How to Rent a Historic House for a Wedding Reception

Dreaming of a garden wedding? Consider hosting your reception in an historic home.

Whether you envison a garden wedding in the courtyard of an historic colonial or a grandiose gala with a mansion as the backdrop, historic houses can set the stage for an intimate, romantic wedding reception. If you're hiring a wedding planner for your reception site scavenger hunt, she can easily provide you with a list of houses to choose from. However, for the do-it-yourself bride, the task of finding the perfect place for your big day may seem a little daunting. With a little know-how, however, securing an historic home for your reception site will be a slice of cake.

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pen or pencil
• Telephone

Instructions

1. Search for wedding and reception venues in your area using an event planning website such as eventective.com. Narrow results based on maximum capacity and/or dates of availability. Jot down any historic homes or mansions you'd like to see.

2. Call or email listed contacts about houses you're interested in and make an appointment to see the house in person.

3. Make a list of questions to take with you when interviewing proprietors. You'll want to ask about things like guest capacity, food and beverage service, reception rentals (inclusion of tables, chairs, linens, china, etc.), hours of use (including set up and clean up), rental fees and deposits.

4. Once you've found the perfect house for your wedding reception, negotiate and sign a contract. Keep a copy of the contract and follow all rules and regulations. For example, some historic houses may not allow you to serve beverages inside or may prohibit red wine. Abide by the guidelines within the contract to which you are legally bound.

Tips & Warnings

• Sometimes, owners who are trying to sell will rent out their empty house for special occasions. If you see a particular house you're interested in, and there's a for sale sign in the lawn, call the real estate agent and ask her about renting the house for a wedding reception. She can then contact the owners to see if they're willing to write up a contract for the event.

• To avoid fees and even legal issues, always abide by the contract you've negotiated with the proprietor. Keep copies of everything and, when possible, use written or electronic forms of communication.

References

• Eventective
• The Knot
• Washingtonian: Gardens, Historic Sites and Ballrooms for Wedding Receptions