Frequently Asked Questions

Credit or Debit Cards are accepted through our online payment portal, or you can mail/bring in a check/money order.

Yes. We do a complimentary 24-hour hold on a date once you have toured the venue.

If you are more than six months out from your event, half of your Social Facility Charges are due upon booking.  This is non-refundable if the date is changed or canceled. The remaining half is due six months prior to your event date, as well as any Bistro Lights payment. The Damage Deposit is due one month prior to your event date and is refundable assuming all policies are followed, and cleanup of the event meets the requirements. 

Your Social Facility Charges include the fee for the day-of-the-week and month you are reserving, the Non-Preferred Catering Fee, the CH/Gazebo/Garden add-on, and additional hours; basically, everything except the Damage Deposit, Bistro Lights, and Rehearsal Fee (those fees are due at later dates).

Yes, as long as the timing you are wanting is still available and is not a change of date.

Use of the venue, tables, and chairs. We also have a Special Events Coordinator whom you will be working with directly to help you throughout the planning process, but they are not a wedding/day-of coordinator. You will also have an event staff member present during your event that provides facility management; they are not available to help you with preparations, cleanup, or to coordinate your event.

Yes.  However, this allows you to completely customize your event by hand picking each vendor, to be sure they are exactly what you want. We like to give you the freedom to make your event whatever you want it to be, and to bring your vision to life! 

Yes, we have Exclusive, Preferred, and Recommended vendors.   Exclusive means you are required to use them, Preferred means you will incur a fee if you do not use one of them, and Recommended means a good place to start for someone that works up here often, but are not required/do not have additional fees associated with them.  Please visit our Caterers & Vendors page for more information.

No, and we do not have a liquor license. This means you are responsible for purchasing and bringing in the alcohol that you want to serve, as well as having a TIPS certified (insured) bartender to serve it. When the Mansion was gifted to the County, it was with the stipulation that there would be no cash/money-exchange for alcohol.  This means you cannot charge your guests for the alcohol, and there is no tipping allowed during your event (you are still welcome to tip your vendors before/after your event).  This is enforced by the event staff. 

Yes, you are welcome to enjoy beer, wine, and champagne while you get ready.  We just ask that all alcohol remains in the dressing rooms, and that there is no hard alcohol/liquor being consumed during this time.  If hard alcohol is found, you could forfeit your Damage Deposit. Drinking during rehearsals is prohibited.

No, that time needs to be used as allocated. The caterers and vendors truly do need that time to come in and setup for the reception and cocktail hour. The tables and chairs are placed by the time everyone arrives, but they need to be lined and set with place settings and centerpieces. Then the caterers need to setup the bar(s) and start preparing the food for both cocktail hour and reception. You/your day-of team also use that time to do all the decorating (arbor, centerpieces, cake, etc.) and your vendors are making deliveries. We feel with the timing structures we have in place, it gives you/your caterer/vendors plenty of time to “prep” without rushing or feeling stressed about time; and it always goes by faster than you could imagine!

The latest an event/music can go is 11 p.m., with cleanup from 11 p.m.-12 a.m.

Music can be played all the way up until your cleanup time begins. It can be played inside and outside, but it cannot exceed a decibel level of 75 outside at the source (by a speaker). You are more than welcome to have all dancing outside, but just be aware of the restrictions and if you exceed them, you will be asked to either turn down the music or bring the party inside. A lot of couples in the past have started the dancing outside with first dances, then moved it inside once they wanted to turn the volume up more.

We are closed to the public during private events, but the surrounding Nature Preserve and hiking trails are still open to the public.  The park is open from sunrise to sunset, and the parking lot is available for anyone to use, it is not reserved for private events.

No, you can only use the surrounding Preserve for photos (and for your guests to explore, if they would like to).  Only the Mansion’s buildings and patios can be used for ceremonies and receptions.  The surrounding Nature Preserve is owned and operated by Jefferson County Open Space, and they do not allow tables/chairs to be set-up in the Preserve.  All hikers/guests are also required to stay on the designated trails, and the trails are still open to the public during private events at the Mansion.

Rehearsals are able to be scheduled when we are within one month of the event date.  Availability is based on the schedule of events for the week/month of your event.

Access to your assigned storage unit starts on the Wednesday before your event, and it needs to be cleared out completely by the following Monday.  You can deliver/pick-up items during Mansion business hours.

We do not allow the use of confetti/glitter, feathers, rice, birdseed, dark colored flower petals (on the ground/pavement), indoor fog/bubble machines, balloons, drones, fireworks/sparklers, outdoor candles/flames; basically, any difficult-to-clean materials and open/outdoor flames.

Yes.  We just ask that you sign and adhere to our Dog Policy & Waiver of Liability.

Damage Deposit refunds are processed within 30 days.  If payment was made by card, within 90 days of your event date, then the refund will be returned immediately to the card used for payment.  If payment was made by check, or more than 90 days before your event, then the refund will be returned via check within 3-6 weeks.