Hay fields, antique lace and exposed wood for days! The hallmarks of a shabby-chic wedding have become mainstream and brides are on the hunt for the best of the best when it comes to rustic event spaces. But the truth is that it can be crazy difficult to find the barn, lodge or pond-side dock perfect for your wedding day, so let me take you on a tour of some of the top choices in Northeast Ohio.
From National Park gems to generations-old family farms, the selection is broad with perfect options for any budget or guest list. So, brides, grab your triple-shot mocha, and let’s hit the road for a round up of some of the best rustic wedding venues in our area!
AKRON AREA
After decades spent as a family-owned dairy farm, this century-old barn has become a gorgeous rustic event space with an authentic country charm. Still owned and operated by the same family, the towering white barn that accommodates 200 is a ready-made wedding reception venue, and the surrounding landscape of windswept fields, a glittering pond and the a fairytale-level weeping willow provide a beautiful outdoor space for couples to say, “I do.”
The Civil War had just ended and the Miksch family was hard at work in Ohio building their own little piece of the American dream. 115 years later, John and Cindy purchased the farmhouse and poured their hearts into renovating it as an event space, while still maintaining its authenticity. Perfect for cozy, intimate weddings, yet suitable for of up to 150 guests, this venue is positively overflowing with antique elements and country charm.
Only 20 minutes outside Akron, on an astonishing piece of 100-acre farmland, lies the big red barn of any rustic wedding planner’s dreams. Built in the 1830s, but restored in 2013, the barn, which seats upwards of 200, boasts impressive vaulted ceilings adorned with tulle and string lights. The spacious property also allows for large, outdoor celebrations, and even has a fire pit for those fun reception s’mores!
For outdoorsy, do-it-yourself couples, Wingfoot Lake State Park is a dream venue. On the shores of a 444-acre lake, the state park, which was established in 2010, is filled with towering trees and grassy fields perfect for outdoor ceremonies. But for those wary of bad weather, there are six venues in a variety of styles and sizes, the largest of which can fit a whopping 390 guests, available for rent.
CANTON AREA
The childhood home of Hoover Company founder, William H. Hoover, is a quaint, Victorian residence settled snugly on Walsh University’s Hoover Park, which was once the Hoover family’s farmland. The home, now a museum, and the surrounding gardens are a stunning backdrop for photos, and the park has several options for event spaces, from a banquet hall and patio that seats 400 to a cottage for 34. From the gorgeous park exteriors to the exposed wood interiors, this venue is an excellent rustic venue smack dab in the middle of North Canton.
After being pronounced man and wife under an enchanting pondside fabric-draped pergola, couples getting married at Peacock Ridge, and 200 of their closest friends at family, can dance the night away under the spectacular, chandelier-adorned vaulted ceilings of the barn. Built in the 1830s and restored in 2008, the barn rests on 83 acres filled with gardens, guesthouses and even a bridal suite in a 100-year-old building that once served as the property’s laundry house!
This rustic, farm-style event center is awash in white – perfect for a wedding! The 2,400 sq. foot barn with jaw dropping vaulted ceilings is a perfect for a 150-guest wedding ceremony, reception or both, and the charming Summer House, right next to the barn, is available for the bride and her bridesmaids to get ready before the ceremony.
CLEVELAND AREA
Founded and maintained by the Western Reserve Historical Society, Hale Farm and Village is a living history museum settled on 90 acres in the Cuyahoga Valley. The preserved antique flair truly makes visitors feel as thought they’ve traveled back in time. With a number of locations, both indoor and outdoor, this delightful venue can be made suitable for any guest count.
Beloved for its outdoor concerts and apple orchard, Mapleside Farms is a quintessential rustic venue with three event spaces on site: the Barn, the Lodge and the Cellar. With the largest of the spaces designed to accommodate 300 indoors and 500 incorporating the outdoor space and the smallest suitable for a cozy 100, this venue is perfect for weddings of any size. Bonus points: there is a bakery onsite called SugarHive Baking Company that happens to have competed in and won Food Network’s Cake Wars!
For lovers of national parks, this gem snuggled into Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a dream come true. Built in the 1930s, this former National Park Visitor Center is on the national register of historic places and is now 4,000 square feet of perfect rustic wedding space. Comfortably accommodating up to 200 guests the Great Hall at Happy Days Lodge is all exposed wood decorated by twinkling string lights – the ideal rural wedding venue.
NEW PHILADELPHIA AREA
Best known for its collection of whimsical and cozy tree houses, complete with spiral staircases, swinging rope bridges and magical treetop views, The Mohicans is a family owned and operated, sustainably minded property. Hidden among the trees on the 75-acre piece of land is a jaw-dropping two-story lodge called the Grand Barn. Suitable for up to 200 guests, the barn is filled to bursting with quaint, rustic details and looks utterly stunning when dusted with snow. And the best news of all is that the owners set aside the tree houses for guests to stay in during wedding weekends!
For the couple seeking a wedding venue where they will feel truly connected with nature, the Spring House Event Center, ready for 175 guests, is the place to go! On a 400-acre stretch of land filled with luxury cabins and “glamping” tents perfect for guests and bridal party alike, the Spring House, with its wrought iron chandeliers and handcrafted stone fireplace, is a rustic lodge straight out of a bridal magazine.
Passed down through three generations of loving family ownership, Rivercrest Farm is settled on 120 hilly acres on the banks of the Tuscarawas River. Still in operation, rustic wedding venues don’t get much more authentic than this! Positively dripping with antique charm and romance, the barn the bedecked in twinkling lights and a wide variety of impressive chandeliers. Praised for their loving attention to detail, the family who owns the farm will help ensure a fairytale wedding day.
After just one look at the Barn at Enchanted Acres, visitors can easily see how it got its name. Under massive chandeliers dripping with greenery and flowers and soaked in the sunlight pouring in through the large windows and bouncing off the light wooden walls, couples and 250 of their closest friends and family can eat, dance and celebrate love in this truly enchanting wedding venue.
The Barn at Sugarcreek is the exact image that springs to mind at the word “barn.” Bright red, surrounded by weathered wooden fences and settled in the rolling green hills of Sugarcreek, The Barn can accommodate up to 220 for a magical wedding day. After entering through the impressive double barn doors, visitors are greeted by high ceilings, massive beams and gorgeous dark wood polished to a shine – the ideal space for a country wedding.
Choosing the perfect wedding venue for your big day can be a challenge for so many reasons, but using this handy guide, I hope you’re able to more easily sort through all of the glorious local options and find the one that feels as though it was made specifically for you! Best of luck and happy hunting!
Elisabeth is a photographer from Northeast Ohio specializing in couple photography. To learn more about her head on over to here. If you are interested in her wedding services, head on over to here.
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