Episode 27 Inside A Year-One Venue: Harmony Forge Inn

A Zillow link, a river view, and a leap of faith—this is the story of how Billy and Kasey took Harmony Forge Inn from a hidden property to a weekend wedding venue couples will remember for years. We open up about the first chaotic weddings, the emergency mulch run that saved a last-minute ceremony switch, and the relationships that made year one not just possible, but joyful.

Walk the property with us: the Victorian main house where the bridal suite sits steps from the kitchen, the Creekside Lodge that keeps the groom’s party on time, a 200-guest barn brightened with chandeliers and picture windows, and a flat lawn along the water that turns cocktail hour into a relaxed, social drift. We explain why the weekend model matters—check in Friday, ease out Sunday—and how that extra time eliminates stress, rushed setups, and complicated logistics.

We also get tactical. If you’re venue shopping, learn how to compare true all-in packages, spot hidden fees, and ask questions that uncover flexibility, future upgrades, and vendor-friendliness. If you’re building a dream vendor team, hear why coordinators are the unsung heroes, how to leverage preferred lists, and what red flags to watch for. For fellow owners and planners, we share our systems—shared calendars, CRMs, after-action notes—and the small operational choices that make a big difference, like stocking water and mapping parking before anyone arrives.

Looking ahead, we reveal two upgrades we’re excited about: a covered wraparound bar that transforms cocktail hour and small events, and permanent restrooms to replace the mobile setup. Through it all, our goal stays the same: create a beautiful, adaptable space and serve couples so well that the only thing they remember is how easy and meaningful the day felt.

If you enjoyed this conversation, subscribe, share it with a friend planning a wedding, and leave a review so more couples and vendors can find the show. Got a venue question we didn’t answer? Send it our way—we’d love to help.

https://www.harmonyforgeinn.com/

https://www.instagram.com/harmonyforgeinn/

Transcript

New Owners, New Vision

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Welcome to the Preferred List, a podcast about the people behind the best wedding days. I'm James, a wedding filmmaker. I've spent years in the industry working alongside incredible vendors, and this show is all about the real conversations with the one to make it happen. Whether you're a vendor or a couple, you'll get honest insight, good stories, and maybe a little inspiration along the way. Let's meet today's wedding vendors. Hi Bella Casey, how's it going? Good. How are you?

SPEAKER_03 0:26

How are you?

SPEAKER_02 0:26

Good. I am so glad to be here at your venue, Harmony Forge Inn. Um back in Belfont. Love Belfont. State College. It's the best. Um, but I'm so glad to be here. Um thank you for having us. Of course, all these episodes. I know. Um, but I'm excited because this journey in the venue owning space is so new for the two of you.

SPEAKER_03 0:50

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 0:51

And I can't wait to jump in. This would normally be the time that I'd be like, hey, we're here, but we're here with the two of you, so we're just gonna jump right in. Um give me a little bit of background about the two of you, where you guys have started in this journey of owning this venue, and um we'll jot we'll dive in right there. You wanna start?

SPEAKER_04 1:12

I sure can. Um, I think the whole uh thing came from my dad sent me a Zillow listing for the venue, and I was like, what is this place? I've never heard of it. I've lived here for 15 years and um had never heard of it. And so we scheduled with the realtor and honestly came over the bridge, and I was like, this place is amazing. Um, we did a tour, and as soon as the tour was over, we were like, we have to make an offer. There's so much potential out here, and the venue itself is beautiful, but just like the surrounding mountains, the water, the creek that runs the side of it, it's just you can't picture anything um more perfect for a wedding day. So we loved it, and I mean, yeah, I'd say if you would have asked us a year ago if we'd be doing this, we'd be like, no, absolutely not.

The Zillow Listing That Changed Everything

SPEAKER_01 2:19

Um we've we've had the property for a year now.

SPEAKER_04 2:22

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:23

Uh yeah, we maybe a year and two months.

SPEAKER_04 2:26

Okay, a year and two months ago.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 2:30

We would have said no. But um, yeah, here we are, uh a year later, and fully dived into 2025 weddings and booking up for 2026 and 2027, and you know, it's it's been an awesome journey.

SPEAKER_02 2:50

It's really cool. I have to say, it was so fun. I was actually second shooting um for a friend of mine, and we met right over here back behind like where we're filming, and I was like, Hey, I'm James, how's it going? You're like, good, good. And I was like, we just started talking back and forth, and then it turned out to be like the first wedding. Very first wedding. I was like, No way, that's awesome. Let's go.

SPEAKER_04 3:15

Yeah, and we were, I think, just looking at each other like what did we get ourselves into? Yeah, what do we do? What do we do? Um, and we did a lot of wanting running around, and um that wedding, thankfully, we had a phenomenal um coordinator, so she was able to help guide us, and and that's been like the biggest thing about the wedding industry that we've found around here is everyone is so willing to help. Um so we've been in for a year, but um, we've learned so much over this over this past year. So it's been awesome. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:55

No, and I mean you guys have already done like so much to the space, which we'll get into in a little bit, but um jumping in to something so new, do you guys have any like business experience before all of this? Maybe like your parents did, or like what what does that look like when you're jumping into like a new business venture?

SPEAKER_01 4:17

I think when when I first heard about it and Casey came out to tour with her her parents, uh she she asked me, she's like, What do you think? Like, is this something you could do? I was like, Of course. And her and her dad right away is like, this is gonna be a group effort. Like it's gonna take all of us. We all kind of have some sort of expertise in every end of it, other than the wedding stuff itself. So yeah, I I think me kind of being the handyman, Casey being the people person, her dad being the businessman, her mom helping take care of everything else.

