family for 200 years, what you do with it is less important than just preserving it," he said.

'Casual, fun, rustic'

Fran Lansberry, owner of La Ferme Rouge in Patton, turned her barn into a wedding venue 25 years ago. Over the last several years, she said 15 new venues have opened up within a 50-mile radius.

"Most people like the relaxed country atmosphere," Lansberry said. "I'd say 70 percent of people don't want the formality. They want a casual, fun, rustic wedding and that's where the barns and rustic venues come in."

Originally, Lansberry's barn was a Christmas shop, but her mother gave her the idea to turn it into a venue. Along with the barn, the property's landscape is comprised of gardens that Lansberry designed as she is also a landscape designer. She said it's what makes the venue unique and stands out.

For Lansberry, being a part of people's wedding day is special. She said seeing people use her space is a "warm-hearted feeling."

"I think that's what keeps me going," Lansberry said. "It was never about business for me. It was always about giving them their dream wedding."

Other barn venues in the area are turning people's wedding day into a magical experience that they'll never forget.

The Big Barn in Hollidaysburg has been in business for 10 years and over the last couple of years, Ashley Holliday, barn owner, has seen an influx of people booking her venue and recommends couples book the barn two years in advance.

"Barn weddings have become so popular because people feel like they're celebrating somewhere unique rather than just a traditional wedding hall," Holliday said. "It's a relaxed atmosphere with a beautiful natural setting."

Branstetter venue wins awards

Since The Barn on Pennington Road opened, the Branstetter family have received an abundance of positive words and reviews from guests who enjoyed the venue. In November 2025, the Branstetters won the Lancaster Farming Farmers Choice Award.

The Lancaster Farming Farmers Choice Award was created to celebrate the newspaper's 70th anniversary last year and recognize hardworking farmers in the area for the work they do. To commemorate the agriculture paper's milestone, seven winners were selected and a profile was written about each farm. Out of 70 nominees, The Barn on Pennington Road was selected as one of the winners.

"To be recognized by them is probably as good as it could get," Branstetter Jr said.

Whether the farm consists of livestock, crops, produce or a venue for hosting parties, readers of the paper nominated farms across the area for being an outstanding farm.

"The people who participated in this project, whether they were nominated or whether they were nominating, they're all readers of Lancaster Farming," Stephen Seeber, the paper's managing editor, said. "They have a great appreciation for the agricultural heritage of Pennsylvania and they selected these farms because they stood out among many."

Seeber said what they do at Lancaster Farming is built around supporting the farmers they cover, especially now as farmers struggle. The paper reports on the good and bad that farmers face, but enjoy spotlighting success stories as inspiration.

"Pennsylvania has a rich agricultural heritage," Seeber said. "You look at the profile about The Barn on Pennington Road and you're inspired. It puts wind in your sails in a tough industry and in a tough economy."

When The Barn on Pennington Road was recognized, the Branstetters felt privileged and said it adds a layer of "authenticity" to the barn.

As far as the future of the barn, Branstetter Jr. said they hope to see it thriving in the world of agritourism no matter what happens next.

Mirror Staff Writer Jayla Nartatez is at 814-946-7535.