Welcome to another lovely venue walkthrough! Today we’ll be touring Ash Mill Farm in New Hope, Pennsylvania and our tour guide will be the venue’s event planner, Lisa Ryan. Enjoy:
TELL US A BIT ABOUT YOUR VENUE:
Well, Ash Mill Farm is a sheep farm set on a 10-acre piece of property. The farm works, which means we have actual sheep on the property, we also have goats and a couple of barn cats. It’s also a bed and breakfast! We have 5 rooms in the Manor House as well as 2 detached cottages on the property. Late April – November we have a massive 100’ x 40’ semi-permanent tent installed to host gorgeous outdoor Spring, Summer and Fall weddings.
WHAT MAKES YOUR BUSINESS UNIQUE?
Sheep! No really, the sheep are pretty cool—you can even feed them if you want. But seriously, the character gleaned from a working farm constructed in the late 1800s is non-replicable. We have a number of multi-use spaces that lend themselves to the crafting of an event that’s uniquely you. We can be as ‘dressed up’ or as ‘dressed down’ as you envision your event to be. We’ve hosted elegant outdoor galas with refined cocktail hours, classic cars and multi-course meals. We’ve also hosted backyard barbecues with handmade quilts and hunter rain boots.
Another thing that couples love is that booking your wedding with us means you get exclusive use of the property for your entire wedding weekend. Have your friends and family stay with you at Ash Mill Farm and make it a weekend of yard games, barbecuing, dinners in New Hope, drinks on the front porch and mornings sleeping in.
DO YOU TARGET ANY PARTICULAR NICHE?
Not actively. We love getting to know each couple individually—they’re each so different, it’s amazing to see the weddings build from the ground up into completely unique events. I will say, the DIY bride seems to be attracted to our setting. The imaginative couple with a creative vision jives perfectly here because they can create exactly what they envision.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB?
My favorite part of the job is seeing the weddings come to life. Each wedding is such a unique expression of the couple’s personalities. I can honestly say we’ve never seem the same wedding twice and that’s just really awesome. I also love that because couples have the use of our property for the entire weekend they are able to relax and enjoy. So many facilities rush you in & out, it’s nice to be able to offer a way to reduce their stress.
HOW DO YOU HELP COUPLES CUSTOMIZE THEIR WEDDINGS?
We are here to assist couples in making their dream wedding a reality. We sit down and discuss their vision and we work with them to make that happen. We have plenty of great local vendor connections and awesomely unique ideas for any element of your wedding. From incredible photographers to traveling ice cream vendors, our network runs deep; but that’s not to say you have to use our local business relationships, we’re open to working with anyone you want to be a part of your day. Mega flexibility on our part as the host venue is something we strive for.
DO YOU HAVE ANY FUNNY STORIES ABOUT A PAST WEDDING OR EVENT?
I’m not sure if this is funny but we had a wedding this past October at the farm where a hot air balloon landed on our property. Sounds cool right? The funny thing is that it wasn’t part of our wedding! The air balloon was blown a bit off course and ended up using the large open space at the front of our property to land. The whole thing flowed really seamlessly though, the ballooners gave the bride and groom a bottle of champagne as a ‘sorry about that’ gift and photographers got great pictures of the epic event!
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU’VE LEARNED?
Be prepared, have back up plans ready and stay calm. Everything always works out beautifully if you are able to keep your head on straight and roll with the punches.
Photo Credits: Abigail Townsend Photogrpahy, Emily Wren Photography, Lovemedo Photography, ME Photo & Design, Kelly Kollar, Ashley Mintz
ANY TIPS FOR BRIDES ON THE HUNT FOR A VENUE?
Make sure the venue you choose suits YOUR vision not the other way around. In other words, don’t pick a venue before you have ideas about the wedding you want to create. Decide on some crucial features of your dream wedding and then search out a venue that meets your criteria.
Thanks Lisa! For more information about Ash Mill Farm, please visit their WeddingLovely Vendor Guide profile or head straight to their website.