Faq's | The Wolf Creek Retreat at Elm Lake Estate

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is The Wolf Creek Retreat?

The Wolf Creek retreat is located just 12 miles west of Dayton, Ohio - about a 20 minute drive. Close to Oakwood, Kettering, Centerville, Tipp City, Troy, Greenville, Springfield, Xenia, Middletown, and Richmond, Indiana.

What services does the rental fee include?

The rental fee includes a 40’ x 72’ upscale barn pavilion with a concrete floor (situated right next to the cooling breezes of Elm Lake), tables and chairs for up to 200 people (1000 lb. capacity slatted seat resin chairs), indoor and outdoor lighting, generous venue hours, clean-up, and parking assistance. We in additional co-ordinate the delivery and arrival of the DJ, Florists, caterers, cake, and other deliveries. This is a DIY wedding venue. We know our competition charges thousands of dollars more, but we think our clients are clever enough to plan their own weddings, so we offer the real estate and just a few other services for a tremendous discount! We utilize 25 - 60” tables, 8 – 8’ tables, and a 48” sweetheart table for the bride and groom. We recommend that rehearsals are carried out on the day of the wedding when all your attendants and family are at the venue already. You can make arrangements for a separate rehearsal on another day for $150 for an hour or any part of an hour. You can also rent the NEW Bridal Suite for an additional investment. Look it up under "Bridal Suite".

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

A venue with a choice of 2 ceremony sites, reception, and getting ready spaces.
An unforgettable experience that your guests can’t stop raving about.
A venue that allows you to choose your own licensed and insured vendors.
A venue near me with a short and easy drive from Dayton And Richmond, In. and to hotels.
On-trend included décor that feels like shopping on Pinterest for free.
A team that genuinely cares about the success of your best day ever!
Exclusive use of the 3 acre beach area, Concession Stand, Pavilion, and professionally manicured grounds.
Use of the unique Concession Stand/Chapel for you and the wedding party to get ready for the "Big Day" and perfect for pictures. Choose our Bridal Suite and Groom's Room for an additional investment.
Choice of ceremony sites, outside in front of the Maiden Grass or in the forested location in front of enormous 100-year-old Norway Spruce trees.
Wolf Creek Retreat venue manager throughout the entire day to assist in making an exceptional day.
25 beautiful 60” tables, each table comfortably seats 6, and 8 Eight foot tables.
Premium, white resin chairs and tables.
Variety of photo spots--for making memories that last a lifetime!
Parking lot with lighting.
Parking attendant and directional signage.
Use your own full-service caterer or choose one from our recommended vendors list.
Bring your own alcohol or have your caterer supply it.
Venue rental: 9:00 am - 11:00 pm depending on package investment.
No hidden fees--there are no additional Wolf Creek Retreat service fees or taxes. No food, beverage or spending minimums. No guest count minimums. No china requirements. We only require our clients to purchase Host Liquor Liability insurance if they are serving alcohol.

What are the responsibilities of the Wolf Creek Retreat?

Here is a sample week, as we prepare for your wedding at the Wolf Creek Retreat.

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

The week prior to your event, the grass maintenance is divided into the front and back of the property (across Wolf Creek) and is carried out by two individuals. Cutting the grass takes about 6-7 hours total and includes the maintenance of the equipment as well. The trimming around the edges of the yard and lake and the maintenance of the 17 gardens is completed over a two or three day process by another individual. The driveway is cleaned and leaves, twigs blown off, as is the bridge to the venue and the area leading into the pavilion. The pavilion floor is swept the morning of the event, and then again just prior to guests arriving. In the morning, on the day of the event (wedding), the manager begins around 7:00 AM, before any vendors or clients arrive to do a walkthrough of the event space.

RESTROOMS

We will set up all restrooms with the provided amenities. The restrooms in the Bridal suite are also stocked with amenities and available to handicapped and disabled guests if necessary.

VENDORS

Vendors start to arrive at 10am, so the Venue Manager is there to open up the property gates and direct where vehicles can go in order to setup. The Venue Manager has already done a walkthrough with the vendors on an earlier date, so that they understand the schedule and what the expectations are from the Wolf Creek Retreat. The Venue Manager will reinforce these rules again and will oversee the set up and answer any questions from the vendors. They will be able to assist with any catering or bar questions. These are just a few of the common questions an on site manager may face, and should be addressed before the event takes place.

TABLE AND CHAIR LAYOUT

In the early afternoon, everything will start coming together. The Venue Manager works with the Person in Charge (the bride and groom's designee)/coordinator to see that the dining tables, appetizer tables, cake tables, gift tables, bar, etc. are arranged according to the planner’s diagram. Oftentimes the table arrangements may need some slight adjustments once set up, so the Person in Charge (the bride and groom's designee)/coordinator and the Venue Manager will work together to come up with a solution to any layout issues.

