Bayou Haven Weddings and Events Venue
At the center of Bayou Haven is our Event Barn and Reception Hall. With a continuous open space of more than 5000 square feet that is centered around a massive 8ft, 3-tier custom-made chandelier, you have to walk into the venue to believe it.
A highlight of the Event Barn is the 1200 square foot Bridal Suite that overlooks the main floor. The suite is a comfortable space where you literally become queen for the day! When you see the Bridal Suite, you realize there won’t be a luxury you don’t have.
And while you prepare yourself for the most important day in your life, your fiancé and his friends will be hanging out in the private Groom’s Parlor complete with a huge flatscreen TV and it’s own private bathroom and dressing area.
The CHAPEL at Bayou Haven is our newest addition to the venue and it is INCLUDED at no additional costs. It’s a 3,051 square foot, rustic white chapel that was created with YOU in mind. No longer does the fear of rain or crazy Louisiana weather have to stress you out on your special day. Relax and enjoy your day!
The Chapel at Bayou Haven is the first and only wedding Chapel in central Louisiana that is fully climate controlled and integrated right into the heart of such an extensive wedding offering. With it's very own private Bridal Suite where you can complete any last minute preparations or photos, the chapel offers you an elegant option when it’s needed to avoid the Summer's heat and humidity or the wet and bitter cold of our Louisiana winters! At Bayou Haven, we are proud to be the only venue that offers you both indoor and outside wedding options in totally separate spaces; all for one inclusive price!
Remember, when you host your Wedding or Special Event at Bayou Haven, there are NEVER unexpected or hidden charges and fees and we INCLUDE more amenities and extras than any other venue in the area!
A highlight of the Event Barn is the 1200 square foot Bridal Suite that overlooks the main floor. The suite is a comfortable space where you literally become queen for the day! When you see the Bridal Suite, you realize there won’t be a luxury you don’t have.
And while you prepare yourself for the most important day in your life, your fiancé and his friends will be hanging out in the private Groom’s Parlor complete with a huge flatscreen TV and it’s own private bathroom and dressing area.
The CHAPEL at Bayou Haven is our newest addition to the venue and it is INCLUDED at no additional costs. It’s a 3,051 square foot, rustic white chapel that was created with YOU in mind. No longer does the fear of rain or crazy Louisiana weather have to stress you out on your special day. Relax and enjoy your day!
The Chapel at Bayou Haven is the first and only wedding Chapel in central Louisiana that is fully climate controlled and integrated right into the heart of such an extensive wedding offering. With it's very own private Bridal Suite where you can complete any last minute preparations or photos, the chapel offers you an elegant option when it’s needed to avoid the Summer's heat and humidity or the wet and bitter cold of our Louisiana winters! At Bayou Haven, we are proud to be the only venue that offers you both indoor and outside wedding options in totally separate spaces; all for one inclusive price!
Remember, when you host your Wedding or Special Event at Bayou Haven, there are NEVER unexpected or hidden charges and fees and we INCLUDE more amenities and extras than any other venue in the area!
Q1: Other than the venue rental cost, are there other charges to rent Bayou Haven?
At Bayou Haven, there are NEVER unexpected or hidden charges and fees and we INCLUDE more amenities and extras than any other venue in Central Louisiana!
The entire property and structures are part of our complete package. From the Great Hall at Bayou Haven, to the Chapel at Bayou Haven, built in spacious bar, to our 8 foot walk-in cooler, to the fully equipped caterer’s kitchen, to the bridal suite, to the groom’s parlor, there’s something for everyone at Bayou Haven.
We also include 14 rustic wine barrels that have been converted into small tables that can be used to hold flower arrangements or other decorations. They can even be used as serving stations. This is all included in the rental price at Bayou Haven.
For a full list of the amenities included in your rental price of Bayou Haven, please click here.
