Weekend Weddings on our Working Farm

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Bush Meadow Farm, is more than a "event space"

Overview
Rooms
Location
Policies

Exceptional

Popular amenities

Breakfast available

Pet-friendly

Kitchen

Air conditioning

Free WiFi

Check-in time

4:00 PM

Check-out time

11:00 AM

Explore the area

Union, CT

Stafford Motor Speedway11 min drive
Old Sturbridge Village15 min drive
University of Connecticut22 min drive
Worcester, MA (ORH-Worcester Regional)39 min drive

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Living room

1 Double Sofa Bed

Main Bedroom

2 Double Beds

Office

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Office

Outdoor play area

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

Our signature Weekend Weddings include begin at 2pm on Friday and end 2pm Sunday.
Pricing for the wedding venue rental is $9500.

Indoor, Outdoor or Tented; in our Barns, Fields or Forest your ceremony and reception will be in your guests memories for years. You will be surprised how affordable we are compared to other venues.

1. Centrally located between Hartford, CT and Worcester, MA (1/2 mile from Exit 73, I-84), we are a 37-acre sustainable family farm and Year Around Venue producing forestry products, heritage livestock, fruits and vegetables.

2. Since 1998 we have specialized in Weekend Events (3 days, 2 nights) with year around activities on the farm and locally to make this a true destination Wedding.

3. Our combination of Indoor, outdoor, or tented events allows for you to exploit all four seasons and weather conditions with Outdoor (2 multi-acre pasture locations), Tented (Laurel House Lawn: 4800 sq.ft., North Field: 8000 sq.ft.), or Indoor (Gathering Area: 2180 sq.ft.; North Barn: 3672 sqft.) Weddings and Events.

4. "Expedia/VRBO" safeguard your Credit Card (up to 3) payments in "escrow", with full refunds up to 61 days prior to your event.

5. No Additional Charges or Fees for:
a. Exclusive use with no guests of other events.
b. Supervised 2 hour “Bon Fire” (Fire Warning permitting).
c. Rehearsal dinner site, Engagement photography, "Outside Vendor", "Day after" Brunch site & more.
d. Accommodations: Apartment (Brides Suite sleeps 8), Gathering Area (Grooms Suite sleeps 8)

6. You deal with us, the owners/"decision makers'', for real time adjustments and crisis management.

This is not just a Venue, it is an “experience”. If it is a wedding, Corporate Event, Jack and Jill Party, Pasture Party, Family Reunion, Memorial Service or a Life Celebration our farm can host it.
1. Hikes on our farm, Play in our mowed fields, Skip stones on the pond in the state park across the street.
2. Relaxed: 500+ ft from roads, birds calling, sounds of water falls, leaves in the breeze, pond stocked with fish.
3. Tourism Area: intersection of 3 areas: “Quiet Corner”, “Last Green Valley”, “Mystic Country”
4. Activities: outdoor, hiking, bird and wildlife watching, wild-crafting.
5. Views: historic stone walls, wildlife. Agriculture: orchards, forestry, maple sugaring, livestock, vegetables, wild flowers
6. Settings: open fields, shaded park, bonfire & picnic area, raised ceremony & band spot.

Property manager

Barry and Nancy Kapplan

Premier Host

Languages

English

Amenities

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

Breakfast available

Hot tub

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 25

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Well Supervised Children are Welcome!!

Events

Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings

Additional Fees Apply

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg per pet (limit 2 pets total)

Dogs only, extra FEES and rules apply.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

DAY VISITORS: must check in and are permitted from 8am to 11pm. Only the persons named on the contract are allowed overnight.

At booking you must email/mail a valid government PHOTO ID. It must match the name on payment & contract. Same person must stay for entire booking.

False pretense, Illegal Activities, noise ordnance violation, underage drinking, willful damage, misbehavior, etc. results in EVICTION with NO REFUND.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 99

Note from host: Additional Fees Apply

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Union

Located in Stafford, this farm stay is in a rural area and on the waterfront. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Bigelow Hollow State Park and Tinkerville Brook Reserve, while Old Sturbridge Village and Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts are cultural highlights. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's going on at Stafford Motor Speedway, or consider a night out at Hyland Orchard. Enjoy the area's slopes with skiing, and don't miss out on the ice skating and sledging.

Union, CT

What's nearby

Bigelow Hollow State Park - 5 min drive
Stafford Motor Speedway - 11 min drive
Tinkerville Brook Reserve - 11 min drive
Old Sturbridge Village - 15 min drive
University of Connecticut - 22 min drive

Getting around

Hartford, CT (BDL-Bradley Intl.) - 42 min drive

Restaurants

‪Dunkin' - ‬8 min drive
‪Burger King - ‬8 min drive
‪Country Pride - ‬8 min drive
‪Ice Cream Depot - ‬11 min drive
‪Ric's Cafe - ‬15 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Weekend Weddings on our Working Farm pet-friendly?

