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F
or farmers, weddings can provide opportunities
to diversify the business with something other
than an agricultural product. For many farms, the
land, vistas, and outbuildings make weddings a natural
fi t. For others, entering the wedding industry brings new,
sometimes insurmountable challenges. This chapter is
intended to outline tips and essential steps for opening
your farm as a wedding venue.
Are Weddings Right for Your Farm?
Hosting even one wedding each summer is a large
commitment involving time, communication, and
signifi cant attention to detail about the safety and the
attractiveness of your farm. Before you decide to jump in,
start by asking yourself — and everyone else involved in
your farm business — a few questions.
Do you enjoy sharing your property with guests?
What will be the cost of the physical modifi cations
(roads, buildings, landscaping) associated with
creating a safe, attractive atmosphere?
Can you manage the additional business
responsibilities associated with the wedding business
(including marketing, employee management, and
client relations)?
Are you willing to create the ideal experience for your
clients?
Stoneover Farm, Lenox, MA. (Orchard Cove Photography)
Farms offer great conversation
pieces —like the chickens that cluck
at cocktail hour.”
— Olga Moriarty, Pollination Event Company, Lincoln, VT
Host Weddings
on Your Farm
AGRITOURISM BEST PRACTICES SERIES
HOW TO
Host Weddings on Your Farm
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HOW WILL WEDDINGS IMPACT YOUR
FARM?
Hosting weddings on the farm may change how you go
about your days.
As a farmer, you’re always planning your next step. When
you take on wedding clients, your next step may revolve
around their experience as much as your own farm’s
cycles. You may choose to spread manure later than
usual, leave the sheep in full fl eece an extra week, or
keep the cows indoors so there aren’t any muddy sections
of pasture before the event. In general, you may need to
spend more time landscaping and keeping your space tidy.
Mike Isham of Isham Family Farm in Williston, VT
milked cows as a child in the barn he currently
rents for weddings and events. “I knew I needed to
do something different with the barn. I didn’t want
to lose it on my watch. It’s got a lot of history in it,”
Isham told the Burlington Free Press in 2013. For
Isham, the barn is becoming a predictable stream
of income for his farm, as weather becomes more
and more unpredictable.
Isham Family Farm
(Orchard Cove Photography)
We usually shear our sheep in
September, but we had to delay
shearing until after the
wedding
so that the animals would have their
b
eautiful, long fl eeces on the
wedding day.”
— Diversifi ed farmer, Chittenden County
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You’ll also need to spend signifi cant time communicating
with prospective clients. In addition to asking questions
over email and by phone, couples will need to see the
venue at least once before making the decision to rent
it. You’ll need to allocate time for these site visits and be
clear with the couple about how much time you can give
them.
Hosting weddings may also have impacts beyond your
property lines. Communicating adequately with neighbors
could make or break your success as a wedding venue.
Spend the time to help neighbors set appropriate
expectations. Clarify with them about when music will be
shut off, where guests will park, and how many events you
plan to host each year.
Don’t be shy! Call or visit other farms that host weddings
to begin learning what is involved. Ask the advice of a
wedding planner, too.
Bliss Ridge Farm in Moretown, Vermont, sets
itself apart by noting its small size, attention to
detail, and unmatched location.
“Bliss Ridge is a boutique wedding venue booking
no more than 10 unforgettable events per year.
Our mission is to facilitate custom weddings and
the unique character of our 88-acre, organic,
wilderness-surrounded farm, provides a stunning
backdrop for events ranging in style from elegant
seven course gastronomic affairs for 200, to
intimate elopements, to relaxed pig roast-square
dances.”
B
liss Ridge Farm
(JC McIlwaine)
What Do Clients Look for in
Wedding Venues?
Many wedding clients look for the following services,
characteristics, and amenities in a farm wedding:
Clean and safe space. No mud, dust, or manure where
people will walk, sit, or rest. No animal smells or fl ies.
Fresh, local, and amazing food.
A real farm experience: the opportunity to milk a cow,
move the sheep, collect the eggs, stack the wood
(even if they don’t take you up on the offer).
Comfortable, clean, fl ushing bathrooms. If they are
portable toilets, choose the luxury line.
Very good customer service and clear communication
(which might be where a hired planner comes into
service).
A beautiful outdoor ceremony site within a 5- to
10-minute walk to parking, and with a car drop-off spot
for elderly and/or disabled individuals.
Parking that doesn’t become muddy.
A good rain plan for the ceremony.
Nice mowed fi elds, lawns. Flowers, fruit trees, arbors,
pathways, attractive fencing, etc.