Other than the cost for security (required by the Parish if your ceremony and/or reception exceeds 75 guests), and the required event liability insurance (which we will show you how to secure), all of our venue features are included.
Q2: How many guests can you accommodate at Bayou Haven? And do you have room for both indoor and outdoor services?
Bayou Haven is large by design to easily accommodate family and friends! The Venue encompasses over 9000 square feet of climate controlled space and the main gathering area is close to 5000 square feet of open space that will easily seat all of your guests with comfort and room to spare! Bayou Haven is the largest dedicated wedding venue in Central Louisiana.
The building can accommodate more people based on size, however for comfort and traffic flow, use the guidelines below for maximum interior SEATED capacity:
- DJ and Catered Waiter Service: 275 seated guests (10 guests per table).
- DJ and Buffet Serving Line: 230 seated guests (8 or 10 guests per table).
- Band and and Catered Waiter Service: 240 seated guests (10 guests per table).
- Band and and Buffet Serving Line: 210 seated guests (10 guests per table).
There is no limit to the number of guests outside the building. Seated capacity for outdoor ceremonies is 250.
Under all circumstances, can the maximum number of people in the building at one time be more than 300 people (including all staff, security, caterers, etc).
Q4: How much does it cost to rent The Chapel at Bayou Haven?
At Bayou Haven, you don't pay extra to use the Chapel. It's all part of our White Glove Service Model. The venue rents for one price and you are guaranteed to not have to worry about hidden fees, extra costs, or other annoying fees. At Bayou Haven, we believe that your day should be focused on you and not pulling out your checkbook!
Q3: Can I bring my own caterer or can my family and I provide the reception food?
At Bayou Haven we want it to be YOUR day and celebrated the way YOU want to celebrate. Many venues require you to use their caterer which adds thousands of dollars to your rental costs.
At Bayou Haven you can use whomever you wish to cater your wedding or special event. You can also download our Preferred Vendor List which you can find in the question below: "Do you provide Caterer, DJ, or other services or suggest any particular Companies or partners?"
This can be very helpful if you are still trying to find companies to help you with your wedding.
At Bayou Haven you can use whomever you wish to cater your wedding or special event. You can also download our Preferred Vendor List which you can find in the question below: "Do you provide Caterer, DJ, or other services or suggest any particular Companies or partners?"
This can be very helpful if you are still trying to find companies to help you with your wedding.
Q4: Do you require me to use your alcohol provider or am I required to purchase alcohol through the venue? I hear this can be very expensive!
The $40/hour bartending service fee that provides you with two bartenders, along with the services of additional team members that will help keep the bar serviced, including running ice, trash, and beverage trash pick-up throughout the night. You will pay this fee to the onsite venue manager at the end of the night.
This approach allows you to save a substantial amount of money versus paying a hosting venue $5-$9 a drink based on consumption.
Q5: Are we allowed to bring decorators in to decorate and prepare the venue?
Of course! We want Bayou Haven to reflect the wedding you always dreamed of. The entire venue is yours to decorate as you wish. As you can imagine there are some common sense limitations like no nails in the walls, or fireworks inside the building, but we work with anyone to make sure you get the wedding you always wanted!
Q6: Can we use real candles at Bayou Haven?
Please take note that, although candles can be used cautiously on tables or other stable surface areas, they must be stationary and enclosed in nonflammable containers such glass vases. Please do not insert decorations or other materials inside the candle area other than water. All decorations must be on the outside of the candle container. Battery operated tea lights are recommended in high traffic areas.
Q7: Do you provide tables & chairs?
We can seat up to 225 guests for outside ceremonies. These chairs are separate so that you can be set up both inside and outside at the same time if the weather dictates a back-up plan!
Q8: Do you provide tablecloths?
- Absolutely! To save you money, we have an optional rental option where we provide tablecloths in White & Ivory with a rental cost of $9.50 per table for 90" and $11.75 per table for 120". We can get other colors such as black upon special request.
