Our quirky wedding venue is catching the attention of Star Wars fans.

On the face of it, The Old Barn is a beautifully rustic DIY venue, with oak beams, whitewashed walls and vine-covered conservatory. But it’s also next door to family-run adventure park The Milky Way, which houses a vast private collection of Sci-Fi memorabilia (“From Darth Vader to Daleks”), as well as space-themed roller coasters and dodgems.

Star Wars fans who want to marry are loving the contrast between picture-perfect daytime ceremony and fun, quirky reception and after-party. Some have even managed to time their big day with Star Wars events at The Milky Way, meaning they’ve had visits from characters including Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker and troops of Stormtroopers – thanks to The UK Garrison and Rebel Legion, one of the foremost Star Wars costuming groups in the UK.

“We’ve had a few couples now who’ve incorporated Star Wars elements into their weddings,” says Tara Stanbury, owner of both The Old Barn and The Milky Way. “Whether it’s been posing with lightsabers, Jawas entertaining the kids, or Darth Vader joining the Guard of Honour, it’s made for some fantastic and very unusual wedding photographs!”

“We’re a DIY wedding venue, and while we don’t offer any theme ourselves – part of the beauty of The Old Barn is that couples are encouraged to view it as a ‘blank canvas’, and build a day that’s individual to them – it’s great that people have felt inspired by the Sci-Fi exhibit and space theme at the Milky Way.”

“The fact that The Old Barn also offers access to some of The Milky Way’s attractions, such as the indoor dodgems and huge outdoor bouncing pillows, also tends to appeal to those who want a totally unique and fun wedding day that’ll be talked about for years after!”

Since The Milky Way opened its Sci-Fi memorabilia exhibit in 2016, this award-winning family attraction has been attracting sci-fi fans from across the UK. Though just one man’s vast private collection, his Sci-fi memorabilia includes full-size characters, collectables and fan art from film & TV, all on display together for the first time. From Darth Vader to Daleks and R2D2 to a police box, the scale of the collection is quite unbelievable.

The Milky Way also holds regular Star Wars events, when members of The UK Garrison and Rebel Legion dress as characters from the films and greet visitors around the adventure park – which is popular with both adults and children alike. The next event of this kind is on October 28 2017

About The Old Barn

The Old Barn is one of the most quirky, fun and unique wedding venues in North Devon. Our gorgeous 17th century barn’s original oak beams and rustic stone walls make it a beautiful blank canvas, whatever a couples’ dreams for their big day.

We’re a family-owned barn reception and wedding venue in North Devon with exciting contrasts. Set in beautiful countryside and within sight of the stunning coast, our renovated barn is vintage, rustic and perfect for both small and large celebrations.

Added to this The Old Barn offers a wedding reception with a totally unexpected after-party surprise and unique photo opportunities. Being tucked away on the edge of The Milky Way Adventure Park means we can offer couples and their guests daytime access to the park’s roller coaster and huge bouncing pillows to take stunning photos, and exclusive access to the indoor dodgems come the evening.

As The Old Barn is a flexible DIY wedding venue, couples have the freedom to put together the wedding day that’s just what they hoped for – they can even do the finishing touches themselves if they’re creative. Our beautiful conservatory, which for much of the year is covered in grape vines and wisteria, is licensed for weddings and civil ceremonies, and though there’s room for 118 people, small weddings work well there too.