SPEAKER_03 5:00

And the phenomenal cook.

SPEAKER_01 5:01

Yes, and a phenomenal cook.

SPEAKER_03 5:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

It uh it it none of it could have happened without all of us. Yeah.

First Weddings And Fast Lessons

SPEAKER_04 5:08

Yeah, it's definitely been a team effort, but um as far as like uh do we have you know experience doing this? No, we we kind of dove in headfirst. Um but again, we've had so much help along the way. Um, it feels like we've been doing this for years now. Um so we've learned learned quite a bit, but yeah, no experience in this to start.

SPEAKER_02 5:39

Yeah, you really just like dove in headfirst.

SPEAKER_04 5:41

Yeah.

unknown 5:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:43

Um, what were some of the things that popped up like that first wedding or two that you were like, Whoa, we need to have a better system, or like we were not expecting this or that communication would be a big one.

SPEAKER_01 5:56

We uh it's hard to call each other on the phone uh when we're busy running people back and forth and we're doing all this other stuff. I think communication is uh is key. Walkie-talkies, headsets, something to communicate on the spot with the cater, the vendor, everyone. Uh I think that was a huge one we had to learn quick. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 6:18

Uh the other thing is just being able to think quickly on your feet and like be prepared for anything. Um that that first wedding, actually, I think there was a shift on the on the ceremony spot. And you know, it was our first wedding. We knew you guys were gonna be doing some amazing like videography and photography work. So um we wanted to make sure that all of the spaces looked perfect. Um, so with the change of ceremony spot, um, I think you were out there, you had like he was like, I've got five bags of mulch in my car. And so it was like probably 30 minutes before this for the actual ceremony. He's out there like mulching the mulch beds in the new ceremony spot and um just like moving all the chairs and and getting everything kind of set up.

SPEAKER_01 7:10

So yeah, I think we looked out the window and I was like, Casey, they changed the spot. Yeah, she's like, What? I was like, Well, we were doing a mulch project at our house, and I just happened to have mulch in the back of my truck. I was like, That's hilarious, and I'm running down through just covered in sweat, slinging mulch like a madman.

SPEAKER_05 7:27

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 7:28

But we pulled it off, and that's when it started. It's like, yeah, we can do this. It's gonna be hectic, but yeah, we can do it.

SPEAKER_02 7:34

Yeah, for sure. Um the venue has already changed from what I remember like a year ago or maybe a year and a couple months ago from now. Uh, I would love to know what you feel like Harmony Forge, like how how is Harmony Forge unique compared to other venues? Um, because obviously there's I mean, maybe a million places you could get married.

SPEAKER_04 7:58

Oh, yeah, for sure. Especially in this area. There's a lot of different options. Um, I think the biggest thing about here is that you can make it a weekend experience. Um, you know, our two main packages, you check in Friday and you check out Sunday. So the bride, the bridal party, the groom, and the groom the whole groom's party can stay on site the whole weekend. Um, we have our main house here, we have a groom suite at the one end of the property. Um and you really have access to, you know, everything we have to offer here for the whole weekend. Um so I think that that makes it a little bit different, unique, a little bit more special, I think, um, for some of our brides who, you know, really want to take the time and like remember where they got married. Um, you know, a lot of times it's you're in, you're there for the reception, and you know, you're partying having a great time, and then you go home.

SPEAKER_05 9:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 9:05

And, you know, here you can kind of experience it.

What Makes Harmony Forge Unique

SPEAKER_02 9:10

Um, I will say, we when we got married, our venue did a similar, like you weren't just there for the day, you could come in Friday, you could use space on Sunday. And it it was very nice to know that we weren't like rushed into like trying to set up stuff Saturday morning. I was finishing building the Arbor Friday when we were supposed to be rehearsing, but we've seen that before. Yeah, um, but it's it I do feel like more couples, I mean it's such a benefit to have that full weekend kind of experience.

SPEAKER_04 9:46

Yeah, I think it takes a lot of um of the pressure and stress off of the weekend um when you can come and check in in the morning and go head over to the reception and area and start decorating. And then you have all day to decorate. Um, so you're not kind of jammed into like a four-hour period. Um and then we also, if you want, you can do your rehearsal and your rehearsal dinner here. So um that's kind of a nice add to that you don't have to go out and and find a separate space for that as well.

SPEAKER_02 10:22

Yeah, and can you kind of explain like the different I mean I can see the barn through that window, but obviously people are listening or watching and could you kind of just like explain like the different spaces that you have and kind of like what the purpose they serve?

SPEAKER_04 10:37

Yeah, so we have our um we have a creekside lodge. Um it's it is literally creekside um from almost every window you can see the water, and usually that's used as our groom suite. Um, it's got a full kitchen, living room, three bedrooms, two bathrooms. Um, so it's really nice. It's easy for the guys to be um on site, you know. You never have anyone running late or, you know, oh I got caught in traffic. You know, everybody's on site. Um, and then we have our main house here, which has four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Um, we have a full kitchen, dining room, parlor, and then a bridal suite as well. Um, and so this is really great space for the bride and her bridesmaids to get ready. Um the kitchen's great for mimosas and breakfast and the bridal suit's right off of the kitchen. So it's a really um kind of an easy uh space in and out um for when you're getting ready and doing all those things. Um and then beyond that we have um our reception barn and it seats probably two, I think our capacity is 200. Um and then behind the barn we have our big lawn. It's a really nice flat lawn. Uh and that's where most of our brides or our couples do their um cocktail hour. So um it's really it's really flat, easy to set up a tent or high top tables. Um, so it gets a lot of use and it's like right on the water. So a lot of the guests love to like mosey to the bank and look at look in the creek and see all the trout swimming. Um we've had a couple guests ask if they can bring their fishing rod. So um, yeah, it's just a really cool space to be able to kind of have your guests be able to to mosey around and wander the property.

