Just six years after the iconic red barn at the west end of Highway 311 opened its doors, Whitetail Meadow is expanding, making room for guests to enjoy the pastoral site almost every day of the year.
Two new structures are on the rise, strategically set next to the honeymoon cottage.
The new tent-like structure, known as the pavilion, will accommodate weddings booked at Whitetail Meadow in 2024. When not in use as a wedding venue, the pavilion, with capacity for around 250 people, will be available to rent for family reunions and other medium to large events.
Its open-air concept will also lend itself well to midweek farmers markets in the summer.
“Unlike tent rentals or other seasonal wedding structure options, our structure is permanent, so on days with wild winds or pouring rain it will feel very solid,” says Lori Neufeld, co-owner of Whitetail Meadow. “We will have large barn-type doors that guests can close in case of inclement weather. There will be pot lights as well as chandeliers, and of course Edison lights to illuminate the treed paths that lead to our riverside ceremony sites. We will also have a large patio area with a fireplace for guests to mingle. Everything has been set up to allow fluidity between the indoor and outdoor spaces while offering all of the conveniences of a modern indoor wedding facility.”
A second building, located nearby the pavilion, will provide space for washrooms and a walk-up bar.
Moving the wedding venue away from the barn, Neufeld says, will allow a much broader range of clientele to enjoy the growing rural campus. While nothing’s been finalized, current plans for the barn include its conversion to a year-round café, gift shop, and winter market.
Demonstrating their “shop local” ethic, the Neufelds plan to continue sourcing goods, gifts, and provisions as locally as possible.
Their love of the region means they’ll be looking for ways to share their space with families in the surrounding communities.
“We are excited about the prospect of offering pop-up dinners and various other community events throughout the year,” says Neufeld. “Although we want to grow some of our ideas organically, we’d love to offer winter activities such as ice-skating and ski and snowshoe trails with a great place to warm up and grab a hot toddy afterwards.”
She says that plans are already underway for a big Canada Day celebration in 2024.
In the meantime, the campus’s cozy Marigold Cottage will soon serve a broader purpose as well. The once-exclusive bridal retreat will open its doors to the general public, providing vacationers or visitors to the area with a comfortable stay and all the amenities, including a full kitchen, hot tub, and balcony overlooking the landscaped grounds.
Plans for the current conversion of Whitetail Meadow began after COVID-19 restrictions began to lift.
“We felt that Whitetail Meadow’s potential was limited as a wedding venue only,” Neufeld says. “As a family-run business, we really want this to be a space that we can share with everyone. Being open as a café and market year-round will also allow us to provide public activities without necessarily charging admission, as we’ve had to do in the past. We want this to be a fun and affordable place for people to come visit, shop, and dine.”
In recent years, Neufeld and her husband Dave have been joined by their son, David Jr. and his wife Jenn, creating a well-rounded management team that’s excited about the future.
The soft opening of the new and improved Whitetail Meadow is set to take place this coming December.
