We recently had a family member get married, and they had their wedding here at Woodsmith Estates in Batavia. Before we received the invitation, I had never heard of this place, so I checked the venue's website for more info. I noticed that their prices for weddings are really fantastic.
If you're looking for an affordable but picturesque setting to say: 'I Do," then this place is for you. The ceremony was conducted outside next to a pond, the reception was held in a barn. That whole 'barnyard' aesthetic is huge right now, so I can see this place booking up quickly once more people know about it. There is a fire pit outside, too. The bathrooms are located off the barn, they're in a trailer sort of structure (but they were decorated nicely).
While sitting at the firepit in between dinner and the 'first' dances, I happened to get chatting with the lady who owns this place (she was cleaning up the 'ceremony' decor). She said that she opened this place because she wanted to provide a nice place where people can get married affordably. She didn't care about making a big profit. I thought that was nice. She also allows couples to 'help' other couples by sharing tent rentals or donating flowers to other couples. It is all very sweet.
And now, I want to address any future brides & grooms who plan on getting married here: please tell your guests ahead of time that they will be walking on uneven terrain and will be either outdoors or in a not-temperature-regulated barn for the duration of the affair, with bathrooms that can only be reached by climbing a few stairs. Please tell them to wear comfortable shoes and to bring an extra layer.
Here's what we experienced:
A lot of the women wore heels, and they were not expecting to have to park on the grass then walk through more grass to get the the ceremony & barn area. Their heels were sinking into the grass with each step and a lot of them ruined their shoes. There were patches of gravel, too, which the high-heeled women had a hard time navigating. The floor of the barn looked like stamped concrete; pretty, but not very feet-friendly, especially in heels. Anyone wearing heels was miserable. And you know what? That's not the venue's fault - it is the bride & groom's responsibility to let their guests know ahead of time what sort of footwear is most appropriate.
Yellow jackets were in full swing because it was an Autumn wedding. Two guests seated near me were allergic to bees & wasps and did not have their Epi-pens because they didn't know that we were all going to be outside. Again: the bride and groom should have let their guests know that they'd be outside.
I believe that this venue allows you to 'bring your own food,' whether you DIY it, have a food truck, or hire a caterer. The bride & groom didn't include dinner options on the invitation, when dinner time rolled around we learned that it was a buffet. One guest was allergic to chicken, and that was the only meat available. So that guest just didn't eat. read more
