Mansfield Barn Frequently Asked Questions

What exactly does the Base Rental Price of the Mansfield Barn include?

Newly renovated 3,000 square foot barn
200 guest capacity
Tables and chairs for all guests
- Barn Supervisor will set up and take down all chairs
High-top cocktail tables; sweetheart table; and 4-ft, 6-ft and 8-ft banquet tables
Up to 1 hour of rehearsal time on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, depending on the day of your wedding.
One on-site staff attendant at all times to assist with parking, bathroom maintenance and general organization. Your caterer and bar staff will also help.
15×25 indoor prep space for catering, including hot / cold water and refrigerator
Full use of the 7 acres of land
Professional wedding up-lighting, and white holiday lights on upper beams
15 x 25 ft finished wedding party staging room in the basement of the barn
15 x 25 ft finished groomsman room in basement of the barn

What is the time frame that the Barn is available?

You can use the barn from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. on the day of rental. All music must stop by 10:30 P.M. You can also use the barn for your rehearsal on a weeknight prior to your event. We are also flexible with respect to accommodating your decoration needs. Just contact us with specific requests.

When we rent the barn, is there a supervisor or manager on-site to help with any bathroom maintenance or unexpected situations that might arise?

We will have one on-site attendant at the Mansfield Barn until the time you depart at the end of the event. Bathroom maintenance is a priority for us. This will involve making sure that the bathrooms are clean, trash receptacles emptied regularly, and paper products are full. Assistance with parking is a priority as well.

How can I find out what dates are available?

Please contact us and we will be happy to let you know! [email protected]

How can I reserve the date?

Send in the total amount with the contract (-500.00 discount) OR send in 1/2 at the time of booking and the other 1/2 4 months after the first payment. (no discount if the payment is split into 2 payments)

If there are multiple weddings at the Mansfield Barn on a weekend when would my rehearsal be?

Rehearsal times are typically the day before your wedding. Times would be between 11:00am to 2:00pm. Please email Grant and he can give you available options and times.

Are there any extra costs that we should be aware of?

Great question! We provide a comprehensive package as outlined above. Gratuities for our on-site staff are not required, but can be given at your discretion. You should check with your vendors about gratuities for their personnel.

Do you accept credit or debit cards?

We take personal checks, paypal and credit cards. There is a 3.6% fee for credit cards.

I’ve heard that you offer a great package price which includes other services that I might need for my event.

Yes, that’s right. Our Pinnacle Package includes incredible discounts if you book the combination of the Mansfield Barn with our wedding videographer (Video Memory), Disc Jockey services (Supersounds Entertainment) and photo booth (Green Mountain Photobooth). You can still save substantially if you only bundle some of our additional services. Our Pinnacle Package pricelist is on our website. Just click on the Rates tab to either view or download it.

Do you have a cancellation policy?

A refund will only be issued if the Mansfield Barn can re-book the canceled date. You will be subject to 18% annual interest fee and any legal fees incurred for unpaid balances. Any cancellation request must be in writing.
We will also give you a full credit for up to 2 years, if we cannot re-book your wedding date.

Tell me about the lighting in the barn.

We have fixtures throughout the barn that are dimmable. We also include professional grade wedding up-lights that light the walls and ceilings. There are also white holiday lights on the upper beams and the major horizontal support beams. When we provide the lighting at other venues, we charge $1300.00; however, if you rent our barn, this is included at no additional fee.

Do you have exterior lighting on the barn?

Yes, we have sufficient exterior lighting on the barn and on the property to ensure the safety of your guests.

Are there bathrooms inside the barn?

Yes, we have three newly renovated bathrooms in the barn. Per code, there are two restrooms for women and one for men.

Is there parking available on-site?

We have several areas designated for parking, with available spots for 90 cars. Some of our clients have chosen to use a shuttle / bus service for their guests, especially if alcohol is being served.

Tell me about handicapped accessibility.

Everything has been built up to code with respect to handicapped accessibility. We have indoor and outdoor ramps, and our bathrooms are accessible as well.

Is there a separate area for cocktails?

We have a separate outside area for cocktails. We can provide you with several high top tables at no additional charge for this part of your event. If it’s raining, cocktails can be held inside the barn.

Do you have cooking facilities, including appliances for heating and refrigeration of food?

We have a 20 x 20 catering space, which includes counter space, a large sink (the original barn sink), hot & cold running water and a large commercial refrigerator. There is no cooking permitted in the barn.

Is there a dance floor in the barn?

We have a new floor in the barn which is able to serve as the dance floor. If you have a very large wedding, the tables can be moved to increase the size of dancing space.

What type of decorating can I do in the barn? Do you have some guidelines?

For safety reasons, there are no real-flame candles, bubbles, rice, glitter or balloons permitted in the barn. Since the Mansfield Barn is a historical building, we limit decorations to those requiring non-impactful materials, such as tape or craft wire. Nails and staples are fine too. We provide wedding up-lights and white holiday lights at no additional charge (a value of $1300.00).
Please note that all decorations, table linens, etc. need to be removed on the night of your wedding as we may have a wedding scheduled the next day.

Can we do our photo shoots on the property? Are there nearby attractions that we might use for photography?

You most definitely can have your photo shoots on site. We have some beautiful views of Mount Mansfield. Please see our website for photographs that have already been taken on site. Also, we have Mills Riverside Park nearby (0.6 miles down the road) that has a covered bridge and pond. The Old Red Mill in Jericho (2.4 miles down the road in the other direction) is a great spot for photography. Apparently, it’s the most photographed mill in the United States!