- On our 60" round tables, our 90" tablecloths have a drop of approximately 15" on all sides and our 120" size covers all the way down to the floor
- To reserve your tablecloths, go to our online Rental Gallery which you can find here.
- If your tablecloths are rented through Bayou Haven, then you only have to clear the table tops down to the tablecloths at the end of your event. We take care of the rest! Please make note of any damage to a tablecloth that might be caused by your guests and report it to a member of the staff. All tears, burns, and wax spills will result in a replacement tablecloth being charged to your security deposit.
Q9: Do you provide flatware, silverware, dishes or other kitchen utensils?
We do not coordinate or provide serving dishes or flatware. We find that these items are more affordable when provided through your caterer or by your family.
Q10: Beside the included services at Bayou Haven, do you offer any Optional Services or perks?
Included as part of the venue, you can save money by offering beer on tap. We have a professional system built into Bayou Haven that allows you to offer two different beer choices with two separate Taps. The use of the system is FREE to all events that are renting Bayou Haven!.
This is an EXCLUSIVE offering that is included Free, ONLY at Bayou Haven!
Often you will host an event where showing a video or powerpoint slide show is not only a nice extra, in some cases it's essential. From engagement picture slideshows, to baby and family reunion photos, to business board meetings and commercial presentations, we have you covered. We now include the use of our video presentation as part of our venue package.
This is an EXCLUSIVE offering that is included Free, ONLY at Bayou Haven!
There's a $175 video package charge for use with all Corporate business events.
Bayou Haven is built with audio sound wired both inside and outside the venue. This can save you a lot of money when you're trying to plan for outside ceremonies. Charges to set up a separate sound system for and outdoor wedding can be expensive and run from $250 - $400. At Bayou Haven we include our state-of-the-art sound system as part of our venue offering! This includes the use of our wireless lapel mic, wireless hand-held mic, and corded hand-held mic if needed.
This is an EXCLUSIVE offering that is included Free, ONLY at Bayou Haven!
There is also no charge for your DJ or Band to plug into our inside speaker system to help boost and balance their sound output throughout the building. The inside Audio connection is a Female XLR jack.
There's a $175 audio package fee for all corporate events.
EXCLUSIVE TO BAYOU HAVEN: Our Online Rental Gallery! Why pay a lot of money for items that you will only use one time and probably never use again? We offer an exclusive online Event Rental Gallery to our venue clients that allows our customers to have access to dozens of decorative items at very low costs or even free of charge. To visit our online Event Rental Gallery, please click here.
Q10b: We plan to use your Beer Tap Draft System but I don't know much about kegs. How many do I need?
Not everyone is familiar with Beer Kegs but they offer some nice options over purchasing individual beer cans. Saving money is one benefit but they also provide a lot of convenience.
How many kegs do I need?
This is a good question. Just like with purchasing can beer, it all depends on how many guests you plan to serve and how much you expect them to drink. A keg contains 15.5 gallons of beer. This translates to to roughly 165 12oz servings! 12oz is the amount in a typical can of beer. That means you can have 40 people over and everyone will get at least four beers.
Where do you purchase beer kegs in Alexandria?
Although we encourage you to shop around to make sure you're making a good, educated choice, we find that most of our events are using Albertsons. They have reasonable prices and can get most any brand of beer you want. Just be sure to order in ADVANCE. They need a 5-7 day notice although they can get it quicker in many situations.
How many kegs do I need?
This is a good question. Just like with purchasing can beer, it all depends on how many guests you plan to serve and how much you expect them to drink. A keg contains 15.5 gallons of beer. This translates to to roughly 165 12oz servings! 12oz is the amount in a typical can of beer. That means you can have 40 people over and everyone will get at least four beers.
Where do you purchase beer kegs in Alexandria?
Although we encourage you to shop around to make sure you're making a good, educated choice, we find that most of our events are using Albertsons. They have reasonable prices and can get most any brand of beer you want. Just be sure to order in ADVANCE. They need a 5-7 day notice although they can get it quicker in many situations.
