Lavender Oaks Farm

3833 Millard Whitley Rd, Chapel Hill, NC

About This Vendor

Elegant Historic Barns on 60 Acre Private Farm

Lavender Oaks Farm is a 60-acre private farm and wedding venue located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Imagine a timeless setting with all your favorite people on the most magnificent 60 private acres located less than 5 miles to downtown Chapel Hill, NC, very close to all the hotels, restaurants, and only 30 minutes to RDU Airport. Plus, Uber/Lyft come to our farm as a convenience for your guests! At Lavender Oaks Farm, your guests arrive through our stone gates along a majestic tree-lined drive to a breathtaking view of our two historic timber frame barns that have been lovingly and meticulously restored. Our Main Barn, circa 1900, is designed after European chateaus and is rustic, yet refined, 7,000 sq ft, temperature controlled, and includes our beautiful Dressing Suite, large entry area for welcoming guests, two 10' long Bars, a separate room for specialty vendors such as photo booths, a gourmet kitchen that caterers love, spacious restrooms, and our Lavender Oaks Farm Boutique. Walk outside our Main Barn and enjoy our 3,000 outdoor patio with our stone fireplace, wrought iron gazebo, all overlooking our 4,000 lavender plants. We faced our Main Barn east so the outdoor patio gets all the afternoon shade which is the perfect lighting for your event. Our covered outdoor Pavilion Barn circa 1865 is the perfect location for your ceremony, cocktail hour, or as a rain contingency plan. We rent our barns for weddings and special events year-round and include all your decor, tables, chairs, centerpiece items, dried or fresh lavender (seasonally), graphic design services, and we're here to help every step of the way. We provide a private online planning guide for our couples that is pertinent to our venue, plus we provide a welcome meeting to hear your overall vision and budget and recommend the best vendors to create your dream wedding. We do require you to hire one of our wedding day coordinators from our preferred list. We rent our Main Barn and grounds 9:00 AM-11:00 PM on your wedding day. We invite you to schedule a tour to see all the beautiful items and services we include with your rental fee to make your day spectacular! The average wedding budget our couples spend including our venue fee is $35K to $45K. At first glance we look expensive, but since we provide so much for our couples we know we provide an incredible experience within a fantastic budget. Facilities And Capacity Lavender Oaks Farm accommodates up to 250 guests in our Main Barn, and we offer multiple areas for your ceremony, cocktail hour all in a timeless and private setting. We allow you to bring in your own alcohol, drop things off a day or two before your wedding, and come back the next day to pick up items. Our 60 acres is surrounded by a majestic forest, and since we are secluded your DJ or Band can play late inside our Main Barn!

Amenities + Details

Ceremony Area

Covered Outdoors Space

Dressing Room

Handicap Accessible

Indoor Event Space

Liability Insurance

On-Site Accommodations

Outdoor Event Space

Reception Area

Wireless Internet

Business Attributes

Hispanic or Latinx-owned Business, Woman-owned Business

Ceremony Types

Civil Union, Commitment Ceremony, Elopement, Interfaith Ceremony, Non-Religious Ceremony, Religious Ceremony, Second Wedding , Vow Renewal Ceremony

Guest Capacity

Up to 300

Settings

Barn, Farm & Ranch, Estate, Garden, Historic Venue, Park, Trees

Venue Service Offerings

Destination Weddings, Destination Wedding Planning, Planning, Wedding Design, Rentals & Equipment

Awards and Affiliations

Pricing for Lavender Oaks Farm

Browse Lavender Oaks Farm's pricing PDF for sample services and estimates.

