Old country church reborn as wedding venue
The 1871 church building in Morgantown was a mess when Dan and Patti Planker purchased it last fall, but they knew they had the bones of something special.
"It was kind of creepy and scary inside, but the stained glass was just amazing," Patti Planker said. "We made a pitch; the owners said yes; and, oh my gosh, we own a church."
After investing a couple hundred thousand dollars and 1,500 hours of sweat-equity, the Plankers have brought new beauty to the old church.
They now hope it will become one of Central Indiana's hottest new wedding venues.
The Chapel at Morgantown will show off its transformation during an open house from noon-3 p.m. Saturday, at 140 E. Washington St., Morgantown.
The First Christian Church of Morgantown built the sanctuary in 1871. Most of the stained glass windows on the walls are original and have the name plates recognizing the families who donated them.
First Christian built a new church at 2717 S. Morgantown Road and sold the building in 2007 to Abundant Life Fellowship for $125,000, according to the Morgan County Assessor's Office.
The building changed hands again in 2012. It sat empty for a while and eventually fell into the hands of a local attorney, who sold it to the Plankers in October.
The inspiration to buy a church struck the Plankers last year after they attended a friend's wedding at another restored church, the Righteous Oaks Ballroom in Wilkerson.
"Righteous Oaks was beautiful," Patti Planker said. "We saw this church (in Morgantown) for sale, and we knew it would be a great event and wedding venue."
They also knew transforming the chapel would not be easy.
Leaky roof, broken pipes, water damage. The place smelled.
"The basement was full of water, the roof was caving in. Trash, junk was everywhere," Dan Planker said.
The Plankers had the know-how to bring the church back to life. Dan, president of D.W. Planker Inc., has been a contractor for 25 years and specializes in rehabbing and remodeling projects.
They removed the junk, demolished walls, added a kitchen and turned the rear of the church into a ballroom and banquet hall.
The sanctuary fills about half of the 6,800-square-foot building. The Plankers restored the mahogany pews, refinished the wood floor and repaired the original Gothic-style light fixtures.
First Christian took the original stained glass over the entry way to their new building. The Plankers replaced it with a replica.
They installed a "Bridal Parlor" complete with a changing area and make-up table. There's also a lodge-style "Man Cave" decorated with a stuffed deer head, fishing pole and Foosball table.
The Chapel can host about 175 guests, Dan Planker said. The way the space is set up, guests can attend the wedding in the sanctuary then move directly to the back banquet area for the reception. It's a one-stop party.
The Plankers don't see much competition for this kind of venue in Central Indiana. They expect to draw couples from Indianapolis, Morgan, Shelby and Johnson counties and communities as far south as Bloomington.
The chapel opens as more and more newlyweds are fancy ditching country clubs and opting to exchange vows in more rustic settings.
Barns and other outdoor or rural wedding venues usually mean couples have to rent tables, chairs and sometimes even portable toilets. The chapel, the Plankers said, has everything on site.
The Chapel at Morgantown is a family business. Patti, a registered nurse, will serve as manager, wedding planner and master scheduler. Her nursing schedule gives her a lot of flexibility so she'll have time to devote to couples.
Their children will have various roles as servers, bartenders and security. Dan said he too has his bartender's credentials and will be available to serve libations.
The chapel is ready to host its first wedding (Dan and Patti's daughter will be married there on May 23).
The venue has more weddings booked for September. The Plankers say they expect a very busy 2016.
Prices range from $3,400 for a basic wedding to about $20,000 for a full-service package where all the couple does is bring the dress.
Call Star reporter Vic Ryckaert at (317) 444-2701. Follow him on Twitter: @VicRyc.
If you go
What: Chapel at Morgantown open house.
When: Noon-3 p.m. Saturday, April 25.
Where: 140 E. Washington St., Morgantown.
Information: www.chapelatmorgantown.com.