The Barn at Gibbet Hill
January 27th, 2010 | Published in Featured, Style
Nestled among the rolling green hills in the charming little town of Groton MA, The Barn at Gibbet Hill offers couples a unique setting to make a lifelong commitment and to celebrate it with a heck of a party in a barn that is more than 100 years old!
The Barn is located on an expansive property that borders fields with actual cows in them. It is on this well landscaped property that couples who choose to hold their ceremony at Gibbet Hill pledge their love. Located just below the barn on the lawn, the wedding party make their way down a granite staircase and across the grass to a picturesque spot facing the hills. To the right is a small pond shaded by a large oak tree. And the animals are on hand to celebrate as well. At a recent wedding I photographed, the cows were watching the ceremony from the hill. As the couple enjoyed their first kiss as husband and wife, the cows mooed their approval to the delight of all gathered.
After the ceremony, the guests are ushered up to a large, covered deck off the barn where appetizers and cocktails are elegantly presented. When the weather is nice, the deck is open on three sides and offers beautiful views of the hills. When the weather changes, the deck can be enclosed to keep the revelers warm and dry.
When it’s time for the reception to start, everyone is invited into the barn itself. Inside the barn is the picture of rustic elegance. Chandeliers are hung between the old wood beams of the original barn. Steps lead up to a pair of balconies on either side of the room. A large dance floor ensures that all the guests can shake their money makers, and the expansive main floor provides room for the guest tables. Since everything is all in one room, it feels very cozy without being crowded. And the food is delicious!
One of the most interesting features of the property, however, requires a short hike. Up behind the cow fields is the ruins of an ancient castle. People with a large budget for their event can actually rent out the castle ruins for their reception, but anyone can use them for photos. And what a cool and romantic photo spot it is – with its large stone towers, walls overgrown with ivy, and roofless great hall, with the remains of huge stone fireplaces on either side. If you have ever wanted to be Cinderella on your wedding day, the ruins are the place to make that dream come true!
As a whole, The Barn at Gibbet Hill offers a uniquely New England location for an elegant, rural wedding celebration.
~Jamie Wexler
