Frequently Asked Questions

We realize you likely have never done this before and know you have a lot of questions. Good! That is what we are here for. :) We have listed the most common questions below and we feel it would be a tremendous benefit for you to read through this page…you will learn so much! If you have other questions please email us at thecatlettfarm@gmail.com, we may even add your question!
By the way, our beautiful farm is .5 miles down a very smooth dirt road. We are at the very end so you & your guests will have complete privacy. (If a dirt road bothers you, you might take a look at the venue Viscaya Villa.) Banner Photo: Vintage Soul Photography

common faqs You need to know

What is the rental fee and what does it include?

• Please see details here for complete pricing and included items.

What is the building capacity?

• 150 guests including the bridal party.

What dates are available?

• Please see available dates here.

Is there a deposit?  When are the additional payments due? Do you offer a payment plan?

• Yes. To secure your desired date, a $1,000 non-refundable Hold-the-Date fee is due along with the signed contract and proof of insurance (this is your first payment of the total fee, not in addition to). Nine months prior to the event, 50% of the remaining fee will be due. The final payment will be due 60 days prior to the event. We use QuickBooks to send you invoices. You are welcome to send smaller, partial payments of any amount before each due date, effectively creating your own payment plan on your own schedule. We also reserve the right to request a credit card on file for any damages to the facility or grounds. We prefer payment to be made with a check or cash (no fees!), but can take a credit card through QuickBooks.

How do I reserve a date?

• To reserve a date email us at thecatlettfarm@gmail.com saying you are ready to book XYZ date if it is still available. Prior to booking your date, we hope you are able to come out in person to visit the farm. You can request a tour here on our Tour Request page, but an in person tour is not required to book a date. Dates are reserved on first requested basis. Whomever has requested to start the contract process from us by email first for a specific date will be first in line. Once you receive the contract, you have 20 days to return it with the $1,000 payment and proof of insurance.

• Proof of single day liability insurance with The Catlett Farm listed as the additional insured is due with the contract. If serving alcohol, you must have Host Liquor liability included. See Eventsured.com, WedSafe.com, or any other insurance company.

Do I need to schedule a tour or can I just stop by?

• All tours are by appointment only. You can request a tour here.

What is the average budget of a couple getting married at The Catlett Farm?

• Great question! We believe the average budget of a couple getting married at The Catlett Farm is between $10,000-$20,000 for all wedding expenses (venue, food, dress, DJ, photographer, etc.). We have had some creative couples with smaller guests lists or have a friend who is a vendor host wonderful weddings for less. We have also had several beautiful events here spending significantly more than the average.

Do you have a caterer’s room?

• Yes! It is separate room off of the main hall of the venue making it very convenient for your caterer to serve you or for you and your guests to go through a buffet line. We do require that you use a certified and insured caterer—someone who will serve you at the venue. Picking up food from the caterer and serving yourself is not allowed, they must serve you in order for their insurance to cover you and your guests.

• There is a refrigerator/freezer, large industrial sink, 3 trash cans, and 3 prep tables. There is no ice machine.

Do you have a bride and grooms room?

• We have a newly decorated luxe brides room inside the venue with natural light, outlets, seating, large mirrors, and hooks for dresses. We do not have a separate grooms room, but we do have an awesome hangout space down by the river, great place for photos too. We have a large restroom with full length mirror and hooks as an extra changing space.

Is there a food and beverage, or guest count minimum?

• No. There are venues that have minimums because they make a commission from the caterer based on how much you spend on food and drink. We choose NOT to make a commission, instead allowing your food and beverage options to be as elegant or affordable as your budget allows. **Again, we no longer allow liquor at our venue, beer and wine only.

Do we have to utilize your caterers and bar service?

• No, we do not have an in-house caterer or bar service. There are several caterers we can suggest because they have proven to us that we can trust them…and we like them too! We have seen them come prepared, on time, with plenty of great food, and a professional staff ready to serve you and your guests. We love local caterers here because there is a big difference when they are personally invested in the success of your wedding day. Again, you must use a licensed & insured caterer who will serve you and clean up after themselves. Check their prices before you book your venue to make sure you can stay within your budget. A good rule of thumb is that your venue and your caterer usually account for half of your budget.

• If you are serving any alcohol, you must have a dedicated bartender. No self serve alcohol or “brown bagging” is allowed by North Carolina law. No kegs, (the small 1.5 gallon kegs are allowed), shots, jello shots, shooters for favors, etc. Please, no glass beer bottles for safety reasons (bridesmaids and children often kick off their shoes).

Will there be another wedding the same day?

• At The Catlett Farm we host only one wedding each day to ensure that each couple has complete privacy and can also use the event barn as their backup in case of inclement weather. We want to become your new favorite wedding venue and focus all our energies on You!

Are there overnight accommodations nearby?