Yes, this farm house allows dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.

What time is check-in at Weekend Weddings on our Working Farm ?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Weekend Weddings on our Working Farm ?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Weekend Weddings on our Working Farm located?

Set amidst the mountains, this ski-in/ski-out farm stay in Stafford is within 6 mi (10 km) of Bigelow Hollow State Park, Tinkerville Brook Reserve and Staffordville Beach. Quinebaug Woods and Stafford Motor Speedway are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Evette S.

13 June 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Terrific Wedding Venue Location

Wonderful location for your "dream wedding". From the separate amenities that house your whole wedding party to the modern reception hall, the large outdoor patio, the more intimate gazebo area the, firepit lounging area and the wide-open fields. This is just the place to carry out your personal idea of the perfect wedding. Let your imagination run wild. Nancy and Barry were terrific hosts.

Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Donna W.

17 May 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Highly recommend

Great hosts, immaculate rooms, well-appointed. We had a wonderful stay.

Stayed 3 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Scott M.

10 Apr 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

The Friendliest Farm in Union

We had a lovely stay at Barry and Nancys farm. The apartment is way better in person that in photos. Large, super clean and just about every anemitie you may need in the kitchen and elsewhere. Everything is thought through with care. There is a in person check in and check out which was a nice unexpected gesture. In a world of cell phones and impersonal business practice it was a warm welcome that made us feel like our happiness mattered to the hosts. Barry and Nancy are both delightful and fun people. We intend to return! Thanks Kapplans!

Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Allison K.

1 Apr 2024

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect Wedding Weekend

We hosted our wedding at Bush Meadow Farm on 3/30/2024 and had the perfect wedding weekend. Barry and Nancy were so helpful and accommodating during the entirety of our planning process and throughout our stay. We were able to have such a fun and beautiful wedding with everything we wanted to do. Having our wedding at BMF allowed us the flexibility of doing a lot of the food/drinks, etc ourselves. Would recommend the farm to anyone looking for a fun wedding experience.

Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Wendy K.

6 Dec 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely country stay

This was our 3rd stay at this lovely property. It offers us plenty of room and is wheelchair accessible. The farm fresh eggs were a treat, as was as the delicious bread. Everything was clean and the kitchen well equipped. It is our go-to spot when we visit Ct.

Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Caleb B., Boston

12 Sept 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Farm stay with plenty of room to relax.

We enjoyed our quick stay at Barry and Nancy’s lovely farm. Barry was very kind and a gracious host. We certainly enjoyed the farm fresh eggs, which may have been the best eggs I ever had! We look forward to staying here again in the future. Thank you Barry and Nancy!

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Greg G.

14 Aug 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Visit

This property It was perfect for spending time with my parents and getting in some quality grandparent/grandchildren time! Barry and Nancy were great hosts and even gave us a tour of the farm and their animals. Our beagle dodger was able to join the vacation. Very dog friendly. Thank you so much for a great stay! Highly recommend!

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Joni H.

23 July 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful setting. Lovely home, large and inviting

We enjoyed staying at Barry and Nancys beautiful property. They were very gracious hosts and even surprised us with farm fresh eggs, milk, bread and OJ as well as other snacks. Perfect place for a family to stay.

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

LIndsay Y.

16 June 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wedding weekend

We booked this property/venue for our wedding and could not be happier with our choice. The grounds are beautiful, the house is everything you could ever want and need and the owners are extremely accommodating and flexible. I can’t say enough great things about this property and its owners. Anyone who decides to book Bush Meadow Farm will not be disappointed, I know we most certainly are not!

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Luis A., Hartford County, United States

24 May 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome Gem on CT’s boarder town.

Nancy and Barry are amazing host who went above and beyond to ensure our stay was the best it could possibly be. We had the venue from Friday-Sunday for our wedding and even with pouring rain and a change of plans, Nancy and Barry made themselves available at all times and gave us many options of how to utilize the property in more ways than imaginable. My wife and I highly recommend Bush Meadow Farms for all events, not only formal weddings.

Stayed 2 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Wendy K.

29 Nov 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful place

We had a great experience renting from Nancy and Barry. They are attentive hosts and the property was perfect for our family. We especially enjoyed the firepit on a cool, starlit night. This was our second visit here and we will be returning.

Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2022

10/10 Excellent

Tess P.

11 Nov 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Baby Shower at Bush Meadow

We loved working with Barry and Nancy at Bush Meadow Farm in Union. They made party planning so easy by meeting with us prior to booking to tour the venue and provided multiple local business ideas for catering, floral, food and party rentals, ect. They also provided accurate estimates to help with planning and were truly wonderful to work with. Barry and Nancy went above and beyond to make our baby shower perfect for us and were so accomodating. In addition, the grounds are beautifully kept and the venue is very clean.

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

David F.

25 Oct 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

UCONN Visit

We could not be more pleased with the hospitality shown our family by Barry and Nancy. They thought of everything from providing breakfast starter foods to keeping an immaculate, well equipped property. Being city dwellers the farm setting and the beautiful animals were a real treat. Please accept our thanks and our wishes for all the best in the future. The Fallons

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Chelsea B.

21 Oct 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect venue for a wedding!

We knew from the moment we met Barry and Nancy, that our wedding dreams would come alive at Bush Meadow Farms. The space allowed for so much more than we could ask for....from a beautiful piece of property to hold our engagement picture shoot, to a place to host our rehearsal dinner and then have our amazing wedding. Being able to come in early Friday and start setting up, and then having Sunday morning to break down and clean up, made this experience not rushed and convenient. The Vrbo apartment allowed our close family that was here from out of state to stay with us and spend some quality time together. This wedding venue allowed for a night of dancing, playing lawn games, roasting marshmallows by the fire, and overall a perfect spot for an outdoor ceremony and indoor/outdoor reception. We recommend this space for weddings, or any other event. Thank you to Barry and Nancy for your hospitality and warm welcoming nature. We couldn't have asked for a better wedding weekend!

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kristin R., CT USA

9 Oct 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wedding

The venue and accommodations were amazing. The host are very pro active and around to help at all times.

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jacqui T.

15 Aug 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A hidden gem in Connecticut

We booked this property kind of last minute to attend a family reunion a few towns over. It looked great from the pictures, was able to accommodate our party number, and allowed dogs which was part of what we needed and it was a farm. I thought it would be a cool place for us to go stay. It turned out to be one of the best stays I’ve experienced since being a user of Vrbo. Nancy and Barry actually came and met us and took us through the property. They left little amenities and touches that are so important when you’re traveling. For example the first night you get there you check in -the refrigerator was stocked with breakfast items so our next morning we would have things for breakfast. They were constantly in communication with us, checking to make sure everything was ok and asking if we needed anything. This was a beautiful property. The building we stayed in had been newly renovated. Outside there is a fire pit and pergola. Peaceful with lovely landscaping. Space for strolling and looking at the cows. What totally surprised me was that there is the option for farm tours and other activities! They also have to capacity there for large gatherings- which I am keeping in mind for the future. When we were checking out,, they asked if there was anything that could be done better. My only comment was I wished I could’ve stayed longer!!

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Dominic & Amy M.

25 July 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Serenity

With this being our first VRBO stay this was beyond perfection. Nancy & Barry were so helpful and friendly proving everything from your first breakfast to a spacious beautiful space. We absolutely love the bonfire and enjoying nature and the stars. We can’t wait to come back! Thank you for starting our vacation out so wonderfully.

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Julie L.

4 July 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great get away!

Very clean, quiet, and relaxing. Home is modern. AC works well. Plenty of space and very helpful with snacks and children’s stuff provided! Thanks so much for your hospital Barry & Nancy!

Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Ron R.

22 June 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Absolutely Fantastic Wedding Venue!

Perfect wedding venue! Nancy and Barry communicated the entire time, worked with us, our wedding planner, and all our vendors to make our entire experience seamless. So friendly and flexible I would recommend them to anyone! Beautiful property that is so well maintained. All our guests and family were blown away. Truly blessed to have found them. Thank you so much to both of you!

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Joel C.

