6 minute read
Picture-perfect
Formal or laid-back, Fiddler's Green can make wedding visions come true
BY SHELBY LINDRUD | WEST CENTRAL TRIBUNE
LITCHFIELD — On a farm site in Litchfield that was once an operating dairy, couples planning their perfect wedding day may find the perfect venue. Fiddler's Green, with its renovated barn, outbuildings and 15 acres of quintessential Minnesota farm scenery, can lend itself to pretty much any type of wedding — from homey and laid-back to formal and glitzy.
"Both ways seem to work really well here," said owner Kristina Olson.
Olson purchased the property, complete with a barn built in the 1930s, about 23 years ago. It was her brother's idea to turn the building into a great place for family and friends to hang out and have parties. A friend even built a lighting rig and stage where bands could play.
Then those same friends started to walk down the aisle.
"They would ask if they could have their wedding here," Olson said. Prior to every such event, the barn would need to be cleaned up and put right, and Olson finally decided to make the structure a permanent event venue. "We've come so far at this point, why not do this professionally?"
It wasn't easy turning a barn, outbuildings and acreage into a venue open to the public. There was a lot of construction work to be done to get the barn up to code — not to mention the permits Olson needed before she could operate legally.
"It was a difficult process, but it went relativity smoothly," Olson said.
Fiddler's Green officially opened for business in 2017. For the first few years, the venue hosted a few events, but has increasingly become more popular. While this isn't Olson's, or her partner Tim Cook's, full-time job, they try to schedule around a dozen events from May to October, usually on the weekends.
"We do quite a few weddings, lots of graduation parties, anniversary parties, memorial services," Olson said.
Fiddler's Green offers couples a variety of ways to design their weddings. Many hold their ceremonies outside, in front of various scenic vistas such as in a small wooded area or out near the fields. There is also a gazebo and shed that can be used. Some couples choose to hold their ceremony inside the barn as well. Spring and fall are the most popular times to say "I do."
"Our favorite times are right in the spring; we're usually pretty booked May and June, then again September and beginning of October, when the leaves start to change," Olson said.
Once the ceremony is done, attention can turn to the dinner and reception. Again, there are many ways to go about this at Fiddler's Green.
Some couples choose to have the dinner inside the barn, while others have it in a large tent on the grounds, saving the barn for drinks and dancing. Then there are the weddings that choose to forgo the formal dinner all together.
"What a lot have been going toward is a very informal dinner service, where they'll have a buffet or a couple of food trucks," Olson said.
Fiddler's Green lends itself to the do-it-yourself wedding crowd. Olson said they try to offer the couples as much assistance as they can, helping them find vendors for items like catering, alcohol and decor.
"We try to let them do what they want to. We don't have a lot of rules," Olson said. "We provide the venue, tables, chairs and any kind of guidance we can."
For weddings, Fiddler's Green can be rented for a flat rate for the whole day Saturday and Sunday morning. For an additional discounted rate, couples can also rent the venue out for Friday to give groups a chance to come in and set everything up. The day of the wedding, there is a suite available for one half of the wedding couple and their party to use to get ready.
"With a proper, running-water bathroom and plenty of room to get dressed, have your makeup done," Olson said.
There is also a different rate for groups
that just need to rent the venue for a single event such as a graduation party. More information can be found on the venue's website, www.fiddlersgreenmn. com.
For those who don't need an entire farm site for their wedding, Olson offers another, much different option — the Captain's Club in downtown Litchfield. The unique space, with its lounge and bar, has space to seat about 80 and can be used for small weddings and receptions, or other events and parties. It can be rented by the hour or for the entire day.
"That is a different vibe, much moodier, like a speakeasy," Olson said.
Regardless of whether the wedding is fancy or folksy, large or small, at Fiddler's Green the guests and wedding party seem to enjoy themselves. Perhaps it is a call back to a simpler time, or just part of the Midwestern DNA, but, for some reason, people enjoy parties in barns.
"There is something about it, people just have a really good time," Olson said. "It is a fun place to have a party."
While Olson might have kind of fallen into being a wedding venue owner, it is a role she and her family do enjoy. Many times, the happy couples invite them to join the party they helped make possible.
It is a job Olson is happy to do.
"We enjoy having guests here. We like to welcome people to the property and provide them with a really memorable experience," Olson said. "It is fun to have people show up and have, like, the best day of their life here." ■