SPEAKER_02 12:41

Um we've got I heard from our last guest that you guys have even more like acreage past the the barn there too.

SPEAKER_04 12:50

Yeah, we have 40 acres here, so we've got a nice little buffer of land around us.

SPEAKER_02 12:56

Um a lot of opportunity.

SPEAKER_04 12:58

Yeah, a lot of lot of potential for future projects.

SPEAKER_02 13:01

Sounds like some future projects. There's enough of those. Um yeah, hopefully, hopefully Bill has a long piece of paper to write.

SPEAKER_04 13:11

Yeah, that laundry list is is growing quickly.

SPEAKER_01 13:14

Yeah. They're getting at it a lot faster than they're getting checked off for sure.

Spaces Tour: House, Lodge, Barn, Lawn

SPEAKER_02 13:19

Yeah, that's okay though. Um, but you guys have already done some updates to the barn space. Yes. Um, and what's so funny is when I was in school for music, we were actually here at a wedding playing like a little quintet with our brass quintet that we had. And I mean, that must have been like seven, maybe I don't know, date myself, like seven or eight years ago.

SPEAKER_05 13:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:43

Um, so like tell me a little bit about like some of the things you guys have been doing, or maybe even like some stuff that you're planning on or excited for.

SPEAKER_01 13:54

You you take over the staining of the barn because that was you.

SPEAKER_04 13:58

So um I whitewash stained the inside of the barn.

SPEAKER_02 14:02

Um I heard with a three-inch brush too, because of the only look.

unknown 14:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:07

I got all the tea from the before we started.

SPEAKER_04 14:10

So I got um, I have a little bit of uh I don't know, particularness about me. And um, so a lot of people, mainly uh my husband and my dad, questioned why I didn't use a roller. Um, it just gave a different look than what I was going for. So yes, I stained our 3,000 square foot barn uh with a three-inch brush and multiple, multiple, multiple cans of white stain.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

Two coats at least.

SPEAKER_04 14:45

Two coats, yeah, everywhere.

SPEAKER_02 14:47

So I would not want that shot. Yeah, but it looks amazing.

SPEAKER_01 14:51

Yeah, got really good at like moving scaffolding by myself and not much help on the man lift though. When we had the man lift, she did not like that. I didn't either, but no, I wasn't given an option. Yeah, like you will paint that 35-foot peak. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 15:09

We only had it for a certain amount of time, so I was like, no, you have to do this like right now, actually. So um, yeah, that was that was uh a lot of my winter was dedicated to that. Um we hung chandeliers, we installed um some big ass fans. I don't know if I can say that.

SPEAKER_02 15:34

Yeah, we're fine.

SPEAKER_04 15:35

It's the big ass fans. That's literally the name industrial, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:38

She's not just the big industrial fans.

SPEAKER_04 15:41

Yeah, that's what I always tell people. I'm like, I swear that's the name of the fan. Um, and then yeah, we installed some beautiful huge picture windows in the one side so you can now see the water from the dance floor, which is really cool. Um, so those are really the majority of the updates that we did to the barn, and then he can tell you about the lodge.

SPEAKER_01 16:06

I try to forget, but yes. While Casey spent her winter in the barn staining for months on end, me and Brian, uh Casey's dad, spent the entire winter in the Creekside Lodge renovating it, and it was a doozy. I mean, it's an old building, a lot of horsehair plaster, and everything old. So we had our time to run the wiring, do a lot of the plumbing, uh drywall, I mean, mostly down to the bones and restart. Uh it was painful, but we got it done.

SPEAKER_04 16:45

Yeah. Refurbishing the windows.

SPEAKER_01 16:47

Yeah, that was uh we we were literally moving a couch in 30 minutes before the wedding party was coming to stay. Like we took it down to the wire, but we had to because it was it was a huge project to try to undertake in one winter. Yeah, because then that wasn't done at all.

SPEAKER_03 17:03

It was abandoned for yeah, it had been abandoned for 15 years.

SPEAKER_01 17:08

At least 15, but I think it was in bad shape 15 years ago.

SPEAKER_04 17:11

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

It's not it wasn't at the top of the room.

SPEAKER_04 17:14

There was like a tree growing through the one bedroom.

SPEAKER_01 17:17

There was a reason they moved out of it 15 years ago.

SPEAKER_02 17:21

Yeah, no. Um, you guys have done like so much already, and I know we joke about Bill's list, but you do have a lot of stuff planned. Yeah, so we're we're just excited to see like where it's gonna go from here.

SPEAKER_05 17:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:33

Um, this being kind of like the start. Um, but I'm curious, like running the venue, what's a typical sort of wedding day look like for the two of you, sort of in that kind of behind the scenes mentality?

