Today for Wedding Wednesday we have a guest blog post from Brooke Smith who is the Venue Director for the The Lodge at River Valley Farm and The Loft on Isanogel.  She is talking about a few things you may want to consider while you start your wedding venue search.  Keep reading to see what she says!

Brooke Smith Venue DirectorBrooke Smith Venue Director

My name is Brooke Smith. I am the Venue Director of The Lodge at River Valley Farm and The Loft on Isanogel. Here is some background on these amazing venues!

River Valley Farm, LLC is the parent company to two beautiful wedding venues and one intimate event venue located in Delaware County, Indiana. The Lodge at River Valley Farm is located in Yorktown, a quaint little town, while The Loft on Isanogel and The Lounge on Isanogel is just five miles away from The Lodge and close to the bustling town of Muncie. Both venues are close to Interstate 69. Many of the Lodge & Loft’s couples hail from the Indianapolis and Fort Wayne areas.

The Lodge At River Valley FarmThe Lodge At River Valley Farm

The Lodge at River Valley Farm opened in the Fall of 2015 and was once a real working farm in the 1940’s for descendants of the Ball (yes, Ball jar!) family. The Lodge has been uniquely restored into a private sanctuary to host your dream wedding. Located in quaint Yorktown, Indiana, The Lodge sits on fifty acres surrounded by farm fields and woods, yet just a few miles from Muncie and Ball State University. The property still houses the beautifully restored farmhouse from the 1850’s with all the modern amenities to fit in to a busy couple’s day of readiness. Located just a mere sidewalk away is the 5,000 square foot masterpiece fully enclosed, heated and cooled space, The Lodge.

The Loft On IsanogelThe Loft On Isanogel

The Loft on Isanogel opened in the Fall of 2017 and was once the home of Camp Isanogel, a summer camp for those with special needs. The Loft on Isanogel is a source of history and pride for the owners, Harry and Karen Holding.They raised their children just around the corner from the summer camp and enjoyed driving by and seeing the joy and hearing the laughter from the children at the camp throughout the many years the camp was in business. They are beyond happy to now see the smiles from the happy couples who have chosen to say their “I dos” on this one-of-a-kind, breathtaking property. The Loft on Isanogel is the one of the oldest barns in the area. It has been beautifully restored with over 7,200 square feet of fully climate-controlled indoor space for your guests to enjoy during all the changing seasons in Indiana. The property includes 16 acres of a premier park-like setting that includes paved walking trails with a babbling creek running along the back of the property, woods, rolling lawns, pine trees, and benches along with beautiful flowering plants for infinite photo opportunities. The Lounge on Isanogel is also located on this beautiful property and can host your next rehearsal dinner, birthday party, graduation party, class reunion, or any special event with fewer than 80 people!

Some of the top things we see couples overlook when they are venue shopping are several of the amazing amenities that we include in a couple’s special day at either The Lodge or The Loft. The main amenity a couple really does not want to go without is a climate controlled indoor setting. The weather is absolutely too unpredictable to chance it with a tent or an open structure such as a pavillion or barn on the most important day of his or her lives. Sure there is a chance of perfect weather, but what we have been seeing lately, especially this summer is extreme heat and other extreme weather. Why risk the safety of your family and friends when you can have a beautiful indoor facility with amazing grounds for pictures and the option for an outdoor ceremony too (weather permitting, of course)? This is what you will find at The Lodge at River Valley Farm & The Loft on Isanogel. And we get told all the time that wedding vendors love coming to our facilities because of all the wonderful modern amenities included!

The other thing we would suggest couples look out for while shopping for a venue are included ceremony sites. Does your intended venue take care of the stress of setting up your ceremony site for you or is it an extra fee? We have multiple indoor and outdoor ceremony sites for our couples to choose from and we do all the heavy lifting! And the best part, it is included in our rental fee!

Next, does your intended venue have separate areas for both sides of your wedding party to get ready in, stretch out, and have a good time prior to your ceremony and reception? At The Lodge and The Loft, we have amazing areas for getting ready and these areas are included in our rental fee!

Also, does your venue host more than one wedding per day? This could lead to confusion for guests and vendors. If this is a sticking point, it may best to choose a venue who only hosts one wedding per day, like The Lodge and The Loft. Also, is there included decorating and rehearsal time - this is also something we include the day before!

Come check out The Lodge and The Loft for your big day! We are always happy to help!

For information check out our websites:

thelodgeatrivervalleyfarm.com

theloftonisanogel.com

Email: brooke@LodgeandLoft.com