Ceremonies

indoor

In the timber-framed barn, under a crystal chandelier and a light well from the pyramid of windows overhead, an indoor ceremony is a fantastic first choice or a back-up option if your heart is set on outdoors, but the weather has another idea.

Keep in mind: Rivercrest Farm staff will move chairs after the ceremony inside to open up the space for the dance floor.

Planning Tip: We do not recommend using an aisle runner; please do not nail or staple anything to the floor.

Behind the barn

This is the best of both worlds: an outdoor ceremony, but close to the barn for the best flow into cocktail hour and near bathrooms. Be mindful of your guests: if the weather is iffy or hot and sunny, behind the barn provides shade and comfort.

Behind the barn has three options for a ceremony backdrop: the woods, the hills or the fireplace. For the woods or the hills, guests are seated in the shade of a tree on grass.

For the fireplace, guests are seated on a concrete pad. This is a great option for early spring or late fall ceremonies when the ground may be softer and wet. This is also a good idea if your guest list includes anyone with mobility issues.

Keep in mind: Let us know if you prefer to have the chess pieces removed before your ceremony.

Hilltop

Gorgeous view overlooking the hills. The hilltop site is a completely open (no shade) hilltop.

There is electrical access for music and microphones. DJs should come prepared with a 100’ extension cord or cords. We do not supply extension cords.

Guests are transported via a wagon ride pulled by a tractor, or on golf carts. The wagon ride seats about 20 people per trip. Each round trip takes about 5-7 minutes. Guests will be picked up in the lower parking area near Bella the pig’s house. Depending on your guest count, transport for everyone to the hilltop will take between 30 - 60 minutes.

After guests are transported, the last wagon ride or golf cart rides will be wedding party and family members. Finally, whomever needs driven behind the gates (usually the bride and those walking with her), will be transported via their own car. Due to the pandemic, we will lead in our car separately.

Not included. The hilltop ceremony is an additional, separate fee to be paid on the morning of your event. Once paid, this fee is not refunded.

We will not hold a hilltop ceremony if expected temperature within two hours of time of ceremony is 80 degrees or warmer.

Keep in mind: If you love the hilltop, but the additional fee, the weather, or the logistics don’t make sense for you and your guests, we will always take you and your photographer around for sunset photos to still capture the beauty of the surrounding land.

Planning Tip: There is no shade! If you are planning a summer event, we recommend a 4:30 or 5:30pm start for hilltop ceremonies. Be sure to provide small water bottles for your guests. Fans are a great idea too (just don’t place on the chairs - they’ll scatter like wild in the wind). Also, white parasols are darling and great for shade!

ARBOR

Each ceremony site has an arbor to be married under. All three arbors have the same dimensions: 8’ tall x 8’ wide x 4’ deep.

Your florist should be able to easily adapt arbor flowers if the ceremony site gets moved due to weather.

Planning Tip: Let us know if your ceremony requires a table placed near or under the arbor (i.e. sand pouring, tree planting, wine box nailing, knot tying ceremony).

Keep in mind: Arbors are bare for your use. We do not include fabric swags. You may add flowers, fabric, etc. There is always a chandelier on the indoor one and an optional chandelier for the outdoor arbors.