Winter Renovations And Upgrades

SPEAKER_01 17:46

I think I think we're getting better at it. So it's not as hectic. Um, the first handful of weddings, still trying to learn what needs done day of. We spent a lot of time mulching the entire property before the day, you know, and we spent time setting stuff up, we spent a lot of time, we're slowly getting the hang of it to where now we're able to more or less tend to the guests and the caterers and the other vendors to help them get their stuff set up because we're better prepared with what we have to do. And then day of it's it's just helping out, running errands for other people.

SPEAKER_04 18:30

Yeah, yeah, I'd say, you know, usually we start our morning like setting up for the ceremony, getting our our new benches out, um, ceremony set up, and then um throughout the morning helping helping our vendors figure out where they need to go, where they need to set up. Um, we help out with parking too. So, you know, I'm usually running around in the gator and he'll stand back, you know, uh back in our parking lot telling people where to go. So we kind of just try to fill in wherever we can, wherever we feel like it's you know, we're most needed. Um and just try to make do everything we can to make the day go as smoothly as possible. Um because at that point there's nothing really else we can do, you know. We can't add landscape or take landscape away. We can't, you know, there's a lot of things that we can't do day of. So so best we can do is support the other the other vendors.

SPEAKER_02 19:35

Yeah, and I'm I'm guessing you guys, even in like the short stint from when you started that first wedding to now, you've worked with a ton of different vendors. I mean, every wedding's probably got five to ten different people that are doing maybe rentals or biographers, photographers, caters. Yes. Um, what's that been like kind of building those partnerships and relationships over the time?

SPEAKER_04 20:04

Uh I it's been great. I'm very much a people person. I love our brides, I love our vendors. So um I always love connecting with them and finding ways that we can, you know, kind of collaborate on things outside of the weddings as well. Um, so you know like doing a podcast. Like doing a podcast. Is this a podcast?

SPEAKER_05 20:30

Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_04 20:32

Um yeah, so you know, we've collected with a lot of like great people, um, people we've grown to be friends with and and do stuff even outside of you know wedding day vendors.

SPEAKER_01 20:46

Like disc golf. Like disc golf.

SPEAKER_02 20:47

Oh, like disc golf, but my wife is cringing right now, but Bill and I share an affinity for disc golfing that we did not know was there. Um but it's fun. Yeah, I I just feel like the togetherness of vendors puts on a better day for our couples.

SPEAKER_04 21:07

Oh yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 21:08

And and being all on the same page, there for the people that we're there to serve. I just feel like they're gonna have a better day. Yes, they might not know it, but they're gonna have a better day. And if you're not showing up to be there for them, then it's like maybe you should pick a different job.

SPEAKER_04 21:26

Yeah, yeah. I mean, it really is a team effort, and you know, the best weddings that we've had, we've had the best vendors, if that makes sense. Like when you know, you can look at the lineup of vendors and be like, this is gonna be a great day because you know everyone's gonna be there for the same goal, which is just to make the day like perfect for the bride. So um when you get that kind of dream team together, it really the day just seems to fly by and it's always a lot of fun.

SPEAKER_02 22:00

Would you say um like red flags couples should be looking out for? Maybe not in like a specific vendor category, but just like wedding vendors in general. Is there like a red flag that couples should be looking out for so they can try to get that dream team put together?

SPEAKER_01 22:17

I would say asked for like references, like a preferred list.

SPEAKER_04 22:22

Yeah. You know?

SPEAKER_01 22:24

Oh man, that's a good name for a podcast.

SPEAKER_04 22:27

How did you come up with that?

SPEAKER_01 22:29

Top of my head. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 22:31

Um, uh I don't know. Uh definitely word of mouth. Like if people, if you're hearing not great things about a certain vendor, like probably true. Usually, you know, they're they might be hard to work with.

SPEAKER_01 22:47

Um, but I that's a hard one because we haven't found that that red flag yet. Yeah, we've we've got everyone we've worked with has been a good one. You know it's tough.

SPEAKER_02 22:58

Like doing these episodes. I've talked to a handful of different vendors, and I feel like what I'm getting a lot of, it's like it's almost hard to know until you're in it. Yeah. And then you're like, oh shoot, that's not panning out the way that we thought it was gonna pan out.

SPEAKER_05 23:15

Yeah.

Wedding Day Operations Behind The Scenes

SPEAKER_02 23:16

Um, but yeah, it I feel like the best thing you're gonna get is people's prior experience with whatever vendor it might be. And if it's yeah, generally pretty positive, it's probably gonna be pretty positive.

SPEAKER_04 23:31

And I would say, like, most of the time for the brides, like ask your vendors about other vendors. Like just say, have you worked with them before?

SPEAKER_02 23:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 23:42

How are they to work with, you know? Um, because most of us are pretty candid and like have worked with each other before. Um, and what I found is like if they if they love another vendor, they will recommend for sure.

SPEAKER_05 24:00

Yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_04 24:01

Um, but if they haven't had a good experience, they'll let you know too, because they don't want to show up day of and not have their dream team set up.

SPEAKER_02 24:12

I when we work with good photographers as a biographer, it makes our job a hundred times easier.

SPEAKER_03 24:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:20

Um, but yeah, I it's just it's the same thing. If everyone's there for the right reason, then I feel like yeah, generally pretty easy to get a dream team together. But um it seems like asking the right questions, seeing who else has worked with them. I mean, it's all good advice for couples. Um, what what should couples be looking for? You know, when they're looking at all these different venues, um, you know, beyond the like, oh, that's pretty. Like, what should they be looking for to find their their perfect venue?

SPEAKER_01 24:52

Oh, that's a good question.

