Your Wedding Guide
Getting married at Fernwood Hills.
We put this together for couples who want to understand exactly what a Fernwood wedding looks like before they reach out — or for couples who have already inquired and want to think through the details.
Everything is here: the tiers, the ceremony locations, the food options, the add-ons, the process, the costs. Read it at your own pace. Share it with your partner. Come back to it. When you have questions, just reply to any email we've sent — or use the form at the bottom.
The Property
40 private acres of Carolinian forest.
Fernwood Hills is ten minutes from London, Ontario, but it doesn't feel like it. Forty acres of Carolinian forest, a gravel drive in from the road, and nothing visible beyond the treeline. The four buildings — Studio Loft, Farmhouse, Adler Cabin, Bracken Cabin — sit in clearings in the forest. There's a meadow, a creek, a fire pit, and trails that go quiet quickly.
We're a private property, not a venue campus. We don't book conference rooms or host corporate events on the same day as your wedding. When you book Fernwood for your ceremony, the property is yours for the duration.
The forest does most of the visual work. Couples spend a fraction of what they would on décor at a traditional venue because the backdrop is already there — the trees, the light, the quiet. You add the people and the food. That's basically it.
The Three Tiers
Pick the format, not the size.
The tiers are defined by what the evening includes — not by how many guests you invite (within the caps). An Elopement and a Forest Wedding can both have six guests. The difference is what happens after the ceremony.
Elopement
Up to 6 guests · 2 hours
$900
The courthouse alternative — built around the quiet and the light. A private forest ceremony with your witnesses, followed by a champagne toast in the trees. Two hours on property, just the people who need to be there.
Included
- Private ceremony at your choice of forest locations
- Timber Pavilion as covered rain plan
- Champagne toast after the ceremony
- 2 full hours on-property
- Use of portrait locations across 40 acres
- Access to all forest trails
Best for
Couples who want the ceremony without the production. Intentional minimalists. Second weddings. People who hate being the centre of attention but still want the moment to be real.
Not for
Couples who want dinner or a longer reception.
Micro Wedding
Up to 15 guests · 3 hours
$1,800
Forest ceremony followed by a drinks and canapés reception. Three hours with your closest people — everyone actually talks, nobody gets lost in a ballroom. For couples who want the ceremony to be the event, not the preamble to one.
Included
- Private forest ceremony
- Timber Pavilion as covered rain plan
- Drinks and canapés reception area (deck or fire pit)
- 3 full hours on-property
- Portrait sites across 40 acres
- Access to all forest trails
Best for
Couples with tight guest lists and loose itineraries. People who want to actually spend time with their guests. Anyone tired of weddings that feel like a corporate banquet.
Not for
Couples who want a sit-down dinner or need more than 15 guests.
Forest Wedding
Up to 30 guests · Afternoon into evening
$2,800
The full thing. Ceremony at golden hour, cocktails on the deck while the couple disappears into the forest for portraits, then a long farm-table dinner under string lights. Wraps by 9pm so you can walk the trail back to your cabin. The evening actually has a shape.
Included
- Private forest ceremony
- Timber Pavilion or Studio Loft for dinner
- Full property access from afternoon through evening
- Cocktail area, deck, fire pit
- Studio Loft and Adler Cabin blocked from other bookings
- Long-table dinner setup
- Portrait locations across 40 acres
Best for
Couples who want the full experience — ceremony, food, toasts, fire. Anyone who values a dinner where people linger, not a reception line. People who will remember this evening for forty years.
Not for
Couples who want a dance floor or a late-night party (we wrap by 9pm).
Ceremony Locations
Four options. One is the plan, three are the backup.
Every ceremony has a weather plan built in before your day — no tent scramble, no morning-of calls. We work through the cascade with you during planning.
Forest Ceremony Site
Clear or light cloudThe default. A clearing in the Carolinian forest with dappled light, birdsong, and nobody else around. The arch sits where the trees thin enough to let the afternoon light in. This is what most couples picture when they picture Fernwood.
Available for all tiers.
Timber Pavilion
Iffy weather, light rainA covered open-air structure in the forest. Heated for shoulder-season and winter weddings. Feels like a ceremony in the trees — because it is — just with a roof. No scrambling, no tents, no morning-of decisions. The rain plan is built in before you book.
Backup for all tiers. Also used for Forest Wedding dinners.