Floors that are level, fi nished, and good for dancing.
A private experience. Little road noise or road
exposure.
On-site prep space for bridal party with good light.
Should be cozy, clean, comfy, and nice for photos, with
a nice bathroom and fl oor-length mirror.
Nice accommodations for guests within 20 minutes
(30 minutes max). Rental houses are a good option, too.
Close proximity to airport.
On-site help available for set up, but clients given
freedom to do as they’d like.
Nice barn/tent lighting. Bistro lights — a step up from
Christmas lights — are very popular.
Lack of noise ordinances and curfews so the band can
play until 12:30 a.m.
Commercial kitchen space to avoid renting equipment
for a fi eld kitchen.
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Rentals included: consider tables (farm tables are
gorgeous), chairs (even simply white folding chairs for
ceremonies), tents, vases, mason jars, votive candles,
tiki torches, wishing lanterns, directional signs. Avoid
dishes, glasses, and cutlery (you’ll never get it as clean
as the rental companies).
No venue will have all of these attributes, but having
as many as possible will increase your desirability as a
venue. As your business grows, you can add more of these
features.
YOUR REPUTATION AS A VENUE
When committing to a venue, a couple will look for a
business that is
trustworthy and organized. It will be
paramount that you have a detailed contract with the
couple that outlines the guidelines for renting the
space (see p. 6), and that you offer timely, professional
responses to their many questions.
Marketing Your Venue
The wedding venue market is competitive, but honestly
distinguishing your farm could give you a competitive
advantage. Communicate clearly about what you offer,
and when you develop an enterprise budget for the
wedding portion of your business, be sure to include the
costs of marketing your venue.
Thinking about the types of clients you are trying to attract
can help you focus your marketing efforts. Is your ideal
client in-state or out-of-state? What is their intended
budget and party size? Are you trying to attract those
seeking a state-of-the-art facility, an eco-friendly venue
option, or a rustic setting?
In the wedding world, it’s all
about referrals. Caterers, tent and
rental companies, photographers,
fl orists, bar service, and
planners
are
great sources of business for you.
Once established, you should make
visits to as many of these vendors as
possible to meet them, offer info
about your space, and invite them to
take a tour!”
— Olga Moriarty, Pollination Event Company
Photography
Quality photos or video showing the farm, venue,
and details—as well as photos from past weddings—
help potential clients to imagine their event and
understand your space.
On your wedding contract, ask clients to grant
permission for you to use their wedding photos for
future marketing. Most couples will be happy to do so.
The Inn at Round Barn Farm, Waitsfi eld, VT. (Orchard Cove Photography)
A “Green Wedding” Farm
On its website, the Monitor Barn in Richmond, VT,
shares the many ways that it is a Green Wedding
Venue:
“Solar Orchard” comprised of 14 solar trackers
Composting on-site
Low-water restroom facilities
Located on 200 acres of conserved land
Restored historic (1903) facility
Organic fl owers, produce, and pasture-raised poultry
available for sale
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COMMUNICATE WHAT YOU OFFER
At a basic level, your farm website and promotional
materials should include information about the venue.
A rate sheet describing what is provided at each price
point, including what decorations are provided by the
farm and client.
A fl oor plan of the rental space, or a map of the venue
including the location for a tent, parking, ceremony,
reception, portable toilets, photoshoot, etc.
Detailed descriptions of the grounds and rental space.
These may include dimensions of the important areas
such as rest rooms, dance fl oor, porch, patio, catering
tent, kitchen, bar, seating area, and dressing rooms.
The number of guests your venue can accommodate.
Location of nearby lodging facilities.
Availability of venue by season.
Wheelchair accessibility.
Other attractions and points of interest near the farm,
including swimming holes, golf courses, and hiking
trails.
Unique characteristics of your land (e.g., mountains
you can see, types of trees you have, conservation
easements).
Test the waters by hosting
rehearsal dinners and foodie events
under tents. Rent your home, offer
public tours, sign on to be a bike tour
destination. Offer to host a wedding
for free. Yes, for free! Offer to host for
someone you know and trust. Ask them
what they’d like to have in a wedding
venue, and try to make some of it come
true. The experience of having a
wedding on your property will provide
you with loads of helpful information
that will assist in your planning.”
— Olga Moriarty, Pollination Event Company
Farm venues make it very easy to
incorporate natural elements into your
theme and décor because they help
maintain the essence of the land.