SPEAKER_04 24:53

Oh man. Go ahead. I'll let you take that one.

SPEAKER_01 24:58

Uh for forget about all of them and come to Harmony Forge. No, that's an ad. That's an ad right there. I I think uh tag ad. Outside of uh the space and the how pretty it is, you know, I think you want to look for the amenities and like we offer the places to stay. I think that's a great asset. Not just for us, but that's what I would want. So most of the projects that we do, we think, what would we want?

SPEAKER_02 25:28

Um or even like what are couples leaving saying, like, hey, it would be awesome if XYZ was a part of everything. Right.

SPEAKER_01 25:35

That's why when Casey does most of the tour, she asks, you know, uh, one, how did you hear about us? Two, what would you like to see done for future projects? And we asked the same of the vendors, what can we do to make your work easier?

SPEAKER_04 25:52

Yeah. Not to say that we're going to do all the projects.

SPEAKER_05 25:58

Oh, okay, okay.

SPEAKER_01 26:01

Um not what I've heard before, but um she's very nice on camera.

SPEAKER_04 26:09

We do um definitely during the tours, I try to let brides know, like, you know, I I do consider their their date range and you know, hey, okay, I see your your 2027 bride. Well, these are some of the projects that we have coming up. These are some of the updates or things that we're going to be doing to make this space better. Um, I think if you have a venue or, you know, particularly a venue, if you're looking at a venue and um you need some guidance in that way, I would say look for a venue that's not just complacent in what they are, but you know, okay, how are you making this space better? Or, you know, um are there things that people haven't liked in the past that, you know, and what are you doing to kind of remedy that or um make it better? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 27:06

I would imagine there's a lot of venues. And not that I can think of like a specific one, but just a lot of venues that are like, cool, we got the space. Let's just run it until it doesn't run anymore. Yeah. But it sounds like you guys are taking a much more like proactive approach to improve here, improve there. Maybe it's not a big project, but yeah, taking the the input from oh yeah, couples and vendors.

Building A Reliable Vendor Network

SPEAKER_04 27:30

Yeah, we definitely couples, but vendors too, um, because we want the space to be, you know, perfect for our brides, but we also want the vendors to be happy with the space as well. We want them to want to come here. We want them to recommend us. So if there is something that a vendor needs or wants to see different or has at other venues that we don't have, we want to know about that stuff. Um, because we will make every effort to make that happen. Yeah. Um, so yeah, we're we've got a couple projects geared towards vendors. Geared towards vendors. Couple is like um two, right?

SPEAKER_02 28:12

Or three? A couple a couple sheets of paper. Oh, okay, okay. A few is two, maybe. I don't know. Um, when couples are in that like inquiring phase, they're trying to find the right venue. What do you wish that they'd be asking you guys in that like inquiry phase to help them get all of the right information so they can make you know the most informed decision possible?

SPEAKER_04 28:41

I I think for me, um I know a lot of um couples when they're deciding, a lot of times it does come down to that like bottom dollar package price. What are you getting? Um what I would hope to see is that you know, brides are looking at all the all the different venue venues and comparing that price and like what all comes along with it. And is that the all-in price? Um, because all I know on on the venue side we all tend to kind of have our prices set up differently. Like our price is an all-in price. What what's on that listed as the package, like that's what you're getting.

SPEAKER_02 29:31

There's gonna be no other like we're not gonna nickel and d right now about or right.

SPEAKER_04 29:36

We don't add in any other fees. There's no like setup fee, cleanup fee. Um, but I I could see that if you're looking at that versus another venue that might show you a a price, but then they have the add-on print fees and stuff. Um just take that into account um and make sure that you know like what all you're getting for that package price. Um so yeah, I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 30:04

Just do your do your research, you know.

SPEAKER_05 30:07

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:08

And if we can't accommodate, hey, we'll I mean we'll refer to you to someone that can.

SPEAKER_05 30:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:13

I mean it's it is a very tight-knit community where it seems like everyone tries to help each other.

SPEAKER_04 30:18

Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 30:19

Generally, couples are coming in with very little knowledge on all of these things, and they are are looking for a lot of vendors, venues, whatever it might be, to be like, hey, I I need help. Yeah, like I need a little bit of guidance. Um, do you find that like there's a lot of couples that are coming in and they like know all the stuff and they're like, yeah, we just want to book with Harmony Forge? Are they like, ah, we're just checking out the space, we're not really sure yet. Like, where where are they kind of at in that process usually?

Choosing Vendors And Spotting Fit

SPEAKER_04 30:53

We get a little of both. Um, we've had couples that have come to events year before, and when they come, they walk through and they're like, I mean, before we're done with the tour, they're like, all right, where do I sign on the dotted line? Like, I'm ready to go. Um, they kind of know what they're, you know, looking for right off the bat. Um, and then some brides definitely come in unsure um of really even what they want. Um, and I I would just keep the questions going. Like, make sure, come here for the tour, check it out. I do a lot of talking during the tour. I will tell you probably more than you need to know.

SPEAKER_00 31:36

I'll stay out of that one.

SPEAKER_04 31:39

Um, but I always say to my couples when they're leaving, like, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. And coming for a tour does not mean that you are signing on the dotted line. Like, check everywhere out, tour everything. Um and yeah, just I don't know, anything else?

SPEAKER_01 32:04

I think it when when you said about the the couples that have been here for weddings before, I think we have a higher percentage with those ones because when they were here before, these projects weren't done, and they see the work we're putting in, and they're like, wow, these these these people are they're putting in the work, you know, they're really trying to enhance the space, they're they're doing better than in the past. We're here to help.

