Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam & Monique Wallis.
Hi Adam & Monique, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Hello! We are Adam and Monique Wallis, owners of Bloom Lake Barn. Many people ask us about our story, so here it is briefly. Most days, you’ll find us having kitchen dance parties with our three little girls, exploring outside, or working on some project. One night while on vacation and sitting around a campfire with friends. We started discussing business ideas that would allow us more time with family and friends. One idea we talked about was starting a wedding barn. Looking back, it seems crazy how such a casual conversation could spark such a huge dream in both of us and alter the course of our lives. Shortly after our trip, with those same friends, we ended up starting a vintage market in the Phoenix area where we lived at the time. All this took place while continuing our careers as Financial advisors and Speech-Language Pathologists, and our first daughter was on the way. For years, we kept returning to the idea of restoring a barn for weddings because we felt it would be a perfect blend of our passions and talents. Adam enjoys custom woodworking/building and interacting with people. Monique has a keen eye for design and loves planning parties. Together we share a passion for a family and lifelong marriage. Originally from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, we knew we eventually wanted to get back to our midwest roots. When we were ready to move closer to family, we decided it was also time to pursue this dream we couldn’t stop thinking about. Armed with two kids at the time, full-time jobs, and a naive vision to completely renovate an old farm to create a venue, we loaded up a Uhaul and hit the road.
It was an exciting and many times painful roller coaster ride, but after looking at around 40 properties within an hour of the twin cities, we found Bloom Lake Barn well, a run-down, almost falling over version of it. It was nothing short of a miracle even to secure the property, but our barn was there! We immediately saw the potential in the barn and fell in love with the Chisago Lakes area. Its natural beauty, numerous lakes, and small-town charm were what we were looking for to run our business and raise our family.
We purchased the once fully functional historic dairy barn and homestead in October 2014. We began renovating in March of 2015, not knowing we were embarking on the most difficult and rewarding experience we could have imagined. Many roadblocks seemed like dead ends along the way, and plenty of people offered warnings and advice. With our family and some friends, we have put a lot of love and labor into repurposing this enormous and structurally unique 1930s barn. The project’s main phase took an exhausting six months to complete, and on September 25th, 2015, we earned our certificate of occupancy permit to operate. We share that seemingly trivial detail only because it happened to be the day before our first scheduled wedding. With all the highs, lows, and every range of emotion we experienced during this adventure, the most gratifying thing for us now comes from seeing people making joyful memories in this space we created.
We give all the credit and glory to God for blessing and leading our lives and this project. We live in the old farmhouse across the dirt road from the barn with our three daughters, Ivy, Cora, and Amelia., and are extremely grateful for this opportunity to do what we love together!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was far from smooth. We didn’t have much extra money, so we got creative and did as much work ourselves. After getting off work at our 9-5 jobs, we worked through many nights in the barn. Adam got 3rd-degree chemical burns on his legs while laying concrete in the lower level of the barn, which landed him in surgery at Regions. Everything was new to us, so we had to learn as we went. We learned building laws and how to make a building code, how to create a wedding contract, how to build bars/tables, etc.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We care about the families we work with and do everything we can to make the planning process and weddings run smoothly. We know how special weddings are and aim to have all guests arrive at our property able to relax and have a great time.
The barn and property are unique: The Area has many lodging options – hotels, bed & breakfasts, cabins, and vacation rentals, all within ten miles of the property to accommodate your guests. The Lakes Area boasts several local wineries, orchards, adorable shops, museums, and art galleries. Enjoy the St. Croix River by hiking along the bluffs, kayaking or canoeing, or taking a riverboat tour.
The enormous wooden barn contains original vaulted ceilings, salvaged gothic church windows, heat/AC, and gorgeous chandelier and cafe lighting. The barn’s lower level is another unique space containing rustic beams, white shiplap, and high-top tables built from milking stanchions. The courtyard includes a spacious pavilion, bonfire pit, tree swing, lawn games, and walking trails through the woods.
Bloom Lake Barn comfortably accommodates up to 298 guests, including vendors. Hand-built wooden harvest tables and chairs are included, as is a closet full of decor items. The property is unlike any other in that there are mature trees, grassy plains, lush fields, Bloom’s Lake, and vine-covered stone walls from the remains of a historic granary. Rows of pews in a wooded clearing make for an unforgettable outdoor ceremony location.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
We ultimately credit God for guiding our lives and this project. Our friends and families, especially Adam’s dad, Steve. He recently passed away, and the barn will always remind us of his work ethic and love for his family.
Jay Schmidt of Barn Restoration Specialists
Becklin & Whitney Consulting Engineers
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.bloomlakebarn.com
- Instagram: @bloomlakebarn
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/bloomlakebarn
Image Credits
Shots by Bridge