14 June 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Best Wedding Venue Ever

If you’re looking to have a truly unique, special, and beautiful wedding experience, look no further than Bush Meadow Farm. First of all, from the start all the way to the finish you will have thorough and pleasant communication with Nancy and Barry. They are not just great, professional hosts, they are great people first, something that was important to me and my wife with all our vendors involved in our wedding because they needed to care about our special day. Nancy and Barry did! We found our guests enjoying all parts of the farm. We had beautiful weather so we decided to keep the barn doors in the reception barn wide open, placed speakers on the outside as well as the inside, creating a sort of indoor/outdoor reception. Some people were inside at their tables and on the dance floor, some were hanging out or dancing on the patio, some were out in the field enjoying the bonfire or playing yard games, some were enjoying our photo area by the floating doors, and some were simply walking the farm to visit the animals and seeing the sights. My brother at one point said I should’ve left the barn doors closed for a bit so the dance floor would be packed. I told him that’s the beauty of the venue, let your guests decide what they would like to do best so everyone is having a wonderful time… and they did!!! In fact this is the last text message I received from a guest at my wedding after I asked if he had fun: “ I had a great time! It was so nice to catch up with Donna and John. Plus finally getting to meet Donna's BF, Russ was a long time coming. Totally laughed at the "still" part of your vows. 😂😂😂 Awesome choice of venue too! Looking forward to being able to hang with you guys again!” This was the typical and unsolicited feedback from our guests: that they had a blast and they were surprised and impressed with the venue. If you’re someone who enjoys the versatility and freedom of a venue that allows multiple options for guests to enjoy, do yourself the favor of booking Bush Meadow Farm!!!

Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Andrew L.

30 May 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Relaxing time on the farm

Barry and Nancy are great. Their property is gorgeous and so relaxing! You will not be disappointed! Thanks again!

Stayed 3 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kathleen W., GOSHEN

23 May 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Serene

Peaceful, quiet country property. Impeccably clean and exceptionally well stocked apartment. Appreciated our dog Cody could share in our weekend away. Highly recommend - come explore this special quiet corner of CT!

Stayed 2 nights in May 2022

2/10 Terrible

Kerri T.

16 May 2022

Disliked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Absolutely Terrible Experience With These Property Owners

I contacted you days before canceling asking if you would repost the listing. I cannot rebook my listing for the one weekend you mentioned in July as I have my daughter's birthday to attend - as I told you. You told me it was too late to repost the listing. I do not agree given the "demand" you were talking about for this weekend. Given the circumstances we are currently living in, this is absolutely unreasonable to even meet me half way with the cost of the facility. I sent you photos of positive covid tests. We are told NOT to compromise our healthcare system by exposing them to COVID. WE DID 2 TESTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS THE CASE - PLUS SYMPTOMS. You wanted me to still show up and rent your place because I could not have tests mailed to me with the monitoring quickly enough (which would have come at an additional cost).

Stayed 2 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Maria M., Dayville

3 Apr 2022

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Jack and Jill

Great venue for any event

Stayed 1 night in Apr 2022

10/10 Excellent

Amy K.

11 Oct 2021

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A Wonderful Weekend

We stayed at this property and used it as a wedding venue. It was everything we could've asked for. The apartment was great for some of our wedding party to stay at. The barn hosted a beautiful reception and even the open space attached to the apartment was perfect for some guests with children to use during the reception. We had a fantastic time and the property was amazing. Nancy and Barry were very helpful and attentive. Definitely would recommend!

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2021

About the host

Hosted by Barry and Nancy Kapplan

I am originally from Philadelphia, PA and Nancy is from New Britain, CT. We were a career Regular US Army family, retiring from federal service in 1995. I was a Combat Arms Officer and Nancy was a Department of the Army Civilian Nurse (ICU specialty). Our four children were all born in US Army hospitals (William Beaumont in El Paso, TX; Walter Reed in DC; and the 97th US General in Frankfurt, Federal Republic of Germany).

Now we are farmers, how about that. We are currently raising heritage breed livestock, producing forestry products, and growing berries, fruits, and old together....

Why they chose this property

We returned to Connecticut in 1995 and found this property of 37 wooded acres, of which 30 acres was a State Certified forest. Local people thought we would subdivide it into small building lots. Fooled them.... we returned the parcel to a working farm, just as it had been from 1730 to 1975. Bush Meadow Brook originates here on the property and its waters run to the Thames River, then into Long Island Sound near New London and Groton, CT. That is why we named this sanctuary: Bush Meadow Farm.

What makes this property unique

Peaceful, relaxing, tranquil, and re-energizing are the terms used about our farm.
Golden location in the middle of several major metro areas.
The property is in a well known tourism area called both the "Quiet Corner" and the "Last Green Valley" in Connecticut's "Mystic Country" tourism district.
Less than one mile from Interstate 84, we are located on a scenic state road, used by many cyclists and antique auto-clubs. Union, CT is one of (or is) the least populated town in Connecticut. Our town is 29 sq. miles with no stop lights, fast food, shopping malls, or "modern distractions".
Miles of trails here on the farm for hiking, snowshoeing, mountain biking, riding your horse, or more.
Wildlife is abundant here with wild turkey, rabbit, deer, a rare moose or two, owls, red tailed hawks, ducks, and song birds.