Interview: Zingerman’s Cornman Farms
We sat down with Margaret Wilson from Zingerman’s Cornman Farms and we’re so excited to tell you about their amazing venue!
This location boasts historic charm at its finest. Built before the Civil War in the 1830s, this barn has only been functioning as a wedding ceremony & reception location over the last year.
Featuring crops like potatoes, asparagus, tomatoes and more than 150 animals, this farm is a fully working, authentic farm. While it has been renovated to include necessities like air conditioning, all of the original wood has been salvaged and restored.
Margaret, the farm’s wedding coordinator, personally loves the venue’s charm. And, she recalled many enjoyable moments from their first season.
“It’s a rustic venue but it’s also very elegant. People are drawn to the relaxed elegance of it, which is why we’ve been successful. It’s beautiful without being uptight.”
Because of the rustic décor, many brides who want to have “seasonal” or rustic weddings find that the charm of Zingerman’s fits their style perfectly.
Margaret said that the fall weddings that they’ve hosted brought stunning colors to the location with bright colored leaves in hues of reds, oranges and yellows.
They work with wedding planners, and designers, who do incredible things with lighting and layout. They make each wedding unique and memorable.
Margaret says that one of the funniest things about their site is watching the brides who want to take photos with their herd of goats. There is always one goat that doesn’t behave, she says.
Check out this story that Margaret shared about the one rainy wedding day they experienced, and how they were able to turn it around for the couple:
“We had one rainy wedding last year. It was in September, and during the ceremony it was beautiful. It started raining at the reception. For their entrance to their after-ceremony dinner, they wanted to enter the tent as their big entrance. The staff formed a tunnel of umbrellas. They walked through this tunnel and later the bride said she felt like the queen. The couple said that the rain had actually enhanced the experience.”
So, whether rain or shine, Zingerman’s Cornman Farms is there to see your wedding day through, and to provide you with the best care and quality possible.
And, they not only have this historic barn, but they have also had couples tie the knot underneath the grandfather oak tree behind the barn – which would be perfect for your romantic ceremony! In case of rain, Zingerman’s also has the capability to open up an inside location on the upper level of the barn.
They have expanded their available days, allowing brides to book Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. So, if their Saturday is booked, you could book on a Friday – which could also save your budget. Sunday weddings are becoming more and more popular, too.
As far as space goes, the farm can hold a wide variety of numbers for guest lists large and small. Their largest wedding last year hosted 280 people, but they have one on the books this year for 450 guests.
Technically, they max out at 350 people, but there is also extra space if the couple is willing to rent an extra tent or two to supplement the venue, which is what the bride of the 450-person wedding gladly did. Though it might cost you more, renting an extra tent could be the perfect alternative if you’re having a hard time slimming that guest list!
Zingerman’s hosts both ceremonies and receptions. In fact, many of the brides that book with Zingerman’s decide to have both at their location.
This is a beautiful venue site that is located close to Metro Detroit. It’s only about 12 minutes from Ann Arbor, and is so accessible that it takes less than an hour to get there from most areas in Detroit.
If you would like to learn more about this venue, you can contact Margaret Wilson at mwilson@zingermans.com. You can also visit their website at www.cornmanfarms.com.
