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Rustic wedding venues

Laur&Jay2011Laur&Jay2011 member
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in Rhode Island
Anyone have any suggestions for a rustic/farm wedding in RI?  I love Whispering Pines, but we're inviting 180 people and may not fit there (we're expecting about 150 will actually come, but need to prepare for all to come just in case).

I'm hoping to look at Meadow Brook Inn and maybe Kinney Bungalow (though the setup seems kind of weird).

I saw someone mentioned Gerald's Farm, but there's no website.  Is it new or something?

Any ideas are helpful, I got engaged a month ago and haven't even started planning yet (work FT, school FT doesn't leave time for wedding planning) and am planning to get married next fall.

Oh and I'm Lauren and I'm new here. Smile
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Re: Rustic wedding venues

  • DeliteSmithDeliteSmith
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    edited December 2011
    Congrats and welcome!

    Gerald's Farm is new, you have to contact them for info (I did and got info back pretty quick).  You can do that through Sara Zarella's photography website I think.

    There is also Mt. Hope Farm in Bristol and the Meeting House in Tiverton.

    If you can go a little further, there are several barn venues in CT and MA. 

    Wineries can also have a rustic feel I think, there are a few in RI and Saltwater Farms just over the CT line.  Good luck!


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  • Island_Bride2011Island_Bride2011 member
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    edited December 2011
    Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown!  It's a tented reception....I think you rent your own tent so you can get one as big as you need.  I attended a wedding there recently and the wedding was right around 175-200 people.  

    Francesa Campo is the coordinator there and she rocks!
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  • RoyalOrientRoyalOrient member
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    edited December 2011
    I was going to suggest Bittersweet Farms in Westport but not sure of the capacity limit there. I love Mount Hope Farm too!
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  • KB_RIKB_RI
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    edited December 2011

    Hi Lauren! My wedding was at The Meeting House last month and I think they the coordinator told me they try to keep the weddings around 100-120 or so - I can't remember exactly because we were thinking of around 75 - but definitely check them out; it's a beautiful site and our wedding was just about perfect!

    Like Jade, I also didn't want to deal with a tent but it worked out fantastic and I'm so glad I did it. It really wasn't even as expensive as I'd imagined. I loved, loved having my wedding there. We had the ceremony inside (you wouldn't really be able to fit yours inside but there are outdoor ceremony sites there as well), dinner in the tent and dancing back in the Meeting House. Wish I had some pro pics to show you, but I'm still waiting for them! I do have some family ones if you're interested.

    Kinney - which I think 150 is still a bit big for - was our second choice. We also visited Whispering Pines and the barn at Mt. Hope Farm. I have pics of all of those places if you're interested.

    After I booked, I met someone through my work who was telling me about his farm and it sounded great; though it may be a little more country than rustic. Here are links: http://www.steppingstoneranch.com/countrywedding.htm and http://www.steppingstoneranch.com/rental.htm
    Again, though, a tent site. And that's him on the weddings page as chef!

    Or, what about one of the vineyards? Sakonnet Vineyards is lovely. Or there's Greenvale and Newport.

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  • i2012doi2012do member
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    edited December 2011
    Welcome to the knot  Lauren!! you will find soo much useful info here.
    Gerald's Farm is new, bnut if you go on Sarah Zarellas page (shes a photog).. you can see a picture of weddings there. Im pretty sure her family owns it or something because I am meeting her as a photog and she mentioned it a few times.

    Theres a link to their website on there.

    180 is going to be a bit large for some of the more traditional "rustic" places, like Mt. Hope Farm and the Meeting House

    what abotu setting upa tent at one of the vineyards or at Fort Adams and decorating really rustic? You can find some great inspiration on the knot photos and just google search "rustic weddings"
    My friend passed along a cute site of a girl she knows: http://amountainbride.blogspot.com/ she has lots of rustic ideas!

    good luck!
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  • Island_Bride2011Island_Bride2011 member
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    edited December 2011
    Has anyone else heard the rumor about Mt. Hope Farm closing or not accepting new weddings or something?  
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  • RoyalOrientRoyalOrient member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    wow two new venues I never heard of! These are really hidden gems. Really, has anyone on here has ever made a page complying links or info on venues in and around R.I? That would be a great resource page for brides.

    About Mount Hope Farm, I heard rumors about the bad management being replaced but not sure about them closing. That would be awful because it is really a beautiful site.
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  • Laur&Jay2011Laur&Jay2011 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thank you so much everyone!  I'm going to look in to some of those suggestions.  I was also kind of feeling that 180 was too big for some of the places I'd like, but unfortunately I can't make our big families get any smaller. 

    I love Stepping Stone Ranch, that's not too far from where I live and we drive by it from time to time.  Didn't know they did weddings there!
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  • shlnishlni
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    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_rhode-island_rustic-wedding-venues?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:122Discussion:8e22eff2-f5e5-42d7-a9ed-f5ee4e3b6de8Post:bc7a5241-1a0c-4c01-823f-f5dc6e28a612">Re: Rustic wedding venues</a>:
    [QUOTE]About Mount Hope Farm, I heard rumors about the bad management being replaced but not sure about them closing. That would be awful because it is really a beautiful site.
    Posted by RoyalOrient[/QUOTE]

    I've read that too, but I also found out they changed management back in the Spring and things have been significantly better. I'm checking it out Thanksgiving Weekend, so I can get back to you girls on that. There's the Cove, which is a gorgeous spot on the water, but they usually hold tented weddings there. Then there's the barn which holds about 130 people.

    I too have been looking for some rustic spots too. If you're willing to travel I also came across:
    <ul><li><a href="http://www.barnatgibbethill.com/weddings-events/">Gibbet Hill</a> in Groton, MA, it's a huge wood beam space. It's gorgeous.</li><li><a href="http://www.peabodyhistorical.org/wedding_facilities.asp">The Smith Barn</a> at Brooksby Farm in Peabody, MA</li><li><a href="http://www.harringtonfarm.com/">Harrington Farm in Princeton, MA</a></li></ul>They're all kind of far up in MA, but some nice options nonetheless.
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  • tobyandleanne2011tobyandleanne2011
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    edited December 2011
    We almost booked at Salt Water Farm Vineyard right over the line in CT. About 40 mins from providence. We LOVED it and it was rustic I thought. The pictures of the outside don't do it justice. It was a rennovated airplane hanger. It was too small for us though( we are expecting 200)

    http://www.saltwaterfarmvineyard.com/
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