Studio Loft
Heavy rain, winterVaulted ceilings, exposed beams, panoramic windows looking into the forest. A full indoor ceremony space that doesn't feel like a ballroom. The built-in sleeping loft means the couple can stay in the space they got married in.
Forest Wedding tier only for dinner. Available as ceremony Plan C for any tier.
Farmhouse
Smaller indoor alternativeWarm, residential, 1,200 sq ft. Full kitchen, long dining table, open-concept living. Works for smaller ceremonies that want the feeling of a home, not a venue. Farmhouse has its own character — rougher, more honest than the Loft.
Best for Elopement and Micro tiers.
Sample Day
What a Forest Wedding evening looks like.
This is a reference timeline for a Forest Wedding. Elopements and Micro Weddings are shorter and simpler. We build a custom timeline with every couple during the planning process.
2:00 PM
Getting ready
Couple arrives at the getting-ready space (Studio Loft or Farmhouse). Hair, photos, a quiet hour before the day begins.
4:30 PM
Guests arrive
Up to 30 guests walk in on the forest path. Drinks are waiting. Nobody is rushing yet.
5:00 PM
Ceremony
30–40 minutes under the trees at the forest site or Timber Pavilion. The officiant you chose or one we can refer.
5:45 PM
Cocktails and portraits
Guests move to the deck for drinks and grazing boards. Couple slips into the forest for portraits during golden hour.
7:00 PM
Farm-table dinner
Long-table dinner under string lights — Manna by Fernwood Hills, seasonal and generous. Speeches at the table, not a podium.
8:30 PM
Fire and toasts
Move to the fire pit. Dessert. Quiet music. The evening winds down on its own. Cabin check-in for those staying overnight.
Food
Two options. Both are good.
Food is one of the things guests remember. We've built a catering option that fits the setting — and we make it easy to bring your own if you have something specific in mind.
Manna by Fernwood Hills
$75 per person
Our in-house catering. Seasonal menus built around what's growing and what travels well to a long table in the forest. The food has a point of view — it's not wedding-neutral catering. Generous portions, unhurried service, farm-sourced where possible.
- Seasonal farm-to-table menu
- Grazing boards and canapés for cocktail hour
- Long-table dinner service
- Non-alcoholic beverages included
- Dietary accommodations on request (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, allergies)
- Service staff for the evening
Couples bring their own wine, beer, and spirits. No corkage fee. No cakes provided — BYO or order from a local bakery.
Bring Your Own Catering
No fee
Bring your own caterer, food truck, family cook, or meal kit. The Farmhouse and Studio Loft both have full working kitchens. Long tables are set up and ready. No corkage fee, no surprise charges.
- Full kitchen access (Farmhouse or Studio Loft depending on tier)
- Long-table setup and takedown
- No corkage fee
- No surprise service charges
Popular with families who want to cook together the morning of. Also great if you have a caterer you already love.
Add-Ons
Getting ready and staying over.
None of the add-ons are required. All of them make the day better.
Getting Ready — Studio Loft
$400Half-day access to the Studio Loft before the ceremony. Vaulted ceilings, big windows, natural light — it photographs beautifully and it's actually a calm place to get ready. Full kitchen for coffee and food. Space for a hair and makeup setup and a wedding party of 4–6. Loved by grooms, wedding parties, and anyone who wants the morning to feel like the day it is.
Getting Ready — Farmhouse
$600Half-day access to the Farmhouse — 1,200 sq ft, open-concept, warm and residential. Full kitchen, long dining table, plenty of natural light. Better for larger wedding parties, brides with hair and makeup teams, or couples who want both parties getting ready on-site. The Farmhouse has a different energy than the Loft — more grounded, more kitchen-table morning.
Overnight Stay
Regular unit rates — no wedding markupThe Adler and Bracken cabins are available at regular nightly rates for couples staying after the ceremony. The Farmhouse is also available if you want more space. Walk to your cabin when the evening winds down — no parking lot, no hotel lobby, just the forest path.
Most couples who stay overnight say it was the best part. The next morning is quiet. There's coffee, there's the forest, there's nobody else around. The wedding is over but you're still there.
What It Costs
Real numbers, no surprises.
Every proposal we send is fully itemized. Nothing is bundled in a way that hides cost. Here are three concrete examples.
Simple Elopement
2 people + 2 witnesses, no add-ons
Micro Wedding with an Overnight
12 guests, drinks & canapés, couple stays in Adler Cabin
Fully-Loaded Forest Wedding
30 guests, Manna dinner, Farmhouse getting-ready, Adler Cabin overnight
That's less than the deposit at most Ontario venues.