SPEAKER_02 32:31

So it seems like you're you're willing to give like all the details. Couples can make a super well-informed decision if the venue is the right space for them. Um, I'm curious to know like, do you see couples like kind of gravitating towards like a specific style that kind of like matches the vibe of the venue, or are you seeing like like tons of different styles?

SPEAKER_04 32:54

Yeah, so I think um, so our main house here is Victorian style. So we have a lot of brides that come in and they're like, I love this, or this is the vibe that I wanted to go, you know, with for my wedding. Um, but I would say, does that like transition through their whole um wedding? Sometimes we've had a couple that that do a little bit of that Victorian style. Um but yeah, not everyone's been so different. Um that I I haven't seen like one style that I feel like has I would say we probably saw more of like an outdoorsy kind of things. A couple of those, yeah, that have have that like kind of I mean, just being in central Pennsylvania. You have um definitely fits, yeah. Yeah, you have a lot of guys that like to hunt, but there's a lot of women that like to hunt too.

SPEAKER_01 33:59

Um, so some our last wedding, the groom and his groomsmen were fishing before the wedding, day of.

SPEAKER_04 34:05

Oh, nice. Yeah. Yeah. So, you know, there's a lot of outdoorsy people here. So a lot of like bringing nature into the wedding. Um, that happens quite a bit, which I love because you know, we're mostly kind of outdoor venue.

SPEAKER_05 34:22

Yeah.

How To Evaluate Venues Beyond Pretty

SPEAKER_04 34:23

Um, even our barn where the receptions are held, we can open the big our big sliding doors and it really kind of becomes an indoor outdoor space. You're looking out at trees and our farm fields. Um, so we love it. I think it it just really lends itself to the to the venue itself.

SPEAKER_02 34:44

Yeah, I'm curious. Like, like what's one of the more unique ways that you've seen one of your couples like use a part of the space or maybe the whole space?

SPEAKER_04 34:55

We had our first bride this year, you know, our the way our barn is kind of set up, a lot of um the brides tend to do like there's they're dining in one area and the dance floor is on the one part of in the one part of the reception. Sort of like a little L-shaped, kind of an L-shaped, so you know people have a tendency to stick with a certain layout. Um, but our fright first bride this year, she just kind of went and did her own thing. She had a dance floor installed kind of in the middle of it, and she had people sitting on where our normal dance floor would be, and and guests over here, and and the DJ was in a different spot. So she really switched up the norm for um for our reception, normal reception layout. Um, but it was really cool, and it for me it was helpful because I like to help the brides kind of sort out how they want to set up. Um, so just seeing that and seeing how it flowed, and um, it's nice to be able to explain that to my brides and say, okay, well, if you don't like this option, you can try this. Or I've had a bride that did this and it were this worked out really well.

SPEAKER_03 36:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 36:23

Um, so that was helpful. I I like it seeing brides just kind of totally.

SPEAKER_02 36:31

I know it's so fun because like you you probably I mean, it sounds like you spent all winter in there, but you probably are in there all the time. Yes, and you know the space so well, and then someone who has like a fresh perspective comes in, it's like, oh actually, if we do it this way and that way, like that'll be kind of cool. And you're like, Yeah, oh, yeah, definitely. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_04 36:52

Yeah, I had never thought about like installing a dance floor in a different part of the barn. And I was like, so smart.

SPEAKER_01 36:58

Because it is like you have a lot, you give a lot of guidance on, you know, we've done this, we've seen that, but it truly is like a blank canvas here. You have access to 40 acres. I mean, if you want your wedding out in the middle of the farm field, let's do it, let's try it.

SPEAKER_04 37:14

Yeah, we'll give it a try. We're up for anything.

SPEAKER_02 37:17

Like, yeah, we could definitely take all those benches and all that stuff.

SPEAKER_04 37:20

For sure. I'll make it, I'll make it happen.

SPEAKER_02 37:22

Yeah. Put it on the list. Yeah. Um, I'm curious to know like how can couples get the most value from their venue that they end up booking with.

Styles, Layouts, And Creative Use Of Space

SPEAKER_04 37:36

Yeah, I think for us, I think if you want to get the most value from working with us, uh for us, I think it's uh just asking questions. And you know, we are very new and are willing to help. Um, we've had a lot of help ourselves. So um we get we have our preferred vendor list. Um and then as far as ha getting the most value out of your your day as a whole or your weekend here as a whole, um, I think having a a coordinator helps a lot um because they know more of the ins and outs of booking other vendors and you know what vendors work well together. Um so they're they are usually a lot of help, and we've seen how much they make the day like so stress-free for the brides.

SPEAKER_02 38:42

Um I have to agree because I've interviewed a couple of them and I'm like, good grief. I would not be worried about a single thing.

SPEAKER_04 38:49

No, they they really do kind of take away the stress, they manage everything, and it's funny because we always joke that um that the reality show of wedding the wedding day behind the scenes, like what the guests don't see, the things that the bride and groom most likely aren't aware of. And it's just the stuff that mostly it's the coordinators that are kind of handling on the handling on the back end. Um, that's the kind of like crazy stuff that we think we always joke that it would make such a great reality show. Um just all the behind the scenes stuff. Um yeah.

SPEAKER_02 39:38

It is funny because there could be a firestorm happening in the background, yeah, and the couple is none the wiser, and that's the goal. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 39:48

And the coordinator's like, it's fine, it's fine, uh we'll handle it, it's fine.

