Vendor Spotlight: Ladybank Farm & Schoolhouse
Choosing the right professionals for your wedding is a personal decision and tends to lean on far more than just their portfolios alone. On a wedding day you spend so much time with your vendors, so having a connection with them makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable. We want you to have a chance to get to know your vendors a little better before you make that tough decision on who to choose. We reached out to our wedding professionals on your behalf so you can become better acquainted with them.
Meet Ladybank Schoolhouse-a Georgian Bay Guesthouse and Intimate Wedding venue
Ladybank Farm and Schoolhouse is a multifaceted farm and accommodations enterprise founded on the goals and practices of regenerative farming, accommodations excellence, and culinary tourism. The Schoolhouse has been carefully restored with close attention paid to preserving it's 140 year heritage and is overflowing with charm. Whether you are looking to getaway for a weekend just because or planning a honeymoon or even an intimate micro wedding, elopement or event you’ll find yourself warmly welcomed and at home at Ladybank.
How did you get started?
Our start in offering a small event venue grew organically out of our vision for our farm.....as a source of food for us, an opportunity for others in the food and farming to grow their operations, and as a place in Grey for visitors here to experience the vibrant food and farming culture in our community. Restoring Ladybank Schoolhouse was our deliberate and passionate step into hospitality and many of our kind guests suggested the idea of us hosting their DIY events. And so it went, and here we are.
Tell us a bit more about your background.
We are a family of many, three generations, with a 53 year history of living (full, part-time), working town and country, and contributing to our community, here in Grey Highlands.
How long have you been in business?
In farming, almost as far back as our generations can be traced. In hospitality, when ever our family has gathered, but more formally as and place to stay and celebrate for others. since 2016. That was when the first of our guests arrived at our schoolhouse, walked the farm, and explored the beauty of our landscapes, villages and local businesses.
What are five words that describe your work?
Customer facing
Humbling
Rewarding
Task focused - results oriented
An impossible amount of fun
Describe a typical workday for you.
In our hospitality enterprise, a typical day, is some parts serving guests, some parts planning for our next ones, some parts planning improvements to our places and services and always parts for administration, Some days are entirely guest focused, greeting, setting up, communicating, delivering, guiding. We are really big on guest privacy so having things set ahead of their arrival is really important. A typical day then is really about being ready for days, weeks and months ahead.
Tell us about a defining moment for your business/career.
The day our first guests at the schoolhouse arrived. It was when we first felt the responsibility of operating our places as a 'gateways' to our larger community, its longer and local rich history, something way beyond us. It was when our passion for our built heritage in Grey combined with a modest guest accommodation idea. Passions and successful businesses don't always marry well. Here, it has to.
What sets your business apart?
It's the combining of three goals - opening an historic building to others who might find enjoyment in its history and charm; creating a real connection for our guests to food grown by us and a very local group of others, and putting guest privacy in comfort first. With out exception, our guests and event groups appreciate these three aspects the most.
What’s your favourite part about what you do?
The culinary part is ubiquitous.
What's your favourite part about weddings specifically?
The uniting of two people in marriage is a favourite without doubt.................and a distant second, the feast!
Who/what inspires you?:
Who: Francis of Assisi
What: This evolves, can be very eclectic.....but The Muppet Christmas Carol is always in the top 10.
If you weren’t a (insert profession) what would you be?
Still as grateful as ever for the green grass under our feet.
What do you like to do on your day off?
Cook a meal for a common table.
What do you love about Georgian Bay?
The diverse, unique and pastoral landscapes.....all four seasons of them.
Where is your favourite place to eat/shop (or both) in Georgian Bay?:
Eat: At a kitchen table, ours or of friends and neighbours. Second, the many patisseries here.
Shop. For almost everything except food, online. For food, everywhere.......markets, road stands, small shoppes, .general stores, large chains. It’s a story every time.
What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?
Work harder at learning to succeed.
VENDORS:
Photography: Sarah Tacoma