Before We Broke Ground on Our Wedding Venue in Brown County
June 3rd, 2016 marked two years of planning, dreaming, and hard work. It was a day that will forever be part of our story. We worked with the Brown County Indiana Planning Commission on zoning for two long years for approval. And it finally happened! We were approved to begin building The Wilds Wedding & Event Venue. When we submitted our request to the county, we included this statement, “The vision of The Wilds Wedding & Event Venue is to create a space that contributes to the economic well being of Brown County while displaying a strong reverence and regard for the surrounding agricultural based, rural environment.” It’s a pretty fancy way of putting words to our goal: to bolster our community and provide a place where people are welcomed, and cared for. A place where people are treated like family and can be a guest at their own weddings.
Designing The Wilds Wedding Venue
But, the journey wasn’t easy, and it didn’t happen with the snap of our fingers (no matter how many episodes of HGTV I watch, it just doesn’t quite go like that!). With five seasons of Fixer Upper under my belt, and no less than two-thousand pins to my wedding venue board, it was time to put pen to paper, and make foundational plans. Bringing our mental visions to life was harder than we imagined. We didn’t want to be another “rustic barn venue”, nor a ballroom or banquet space that lacked character. We wanted our guests to feel elegant, sophisticated, luxurious. To feel comfortable enough to celebrate the biggest moments of their lives with their closest friends.
With the help of some very talented people, including Matt Ellenwood of Matt Black Architecture in Bloomington, IN and builder Shaun York of York & Son Enterprises LLC in Nashville, IN, our thoughts and ideas were soon rendered into tangible shiplap walls, grand beams, and sweeping windows.
Architectural Drawings and Renderings copyright of Matte Black Architecture
The Wilds Wedding Venue is Born in Brown County
The modern farmhouse aesthetic paired with the authentic rural landscape offers clients a picturesque backdrop for wedding and event photography. It boasts timber beams and cathedral ceilings, while also offering discerning clients all the amenities they could need. In addition to the unique design, the wedding venue has stunning surroundings. The Wilds is located on a private, 125 acre farm surrounded by Brown County’s Yellowwood Forest. The Wilds also has two built-in plans for inclement weather! See The Wilds Wedding Venue Details Page for more on inclusions!
This has been a true journey in every sense of the word. And one that was totally worth it. The Wilds opened in June of 2018! Memories have been in the making here ever since. See wedding venue images and drone footage from the Grand Opening with the Bloomington Wedding Professionals.