SPEAKER_02 39:52

We're like two hours behind. Yeah, someone's not showed up yet that needs to be here. It's like, no, yeah, we're everything's great. Yeah, yeah, everything's going just going. Um and it's not to like not tell the truth, but if we can handle things for the couple and take that stress off of them, yeah. In any vendor category, I think that would be the goal.

SPEAKER_04 40:11

Oh, yeah, for sure. And that's, I mean, mostly what you know we try to do on our end is, you know, definitely if you have a coordinator, um, they're usually the first people we go to on, you know, rehearsal day or day of. Um, you know, we're first thing go to her or him and say, you know, what can we do? Yeah. What can we help with? Um, and they can kind of give us a guide on on the day, how things are gonna flow. Um, that way we can potentially catch anything that goes awry ahead of time for sure um and get it handled.

SPEAKER_02 40:49

So um let's talk about money for just a second. Okay. Spill all the tea. No. Um, obviously, budget is probably top of mind for a lot of couples that are planning in the midst of planning or thinking about planning. Um what would be your best advice on the budget side of things for couples that, you know, maybe they're worried about it, maybe they're a little worried about it, or like maybe they just want to make sure they're making like wise decisions and like what they're spending their money on?

Getting Maximum Value And Why Coordinators Matter

SPEAKER_04 41:26

You only have one wedding day. So I get that people want to like make it the perfect day, but also like you can't blow your family's budget on on your wedding day. Um, so my opinion would be definitely have your budget in place before you really start doing any planning. See what you can truly afford. Um and then typically couples start with the venue. Um and see what comes with the venue. Um, because there I know we offer a lot of things that you know some venues don't, and maybe other venues offer things that we don't. Um so make sure you're just kind of planning accordingly.

SPEAKER_02 42:25

Like if you're thinking that the venue is X amount and then all of a sudden there's extra stuff you're not thinking about, yeah. That could start.

SPEAKER_04 42:33

And there's always gonna be extra things that you're not thinking about. Uh I think when you cut when it comes down to like wedding planning, you realize how many little things you never would think about again. Why I highly tout a coordinator because um they uh do this for a living and they have a checklist, they know every little thing um to think about. So, and I don't I don't know specifically, you'll have to ask some of our our event planner friends um if they help with the budget, because that would be they generally do. Yeah, I was gonna say I thought they did.

SPEAKER_02 43:17

It's it's honestly one of the yeah, I think I think a planner, coordinator, if if you don't want to have to worry about it, it's one of the best ways that you could invest in helping take that stress level down. But even just like you say, Hey, this is our entire budget, and they're like, Cool, and they run all the numbers, they know what everyone costs, and then they also have like a super good list. Like, you guys also have a list of people that you would recommend to couples. Yes, yeah. Um, planners have a similar type of list, and they're not gonna invite people onto the list that haven't done an amazing job and don't continue to do an amazing job, yeah, and you know you're gonna get like the best people from that. So it kind of speaks to a little bit, Bill, what you were saying is like you're you're hearing from other people about the space, if it's a venue or about the end product, if it's something like photography or videography or the experience that people are giving.

SPEAKER_05 44:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 44:17

Um I'm curious to know what what do you want couples or even like guests to experience working with the two of you?

SPEAKER_01 44:25

I would say a a sense of ease for the day for the day of at least um the relationships that we typically build with the couples I mean we still message each other from time to time. I've watched Casey cry with the bride before and after the ceremony because of the relationships that we're building with these people it it it feels like we're not just hosting their wedding we're a part of it.

SPEAKER_04 44:56

Yeah yeah we we have um definitely been able to form some wonderful bonds and relationships with couples parents of the couples um you know everyone has just been so great we really have loved all of our our brides and grooms and yeah I I didn't think that I would ever like get emotional over it but for sure I will admit I have cried at some of our weddings.

SPEAKER_02 45:34

I have also cried putting together some of my films because the moments are just like so sweet.

Budget Wisdom And Package Clarity

SPEAKER_04 45:39

Yeah yeah it's hard not to get choked up and you know a wedding day is is such a special day um it's really just it's the beginning of their lives together. Um so you can't not enjoy it you can't not have a good day knowing that someone's getting married today and you get to help make that day perfect make it what it is.

The Experience They Want Couples To Feel

SPEAKER_02 46:04

You're hosting their best day yeah and it's at your place it's like yeah it's special it's special yeah and we I mean we love getting to know everyone and it's it's always it means so much to us when we hear from the parents or even just random guests like how much they love the space. Like that just makes our day like it makes all of this worth it when we you know hear a bride say thank you so much like you made my day amazing or the space looks great or you know uncle so and so comes up and pats you on the back and says you know great job today bud like it's uh yeah we we get a lot of satisfaction out of it just everything going great so and you kind of need there there needs to be something like I mean because there's up days there's down days in business um because it is I mean the uh vendors I feel like it kind of has a connotation of like we're doing it on the side or like it's a side thing but it's like it takes a lot of effort yeah to do it and to do it well yeah and to be personal and go that extra step to to form those connections and not just be like okay here's our venue go have a fun day yeah here's the keys bye yeah which I'm sure some couples would be like yeah let's go I'm sure they would yeah they'd go straight up to the third floor I don't know that I I feel like I always make a joke about the third floor in here but yeah um add it to the list I know it's on the list well you guys have been doing this for a year um I'm sure the year's been full of so much uh I'm curious to know like what what do you guys wish you knew like day one that you like you know now uh I I'll say that for me when we came to tour and I was like oh this place is great it's perfect you know what bride wouldn't want to get married here like this is you know gonna be a great adventure um but realizing that not everybody is gonna love the space not everyone is gonna have this vision for their wedding day um that that was a hard blow it was a hard blow for sure it's a great take on it though yeah um but you know I think the first probably couple months I've toured multiple brides and no one chose us and I'm like what am I doing wrong what you know what's wrong with the space what you know what are people not feeling here um and I think it really is it's all in taste and you know is this your taste if not you know that's okay and I I have to I have to realize that it's not me that is the issue you know what I mean it's like not a personal thing yeah it's not a personal thing but it's so easy because it's like this is your baby. Yes yeah you guys have put so much time into all of this stuff yeah and like when someone says no to the thing you're like but it's awesome.

