VENUE DETAILS

When you decide to book The Kester Homestead for your wedding — we want to make it as effortless as possible for you to achieve the vibe you’re hoping for without having to do a whole lot extra, so we’ve included many of the pretty touches in your venue fee to help bring your day to life.

We do require couples book our preferred caterer/bartender partners for all events. Please contact Root Catering, Scratch Farmhouse Catering or FLX Feast & Co to cater/bartend your gathering. Additionally, we do require you book our team for Right Hand Package Event Coordination to ensure your event runs as smoothly as possible.

what IS INCLUDED IN THE VENUE FEE:

A Ceremony, Cocktail Hour & Reception Space for ~150 guests with a historic barn roof overhead, antique rugs for dancing, tables and chairs to seat your guests, as well as vintage place settings & flatware to save you on hefty rental fees. The property is exquisitely furnished with everything you need to host a unique, whimsical wedding at a historic farm property (with a few of the creature comforts like large overhead lighting, a bridal suite, catering prep kitchen and beautiful bathrooms). Additionally, there is a stunning estate on site for overnight accommodations with a pool, fire pit, flower garden, chickens and a treehouse.

Our wedding season opens in mid-May and runs through early to mid-October.

MORE INCLUSION DETAILS:

  • WOODLANDS CATHEDRAL CEREMONY LOCATION - (no extra fee). This is our forest ceremony location that seats approx. 150 guests on our vintage church pews with rustic wood arbor set in place.

  • GAMBREL BARN DINNER / RECEPTION LOCATION- (120’ x 40’ with 42’ ceilings) to host ~150 guests for dinner & dancing under a barn roof with light pouring in from the wide open slider and double set of oversize French doors. There is a permanent bar in this location, electricity throughout, and romantic industrial chandeliers overhead. (No AC or heat inside barn). A large deck off of the double set of French doors leads you down into the Wild Garden, making this an easy transition between cocktail hour into your reception.

  • FIELDSTONE BARN WELCOME LOCATION- our open air small barn provides a perfect spot for guests to gather before the ceremony or to be used for covered cocktail hour. Comes with a bar, small bistro tables, an oval “gifts” table and romantic string lighting inside.

  • WILD GARDEN COCKTAIL HOUR LOCATION- our hidden garden behind main Gambrel Barn with string bistro lights, a bar, 4 high top bistro tables and a bonfire area - ideal for cocktail hour, yard games and late night mingling under the twinkling night sky.

  • 5 RESTROOMS (ADA COMPLIANT) - our bathrooms each come with a private sink/toilet which are cleaned and stocked with toilet paper/paper towels throughout the evening. They are styled with antique Audubon prints of birds in the area. One restroom has a shower - either for overnight house or glamping guests.

  • CATERER’S PREP AREA - with 3 bay sinks, refrigerator and prep counters - no cooking is allowed in this area, but a great spot for caterers to use for service.

  • WEDDING SUITE - a charming getting ready or staging space — there is also a shower in the barn, which makes for a perfect spot for extra wedding party members to get ready.

  • TABLES & CHAIRS - the space comes with tables and chairs to accommodate ~ 150 guests. A sweetheart table is available for couples as well and we provide two table layout options for you to choose from.

  • “PROP CLOSET” - the Prop Closet is hosted virtually and can be viewed online. We offer plates, napkins, copper cups, silverware, 2 lounge sets and a rotating assortment of other vintage offerings to style your event.

  • VENUE REPRESENTATIVE - available for the duration of your event to answer questions and make sure guests are safe and venue rules are followed.

  • CLEAN SPACE - we will ensure the venue is delivered swept, rugs vacuumed, and surfaces wiped down prior to “Hand Off” meeting arrival. This is very much an old working farm and 100+ year old barn - the charm is in the preserved antique character and can’t be expected to be pristine. We clean pews and maintain trails the morning of your event. At the end of your gathering, we wipe tables, put away our own decor/flower vessels/candlesticks and do a general reset of the space. All personal decor will be neatly set aside for pick-up at the agreed upon time. All other clean-up is the responsibility of you and your vendor partners.

  • BONFIRE PIT & FIREWOOD - our venue representative on site will assist with building/maintaining the bonfire and we supply wood free of charge.

  • PARKING FOR UP TO 75 CARS - settled between The 1854 House & Gambrel Barn, walking distance to ceremony & reception site for your guests.

  • COUPLE’S PORTAL - a private highly curated portal with vendor recommendations, planning tools, schedules, floor plans and more to help guide you through your planning phase.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED:

  • EVENT COORDINATION - we require all couples to book our Right Hand Package (pricing and inclusions can be found here) in order to ensure a smooth and organized day.

  • FOOD, BAR & OTHER VENDORS - we allow you to freely book your own vendors with the exception of catering/bartending. We do require couples book our preferred caterer/bartender partners for all events. Please contact Root Catering, Scratch Farmhouse Catering or FLX Feast & Co to cater/bartend your gathering. (Please note: we don’t take kickbacks or commission from vendors like some other venues do, so this is just simply to make sure your day is as it should be from our experience).

  • EVENT INSURANCE - we require that you secure your own event insurance for your gathering and all of the information is in our Couples Portal - this is a very nominal fee. The Kester Homestead is also fully insured.

  • BAR GLASSWARE is not included - and should be coordinated with your bartender or plastic/paper is allowed on site

  • ICE is not included and is not on location - and should be coordinated with your bartender.

  • TIPS for all of the hardworking teams playing a part in bringing your wedding vision to life this is optional but appreciated - we require a $500 gratuity which is shared between our very hardworking staff.