Is This a Winner?

I think it's beautiful!!

The only thing I would want to make sure of is the contract. Make sure it's very detailed, regarding any restrictions, any structural or power issues, etc.

Is the owner rehabbing the place? Upgrading the power, lighting, floors, plumbing, etc. so that it can accommodate weddings? If so, I would get a clear understanding of when the work will be done, and the venue ready for a wedding.

I don't think it's such a bad thing, being the guinea pigs for this one. You'll probably have more freedom to decorate how you want, and bring in whatever rentals you need, simply because this owner has never done this before, and so hasn't put a lot of restrictions on the place yet. But this is where a detailed contract comes in. Make sure everything is spelled out, so you don't get surprised about anything halfway into planning.

Good luck! Beautiful farmhouse.

If you are interested, then I would just have a meeting with the owner and ask all of those questions / voice concerns before agreeing and signing a contract. Don't forget to ask the "what ifs," too.

That is beautiful and totally in your budget! We were guinea pigs for two vendors and it went so well! Just have a contract in place, make sure you both agree on everything in it, and communicate absolutely everything you want to do, timelines, guest count, etc. Leve no cracks for them to say "wait did we agree on this?"

You're getting a steal for that property so I'd take advantage while you can since that frees up more room in your budget for other things.

You could totally do that, but we only had a coordinator and she didn't check things for us, but she made sure we had what we needed, reminded us of tables and linens, etc. Having a professional helped so much in reminding us of things that maybe being a guinea pig would hinder us from.

But yes just be thorough. Give them a rough guest count up front, tell them what your visions are for decor and what you want to do, ask them if they have any restrictions for you at all. Keep everything in email or text, print copies of what you agreed, etc.

Make payments via check so you have receipts and they can't come back and say you owe more. Keep a paper trail of everything.

One other major thing to consider is the cost to bring in everything you will need to (e.g., tables, chairs, linens, dishes, bar, catering needs, potentially a tent and/or dance floor, etc.). You might want to search for posts about "backyard" or "home" weddings, because in many ways that's what you'll be doing -- but you're renting the home/backyard. You will find that many couples have been shocked to learn how much it costs to bring in everything they need. Often, even when they own the property, it ends up costing more and being a ton of work to put it all together and they sometimes find it would have been cheaper and much easier to have gone with an all inclusive venue. I don't want to be unsupportive, because it looks like a potentially very cool option, just be sure you fully understand what a seemingly "bargain" venue is truly going to cost in terms of the entire wedding. Good luck!

The other thing I'd try to get a handle on when you meet the owner is how prepared she seems to be for what she's taking on. Does she have relevant experience/background? Has she done event planning? Building renovations? Does she have a clear business plan for turning the property into a wedding venue? The fact that she just bought the property would make me a little nervous. If she can articulate a well-thought out (and seemingly well-financed -- you don't want her to go broke before she gets the property up and running...) plan for turning the property into a wedding venue, I'd feel much better than if she seems like she's figuring things out as she goes.

That's so nice and fits so well within your budget! I would definitely talk to the owner about what you can/cannot do but being a guinea pig isn't a bad thing because you usually have more freedom to do things and at a cheaper rate than if it was an established venue!

Oh good. Touring it in person is always a good idea. And yes, I would not agree to anything until she has a written contract for you. Also, once she does have a contract written, don't be afraid to ask questions about parts that are vague, and challenge parts you don't agree with. Most people don't realize that this kind of thing is essentially a negotiation. You're negotiating not only the price, but what you get for that price, and who is responsible for what in the deal. So, don't be afraid to alter the "standard" contract, to meet your needs. Good luck!! I really hope it works out for you!!