SPEAKER_04 49:42

Yeah yeah when we spend all of our time out here just like working so hard you know it is hard to hear people say no or not respond. Yeah so you guys have only been doing this for a year but it seems like you've already like picked up on things and I mean obviously over time I'm sure you'll find more but I'm curious to know is there any like tools habits strategies that help you guys keep things running smoothly day to day yeah I personally I set tasks for myself every day um whether it's replying to Brides emails inquiries um tours things like that I I usually keep a a regular calendar um that everybody on the team is included on so that everyone knows when I schedule a tour and we all look at it very often yeah yeah um but no we uh definitely try to keep a calendar a regular calendar and then communicate right communicate yes um because even though I have my calendar and they look at it religiously uh I also always communicate when I have a tour or when I have a bride coming to check something out at the barn or wanna wants to take a look at her potential ceremony spot um just keeping everybody updated with that uh that schedule so yeah because you have a a little bit of a team like it's a little bit of a family kind of affair doing all this stuff together so it's probably really helpful to just keep everyone on the same page.

SPEAKER_02 51:24

Yeah. Um and I what kind of advice would you have for other vendors that are maybe just getting started kind of getting these systems like what should they be looking out for when they're kind of putting those systems together?

Year-One Reflections And Hard Truths

SPEAKER_04 51:38

Find what works for you um for sure uh we have we did our due diligence as far as like finding the best CRM that we could um but for us unfortunately our CRM that we love is going out of business at the end of this year so um we're currently on the hunt for another one but um you know finding finding those tools that help you stay organized help you keep communication with your bride um or couples regularly um those are are super important um how about you about anything make a list don't forget about things but be willing to adapt you have got to adapt and learn from previous weddings and experiences even recently we had um a multiple uh weddings where they ran out of water at the reception so we got a bunch of water we're ready because that's obviously important locked up on water yeah that's obviously very important especially as the reception's winding down stay hydrated yeah yeah for sure but just just keep learning and I keep notes on my phone every wedding things I want to do things I want to improve on that way I don't forget and just keep going.

SPEAKER_02 53:11

Yeah for sure keeping yourself organized. Yeah um well Bill Casey it's been so great having you guys on the podcast and having me here to film too um it's just so funny the journey that like I was here so long ago here for like that first wedding that you guys had together um and it's so fun to see the things you guys are doing around here always improving always trying to make things better um where can people find and follow along with what you guys are doing so we are at Harmony Forge In on Facebook and on Instagram so they can follow us on both of those social media platforms. Yeah and we'll have the website and all those things linked down in the description so you guys can go check them out. Curious to know are there like projects that you guys have coming up no projects that you guys are excited for?

SPEAKER_04 54:06

So many projects um we have a definitely our 2026 uh project list projects yeah yeah um that we are working through and working on getting plans prepped um we are can I divulge have had it can I yes no specific date that these projects will be done yes I've been told I'm not allowed to give any more deadlines um no but we are doing uh a wraparound bar covered outdoor bar for um that'll be great for some of the smaller events that we can host here um and cocktail hour for our wedding receptions um it's gonna be a really cool space it's it's kind of converting a portion of our barn um into a bar so I I think that's a project that we're super looking forward to definitely looking forward to that one yeah it's that's gonna be a fun a fun one for us adding like a new space is probably like really exciting yeah yeah yeah and then um really just kind of up upgrading updating some of some of the other spaces currently right now we have a a mobile restroom and and we we really want to have like a foundational bathroom yeah brick and mortar um so uh we'll be working on that um we've done some of the testing required for that and we've passed everything so far so um now it's just really getting getting plans drawn up and presenting our plans um and then yeah anything else any other those are the big two next years those are the big two yeah yeah those are the those are the ones we're like really looking forward to yeah we're gonna focus on those two in the midst of taking care of 30 other projects those the two big ones small things upkeep and all that stuff I'm sure there's yeah we definitely have some like painting and you know updating that we want to do as well but those are those are the good ones. The bar's gonna be a fun one that bars I'm so excited I think our brides will love it too.

SPEAKER_02 56:30

Yeah I think so um Bill Casey it's been great Harmony Forge Inn is a definite spot you guys should be checking out if you're on the hunt for a venue or if you're a vendor checking out new spaces that you haven't been to before um that is all for this episode of the podcast. If you enjoyed um our conversation today there's more to come so make sure you guys are subscribed and you're liking on all the places you can find podcasts and um if you're just listening we do have a video version of this on YouTube which is exciting. So um that's all for this episode of the preferred list and we'll catch you guys next time. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 57:09

Um thank you so much