John R. Park Homestead Special Events

Every year a few special couples hold their wedding on the shores of Lake Erie nestled among beautiful historic buildings and heirloom gardens. The Homestead can be rented for wedding photos, ceremonies and receptions or for the 'full rental' which includes all three. A Homestead wedding is a unique experience, but it is not suitable for everyone. Read on for more details.

What facilities are available: A Homestead rental includes the expansive grounds on the shore of Lake Erie and our modern visitor centre, housed inside an 1860s barn. The visitor centre has modern washrooms, a small kitchen with stove, refrigerator, microwave and sink; an auditorium that will seat 45 people, and forced-air heating and air conditioning. The Homestead's historic buildings are normally locked during rentals. For an additional fee you can have a staff member, dressed in period costume, open the 1842 house and interact with your guests.

When: Most Homestead weddings are held on a Saturday, during warm weather months. From May to October the Homestead is open to the public five days a week: Sunday to Thursday. If you reserve Saturday for your wedding, you will receive the keys Thursday afternoon and have Thursday evening and all day Friday for set-up, rehearsal, etc. Following your wedding the Homestead must be tidy and ready to re-open to the public on Sunday at 11 a.m. We book only one wedding per weekend, so you will not be competing with others for the facilities. Fish flies peak in late May or early June, so that is a good time to avoid.

Where: The Homestead is located in a quiet, rural area. There are a few bed and breakfasts nearby, but most out-of-town guests would find accommodations in Windsor (45 minutes to the north-west) and Leamington (30 minutes east).

Why consider a Homestead wedding? If you want a natural theme and a casual atmosphere for your special day the Homestead may be perfect for you. Please remember that outdoor weddings usually require more preparation and expense than those held in buildings. Weather and insects cannot be controlled, so flexibility is important.

Photos Only

The Homestead is a beautiful location for photos. There is no charge to walk in from the road and use the grounds for photographs. However, we recommend that you reserve the Homestead in advance for your wedding photos to avoid conflicts with other events. A reservation ensures that the parking lot, historic buildings and climate controlled Visitor Centre with washroom facilities will be open and available for your use.

If you plan to take photos inside the historic buildings, remind your photographer to bring extra lighting and extension cords as the buildings can be dim on a cloudy day.

Fee if the site is already open at that time : $55.00/hour
Fee if staff come in and open the site for you: $100.00/hour

Ceremony Only

Most ceremonies are held outside on the museum grounds, usually in front of the house or the lake. You are responsible for renting your own tent, chairs, arbours, etc. The Homestead does not provide these items. A tent is a good idea in case of bad weather. The only covered space available at the Homestead is the modern Visitor Centre which holds 45 people.

Check with your officiant. While many are happy to conduct outdoor weddings, some denominations require that the ceremony be held in building.

You are welcome to take photographs on the grounds. If you wish to have the house open for photographs, or to entertain your guests following the ceremony, an additional fee applies. Food and beverages are not allowed inside the house.

If you will be serving wine and cheese or some other light refreshments following the ceremony, please remember you are responsible for obtaining your own liquor license and liquor liability insurance. Proof of insurance must be provided to the Homestead in advance of your event.

Fee: $150.00 plus a $250.00 refundable damage deposit
Additional fee for a staff member in period costume to open the house for one hour: $100.00

Full Rental or Reception Only

The Homestead can be rented as the venue for your reception and/or entire wedding. In this case you are required to rent your own tents, tables, chairs, lights, dance floor and other accessories from an outside company.

You may use any caterer you wish, but kitchen facilities are extremely limited so most food preparation must be done offsite. The caterer will also need to provide dishes, cutlery and glassware and all garbage must be removed from the site.

If alcohol is to be served, you are required to obtain your own liquor license and liquor liability insurance. Proof of insurance must be provided to the Homestead in advance of your event.

In consideration of our neighbours, music and alcohol service must end no later than 1:00 a.m.

Rental Fee: $1200.00 plus an additional $1200.00 refundable damage deposit
Additional fee for a staff member in period costume to open the house for one hour: $100.00

Details

Unlike halls or clubs where alcohol service is a regular event, the Homestead is not a licensed facility. You must obtain and post a special occasion permit from the L.C.B.O. When alcohol is to be served outdoors or in a tent, the L.C.B.O. will circulate your application to our local Town of Essex police and fire departments. Please allow several weeks for your application to be processed. Prior to your event, you must also provide us with proof of liquor liability insurance (sometimes called special event insurance). You can get this coverage through your home or auto insurance broker. If you are serving alcohol at the Homestead, plan for designated drivers or some other form of transportation, since there is no taxi service in the area.

You are required to stop by the Homestead on the Thursday prior to your wedding by 3:30 pm to pick up the keys to the parking lot gates and the Visitor Centre. You are required to make arrangements to meet your tent company, caterer, etc. here and to give them access to the site.

You are required to have the site returned to its original condition by 11:00am Sunday morning. All litter must be picked up, garbage removed from the site and keys returned. At this time a staff will go over the site with your representative and discuss cleanup/damages if any. If there are no damages, your damage deposit cheque will be returned to you when you return the keys. The tent may stay on the grounds until Monday a.m. if necessary.

There is limited lighting at the site, so if your wedding will continue into the evening you will need to plan for additional lights.

With site rental you will have access to the grounds and the Visitor Centre starting at 4:00 p.m. on the Thursday prior to your wedding. You may hold a rehearsal here, and a small meal, but alcohol consumption is not allowed in conservation areas without prior permission, a liquor license and liability insurance. So, if you will be serving alcohol during the rehearsal or set up you will be required to have proof of insurance and a liquor license.

You will have access to our main parking lot and overflow lot ( across County Road 50 on the Iler Rd.) There is room for 75 vehicles in total. You may drive a few vehicles onto the grounds for set up and tear down purposes, but vehicles are not permitted on the grounds at any time during your event. Also, the main parking lot has two wooden gates that provide vehicle access to the grounds. These gates are not to be blocked by parked cars at any time during your event. These gates are the means by which fire, ambulance and other emergency services access the Homestead.

The modern visitor centre has a ramp leading to the entrance door. It also features accessible washroom facilities. If you book a tour of the house there is a ramp leading to the main entrance.

Smoking is not permitted in or near any of the historic buildings. Most parties designate a smoking area (parking lot, picnic tables) and inform their guests.

The site will be clean and tidy for your rental - lawn will be mowed, visitor centre thoroughly cleaned, etc. We require that you remove all of the garbage generated by your event and that you take it with you when you leave. It is also required that the Visitor Centre and grounds be generally tidied and returned to usable order by Sunday at 10:30 a.m. following your event. This includes picking up bottle caps, cigarette butts, and other litter from the lawn. Spills in the Visitor Centre are to be wiped up.

Your damage deposit is required in advance of your event, at the time of contract signing. Your damage deposit cheque will be held until the day after your event, when your representative and the Homestead staff review the site and inspect for damages. If damage has occurred, you will be required to pay for the damage, or have that amount deducted from your damage deposit cheque with the remaining balance being returned to you.

Making a booking

If a Homestead wedding sounds perfect for you, please contact us at (519) 738-2029 or jrph@erca.org for available dates. We recommend that you and your key family members make an appointment to tour the site with one of our staff. If you decide to go ahead with a rental, a contract will be prepared for your signature.

We strongly recommend that you see the site at the time of year that you are hoping to hold your event. Example, if your wedding is Sept. 17, 2007; come and tour the site in mid September 2006. This will give you an idea about the seasonal aspects of the site: ground firmness, lawn appearance, insects, outdoor temperature etc.