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Lavender Oaks Farm Reviews

4.9 out of 5.0

13 reviews

5 Star

92%

4 Star

3 Star

2 Star

1 Star

Reviewed On 8/31/2022 by Mackenzie R

We absolutely loved Lavender Oaks, Karen, Jen, and the entire team there!! Perfect place for our “rustic elegance” August wedding. Karen was so helpful in the planning: she helped us find reliable vendors, calmed my nerves time after time, and ...

did some fantastic graphic design for us. I love how much is included in the Lavender Oaks package (graphic design + some printing, decor, tables and chairs, linens, etc). The wedding weekend went very smoothly. Drop off and pick up of our alcohol and supplies was very easy, and everything went so smoothly on the day of. The entire venue itself is gorgeous, and the barn looks so elegant when it’s lit up at night. There were so many great outdoor spots to take photos, and our guests loved all of the different available spaces to hang out as the night went on. The proximity to the airport and downtown Chapel Hill is a huge plus, but the farm is so peaceful and tucked away that you’d never know you’re that close to it all. We truly could not have asked for a better location or team to host our wedding- they made our vision come to life!

Response from the Vendor on 01/22/2023

Thank you so much Mackenzie! We had the best time helping you plan your beautiful wedding and it was such a magical day! Always remember our farm is your farm forever! Much Love, Karen and the Lavender Oaks Team! ❤️

Reviewed On 11/09/2022 by Elizabeth N

My husband and I got married here recently and we had a gorgeous wedding. The venue itself is gorgeous and they provide so many things with the venue rental itself that it saved us a pretty penny. We didn't have to worry about tables, chairs, l...

inens, or even some table decor and signs because it was all provided. They even custom-designed our save the dates and invitations. The only area of improvement I would suggest would revolve around communication. There were a few communication errors during the planning process and a few instances where we were told one thing and later told another. Now, we aren't completely blameless in those issues ourselves, some were our fault. And when any mistakes were made on behalf of the venue, they were quick to correct them and even were kind enough to provide reimbursement. For lavender, and future couples, I would make sure that you keep an email thread of planning discussions and if meetings are held in person, send a follow-up email recapping what was discussed. That way you can reference back to what was discussed and make sure that nothing is left out or forgotten. All of that being said, with the aid of all of the other amazing vendors we worked with on our wedding day, my husband and I had the pleasure of reflecting on our wedding day and saying "I don't think anything went wrong." We figured that at least one thing, even something minor, wouldn't go as planned and to my knowledge nothing did!

Response from the Vendor on 11/09/2022

Hi Liz, Thank you so much for your review! As we weren’t your Wedding Planner for this wedding we do agree that planning notes are very important to have as a reference for communication. As far as our part, we did try to go above and beyond ...

to provide additional flowers and floral arrangements at no cost, several additional lavender items for the bar and favors, plus provide additional staff to help the Planner since it was her first full service wedding. We thought she did a fantastic job with a lot of unexpected circumstances that occurred with vendors. We are so very grateful you chose our farm for your beautiful wedding and hope to see you back for our lavender events. It was such a pleasure to work with you and wish you much love always! Love, Karen Macdonald ❤️

Reviewed On 7/06/2022 by Lane W

We had such a wonderful experience working with Karen and her team at Lavender Oaks! The venue is so beautiful, and all of our guests talked about how much they loved it. The lavender was blooming, and I swear during our ceremony birds were chi...

rping and butterflies were floating around the pavilion barn! Working with Karen was such a dream-- from our very first meeting she helped us plan, staying organized, sticking to a planning timeline, and helping us with decisions we didn't know how to make (or didn't know we needed to make!). She also introduced us to the most fantastic vendors, who were so kind and amazing to work with, and she helped us find vendors that helped us stay within our budget. In the weeks leading up to the venue, she quickly answered texts, calls, and emails-- helping me sort through the bumps in the road that inevitably come up in those last few weeks. We had the perfect day-- from getting ready in the cabin and bridal suites, to seeing Karen and Jen and the nicest vendors setting up our wedding, to the ceremony and reception itself-- we had so much fun and we will be forever grateful! I would recommend Lavender Oaks to anyone looking for an idyllic wedding venue!

Any questions?