Things like walkways (instead of man-
made sidewalks or tent pads), ponds
and rolling pastures provide a striking
balance to one another and give you
the opportunity to spotlight the
beautiful countryside as a primary
element of your big day.”
— Green Bride Guide, May 2014
Your overall farm goals and how hosting weddings
contributes to them.
Any eco-friendly practices or infrastructure.
Information on booking a tour of the venue.
Statement indicating how far in advance reservations
must be made.
Required deposit for holding the venue.
List of preferred vendors (caterers, offi ciants,
musicians, invitation printers, linen, tent and table
rentals, photography and videography, wedding
planners, fl owers, hair styling, transportation, bar
services, valet parking, lighting/electrical).
List of exclusive vendors (this means the client must
use that specifi c vendor). An exclusive list of caterers
may be useful, so you can be assured the caterer will
purchase food from your farm.
Availability of any “add ons”: wagon rides, fl ower
arranging, llama walks, wedding favors, signage, etc.
The story of your farm. Share the unique attributes
that set you apart from other venues, and make sure
clients understand the type of business they are
supporting when they select your venue.
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Just because you state in writing what you offer, don’t
assume your customers will understand exactly what you
can or cannot provide. Corie Pierce of Bread and Butter
Farm in Shelburne, VT shows prospective clients photos
of the fl owers she can provide and lets them compare the
selections to those a fl orist might provide. “I really push
them to understand what I can do and what our farm can
provide. I ask them to really think forward to their wedding
day. Will this pavilion work? Will they be happy with
this bridal suite? There’s a lot at stake, and sometimes
couples start off very laid-back, but they get pressure
from friends and family to do things in more high-end
ways as the wedding day approaches.”
Building a Contract
Some wedding venues are inclusive: they take care of
booking entertainment, fl owers, spa treatments for the
couple, food, and more. Others rent a physical space, and
the couple or wedding planner coordinates the rest. Many
fall somewhere in between, such as Bliss Ridge Farm in
Moretown, VT which offers hand-painted signage, wooden
tables, and chairs to go along with their barn venue, and
provides a list of preferred vendors for portable toilets,
caterers, bartenders, etc.
An attorney will be able to help you build a legal rental
agreement. Important elements include:
Grand View Winery, Calais, VT.
Weddings generally are
more recreational than
educational agritourism,
but there are simple ways
to share a bit of your story.
Consider displaying large
photographs of your farm
or a timeline of its history,
and use farm products for
decorations and wedding
favors. Perhaps offer a wagon ride to the ceremony,
tours of the farm, or an area for taking photos that
displays your farm name in view of your barn or
animals. If you ship products, make sure you have
order forms or business cards out for guests.
Share Your Story
At their farm wedding in Carlisle, MA, CSA famers Gallagher and David
gave guests seeds for their gardens. (Orchard Cove Photography)
Many farms are great for rehearsal
dinners. Couples can do the classic
Vermont-y thing at a farm on the
Friday before the wedding, then the
more high-pressure event at a wedding
facility.”
— Corie Pierce, Bread and Butter Farm, Shelburne, VT
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Hours and date of event
Fees (rental fee, cleaning fee, deposit, and payment
due dates)
Cancellation policy
Expectations of the conditions of the premises
Restrictions (prohibited areas of farm, types of confetti
or decorations)
Alcohol policies (caterers must have appropriate
licensure and guest’s sobriety is responsibility of the
renters)
Special event insurance
Holds harmless clause
Agreement to comply with laws
Right to revoke the agreement
Parking limitations
Curfews
Expectations of what client must rent (e.g., portable
toilets)
Your contract should be signed by the parties paying the
rental fee. In many cases, these are the parents of the
couple, and the couple being married is the benefi ciary of
the contract. (SOURCE: Rachel Brenke, The Law Tog)
The cost of your venue will depend greatly on
what’s included and the duration of the rental. When
determining pricing, make sure you understand and
account for the full costs of operating your venue.
Conduct a break-even analysis to determine how many
weddings per year you would need to host in order
to break even, and don’t be afraid to charge a fair
price for what the venue is worth. Research what your
target clientele is accustomed to paying, understand
the market landscape around you, and look at your
competitors’ pricing, and trade publications. Estimate
the amount of time you spend talking to clients, and
account for this in your price.
$1,500 for a barn and adjacent outdoor sites, with
electric power and 24 hours of access. Food,
fl owers and limited accommodations are an additional
cost. Capacity: 100.
$3,000 for a fi eld with parking, parking attendants,
trash disposal, benches and a vendor list. Flowers
grown on the farm at an extra charge. Tent, tables and
chairs, food and beverage, insurance, and toilets are
all the responsibility of the customer. Capacity: 250.
