Cozy at Cow Barn – The Shore’s Favorite Farm Venue

Have you been lucky enough to visit the beautiful grounds at Cow Barn yet? Step back in time with us and visit a venue where rich history is greeted with modern luxury in a beautiful blend of legacy and love. Not only is Cow Barn a stunning, and authentically rustic venue on the Shore, but the team is equally as fabulous. Keep reading to hear from the owners about Cow Barn’s past, present, and future, because it might be the perfect place to begin your forever too!

– Tell us a little bit about Cow Barn. –

The story of Cow Barn is a rich and resilient one, beginning with its construction in 1911 by Odella and Albert Saulsbury. Though the couple lived in town, they built the farm as an attempt to diversify their wealth, which was rooted in the success of the Saulsbury Brothers vegetable processing business. Unfortunately, the early years were met with challenges: the very first dairy herd had to be euthanized due to severe illness. Cow Barn went on to endure a few alternate business endeavors, including a promising but ultimately unsuccessful attempt at scrapple making that ended dramatically when a new 150-pound pressure cooker exploded. For many years after that, the barn was relegated to storage.

However, the Great Depression spurred a new, transformative chapter for the property. When Odella and Albert sold their home and many of their businesses in town, they removed the Cow Barn silos and created a residence on the north end of the barn. It was then that Odella developed the grounds into beautiful gardens and established a very prosperous business as a florist, complete with a garden center and nursery. Through this lovely pursuit, Cow Barn blossomed into a popular, loved gathering place that supported three generations of the Saulsbury family.

Fast forward, the farm continued to host celebrations of all types. We are so honored to carry on this legacy of community and special moments, all while preserving the stunning history of the property.

– What made you decide to work in the wedding industry? –

When we first stepped into the loft, we just knew that Cow Barn was something too special to keep to ourselves. With such a great history and character, we decided it was time to open it up to the community, and allow others to join us to continue creating special moments with more families. We love being able to share a piece of our local history with so many couples and families as they continue to build their own legacies.

– Are there any trends that you are loving lately, or anything you are expecting to see in upcoming wedding seasons? –

We’ve loved seeing the design style shift to include more variation and lots of bold and bright colors. Whether it’s bold hues of yellows and orange for autumn, or bright pinks and greens and blues in the Spring and Summer, it’s just so fun to see brides and grooms showcase their style and personalities in their wedding weekend!

– What would you say are the most important things couples should consider when looking for a wedding venue? –

Location. Location. Location. Before you start touring venues, it’s definitely important to have a chat about what your overall aesthetic is going to be. Do you want something waterfront? Something rustic? Are you looking for a completely blank canvas to make your own? Cow Barn is authentic agriculture and a genuinely rustic venue, with lots of history and charm, and we certainly think it’s beautiful. But we also understand that it’s definitely not a waterfront inn with sweeping river views, although we do favor our beautiful sunsets!

The venue team is also a great detail to inquire about when you are considering a venue. Does the venue have specific vendors that they require you work with to have your event on their property? Does the venue have a manager that will work with your event coordinator to ensure things run smoothly? How many team members does the venue provide to support your event team day of for set-up/break-down/etc.? And most importantly, do you vibe with the venue team? Are they welcoming and supportive of your vision? Our Cow Barn team might be small, but we are mighty in manpower and in love for our couples, and we work hard every weekend to make sure that we are bringing your vision to life as seamlessly as possible.

– What do you think is the best thing about the array of options that you can potentially offer a couple? –

When you choose to have your wedding or other special event at Cow Barn, you are choosing a venue that will support your design style to customize our space into your own magical event, whatever that may look like. While we do have recommendations of vendors we know bring the best service to the table, you are welcome to bring your own dream team to our space to help design your day, and we will work with them to make sure that Cow Barn provides the best backdrop possible for your occasion. We also offer access to a vast rental inventory, including everything from linens (already included in your rental!) and silk florals to specialty decor and vintage furniture pieces to utilize in your event design. Whether you need a sweetheart table, an easel for your welcome sign, or a selection of centerpieces, we surely have an option to fit your style, right here on-site at Cow Barn.

– Can you tell us an example of a problem that you solved for a wedding client? –

While this isn’t specific to one wedding client, our newly opened bathrooms and getting ready spaces are a wonderful addition to the Cow Barn event space that will benefit all of our future couples! After a long and lengthy process of renovations, we are so excited to share that Cow Barn now has facilities to support everyone, from the bride and groom being able to get ready right on-site, to the last guest of evening!

– What is the most important thing you would like couples to know about Cow Barn? –

Cow Barn is a genuinely and authentically rustic piece of local history. While our renovations have brought modern amenities like indoor plumbing and climate control to the farm, we’ve also worked hard to preserve the authenticity of Cow Barn’s rich history.

We are so excited to help make your event dreams come true, and add your chapter to Cow Barn’s legacy.