PARKING

While the Person in Charge (the bride and groom's designee)/coordinator and/or wedding party may be organizing the bridal party for the ceremony, this is the time for the Venue Manager and their staff to begin parking the guests. Staff is assembled to direct the guests to their parking spaces. Our golf cart is utilized to quickly move cars off of Wolf Creek so we don't have a backup of cars on the street. Your hostess and host are responsible for their guests while they utilize the facility. Handicapped/disabled guests must arrive an 1.5 hours before ceremony so their driver can drop them off at foot bridge and make arrangements to transport them to the Pavilion. Your host is responsible for providing a rental golf cart for the use of transporting guests if they desire. Handicapped guests are welcome to use the ground level restrooms in the Bridal Suite at no charge regardless if their host/hostess purchased the use of the Bridal Suite. Just call Chris and she will unlock the Bridal Suite for their use.

WEDDING EVENT MAINTENANCE AND SECURITY

Once the party has begun, responsibilities of the Venue Manager's staff may include anything from monitoring and restocking the bathrooms to cleaning up any spills. The Venue Manager may remind the Person in Charge to have the Child Wrangler return children to their parents, or may have to remind the Person in Charge to have smoking guests use the smoking area provided. The Wolf Creek Retreat provides security for any issues that may arise.

WRAPPING IT UP

Toward the end of the event, the Venue Manager will make sure that the DJ or band ends their set by the time specified (10:00 PM).

When the event has finished, and all guests have left, the Venue Manager will open up the gates for the vendors to start packing up their items.

The Venue Manager will make sure that every vendor leaves with everything they are responsible for. The vendors must check out with the Venue Manager at the end of the night to be sure they cleaned up their belongings, removed all trash, and leave the property before the end of the rental period.

THE DAY AFTER

The Venue Manager will walk through the entire property and take pictures and document any changes or damages from the event. They will be the last person at the property and will lock up the Bridal Suite after the event.

A cleaning staff is brought in the morning following the event to clean the estate, so when the potential clients arrives for their tour later, they come to tour a spotless venue.

Can I add hours if I need more time?

Yes, you can buy extra hours if you need more time. The cost is $300 per hour or any portion thereof. Hours excluded are the 11:00 P.M. ending time.

Do we have to use certain vendors?

No, you can use any vendors you wish. We do have some recommendations on our web page for our clients looking for vendors.

Is the rental fee cheaper if we don’t book a Saturday night? If you book a Friday or Sunday night we can negotiate a lower rate.

Are other events scheduled on the same day? There are never other events scheduled on your wedding day – we are completely devoted to the success of your event. Reminder: All vendors must have insurance and prior approval by the Wolf Creek Retreat.

What is your alcohol policy?

In the State of Ohio, as long as you are not charging for alcohol, and the event is private, there is no need for a license. We ask that alcohol service ends after 4.5 hours and one half hour before end of reception. The Alcohol MUST be served by an insured bartender and cannot be consumed until the bartender is on duty.

Are your Insurance certificates up to date?

We will be happy to share our insurance coverage with our clients. As well, when you rent the Wolf Creek Retreat, you will be required to purchase a Host Liquor Liability Coverage . This policy also covers you for accidents and losses during your event. Your policy does not extend coverage to your vendors. They will need to purchase their own liability insurance.

Are there adequate restroom facilities?

We have two indoor restrooms with running water and lavatories in the Bridal Suite. There are also a men's and lady's restroom in the Concession Stand/Bar area. The Wolf Creek Retreat Pavilion is situated in flood plain, so we cannot place flushing toilets across the bridge due to zoning. Also, unfortunately, it is not unusual for sunglasses, shot glasses, and other "things" that don't belong in toilets to end up in wedding venue toilets.

We offer a Bridal Suite with flushing toilets for an additional investment. This Bridal Suite is for the use of the wedding party and family members only. Be sure to check it our under the Menu "Bridal Suite", but is available for handicapped or disabled guests.

Can you accommodate physically challenged guests? Although we are not required by the State of Ohio to be handicap-accessible (due to the fact that we have fewer than 15 employees), we do have handicapped parking close to the facility and ramps on the bridge for wheelchair guests. Please contact us in advance if a handicapped/disabled guest requires a "floor level" restroom and we will make accommodations for them to use the restroom in the Bridal Suite. You are welcome to rent additional facilities from an outside vendor if you wish.

Are there any restrictions we need to know about? As we are an outdoor facility, we have to be sensitive to the fact that music travels up to two miles, especially at night. We ask that any DJ services play music in a fashion so that guests at the corners of the facility can actually hear each other and carry on a conversation.

What is your payment and cancellation policy? Upon signing, you will be asked to provide a non-refundable deposit of $750.00 May through August (Lakeside) $1000 September and October, and $500 (Creekside) all months, which will be applied towards the balance. Then the balance is paid in two additional payments.