$3,000 for a lawn with a tent and labor to put it up
and take it down, lights and electric service. Beverage
service and lodging are an extra charge. Customer is
responsible for heaters, tables, chairs, dance fl oor,
catering and all tableware. Capacity: 200.
$6,500 for barn and grounds, parking for 80 cars,
catering kitchen, bathrooms, tables, chairs, one
on-call staff person, 48 hours access. Vegetables
and fl owers for an extra charge. Tent, catering, and
insurance are the responsibility of the customer.
Capacity: 200.
$5,000 to $8,000 for barn, meadow, bathrooms,
dance fl oor, some tables and chairs, parking
attendants and assistance with setup and cleanup.
Lodging available for an extra charge. Catering,
fl owers, additional tables and chairs, and tents are the
responsibility of the customer.
Capacity: 150.
Source: Summary Results of a Survey of Vermont Farms Hosting
Weddings. Compiled by Becky Bartlett and Lisa Chase for UVM
Extension, 2019
What to Charge?
Be very clear about why a deposit
is needed, when it’s due, and when the
full payment is due. When a couple
puts down a deposit, it means we are
turning away other people who may
approach us about hosting an event
on that day. People don’t always
understand that, or the fact that even
with the deposit, if they cancel, we are
still losing money on the transaction
based on all of the time we put into
working with them.”
— Corie Pierce, Bread and Butter Farm, Shelburne, VT
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Planning the Event
Many clients will be do-it-yourself types who are planning
their wedding on their own. Others will work with a
wedding planner to keep track of the details. However,
even when your farm is only responsible for the space
rental and the client does the rest, there are a few
planning items that will fall onto your list.
Do your due diligence to be as
helpful as possible with your clients’
planning process and questions. As an
example, create a preferred vendor
contact list: caterers, transportation,
bar services, etc. All of these vendors
are crucial contacts for clients. If you
have a list of people who you trust in
your facility, your business will run
smoothly and your clients’ events will
be seamless.”
— Grace Ciffo, Event Planner/ Venue Host Prindle Barn, Hinesburg, VT
FOOD AND ALCOHOL
If there’s one thing all great celebrations have in common,
it’s good food! The food served at a wedding is an
opportunity for your to tie your farm’s story together with
their event. Whether you produce maple, meat, veggies,
or fl owers, consider offering these products to the client.
Most couples will be interested in hiring caterers; you can
encourage the caterer to use your farm’s products. You
can also have an exclusive contract with a caterer who
you know will purchase what you have available. Some
venues allow clients to hold a potluck or cook themselves.
The caterer or bar service must hold a liquor license. Your
insurance company will need to know if the caterer is
serving alcohol on your property.
Wedding ceremony site at Amee Farm, Pittsfi eld, VT. (Birke Photography)
Be Clear about Your Time
Don’t be afraid to tell your clients how much time
you can allocate to their questions and needs. Set
boundaries early in the planning process, and if they
demand more from you, tactfully provide them with a
list of recommended wedding planners they can hire.
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SAFETY AND LIABILITY
There are many ways to help legally protect your
business, including setting it up with the appropriate legal
structure; using waivers, signage, and adequate lighting;
setting clear rules for guests; taking medical trainings;
maintaining a clean environment; keeping records;
complying with codes; and of course, having an adequate
insurance policy.
Farmers should ensure that illness from bacterial
contamination is covered under their insurance policy.
For farm weddings, farms can often get an event
endorsement or rider, or a commercial policy to boost
coverage.
It is commonplace for a venue to require clients and
wedding vendors to provide a liability insurance plan of
$1,000,000, in which the farm is listed as co-insured.
This usually entails a fee of around $850. Make sure
this insurance is purchased well in advance of the event.
Check
wedsafe.com for liability insurance quotes.
ZONING
Remember to check zoning bylaws before marketing your
farm for weddings. Many towns do not include “events”
in their defi nition of “agriculture,” but farmers can seek a
“conditional use permit,” which would make exceptions
to the zoning bylaws. Farmers can also talk to neighbors
and community members to assess their concerns before
approaching zoning offi cials. Rachel Armstrong, attorney
and founder of Farm Commons, suggests that it’s wise
to speak with an attorney before asking for a variance or
advocating for changes to the bylaws.
Never skimp on your electrical
capacities. The worst thing you can do
is allow an event to go dark. If you do
nothing else, invest in good electrical
infrastructure so that clients can add
cooking equipment, custom lighting,
or a large band to your venue without
tripping out the power.”
