“First, a disclaimer. I was not the bride. My best friend from elementary school was. I was the "undercover bridesmaid" which is what happens when a good part of the wedding party has already celebrated their 50th birthdays. (But very recently, though!) I was compelled to write a review of the Willowfield Lavender Farm as the place pretty much singlehandedly pulled my wonderful friend back from the brink of wedding insanity. We, together, visited many venues. The budget was not huge, and this knocked a lot of places out of the running before we got around to a second question. Frustration grew, as my friend has excellent taste and was not about to settle for anything mundane and without character. My time allotted for venue visits ran out, and she and hubby-to-be continued the search without me. My fingers were crossed that they could come up with a place that met very high expectations but also came in at a price that didn't make them double over with laughter. I wish I could say that I was more hopeful than I was. The next day Bride calls me. I see the caller ID and get my best consoling voice ready. Instead, I hear someone so happy and so looking forward again to her wedding day that I knew she had found the perfect place. And indeed she had. She had found the Willowfield Lavender Farm and it truly did turn out to be just perfect. She told me over the phone that day about how beautiful the property is, how charming the facilities are, and, above all, how absolutely wonderful the owners are and how well she got along with them. She had chosen her place and the search could stop. She visited a few more times before the wedding day, each time calling me and telling me how much more she loved the place and how perfect it was. She loved dealing with Kieran and Libby O'Connor, the owners, as they cared as much as she did that her wedding turn out just the way she wanted it. As most with creative minds and high standards, my friend would sometimes get ever so slightly stressed, and Libby and Kieran would bring her back down to earth with heartfelt assurances and a good dose of humor. Even before I met them, I knew my friend was in good hands and we could all relax. Her beautiful October wedding day dawned clear and blue and crisp and cool and just perfect. The lavender farm and facilities were just as beautiful as described if not more so. Bride and Hubby were married on the steps of the O'Connor's house as the rest of us gathered in the yard. There were about 50 people present, which can be an awkward size for some venues. This just felt right. The flowers were beautiful, the food fantastic, and the entire ambiance just what the bride had ordered. Beautiful and polished without taking the first step toward fussy. So, that is my "undercover bridesmaid" review. In a nutshell, I would say that this is a truly unique place with extremely helpful and friendly owners. The feedback from the guests confirmed this many times over. We heard many express surprise that such a beautiful area was hiding in Mooresville, Indiana and that they were planning a trip back with their families in the near future. It's been a week, my friend is still happily married, and a lot of the good karma started with the discovery of the Willowfield Lavender Farm!”
- Julie