Are we allowed to have a band?

Since the Mansfield Barn is located in a residential area, bands are not permitted for receptions. Live music is permitted for the ceremony.

What if it rains and we planned an outdoor on-site ceremony?

There is always the likelihood of rain so we are prepared. The final decision about an outdoor versus indoor ceremony will be made by Mansfield Barn staff based on recent rain (wet field) and/or the possibility of rain (based on radar / weather updates) in order to ensure the safety of guests and the enjoyment of the entire event. Our staff can assist you with the transition. We have a ceremony arch inside the barn should the wedding be indoors. You should prepare a “rainy day” and a “sunny day” plan for the inside of the barn. (note: Each of the past 3 years doing approx. 25 wedding we have only had 2 per year inside.)

What if it’s a scorching hot summer day? How is the ventilation set up to accommodate such a day?

We have a Newly Installed Heat-Pump Air Conditioning System, with 8 head-units, adds comfortable cooling and heating, even on hot hot days!!!

What if it’s cold outside for our fall wedding?

Our heat pump air conditioning system provides supplemental heating for fall weddings.

Will the barn be clean when our rental period begins?

All cleaning needed to accommodate your event is our responsibility. We will ensure that the facility is clean prior to your use.
We recommend having someone check your table linens for dust particles prior to your reception. Due to the nature of a barn, there is a possibility that dust particles may settle on the table linens if you set them up several hours before your event.

What about clean up at the end of the event?

When using our preferred caterers they will do all set up and clean up of food waste, tablecloths, etc. The only thing you are responsible for would be taking your gifts, centerpieces and decorations. We are happy to assist you with helping remove items the night of the wedding. Typically most people take 15-20 minutes to collect their items.

Can you describe the types of chairs and tables that you have for our use?

We have 200 white folding garden chairs with a cushion, for your use, free of charge. We also have enough 5-foot round tables to seat all of your guests, again free of charge. These tables can typically seat 8-10 adults comfortably. We will also provide, at no additional cost, sufficient banquet tables (4-foot; 6-foot; 8-foot) that you might need for a head table, buffet service, gifts, table-seating cards, disc jockey as well as your wedding cake. There’s more … We have a 4-foot round table that can be used as a sweetheart table and we have six high-top tables for cocktails. You just need to let us know your needs several weeks before your event so that we can be sure to accommodate you.

What vendors do I need to hire?

Just click on the Vendors link on our website for the range of vendors available for any event. Please refer to the next question as well.

Are we restricted to any particular choice of vendors?

The Jericho Café and Tavern (Chris Dorman), and Waterfront Catering Group (Gary Provost) are our preferred caterers. They are also our exclusive alcohol providers. We have been working with many caterers over the last 30 years and have found that the caterers we have chosen to be our preferred providers are definitely some of the best in VT. Also, their meal choices suit a range of budgets. ***All linens, plates, glassware, napkins, and silverware are included in their fee. When pricing other caterers, remember that many don’t include these items! Supersounds Entertainment is our exclusive vendor for DJ and Photo Booth Services. Our exclusive vendors (please see the Vendors link) are seasoned experts with whom we have worked and for whom we have the utmost trust and respect. Please feel free to contact them directly for information on their services and rates.

Can you provide us with a layout of the barn so that we can make a seating plan?

You can find a blank floor plan of the Mansfield Barn on our website so that you can make a seating plan. Just click on the Rates tab and scroll down to find a link for this layout. Your caterer will be responsible for the seating layout at your event, so please contact them about this. There are several websites that have user-friendly seating plan programs.

How long should the reception be?

A typical wedding (ceremony and reception) is about 6 hours. Since music must end by 10:30 PM, it is best to plan by working backwards in order to ensure that your guests have enough time to party and dance. Most summer weddings start around 4 o’clock in order to ensure that you have enough time to celebrate.

Is smoking permitted in the barn?

There is no smoking allowed in the barn. There is designated smoking area outside the building.

Can I come with my vendors prior to the event to do a quick run-through of the time line?

Of course, in fact we encourage you to schedule an on-site visit with the caterers, bar service, and florist during the week prior to the event. This is especially recommended for any first-time vendors at our barn (i.e. photographer, videographer, etc.) Please contact us to schedule this.

Can our guests camp on your property?

No camping is permitted on the grounds. There are some reasonable hotels and B & B’s where your guests can stay nearby. Please see our vendor page for accommodations.

What about campfires or a fire pit?

No open fires are permitted on the grounds.

Are there nearby hotels or B & B’s for our guests to stay?

There are many local establishments that would be happy to meet your needs. Just check out our vendor list of area establishments.

Can we play lawn games?

Yes, we have 7 acres of land. There is plenty of space for lawn games so that your guests can have lots of fun!

Does the Mansfield Barn do multiple weddings on weekends? How does this work with set-up?

Yes, the Mansfield Barn has done many multiple weekend weddings since our opening in 2016. If there is not a wedding the day before your wedding then you will have the entire day before to set up for your wedding starting at 10:00 am. If there is a wedding the day before yours, we will have our cleaners clean at 6:00 am and the barn is ready for set up as early as 8:30 am. Typically set up and decorating takes approx. 2-3 hours but that is determined by how much decorating you do.