— Grace Ciffo, Event Planner/ Venue Host, , Prindle Barn, Hinesburg, VT
Bread and Butter Farm in Shelburne, VT has
hosted a limited number of weddings and several
events for parties of varying sizes. For events that
include dinner grown and prepared on the farm,
pricing is generally $38–$45 per person, with a
minimum fee of $2,500, or a site fee of $200 per
hour. Included in this price are an outdoor pavilion,
use of places, tables, a sound system for the band,
restrooms, parking, and private space for wedding
parties or small groups to use as a retreat during
the event.
B
read and Butter Farm
TENT SITE AND DETAILS
A fl at and dry area is important for the tent site. If you
cannot avoid a wet area, try to improve it by spreading
hay or (ideally) straw under the tent and packing it down
by stomping all over the area. This creates a brick-like
fl oor covering. For the tent itself, clients may have the
option to rent sidewalls, which block wind, protect from
intense sun and/or rain, and limit mosquitos during the
evening. When planning for the size of a tent, factor about
20 sq. feet per person, which will allow space for dining,
dancing, a buffet, and a band or DJ.
Christmas lights will not suffi ciently illuminate a tent at
night. Clients will need to rent lights with larger bulbs and
higher wattage to truly light the tent when darkness falls.
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Many farms are perfectly positioned to tap into the
growing interest in green, rustic, or quaint weddings.
Hosting these special events is not a decision to
be taken lightly, but weddings do pose a signifi cant
opportunity to diversify your business, employ
community members, and, in some cases, share the
story of your farm with guests from around the world.
Your farm, family, and market are always changing,
so make a plan for evaluating your wedding offerings
regularly and adjust as needed. This fl exibility will
bring resilience to your business and is critical for
helping your farm reach its overall goals.
Remember there are no ‘perfect’
weddings. ‘Perfect’ events do not
exist. What you can offer is a location
for events full of love, beauty, joy,
wonder, grace—that is what you
should strive for. Do not promise
perfection. Do not overstate what your
land or barn can offer. Rain happens.
Cakes fall. Plan in advance,
troubleshoot last-minute snafus, and
keep a sense of humor at all times!”
— Grace Ciffo, Event Planner/ Venue Host Prindle Barn, Hinesburg, VT
Also in this series:
How To...
Host Dinners on Your Farm
Host Summer Camp on Your Farm
Develop a Farm Stand
Develop a Farm Stay
Develop a Pick-Your-Own Business
Develop a Tour on Your Farm
A Guide to Successful Agritourism
Enterprises
Download at uvm.edu/vtagritourism
REFERENCES: “Are Weddings Right for Your Farm” adapted from “Is An Agritourism Venture Right for Your Farm,” Rutgers
University Fact Sheet, 2010. “What Do Clients Look for in a Wedding Venue?” provided by Olga Moriarty, Pollination
Event Company. “Safety and Liability” from Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture. “Tent Site, Decorations and Details”
provided by Grace Ciffo, Prindle Barn, Hinesburg, VT.
The information contained in this publication is deemed correct and accurate and is based on research at the time of
writing. This publication is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an interpretation of the
law. It is recommended that you consult an attorney about specifi c legal concerns.
The original 2014 edition of this publication was made possible by support from the U.S. Small Business Administration
and The Canaday Family Charitable Trust. It is also the result of tax-supported funding from USDA, Rural Development,
and as such cannot be copyrighted. It may be reprinted with the customary crediting of the source. Each chapter was
published as a result of a project of the Rutland Regional Planning Commission, Farm-Based Education Network and
Vermont Farms! Association, coordinated by Vera Simon-Nobes. Reviewed by Lisa Chase, University of Vermont Extension;
Olga Moriarty, Pollination Event Company; Grace Ciffo,
Prindle Barn, Hinesburg, VT; Corie Pierce, Bread and Butter
Farm,
Shelburne, VT; Chris Howell, Vermont Farm Tours. Design by Holly Brough, Shelburne Farms.
2019 funding provided by the Agriculture Marketing Resource Center (AgMRC), located at Iowa State University, www.
agmrc.org. AgMRC is a national website dedicated to providing information to producers and service providers on value-
added agriculture businesses.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United
States Department of Agriculture. University of Vermont Extension, Burlington, Vermont. University of Vermont Extension,
and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race,
color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.
Any reference to commercial products, trade names, or brand names is for information only, and no endorsement or
approval is intended.
