Hillview Farms Wedding Barn | Vendor Spotlight

Hillview Farms is nothing short of magical, tucked away on a beautiful Merrill, WI country road, surrounded by rolling hills, golden cornfields, and twinkling Christmas trees.  This particular wedding venue is enchanting when it comes to wedding venues with charm, character, and a dash of magic. But have you ever wondered how this dreamy venue came to life?

We’re pulling back the curtain on this vendor spotlight to share the inspiring journey of how a simple barn became the perfect setting for unforgettable weddings. I reached out to Chris and Marling, the real fairy godparents in the wedding world, and they were happy to answer all of my questions about their wedding venue.

Can you share the story behind the venue? What inspired you to create this wedding venue?

CHRIS: “Our wedding venue began life as a dream. An idea that lived in my head, and popped out every so often. We had our first "event" back in August 2015. It was a birthday party for my Goddaughter. Her dad and I swept the barn floor and blew it out a dozen times with leaf blowers. What a dirty job, we were black from head to toe. I climbed up as high as possible on an extension ladder and hung up some rope lights and a few strands of extra Christmas Tree Lot lights. We were in the Christmas Tree business first after all. 

At this first party, a few people were commenting how neat the barn was and how clean it was. A few even asked if we rented it out for birthday parties, another even mentioned we should have weddings in the barn. In 2015 barn weddings were a pretty new idea, and I thought it was a great idea, I just needed a push. We continued to have birthday parties for my goddaughter and niece every year.

 In 2016 I met my wife Marling, we were married in the spring of 2017, and now I understand much better how much work a wedding venue was, after having our own. In 2018 my brother was getting married, he and his wife both wanted a barn but we were stuck with few options, other than waiting a year for a date or paying a large sum of money for an operating local venue. This is where the push I needed came in. They asked me if they could use my barn, I thought about it for about 15 seconds and said yes we can do it.

With help from my dad, neighbor, and a long-time employee from the Christmas trees we went to work. We started putting down a new floor around the outside to make everything even. Windows were built and installed on all sides of the barn. We installed a large window into the old hay elevator door and created a beautiful focal point opposite the entrance. My neighbor, who was retired from the IBEW came every day to hang and bend conduit, pull wires, and get all the electrical hooked up. We made a small patio out front and hung up lots of bistro lights. The day of the wedding I imagined this as a one-off deal and at least I got my barn looking sharp if nothing else came from this. Wow was I in for a surprise, we had people asking if we rented the wedding venue at the first wedding!

This thought stuck with me for a few weeks afterward. I got on Facebook one day and made an ad on Marketplace, I got a response almost immediately. This made our second booking for 2018. I made a Facebook Page and added photos from the "first" wedding. My wife was out of the country during the initial work and remodeling but was very happy the barn was looking good. Then I called her one day and said "Amor, we have a business" She was a little confused and surprised. I said we have a wedding venue and someone has already booked it for a wedding. She had returned home slightly after this and informed me the barn needed lots of work. For example, the bathrooms and adding flowers and lights, Also we needed landscaping, more windows, so basically everything I thought I had. I then realized this business needs a woman's touch more than anything. Thank God for her, for so many reasons.

 I can say without a doubt that my wife is the reason the property is as beautiful as it is today. Our barn is a never ending project, we always want to add something every year, be it a gazebo, new flower beds, or new chairs, our work is never done and we always have at least one surprise project for the couples over spring. At the end of the 2024 season, we have had over 105 weddings since we began Hillview Farms Wedding Barn.” 

What do you feel sets your venue apart from other Merrill, WI local venues?

“We believe the number 1 difference is US. My wife Marling and I are all hands on deck for every event. We live on the property and are always close by the day of the wedding. We do everything possible to make sure the couple has the perfect day. Our goal is 100% satisfaction, anything less is unacceptable. All of the local venues are beautiful in their unique way, when people book with Hillview Farms Wedding Barn they are not only booking the property, but they are also "booking" Marling and I.”

What is your favorite part of the property, and why?

“Our favorite part is the flowers, we work 1-2 hours every day all summer long to make sure the flowers are extra beautiful. Anywhere you go around the barn there is always flowers.”

What is the guest capacity for weddings here?

"225 for dinner 300 for reception"

What’s included in your wedding packages (e.g., tables, chairs, lighting, decor)?