• Yes, there are several hotels 3 miles away at Exit 49 on I-95. The Hampton Inn & Suites Fayetteville and Tru by Hilton Fayetteville I-95 are both newer hotels with free breakfast and free Wifi. If booking more than 10 rooms you can save over 10% on the rate. (Double Tree and Holiday Inn Express are also at this Exit). There are several more hotels, fast food restaurants, Starbucks, gas stations, a Dollar General, and a Cracker Barrel at this location.

How many cars will your parking lot accommodate?

• As many as needed. You have acres of open fields for your parking. Most parties park near the event barn so that your cars are out of the way of any important photography shots. Also, there are lights along the fence line near the venue helping you to your car at night.

What type of tables do you have? 

• We have 26 straight six foot tables & one 8 foot table for your guests and Gift/Memory/Guest book area. We also have 3 large 60” round tables, one small 48” round, & one 2’ x 4’ table that can be used. There is also a spacious wood sweetheart table with grey painted legs with matching chairs. See our Tables & Chairs page here.

Do you provide table linens, cups, silverware, etc? 

• No. We do have some items for rent. The Catlett Farm provides a terrific venue, tables, white wedding chairs, and lots of decor for the allotted amount of time…and we just had wood benches made for our ceremony area! We do have ivory floor length linens that can be rented through us, but are NOT included in the rental fee. They are $18 apiece, that is the rate it costs for us to have them laundered and pressed, but we place them on the tables for you—saves you about an hour of work. You are welcome to bring your own linens, you can actually buy them for about $10-$13 each online, but then they need to be pressed…they are huge!!! You can order colored linens through us from a company that ships ALL kinds of linens. Saam’s Party Tents ($17.50 each) & Debbie Bender Design all rent tablecloths also. We also have mix-n-match china and goblets that you can rent for $3 per setting. (We do not have flatware)

What happens in case of rain?

• Our event barn can accommodate both ceremony and reception. There is also heat and air conditioning inside the venue making it comfortable year round. We will have a rain plan in place for each couple. And so they don’t miss out on outdoor photography completely, our cabanas down by the river allow couples and photographers to take pictures under the cover of a roof but with trees and the river in the background.

We plan to have our ceremony offsite, or only plan to have our ceremony at The Catlett Farm.  Does your fee change?

• Because we only host one event per day, our fee structure remains the same whether you hold your ceremony, reception, or both onsite.

Do you allow dogs onsite to play a part in our wedding day?

• We are dog friendly, but we have some stipulations. Dogs are allowed (with pre-approval by Marie) at the ceremony and pictures. Animals, other than service animals, are not allowed inside the event barn or near food. Dogs must be on a leash and someone other than the bride and groom must be responsible for them.

What form of payment does The Catlett Farm accept?

• We prefer a check or cash (No Fees!) but can take a credit card through QuickBooks. Remember you can also send checks through your online bank account.

My preferred dates are unavailable. Do you have a cancellation waiting list?

• We do not keep a cancellation waiting list because cancellations are unpredictable. As soon as a date opens up we will post it here.

Where can I find pictures of the decor available?

• There is a list and pictures on our decor page.

What time will I have access to the venue to decorate?

• You will have access to the venue at 10 am, not earlier. Please plan accordingly! :)

Do you include a "wedding day coordinator?"

• No, but we provide a lot of behind-the-scenes work for you and will have tables & chairs set up to your specifications. We will light candles during your ceremony for you, take you and your photographer around the property on the golf cart, welcome your guests as they walk into the venue, open the big double doors as you are announced in, monitor the restrooms, clear tables, and so on!! If you rent linens from us, the linens will also be put out on the tables by 10 am ready for you. Wedding Planners are highly recommended, even a day-of planner will help tremendously, and a good DJ can do wonders helping to run your event timeline!

Catering & Vendor Questions

Yes! You must use a certified/insured caterer.

Who are some Caterer’s you would suggest?

Some Caterer’s we are loving right now are:

• Two Brother’s Catering—full service catering twobrotherscateringnc.com

• Meadow Restaurant—Southern style (has a bartender) meadowreserve4me@gmail.com

• Becky from The Belmont Village—Amazing display, great chef thebelmontvillage

• Elite Catering—full service, unique. (Has a food truck too) elitecateringnc.com

• Mission BBQ—great setup mission-bbq.com/catering

Check out our Vendor Page here. You may still choose your vendors, this page is to help get you started.

How much should we expect to spend on catering?

• Expect to spend between $15 - $30 per person, depending on your meal selection and level of service…buffet vs. plated meal.

Do you have a catering room?

• Yes! Our caterer’s room has a refrigerator/freezer, 4 prep/serving tables, large industrial sink, and 3 trash cans with trash bags provided. There is no ice machine or ovens (caterers come prepared). Two large door openings make it optimal for catering staff to serve your guests or to serve buffet style.

Does The Catlett Farm handle the catering orders for these caterers, or do I work with the caterer directly?

• In our experience, it is most cost effective and efficient for couples to work with their caterers directly. Simply book your big day with The Catlett Farm and reach out to the caterers you are interested in for a tasting and get the ball rolling!

