Your wedding at Mabee Farm is a truly unique and personal experience. Our goal is to allow you to create a wedding as individual as you. If you have any questions, or would like to book a site visit, please email Suzy at exhibits@schenectadyhistorical.org.

FAQ

When is the Barn at Mabee Farm available to rent? Events may be held in the Barn and on the Grounds from May through October.

What does a Barn rental include? Renting the Barn at Mabee Farm grants you exclusive access to the Barn and restrooms the day of your wedding. The rental also includes set up time the day before your wedding, and access to the grounds for photos, ceremony, and more. You may also return the morning after your wedding to cleanup.

How much does it cost to rent the Barn? For 2019-2020, pricing is $2,300, which includes Friday set-up, Saturday access (10am – 11pm) and Sunday cleanup. Any additional Barn usage is $25/hour, and any additional days for tent erection is $100/day. These fees are deducted from the refundable cleaning deposit ($500).

Do you provide wedding planning or coordination services? Mabee Farm weddings are proudly DIY. We don’t offer assistance with planning or coordination. For the weekend of the wedding, the Barn is yours, entirely. We unlock the facility for you, and then lock it back up at the end, without getting involved with planning or logistics.

What is the maximum number of guests for an event? The maximum number of guests for an event is 140. Please note that capacity may vary depending on your desired set up.

What time must my event finish? Events must finish by 11:00 PM.

Can we play music? Absolutely! The Barn’s electrical is set up for either a DJ or a band.

What about candles? Because of the historic (and wooden) nature of the Barn, we don’t allow flames or anything that can catch on fire anywhere on the property. This includes candles, sterno cans, hot plates, space heaters, tiki torches, bonfires, etc. To keep food warm, we suggest either induction cook tops without traditional burners, or warming trays or crock pots that can be plugged in.

Will we need to hire portable restrooms? No. Restrooms with flushing toilets, sinks, and electricity are included in the site rental fee.

Do you include items such as chairs and tables in the site rental? Yes. We have about 15 basic 8′ banquet tables and 140 metal folding chairs available.

Do you have required or preferred vendors?  We want your event to reflect your personal taste and understand that vendor selection is an important part of your vision. We welcome your choice of vendor(s) to Mabee Farm. We do, however, have a special relationship with Wolf Hollow Brewing, which means excellent prices on the best locally brewed craft beers.

Do you hold more than one wedding per weekend? Definitely not! Though, we are a working farm, and an educational facility, so the site is open for tours and other programming during normal business hours.

Is parking available? Yes, and there is ample parking.

Is smoking allowed? Only in one designated area.

Do you offer any catering services? Not at this time. We encourage you to work with caterers who can either supply a pop-up tent, or work from a food truck.

What happens if it rains? Outdoor weddings and events always run the risk of inclement weather. Our pavilion or education center may be available in the case of truly inclement weather.

Anything else I should know? Since we are a public, educational site, we are sometimes open to the public during a special event. We make every attempt to avoid leading tours or programming during wedding ceremonies, but there may well be visitors exploring the grounds on the day of your wedding.

Because of the deeply historic (and wooden) nature of the Barn, we do not allow any sort of flame or fire on the site. This means no candles, torches, or sterno inside the Barn. We also prohibit using any nails, tacks, or tape when decorating the Barn’s interior. String, rope, twine, etc. are all acceptable.

If you have any questions, or would like to book a site visit, please email Suzy at exhibits@schenectadyhistorical.org.