How It Works
Five steps from inquiry to confirmed.
No pressure tactics, no "venue packages", no upsells in the booking flow. We send you what it costs, you decide, and if it feels right you put down a deposit.
You fill out the inquiry form
Takes about 3 minutes. We ask about your date, guest count, which tier feels right, and a bit about what you're after. No commitment — just a conversation starter.
We reply within 24 hours
We'll confirm availability for your date, answer your questions, and share a custom proposal with a full cost breakdown. No pressure, no sales tactics. Just the information you need to make a decision.
You review the proposal
We send a detailed written proposal via email with every line item, your exact tier, add-ons, and the deposit amount. Read it, share it with your partner, ask questions. We'll adjust anything that doesn't feel right.
A deposit holds your date
When you're ready, a deposit confirms your booking. Your date is blocked on our calendar immediately. Nothing else is due until closer to the event.
We coordinate the details
We check in at the two-week and three-day marks to confirm headcount, logistics, and any setup notes. The day itself runs on a timeline we build together.
Questions
Frequently asked.
Can we visit before we book?
Yes — and we recommend it. Email us and we'll schedule a property visit. Seeing the forest ceremony site, the Timber Pavilion, and the Studio Loft in person makes everything click. Most couples visit once before inquiring and once before signing.
What's the difference between the three tiers?
Format, not size. Elopement is ceremony plus toast — two hours, six people maximum. Micro Wedding is ceremony plus drinks reception, no meal, three hours, up to 15. Forest Wedding is the full evening — ceremony, cocktails, farm-table dinner, fire pit, up to 30. You pick the experience you want, not the largest one you can afford.
Do you host multiple weddings on the same day?
No. We host one wedding per day. The property is yours for the duration of your booking.
Can we have more than 30 guests?
Our maximum is 30 guests for any tier. This is a feature, not a constraint — it's why the ceremony feels like a ceremony and the dinner feels like a dinner. If you need more than 30, we're probably not the right fit and we'd rather tell you now.
What about music?
Acoustic and small amplified music works well at Fernwood. Live ceremony musicians, a small speaker for cocktail hour, background music during dinner. We are in a rural setting — sound carries — so we ask that amplified music wraps by 9pm.
Can we stay the night?
Yes, and most couples do. The Adler and Bracken cabins are priced at regular nightly rates — no wedding markup. Walk to your cabin when the evening winds down. The Farmhouse is also available if you want more space.
How does catering work?
Two options. Manna by Fernwood Hills is our in-house farm-to-table catering at $75/person — seasonal menus, generous portions, dietary accommodations. Or bring your own caterer, food truck, or cook — full kitchen provided, no corkage fee. Many couples combine both: Manna for the ceremony-day dinner, family cooking for the getting-ready morning.
What is the rain plan?
The Timber Pavilion is covered and heated. It's a real structure — not a tent, not a last-minute scramble. The rain plan is built into your booking before your day. You won't be making a call at 7am the morning of your wedding.
Do you provide flowers, décor, or a photographer?
We don't provide those directly — but we have preferred vendors we trust and can refer. Most couples work with their own florist and photographer. The forest does a lot of the visual work; décor requirements are usually simpler than at a traditional venue.
What's the fully-loaded cost?
A Forest Wedding for 30 guests with Manna catering, a Farmhouse getting-ready half-day, and an overnight in the Adler Cabin comes to around $6,150 total. That's comparable to the *deposit* at most Ontario venues.
Can we see the property on our own?
The property is private and not open for unannounced visits, but we're happy to schedule a showing. Reach out via the inquiry form or reply to any email we've sent you.
Is there parking?
Yes — a gravel lot at the front of the property with room for 20+ cars. We can also help coordinate a shuttle from London if you'd prefer guests not drive.
What couples say
“We'd toured a dozen venues and every one felt like a sales pitch. Fernwood was the first place that just showed us around and let us decide. We knew within ten minutes.”
“The ceremony site was exactly what we'd imagined — we just didn't know places like this existed an hour from the city. Our guests are still talking about the dinner.”
Ready to talk about your date?
Tell us what you're thinking.
Fill out the inquiry form — takes about 3 minutes. We'll confirm availability and send back a custom proposal within 24 hours. No commitment, no sales tactics.
Inquire about your dateOr reply to any email we've sent — we read and respond to every one.