"We include our rustic farmhouse tables, white resin chairs, round tables and chairs. Also benches for the ceremony. We offer free fire pit with all the wood you can burn, heat in the colder months and golf cart service for the elderly or disabled."

Do you have any preferred or required vendors couples need to work with?

"We have many preferred vendors, but none are required."

What is the backup plan for outdoor weddings in case of weather challenges?

"We can switch from and outdoor to and indoor ceremony in under 30 minutes. The backup indoor location is the main floor of the barn and is just as beautiful as our outdoor location."

How do you ensure couples have a stress free wedding day at your venue?

"We let our couples come Friday to decorate and prepare. If a couple needs or wants to come earlier we can accommodate that as well. We want everything to be as stress free as possible. We dont like to say no to any requests within reason. Its your wedding day and it should be exactly how you want it."

What is one piece of advice you would give to couples considering your venue?

"We always tell the couple to consider our location. Although we are on a quiet country road we are only 7 minutes from Hotels, Gas Stations and WalMart."

Are there any specific decor styles, color palettes, or themes you’ve seen that work particularly well with your venue?

"We have seen so many beautiful decorations over the years, but we always like when there is real flowers and sheer draping in the barn. Its a timeless elegant look."

How do you collaborate with photographers and other vendors to create a seamless experience?

“We make a point to find the wedding photographers as soon as they arrive to Hillview Farms Wedding Barn and introduce ourselves as the owners. We let them know that they can go anywhere on the property they wish and even offer to use the golf cart to get them to a spot with the bridal party. We always go out of our way to make sure other vendors have everything they need. People are only human and can easily make a mistake or forget something. We like to make sure we can help with anything they might need.”

Are there any features of the venue (e.g., lighting, views) you think photographers and couples love the most?

“I think wedding photographers like our wildflower hill in the parking area. The guests love the big hydrangea by the front patio. I think the couples like the trees and the general interior of the barn.”

What’s the best time of day or season to capture the beauty of your venue?

“Golden Hour gives awesome light, but we love the nighttime. It's a little more difficult to photograph at night, but we have many hanging lights everywhere which makes for a timeless and enchanting effect. The best season here at Hillview Farms Wedding Barn is mid Summer (July) when all the flowers are in bloom and the grass is so green.” 

How can photographers like me best support couples planning a wedding at your Venue?

“Many photographers such as Stacy Literski have been here many many times. We love it when we get to work with the same photographers often. You can use your experience shooting here to recommend the best location and times to photograph. This will eliminate time hunting and experimenting, allowing the couple as much time with their guests as possible.”

What’s the most unique or memorable wedding you’ve hosted here?

"We have had so many but I can think a few that really stuck out. The first wedding we had was pretty memorable. Another wedding before we had our basement remodeled really sticks out. It was a large wedding about 180 guests, and was heavy rain. We had the ceremony up in the barn then after the ceremony int he heavy rain we had to bring all the tables and chairs back into the barn and set everything back up again. I said never again and that was the deciding factor to remodel our basement. It has been smooth sailing ever since.

The most unique wedding was early on. The groom was president of a local motorcycle club, so there was probably 50 Harley Davidsons here that day, pretty cool.

I must say my favorite weddings are when old high school friends get married here, it is really special for many reasons. You get to see old classmates that you have not seen in 15 years and get to see two people you have known forever have one of the happiest days of their life right at your home. "

Do you have any favorite success stories or special moments from weddings at your venue?

"Some special moments I'll never forget is a groom who was from Costa Rica, his cousin played the piano and sang for the first dance, father daughter dance, and more. It was amazing to see someone so talented here.

Our best success stories came in the "Covid" year, many couples had their original venue cancel or cut their guest count way down on them. We were able to help 6-8 couples have an amazing wedding, mask free and feel like everything was normal again for a while."

What message would you like to share with couples considering your venue?

"We urge couples to read our reviews and choose the place they like best. We want couples to know we will do anything possible to make their special day, the best day ever a dream come true."

Hillview Farms is a labor of love, with improvements added every year. From gazebos to new flower beds and updated seating, the venue continues to evolve, ensuring it remains a top choice for couples ready to say “I do.” If you are looking for the perfect venue for your big day, Hillview Farms Wedding Barn might just be the spot where you're forever begins. I would love to be there right with you to photograph every moment that unfolds during your day. Take a look at my wedding galleries and pricing to see if we are a good fit!

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