Reviewed On 6/28/2022 by Katy C

Lavender Oaks is the best venue, it was the most magical place to have our wedding! We had heard so many times that wedding planning is stressful, but Karen and everyone who works with Lavender Oaks made the entire process so joyful! We never h...

ad to worry, Karen is so talented and makes every couple feel at home at the farm. She referred us to the most amazing vendors for everything we needed and every one of them loved working with this venue and were just wonderful! Our friends and family were blown away and most importantly were able to just relax and enjoy! I cannot recommend Lavender Oaks enough!

Reviewed On 5/30/2022 by Savannah E

My husband and I got married at Lavender Oaks Farm in March of 2022, and I am still RAVING about the amazing venue and owner, Karen! My original wedding date was in the peak of COVID, and Karen was incredibly patient with us moving our date. Sh...

e always was kind, helpful and professional, our wedding was incredible because of all her hard work. Karen designed our seating chart, save the dates, and more. All of her ideas turned out gorgeously and the wedding day was stress-free and easy because she knew exactly what she was doing. Even her recommendations for vendors was amazing! We had the perfect dream team. The venue itself was out of a fairytale. The barn itself was so beautiful, from the main area to the bridal suite and patio, our guests had many different spaces to enjoy themselves. There are even multiple fire pits with comfy and aesthetically pleasing furniture out on the patio if you want a break from the dance floor! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you, to Karen and her entire team for making us feel so special on our wedding day. We are forever grateful for you, I hope get to have another event at your magical farm in the future! With love, Mr. & Mrs. Edwards.*all photos by Heba Salama Photography*

Reviewed On 5/03/2022 by Catherine B

We have so many great things to say, where do we even begin… Having Lavender Oaks as our wedding venue was the best decision we ever made! Not only is the farm one of the most beautiful venues out there, but we also got the most amazing wedding...

planner and experience we could have ever of asked for with Karen! Planning a wedding can be very stressful, especially during a pandemic, but Karen made the experience so fun and easy! We had a monthly meeting leading up to the big day to make sure all our details were covered. Our family was also from out of state so we wanted to make it very effortless and enjoyable for all, Karen made sure of that! From connecting us to our other amazing vendors to organizing our flowers on the wedding day, fixing my veil before walking down the aisle, to driving guests on her golf cart to and from their cars, no detail was left unattended. All of our friends and family are still talking about how much fun they had at our wedding! We wish we could go back and do it all over again. But now we will always have an amazing place, and friends, to go back and visit! We cannot recommend a better place to have a wedding!

Response from the Vendor on 05/03/2022

Thank you so much beautiful Cat for this amazing review! We loved every second of planning your big day and it was such a blast to meet everyone! Love you so much, Karen ❤️

Reviewed On 2/16/2022 by Grace R

Lavender Oaks Farm is a fantastic venue and I wish I could give it more than 5 stars. I initially picked this spot because of the variety of space onsite - there is an outdoor pavilion, a back patio with firepits and a fireplace, an upstairs ba...

lcony, a bridal suite, and a groomsman cabin. However, what I ended up getting was far more than I could have ever imagined. Karen, the owner, is a wonderful woman with a heart for hosting and event planning. She is patient, gracious, so generous, and kind. Never once did I feel like I was bothering her with questions or asking for too much. She went above and beyond to make sure that our day was absolutely perfect, and in making sure that we felt like family all along the way. If you're hesitating, book this place. There is a rain contingency plan, the accommodations to your wedding party are fantastic and unmatched, and you really feel like you're being looked out for. I had a vision for different things - a hot chocolate bar, a s'mores bar, and a large dessert area. Karen made all of these come to life with ease and grace. Not to mention, the place itself is gorgeous. Karen and her team take great care of the barn - all of our guests were blown away by how classy and beautiful the venue was. Karen also has close ties to incredible vendors in the area. She has preferred vendors who she works seamlessly with, and they are all truly excellent. Our day was perfect, and that has a lot to do with this barn and with Karen's heart. Thank you, Karen, for opening up this space to us!!!