Do we have to have an single day ABC permit for serving alcohol?

• No—For beer and wine only. You must have a dedicated bartender for the evening, someone to serve your guests and make sure no one is overserved. Self serve bars are not allowed by NC law.

Planning Questions

How will the tables, chairs, etc. be arranged for my sized event?  

• Tables are placed along each side of the event barn leaving the dance floor in the middle open, easy for everyone to see and be seen! Tables are set 2 to a row, seating 12 people at each row, a thirteenth person can be seated at the top. There can be 7 rows on the right side of the barn with room for the DJ at one end, and 5 rows on the left side leaving room for guests to flow in and out of the caterer’s room if serving buffet style. There is also room on the left at the entry for the guest book/gift tables. The Sweetheart Table is centered towards the back of the barn under the chandelier. If your guest list is smaller than 150, we are able to remove tables at the ends leaving you more room for photo booths, memory table, etc.

Will we be able to access the location early to rehearse our ceremony?  

• Rehearsals can be done in about 20-30 minutes. If you choose a Friday for your wedding day, you certainly have plenty of time for a rehearsal on Thursday with 4 extra hours that day. Saturday wedding days will need to have a rehearsal off-site, come midweek, or plan to have the rehearsal before the ceremony. (Plenty of brides/bridesmaids have their hair and make-up done, run through the rehearsal in their robes, and then get dressed for the big event.) Venue access is at 10 am.

Will the venue look the same from when I tour to when we have our wedding?

• Yes, but we do reserve the right to make construction upgrades, keep up with trends, and make any adjustments to the grounds and venue as needed. (Ex. We planted more trees in February of 2021 for a forest management plan and we just rearranged and redecorated our Brides Room in early 2023—YAY!!! It’s gorgeous!) Anything major will of course be done during the off season.

Can we have fireworks on the property? 

• Fireworks are not allowed. Sparklers may be used outside of the barn for the getaway, but please stand 20 feet from the barn, we have a container with sand inside to put out sparklers, and don’t touch your clothing! Have your Planner or DJ remind guests to not drop their burnt sparkler on the grass, every sparkler needs to end up in the container…makes our mower happy.

Can vehicles be left overnight? 

• No vehicles can be left overnight. Please advise your guests of this policy. The gates will be locked at the end of the night.

What time does the music need to end? 

• Music needs to conclude by 10 p.m. to ensure that you have time for good-byes and have time to take your things by 11 pm.

We are using a rental company.  Can they drop items off or pick them up outside of the rental period?  

• All deliveries need to happen within the rental period. Tents and ceremony chairs need to be removed for weddings the next day. For Saturday rentals, tents and chairs may be picked up on Monday morning.

Are candles allowed? 

• Yes, candles are allowed as long as they are completely inside glass containers. Lit tapered candles and any type of hanging candles will not be allowed for safety reasons. (Mirror squares are beautiful, but if your candle is NOT a slow-burning candle, the wax will melt over the square onto the tablecloth.) Here’s a tip! When blowing out candles, blow gently straight down onto the candle. Blowing from the side can cause wax to spray onto the tablecloth leaving a greasy stain.

How far in advance do you need our final headcount? 

• Three weeks

How do I obtain a marriage license?

• To apply for your marriage license in Fayetteville, all you need to do is appear together in person at the Cumberland County Register of Deeds office and submit a marriage license application. The Cumberland County Register of Deeds office is located in Room 114 at 117 Dick Street in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Setup & Day-of Event Questions

Can we take photos around the farm on our wedding day?

• Absolutely! There are so many pretty spots around the farm so give your self a little extra time. Check the time of sunset on your big day remembering that the sun dips behind the trees about 15 minutes before. It is advised to plan your ceremony an hour and a half to two hours before sunset so that you do not run out of light for your photography. First Look photos or getting wedding party pictures before the ceremony helps your timeline and will ultimately give you more pictures from your photographer.

Are outside snacks and trays permitted?

• Small amounts of outside food and drink is permitted prior to the ceremony for the wedding party getting ready. It is not allowed after the start of the event. Please advise your guests to not bring alcohol. Also, please supervise children with food.

What is the event clean-up process?

• Kindly remove your items and we’ll take care of the rest!

• Trash…we do have someone who will come and take your trash for $75 cash. Because the Catlett’s do not live on the property, there is no dumpster so as not to attract bugs and animals. Therefore, trash must be removed the night of your event…this is a great job for groomsmen or anyone with a truck. We will bag the trash for you throughout the night and will have it at the backside of the caterers room if you want to save the money.

Can we nail decorations to the walls?

• We ask that you do not place nails into the walls. There are hooks placed throughout the barn for your convenience. Please see Mrs. Catlett if there is something special you would like to do that needs additional hangers. 3M products are wonderful.

Is there WiFi?

• No. Please make your DJ aware of this. Competent DJ’s do not rely on WiFi, beware of DJ’s who just want to stream Spotify and charge you big for it.