Rental Details & Policies of The Cutting Garden

Weddings (top^)

The Farmhouse, and its 2.5 acres of manicured lawns, tailored walkways, and extensive perennial gardens, are available for day or evening occasions (there are no sleeping accommodations). The first floor of our replica 1880's Farmhouse is sheltered by a wraparound, 8'-wide porch, which offers an additional 1,200 square feet of covered space for your event. From the front porch, you enter through the French doors into the gallery, with its vaulted ceilings, hardwood floors, antique furniture, lovely sound system, gas fireplace, and original artworks by Catherine Mix. Just to your right is the large, fully-appointed, sun-filled kitchen, graced with a 4' by 7' antique, oak dining table and a quaint, old, oak kitchen queen. Through the many south-facing windows, you will enjoy a truly stunning view of the Olympic Mountains. Just through the archway, you will enter the spacious anteroom, and then on to the oversize, handicap-accessible, bathroom.

Equipment/Furnishings (top^)

These items are included in your wedding rental fee:

- 2,000 sq. ft. Farmhouse with 8'-wide wraparound porch and...
      - Bridal changing suite with 4 lighted make-up mirrors, and a full-length mirror
      - Full kitchen with microwave, gas range, refrigerator/freezer
      - 2 bathrooms, one is handicap accessable
      - Great Room with large dance floor, gas fireplace, 5-CD changer and AM FM Tuner
      - Auxiliary room to store items close at hand, yet not in the way
- A children's playhouse
- A 30' X 45' white frame tent with 4 sidewalls, dance floor, electrical power and overhead lights
- 1 - Set of garden stanchions (white newel posts for row ends)
- 2 - 9' X 12' indoor-outdoor carpets for the pergola
- 2 - Teak benches
- 200 - White resin chairs, we set them up and take them down
- 24 - 5' round banquet tables, we set them up and take them down
- 8 - 30" x 6' rectangular tables, we set them up and take them down
- 1 - Garden archway, located at the east entrance to the gardens
- 1 - Garden pergola, permanently located in the south garden
- 4 - 30" x 6' rectangular wood tables, for indoors use
- 1 - Antique Kitchen Queen oak cabinet, for indoors use
- 1 - Antique oak icebox, for indoors use
- 1 - Antique oak high back throne (Oddfellow's chair), for indoors use
- 1 - Antique 40" x 84" (7') dining room table for buffet, for indoors use
- 6 - Antique wood and leather chairs, for indoors use
- 3 - Small wooden tables, for indoors use
- 24 - Padded folding chairs, for indoors use

Chair and table set-up and take-down are provided by client for Non-Wedding Events.

These items are available for rent:

- 2 - 10' X 10' white pop-up tents at $40 each

Non-Wedding Events (top^)

The open, airy gallery of The Farmhouse at The Cutting Garden comfortably seats 50 theater-style, or 40 at tables, and is ideal for either parties or business meetings. Our Farmhouse, with its extensive gardens and grounds, has been described as the most intimate and refreshing "convention center" on the Olympic Peninsula. During the month of December, we dress our pretty little farmhouse in her holiday finery for festive parties! Enjoy the cozy fireplace (the stockings are hung by the chimmney with care), eight-foot-tall Christmas tree, and many other holiday touches. We're closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day.

Occupancy Guidelines (top^)

Our maximum indoor event capacity (October - April) is 50 guests. Our maximum indoor/outdoor event capacity (May - September) is 200 guests.

During the months of May and June, the gardens are lovely, but the weather may be damp, so we have a beautiful 30' by 45' frame tent, complete with sidewalls, for your convenience. During July, August and September, many guests enjoy the tent for shade.

From October through April, the gardens are sleeping (shhhh) so The Cutting Garden is closed, but The Farmhouse is warm, cozy and open for rent! Book an event with us, or you are welcome to come take a tour of the entire facility; just contact us for an appointment.

For your convenience, we set up and take down the tables and chairs for Weddings.

For planning your reception, we provide floor plans of The Farmhouse, and a scale map of the grounds.

Deliveries (top^)

Delivery of food, cake, musical instruments, etc. must coincide with your rental time. We generously allow three hours before the start of your wedding so vendors will have ample time to prepare for your event.

Parking (top^)

Two acres of free parking is available to the west of The Farmhouse. Handicap parking is available south of the potting shed, and is clearly marked for your convenience. There is a six-foot-wide ramp onto the back of the deck for handicapped guest access. Please park only in the designated areas.

Exclusive Floral Policy (top^)

The Cutting Garden is proud to offer Catherine Mix as our exclusive floral provider for your event. Catherine is an experienced florist with a passion for creating abundant, glorious floral arrangements both from flowers grown on our farm and flowers purchased from floral wholesale houses in Tacoma and Seattle. For a reasonable fee, Catherine Mix will design and create uniquely beautiful florals for your event. Alternately, if you would prefer to arrange the flowers for your event, you may cut flowers from The Cutting Garden, or order them from the wholesale houses through Catherine.

Alcohol (top^)

Alcohol shall not be consumed anywhere on the property without the proper permits. If you are self-catering your event, you must hire a professional, licensed bartender, and you must obtain a banquet permit (available at any Washington State liquor store for approximately $10) which must be posted in The Farmhouse before your event begins.

A self-serve or 'open' bar is not allowed. Alcohol may only be served with food, from one location, by a licensed bartender. If your guests bring alcohol to your event, it must be opened and served by the bartender.

Only wine or bottled beer may be served. Hard alcohol, "home brew", and keg beer are not allowed.

Proof of legal drinking age is required for all who imbibe. If your guests become noticeably intoxicated, The Cutting Garden reserves the right to close the bar.

Last call for alcohol shall be 15 minutes before the end of your event. At that time, the bar must be closed, with any remaining alcohol closed and put away.

Music (top^)

Acoustic guitars, flutes, stringed instruments, harps, lightly-amplified electronic organs or pianos, and lightly-amplified singing are welcome in our gardens. Reasonably-amplified wedding music from CDs or the like is also welcome at the pergola (ceremony area). Dancing to reasonably-amplified music, with or without a DJ, is allowed both under the tent and inside The Farmhouse. We will help you set a level of sound that works well for both your guests and for our neighbors.

Clean Up (top^)

For a Wedding, you need only bag your garbage and collect your belongings... we do the rest! (that is, We empty the trash cans, stack chairs, put away tables, etc.) For a Non-Wedding Event, chair and table set-up and take-down is done by the client.

The last hour of your rental is intended for collecting your personal belongings and loading them into your cars. Events that run over time will be charged $250 per hour. For evening events, the parking lot must be dark and quiet by 10 p.m., thus packing-up must begin no later than 9 p.m.

We post clean-up procedures for caterers on the refrigerator in the kitchen. If you are catering your own affair, please follow these procedures.

Children (top^)

Well-supervised children are always welcome. Although we have provided a playhouse for their enjoyment, we do not accept responsibility for the safety of unsupervised children. Please keep children out of the gardens and pastures; many of the plants may be harmful if eaten. Children may be upstairs in The Farmhouse only when accompanied by a responsible adult.

General Safety (top^)

Do not obstruct or impair use of the handrails provided for the safety of your guests. Llamas and other livestock are for viewing only; do not feed them. The electric fence is always on! For your own safety and comfort, please stay out of the pastures and off of the fences.