Hi all!
I'm getting married on July 5th of this year in my parents' garden in Boulder, Colorado. 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, and what do you expect when you pay for a venue like this?
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