Magical 3C’s Farms has weddings booked into 2024

By Elisa Claassen For the Tribune

Abit of nostalgia. Some whimsy. Entirely rustic and charming. Incredibly beautiful. The 3C’s Farms setting is on acreage between Mt. Baker Highway and Sumas Mountain – and on the pages and websites of The Knot, WeddingWire, and numerous personal wedding albums of happy brides who have had their weddings there the past few years.

How do they know about it? It has very little advertising but brides telling other brides. Now bookings are being taken into 2024 and even 2025 since they are only offered on weekends.

The farm is a bit hard to see from the road but surprisingly not difficult to find if you look for the St. Peter’s Catholic Church nearby and the Kendall Cemetery across the street. For anyone worried about parking, the field is relatively flat and sufficient in size for many crowds. The owners have spent time traveling on road trips and collecting vintage rustic finds to be remade into parts of this event complex. The two work together with vision and a series of tools – a bit of brain and brawn for both of them.

“We’ve gone junking in Oregon, Idaho, and Nevada,” Angie Cain said. They also have traveled along the West Coast in search of fun finds. They’ve brought home old wheels which are now part of a large chandelier,

The home of Angie and Frank Cain is at 6222 Mt. Baker Highway between Deming and Kendall. Frank, part of the large Zender family, grew up nearby. Angie, who grew up on a farm in Acme, was part of the Jacoby family. They both attended Mount Baker High School (at different times), married and originally had a one-acre homestead in Acme with a garden that garnered an article in another publication with a pond and water wheel Frank made, she said.

In 2000, this site was seven acres of farmland when they arrived. It now has 300 dahlias, zinnias, stock, lisianthus, and more. Behind the home is a fenced-in garden, covered outdoor event space, a bar, storage space for event signage, and a number of quaint out buildings that beg to be explored and discovered by guests.

While Frank has his company, 3C’s Timber Cutting Inc., Angie said she took from his choice of business name for her own, 3C’s Farms. Where do the C’s come from? Two places actually: three members of the Cain family and three ways to cut timber. Their only child, son Kendal, is grown and married to Cayley.

The parents do work together in envisioning and creating the elements within the complex down to the smallest of details – even a memorable set of restrooms within former silos.

A small version of a Victorian tiny home is replete with a small porch, twin window seats within, a bar stool set up by mirrors for brides and their bridal parties to do makeup and hair. A cutting flower garden is maintained during the week, when guests are not there, to produce both floral bouquets for weddings and for flower subscriptions.

At present, Angie has 24 subscriptions done on one year or six month selections which are suitable for gift giving and moms, she said. In addition to floral arrangements, she also can make wreaths.

In the past year, a crafter fair and a Mount Baker High School class reunion also took place at the farm and in view of one of the former goal posts from their old football field –something else the Cains had thrifted. An old ski lift chair from Mt. Baker Ski Area has also been saved and placed on their property on the hillside. Wood has been saved from old barns as well as Frank cutting trees, milling the lumber, and then building.

Wedding season starts in May and goes through early October. Part of that is due to restrictions by Whatcom County, Angie said. They also pull in help from high schoolers and a few college students.

Anyone interested in weddings or facility rentals at the farm can look online at 3csfarms.com for booking details. The farms’ directory contains local licensed bartenders, florists, photographers, filmmakers, and vendors. The farm also has a list of wedding officiants, catering, and music.

On TheKnot.com the site shows as a woman-owned business, guest capacity up to 300 people, having covered outdoors space and indoor event space as well as a bar to rent. Angie can also be contacted at the farm regarding flower subscriptions.

The last Saturday in April, 3C’s Farms hosted its annual craft show, top photo. Due to the busy wedding season, which starts weekends in May and extends into October, the event venue doesn’t have time for more craft events. The home and farm of Angie and Frank Cain, pictured above, exhibits a creative vision and craftsmanship of the two together which appeals to many couples. (Photos courtesy 3C’s Farms)