Q11: Do you allow wedding sparklers or other fireworks at Bayou Haven?
For safety reasons, no fireworks (unless specifically approved) are allowed on property, inside or out with the exception of specialty Wedding Sparklers which can be used outdoors.
If you plan to use sparklers during your event at any point, you must make sure you are purchasing sparklers that are specially designed for use at a wedding. The sparklers you purchase from a typical fireworks stand are NOT made for use at weddings. They burn much hotter and will result in more accidents. Besides being more dangerous, they put off 2-3 times more smoke than a specialty wedding sparkler which makes getting good photographs very difficult.
If you have NOT yet purchased, you can do so from our preferred vendor based in Dallas, TX and SAVE 15%! Go to https://www.loveweddingsparklers.com. Mention Bayou Haven and SHIPPING IS FREE! They have both 20” and 36” sparklers. 36” is preferred and the safest size. To get the preferred discount, enter “Bayou Haven” in the Coupon Code field when you check out.
If you plan to use sparklers during your event at any point, you must make sure you are purchasing sparklers that are specially designed for use at a wedding. The sparklers you purchase from a typical fireworks stand are NOT made for use at weddings. They burn much hotter and will result in more accidents. Besides being more dangerous, they put off 2-3 times more smoke than a specialty wedding sparkler which makes getting good photographs very difficult.
If you have NOT yet purchased, you can do so from our preferred vendor based in Dallas, TX and SAVE 15%! Go to https://www.loveweddingsparklers.com. Mention Bayou Haven and SHIPPING IS FREE! They have both 20” and 36” sparklers. 36” is preferred and the safest size. To get the preferred discount, enter “Bayou Haven” in the Coupon Code field when you check out.
Q12: Do you have any suggestions for when we should start our outdoor ceremony?
One of the most beautiful features of Bayou Haven is the outdoor ceremony area and decorative pond. When we built Bayou Haven, we specifically positioned the building on the property so that it would cast an evening shadow over the outdoor area starting about 45 minutes prior to sunset.
We highly encourage you to Google the time of the sunset on your wedding day and plan your ceremony to start about 45 minutes prior to this time. Your guests will thank you (it is so much cooler and pleasant in the shade), your photographer will LOVE you (it is so much easier to take pictures in the shade versus harsh shadows on your face and squinted eyes), and YOU will be happy. It can get hot and sticky in a wedding dress or suit when you're standing in the full heat of a the Louisiana sun!
We highly encourage you to Google the time of the sunset on your wedding day and plan your ceremony to start about 45 minutes prior to this time. Your guests will thank you (it is so much cooler and pleasant in the shade), your photographer will LOVE you (it is so much easier to take pictures in the shade versus harsh shadows on your face and squinted eyes), and YOU will be happy. It can get hot and sticky in a wedding dress or suit when you're standing in the full heat of a the Louisiana sun!
Q13: Do you provide Caterer, DJ, or other services or suggest any particular Companies or partners?
This is your event and we want you to have things the way you want them. For this reason, we let you bring in any partners you wish and we don't charge any mark-up fees or surcharges. However, we do get a chance to work with many different companies and keep a comprehensive vendor list compiled that you are encouraged to look over for references. Many of these companies have worked with us on weddings and other events and they all offer quality products!
To view the vendor list, please click the icon below.
To view the vendor list, please click the icon below.
Q14: Is there a kitchen at Bayou Haven?
Yes, Bayou Haven is equipped with a full caterer’s / plating kitchen. It has all the essentials to ensure your event runs without a hitch and the food you serve is perfect! Equipped with stainless steel tables and shelving, a commercial - 3 compartment sink, a warming cabinet to ensure your food says warm, a full, 8x8 foot walk-in cooler, a 400 lb ice machine, and many other kitchen essentials, the kitchen at Bayou Haven will exceed the expectations of the most demanding caterers or family planners!
