Is a wedding at Hazelnut Farm in Kentucky worth the cost?
If you’ve ever attended a wedding at Hazelnut Farm Events, you know it is one of the prettiest wedding venues in Kentucky. It’s located just outside of Louisville, close to Middletown, making it just a short drive for most local wedding guests.
It has an upscale barn exterior, and inside you’ll find elegant chandeliers, European inspired black and white tiled floors, and multiple curated indoor and outdoor spaces that are all photo-ready.
As a wedding photographer who has been to a large range of venues in Kentucky, including several weddings at Hazelnut Farm Events, here is my honest review of why I think this venue is absolutely worth the price tag:
This venue was designed specifically for weddings
Many venues operate as wedding venues, but it’s important to note that a fair number of them were not specifically designed with weddings in mind. This results in couples having to either pay extra to accommodate their needs, move furniture, cover things up or deal with eyesores in their photographs that can’t be changed.
Hazelnut Farm is one of the rare wedding venues that actually planned out the specific needs of large weddings such as indoor and outdoor options, cocktail hour space, getting ready rooms, bathrooms, and parking.
The ease and comfort of not having to completely change the entire layout of a room or remove furniture or objects to fit the aesthetic of your wedding day is underappreciated!
Luxurious getting ready spaces
Too many wedding venues just have a sad, small closet area that functions as a “getting ready room.” At Hazelnut Farm, every detail has been chosen to reflect an elevated aesthetic. There are two getting ready spaces upstairs, one with a green velvet couch and the other with a sapphire blue couch and vanity mirrors (typically where the bride and bridesmaids get ready). These dressing suites have a key code lock to keep any valuables stored safely, for your comfort!
Versatile indoor and outdoor spaces
Many couples choose to have their ceremony outdoors at Hazelnut Farm- under the covered porch, or on the lawn. The beautifully maintained pond and property makes a beautiful backdrop for photos.
Within the venue, there are two large indoor spaces you can use as ceremony options- the grand ballroom, or the open space towards the back. With so many options to choose from, you won’t need to worry about renting a tent last-minute in case of rain!
The most popular option is to have the ceremony outdoors, cocktail hour in the back area, and have all the reception tables set up indoors in the grand ballroom, so there is no need to do a venue flip.
Tables, chiavari chairs, and extra perks
When considering the value of a potential venue, consider extra items they already include for both cost and convenience.
Hazelnut Farm includes tables and gold chiavari chair rentals (for up to 350 people) with setup included when you rent the venue for the wedding. This is a huge savings on rentals (potentially around $3000) plus the added cost of hiring an additional person to do the setup!
Hazelnut Farm has a cute little nook under the staircase with their very own audio guestbook with a vintage phone. They also allow you to use their table numbers, gift card box, ceremony arbor, and easels so you don’t have to spend money on items you’ll only use once. The money and time you’ll save because these items are already included and at the venue are added perks to booking your wedding here.
Designated parking and multiple restrooms
The perks of renting a venue outside the city, that was specifically designed for weddings? Parking is taken care of! Hazelnut Farm has ample parking for all your guests, and there is an ADA accessible entrance and ramp for vendor loading/unloading.
When you have large events of up to 350 guests, the bathroom situation is extremely important. Luckily, Hazelnut Farms has multiple restrooms for your guests. Two are individual restrooms next to the front foyer, and the other two with multiple stalls are off to the side of the grand ballroom for easy access during the reception.
Catering kitchen
Your food will be guaranteed fresh thanks to the complete catering kitchen available on site next to the grand ballroom. This allows you to have a plated meal or buffet, and either way your caterers will be comfortable and have access to all the items they need to serve your wedding meal, store your cake, get ice for the bar, and more!
All day access
No one wants to rush into the venue and decorate in a hurry because of limited venue access. Thankfully, the staff at Hazelnut Farms will allow you to access the property at 8 AM and you have until midnight to clear out. This allows you to start hair and makeup as early as you need to and for all your vendors to arrive for preparations with plenty of time to spare.
Venue coordinator and onsite security
I’ve been to plenty of venues where no staff is around when issues arise – this has never been my experience at Hazelnut Farms. They have an onsite venue coordinator to take care of any technical issues, setup questions, open each area of the venue at specific times, etc. There is also onsite security the last few hours of your event for added safety.
Elegant outdoor spaces for photos
As a photographer, I feel like I have to mention how wonderful Hazelnut Farm is for photos! This is where I can really tell the venue was designed with weddings in mind, because every room is aesthetically pleasing and does not require having to rearrange all the furniture to create beautiful images.
Outside, the walkways and lawn are always manicured so that they look picture perfect year-round for photos. Golden hour couples portraits at Hazelnut Farm are my absolute favorite, and many newlyweds like to go down to the small bridge over the pond for some of their portraits, and enjoy the multiple options for photos with family and their wedding party.
Have I convinced you that booking your wedding at Hazelnut Farm is worth it yet?
This is one of the most versatile, elegant venues in Kentucky where you can comfortably fit a large group of guests and enjoy the ease of spaces designed just for weddings, with perks already included at the venue. In my opinion, it’s well worth the investment to have everything you need in one location, without having to travel multiple different places in one day.
Visit their website to book an in-person tour or see their virtual venue tour, and once you’re ready to book a photographer, fill out a contact form on my website and let’s go to one of my favorite venues for your wedding!
Still on the hunt for your dream venue in Kentucky? Check out my other blog posts…
10 Louisville Venues You’ll Love
Louisville Wedding at the Olmsted
A spring garden wedding at Whitehall Mansion
A fall wedding at Germantown Gables
Johanna Hribal is a wedding photographer based in Louisville, Kentucky. She enjoys traveling to other states and countries for weddings and elopements whenever possible! People love her colorful and vibrant edits and the way she captures their love in a natural and non-intrusive way. Click here to visit her website to learn more about current wedding collections. Follow me on Instagram to see more engagement sessions, weddings I’ve been photographing!
