Looking for a venue a little off the beaten path? Check out this idyllic unique buffalo farm in Orange County—yes, I said it! A buffalo farm in Orange County! You won’t find a more picturesque place for a wedding, and the romantic vistas will take your breath away. I had the pleasure of working here recently, and I was in complete awe of my surroundings! Here is owner Sandy Pleasant to tell us more about the venue.
Name: Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm
Address: 465 Yarborough Road, Roxboro, NC
Website: www.sunsetridgebuffalo.com
Phone: 336-599-1297
Email: info@sunsetridgebuffalo.com
Style: Rustic romantic
Ceremony/reception: Both
Indoor/outdoor: Outdoor (with a tent and gazebo)
Distance from:
Raleigh—1 hour, 19 minutes (64.8 miles)
Chapel Hill—52 minutes (38.7 miles)
Durham—50 minutes (32.3 miles)
Burlington—43 minutes (31.5 miles)
Greensboro—1 hour, 8 minutes (54.6 miles)
Max capacity: 200
Cost: $400 – $2600, with discounts for off-peak and holiday seasons
How long have you guys been in the wedding business?
Since 2011. Our first wedding was our next-door neighbor. We did the ceremony in our gazebo, and they had a reception in their backyard.
Describe your site. What kind of ambiance do you think it has?
The Gazebo at Sunset Ridge Buffalo Farm is both peaceful and tranquil. The gazebo sits on an island on a rural lake. There’s an outdoor kitchen with grills, refrigerator and icemaker as well as a three-unit modern bathroom. The Gazebo is 33 ft. in diameter, 10 sided and has more than 900 sq. ft. We can seat 85 to 90 guests inside the gazebo and 70 on the side deck, with room for about 25 more guests on another side of the gazebo. We also offer two 40 ft.-high peak hexagonal tents at 2080 sq. ft. on concrete for receptions, parties, dinners and meetings.
What options do you have for ceremonies?
Most ceremonies take place inside the gazebo, and we’ve had one small wedding under a lakeside sycamore tree for about 30 guests. We can use the tents for ceremonies as well for a larger guest list. We have 200 chairs and enough tables for 200 guests.
For receptions?
Depending on the number of wedding guests, the gazebo can be used for both ceremony and reception for smaller weddings. We have the two high peak tents, which are used for receptions for larger weddings with the ceremony and dancing in the gazebo.
What kind of packages do you offer?
Diamond, Platinum, Gold and Silver. Our packages are for: Large (151 to 200 guests), average (50 to 150 guests), small (30 to 49 guests) and mini (up to 29 guests), and we offer discounts for off-peak (March 15 to April 15 and July 1 through Aug. 31) and a holiday discount from Nov. 1 to Jan. 1.
When reserving your site, is it more of a full weekend type thing or for a set number of hours?
Rental can be for a 36-hour period for average and large weddings, which will include Friday all day and Saturday. We offer a 13-hour rental for all size weddings.
What’s your stance on vendors? Do you have preferred or required lists?
We offer a preferred vendor list, but brides are not required to use anyone on the list. She may contract her own vendors. We merely offer the list to assist with planning, and we know that these vendors have done a good job at our farm for other weddings and events. We do not get any monetary kickbacks from the vendors on this list.
What is your parking situation like?
We have a gravel parking lot for 50 cars with a nearby pasture for overflow.
What are some things that the price doesn’t include that you think couples will need?
The price does not include the hexagonal high peak tents, sidewalls for the tents in case of inclement weather, deck tents, patio heaters, a portable bar or buffalo grazing in the pasture adjacent to the venue.
What can couples get here that they can’t get anywhere else?
A beautiful rural setting with a large gazebo on an island and a peaceful waterside venue for their special day.
What are the biggest benefits to your site?
Our location is private, and the venue is quiet and peaceful, beautiful and serene—all at a reasonable price.
What would you say are the drawbacks or restrictions?
We know that our venue is a bit off the beaten path, but it is worth the trip for a special event. We want to keep our venue in good shape for every wedding, and we have an area designated for smokers. We ask that cigarette butts are not thrown in the parking lot gravel or into the lake. We also ask that flower girls only toss real petals as opposed to silk petals. We do not allow candle lanterns to be released into the night sky due to wooded areas on the farm as well as farm equipment and our expensive tents, which could be damaged by fire. Use zip ties only for hanging decorations in the tents or gazebo.
Why should couples choose your site?
We feel we offer a top-notch outdoor venue for a wedding or party event. We work to make sure that their special day is smooth sailing and happy memories for everyone who attends. The sound of laughter and great music is what we like to sit on our front porch and hear into the night.
And any other details or things you can think of!
We opened this venue in 2011 for weddings and parties. We’ve had more than 30 weddings and six to eight more scheduled before the season ends in late October this year. We’re already booking for 2016. We love this home business and look forward to more years of being a part of couples’ beginnings!
Interested? (I know I am!) Hit up your Raleigh wedding planner, and we’ll go take a tour together. Trust me, as Sandy said, it’s worth the trip.