Please note that we do not provide serving utensils, dishes, or any flatware.
Please note that we do not provide serving utensils, dishes, or any flatware.
Q15: Do I have to have security for my event at Bayou Haven?
Yes, for any event that exceeds 75 people in attendance, (or has alcohol being served), you must have security on the premises. One security officer is required for events with 75 or fewer guests and two security officers are required for events that exceed 75 guests. Your security personnel will arrive one hour prior to your event start time and will help ensure your guests are parked in an organized and safe fashion and then transition to general security oversight for the remainder of your event. Although you can release security once your crowd drops below 75 guests remaining, you must keep them at the premises the entire time alcohol is being served.
You cannot provide your own security. Bayou Haven requires that you use our Security team which you can find on our Preferred Vendor List. The costs is set by the Parish of Rapides but currently runs $35 per hour per officer and you will pay the security team directly. Other than setting you up with our security team, Bayou Haven does not get involved in security logistics or payments.
You cannot provide your own security. Bayou Haven requires that you use our Security team which you can find on our Preferred Vendor List. The costs is set by the Parish of Rapides but currently runs $35 per hour per officer and you will pay the security team directly. Other than setting you up with our security team, Bayou Haven does not get involved in security logistics or payments.
Q16: Do I have to set-up and take down the chairs and tables?
Q17: Who is responsible for cleaning up after my event?
If you do not have a professional caterer involved in your event, then the cleaning responsibility resides with the party renting the venue.
As it relates to cleaning in general, all we ask is that you utilize the provided garbage containers to clean off all tabletops prior to leaving and to remove all decorations and personal items you brought into the venue.
Tablecloths: If your tablecloths are rented through Bayou Haven, then you only have to clean the tables down to the tablecloths. Please make note of any damage to a tablecloth that might be caused by your guests and report it to a member of the staff. All tears, burns, and wax spills will result in a replacement tablecloth being charged to your security deposit. If you provide your own tablecloths, than they will need to be removed from the tables and taken with your prior to your departure.
Q18: Many of our guests are coming from out of town. Do you have a recommendation on a hotel we should use?
Hotel Information:
Courtyard Marriott
Contact: Shanna Worth
Email: shanna.worth@marriott.com
Phone: 318-445-2415
Please identify that you’re with Bayou Haven and they will extend to you our contracted rate.
Q19: How do I secure a date so that it is not reserved by someone else?
To reserve a date, you would put down a non-refundable $250 deposit which also locks in the pricing for your wedding and reception. If your plans change, you can move your deposit to a different date.
Once your contract is signed and you start making payments on the venue rental, we transition your initial deposit to a ‘security deposit’ until your event is complete. Assuming no damage to the property, you get 100% of your deposit back in full. The refund of the security deposit is returned to you within 10 days after your event is complete.
Once your contract is signed and you start making payments on the venue rental, we transition your initial deposit to a ‘security deposit’ until your event is complete. Assuming no damage to the property, you get 100% of your deposit back in full. The refund of the security deposit is returned to you within 10 days after your event is complete.
Q20: Can you hold a date for me?
Due to the fact that there are many people considering Bayou Haven for so many different dates and occasions, we do not hold dates. A date is considered open and available to any couple until a deposit is received and the contract signed.
Q21: How do I get PRICING and availability information about Bayou Haven?
We would love to provide you additional information and pricing on Bayou Haven. Let us get some more information from you and then we can send out specific pricing and other details. Some of our pricing information varies depending on details such as time of year and month desired.
Use the button below to request pricing information on Bayou Haven.
Use the button below to request pricing information on Bayou Haven.
You might want to check out the amenities on our website for a full list of details and what’s included.
For the most up to date information and details, be sure to follow-up on FaceBook. Click here to go there now.
For the most up to date information and details, be sure to follow-up on FaceBook. Click here to go there now.