~Garden Wedding Site~ Does this sound like something you'd pay for?

nefariousmango

Hi all!

I'm getting married on July 5th of this year in my parents' garden in Boulder.  We've had two other couples ask if they can get married in our yard, and my mom is considering a business... the question is, how much is the venue "worth" so to speak?

 The house was built in 1880 in true Victorian style with a wrap-around porch and a rose garden in the back.  It was a cherry orchard and there is a 130 year old, 40 foot cherry tree that still blooms and fruits.  Unfortunately, the property was pretty much abandoned for 50 years and the garden was completely out of control.  My parents have lived in this house for 15+ years and my mother is an amazing gardener.  In addition to a complete remodel/restoration to the house itself, the 3/4+ acre garden has been brought beyond its former glory and is absolutely magnificent!  Some of the original tea roses and massive clumps of the original forget-me-nots still bloom in addition to the hundreds of other perennials and the annuals we plant each year.

French doors open from the house onto a flagstone patio with wisteria, climbing roses, and kiwi vines twisting up and around the trellis.  A stream flows down the hill into a small pond by the patio.  The lawn winds its way uphill with lush gardens on either side, including several arbors covered in climatis, roses, grapes, and sweet peas. You look back onto a small apple orchard with green knee-high grass, wildflowers, and cottonwood trees growing behind that along the ditch.  Behind that is open space and the foothills.  Tall fences keep you isolated from the neighbors on either side.

Max. 100 people seated on the lawn, 150 could stand comfortably.  I don't know what other venues like this are charging, but it would cost us about $800 to have the house cleaned, kennel the pets, and repair the lawn properly afterwards.  Because we have done other public events, we have the proper insurance etc, we just need to figure out how much to charge to make it worth it to us but keep it affordible and fair to couples.

Thank you for your help and suggestions!
~Amy

charlsie26

800 just for the ceremony?  Seems a bit much to me.  because you have to factor in rentals for chairs (unless you have them) the cost for the minister and flower for decor. 

nefariousmango

I don't think you'd need any additional flowers for decor- just whatever you wanted for a bouquet etc.  For $1000 we could even plant annuals just for the couple, but then we make zero profit.  Similarly, we're not renting chairs- we have enough for family and those who cannot stand, and the lawn is sloped enough to make sitting on blankets or standing a really lovely option.  We'd throw in a nice aisle runner because it protects the grass/ the bride's white dress, and if this became a real business we'd invest in more chairs. 

I'm having a hard time finding the prices of other ceremony sites.  3 hours at Sunrise Amphitheater is $300-500 depending on season, day, and time.  There is NOTHING up there except the stone benches and you can't bring anything up there or set up much in advance, I know my florist friends are not real fond of it.  The view is great, but the site itself is rustic.  For our garden, we're talking about full use all day plus setting up the night before, someone to act as "staff" to keep plates and cups cleaned up and help make sure everything is taken care of, and some decoration.

charlsie26

I don't like the idea of not having chairs for guests.  guests start to arrive up to 45 min before the ceremony.  then the ceremony itself.  THat's a long time for someone to stand.  I wouldn't be to happy if I was a guest there.

IF there is already flowers there,  then that's an added benefit to the bride (not having to pay for flowers).

I think the 300-500 if the best for just the ceremony.  I wouldn't pay that much just for a 30 min -an hour ceremony. 

woahweddings

Have you heard of the Tapestry House in Fort Collins? It sounds similiar to what you are describing. You might want to check it out for pricing ideas.

Just a thought!

Paige Deaner

owner, Certified Wedding Planner

Without a Hitch Weddings and Events

Fort Collins, Colorado

www.woahweddings.com

bobbie3212

Before you get to involved with what couples are willing to pay for your site, I would check with Boulder County Land Use to see if your use is allowed, and then go consult with other venues in your area, to see what the local market can bear. To not do things right, and get approved from the very beginning is being irresponsible to the brides that will count on you to be open on their special day. Many venues try to open because they have a beautiful location. They do not follow county approval processes, and then are forced to close, leaving brides to scramble for new venues. Ultimately you will find that your costs to get open, under approved conditions are expensive. Parking lots, sewer lines, retention ponds, handicapped issues, fire hydrants, traffic issues, road improvements, turn lanes, and the multitude of engineers you will hire just to get you through the county processes will knock your socks off.  I would say that most venues spend several hundred thousand dollars to get through these requirements before they even start construction on any buildings. If you have any questions about wanting to be a venue, and what to expect, please feel free to email me: I'd rather see you do it right from the beginning then be on the receiving end of getting calls from brides who are frantically trying to replace a suddenly closed venue. Good luck~

bobbie@tapestryhouse.com

nefariousmango

Hi Bobbie,

Those are all good points, and issues we have gone over before (as surprising as that may sound).  We have run programs here before, which is why we have the right insurance and we know the permit process can be daunting.  We have decided at this point that it's not worth it to us to try and make it a business in any sense.  This is a private home and we cannot offer parking lots and public-style toilets, and we don't want to have to leave our home all the time so other groups can take it over and potentially trash it.

We don't want to offer this as a venue so much as we would like to be able to host people who ask us to.  A few of our vendors have asked if they can send clients our way and we have said only if they understand that this is our home and NOT a formal venue.  People just keep asking how much we would charge, and we don't have a good idea!

bobbie3212

Nice to know you have thought it all through and aren't potentially gambling on someone's wedding day~

Good luck with everything!

Bobbie

ps: very cute little dog ~