“ Having a play farm is such a weather-dependent business ,” she said . “ It ’ s awesome when it doesn ’ t rain , but when it rains six weekends out of seven , it ’ s not a lot of fun .”
So , the two-story barn was modernized , although it ’ s still authentic with bales of hay , whiskey barrels and old furniture all around . “ Brides like rustic , but not completely rustic ,” said Mandi . “ They want their comforts , too .”
The modernization included replacing a gravel floor with concrete and building an adjoining , matching wood-frame building with a bridal suite with its own restroom , groom ’ s suite , other restrooms and a kitchen prep area . There ’ s also a covered connection between the new building and the barn for when the weather is iffy . ( Mandi doesn ’ t use the word “ rain .” It ’ s considered superstitious in the events business . She calls it “ Plan B .”)
But the barn is not the only possible wedding venue . The 40 acres are full of possibilities . People can get married in a clearing in the woods , on the great lawn , near the pond or at other spots on the property that catch their fancy . “ We ’ re completely open to anyone ’ s preferences ,” Mandi said . “ But the great lawn is our most popular outdoor venue . It ’ s a beautiful backdrop .”
And , of course , “ Plan B ” is always moving back into the barn . “ But we ’ ll wait until the last minute before we revert to Plan B ,” she said . “ Brides know what they want , and we want to be able to give it to them .”
For barn weddings , the ceremony is held in the large , peaked-roof , beamedceiling loft . After the ceremony , while guests are eating downstairs , the loft is turned into a festive , sparkling party and dancing site . “ The downstairs of the barn is pretty ,” said Mandi , “ but the loft is breathtaking .” The barn can hold 300 guests comfortably , but other options can handle more . “ We can seat more people on the lawn , and we can add tents on the lawn . We ’ ll work with anybody ’ s needs and preferences .”
The farm ’ s wedding season runs from the beginning of April to the first weekend of November . “ Because we wanted to keep the barn as authentic as possible , it isn ’ t air-conditioned or heated . We ’ re eventually going to add an all-weather venue so we can accommodate people all year round .”
Accommodating people is the root of this family ’ s business . “ We know that we do this every weekend , but for most brides this is a first-time , one-time event ,” said Mandi , “ and we want to offer a no-surprises experience . We handle every detail . We don ’ t want them to have to think about anything but having a great wedding .”
Photo by Photography and Design by Lauren
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