Response from the Vendor on 05/03/2022

Grace & Joey, Thank you so much for the best review! We’re so happy we had the honor to host your wedding and what a coincidence to find out later we’re connected through family! We hope you always know you’re family and we can’t wait to see y...

ou back! Much Love Always, Karen ❤️

Reviewed On 12/11/2021 by Jess A

What a beautiful venue for a wedding! Our wedding was in the fall and the beautiful colors of the leaves surrounding the farm made for some amazing pictures and memories that will last a lifetime! We and our guests had such a lovely time here. ...

The groomsmen were granted access to an auxiliary cabin on the property prior to the wedding to hang out and prep while the ladies were in a bridal suite in the main barn for their prep. Guests raved about the outdoor fireplace and the overall ambiance of the venue! The owner, Karen was such an amazing resource for us. Whether it be her advice on vendors, allowances the weekend of, help with decorations/flowers and graphic design for signage, to management of our wedding timeline and guests; she was an integral part of our special day running smoothly. We would absolutely recommend Lavender Oaks Farm for anyone in search of an elegant wedding experience.

Reviewed On 8/26/2021 by Grace W

While the farm is absolutely gorgeous and rustic, the real gem of this venue is Karen. She and her team work with you every step of the way to create the wedding of your dreams. Karen treats you like a member of her own family and will make sur...

e you get everything you could want on your special day.

Reviewed On 6/22/2020 by Haley G

Words cannot express how wonderful Karen and her team is at Lavender Oaks Farm. From the second we set foot on her beautiful property, we felt welcomed, taken care of and listened to. Karen is warm, thoughtful, beyond talented and walks you and...

your partner through the ENTIRE wedding process in a non stressful way. The venue has endless options for ceremony and reception options. Karen offers her talents in graphic design and planning, she meets with you at regular intervals to make sure planning, budgets and decisions are on track. Not to mention she feeds you delicious snacks, and will never let you leave empty handed (lots of lavender goodies from the gift shop!) On top of how amazing she is under regular circumstances, when our wedding date was compromised due to COVID, she reached out to us multiple times to help us make tough decisions. She supported us unconditionally and helped us have a small ceremony and dinner at the venue on our original date AND reschedule our planned wedding celebration for the following year for no extra cost. She even put together a small bouquet/boutonnière, table decorations, and had her daughter bake us the best chocolate cake I have ever had for our dessert. Talk about going above and beyond for her clients. We were speechless, and so grateful. My husband and I feel like part of her family and we cannot WAIT to celebrate next year. This venue and Karen are well worth the price! I would recommend Lavender Oaks Farm to anyone and everyone considering!!

Reviewed On 2/28/2019 by Rebecca B

Lavender Oaks Farm is a rustic barn, thoughtfully restored to its natural beauty with elegant and modern touches throughout. The farm is well equipped with a bridal suite, groomsmen cabin, and multiple ceremony locations. The property is beauti...

ful and gives the opportunity for many different back drops for your photos. You are sure to find everything you need here at Lavender Oaks Farm. What sets this venue apart from the others are the amazing owners, Karen and Robert. They will make you feel like family from the moment you enter the barn; greeting you with warm smiles and their signature lavender lemonade. Karen is the most kind and caring person I have ever met. My expectations were surpassed again and again throughout the planning process. She is extremely detail oriented and truly an expert at her craft. Due to Hurricane Florence, my husband and I were forced to relocate our wedding a week out from our scheduled date. Luckily, Lavender Oaks Farm had a change in schedule and was able to accommodate our last-minute request. Karen and Robert helped us plan our dream wedding in six days. (Yes, that’s right- SIX DAYS!) There’s no way we could have pulled this off without Lavender Oaks Farm and their dedication to our special day. They are a pillar in the Chapel Hill community, evident by their ability to pull together various vendors we needed last minute. The venue was beautifully decorated with a combination of our personal decorations and the inventory of decorations they keep on site for brides. Karen has great taste and it was comforting to know I could count on her to bring our dream to life. It’s hard to give this review the justice Lavender Oaks Farm deserves. There is such a special place in our hearts for this amazing family and we have nothing but wonderful things to say. We look back at our wedding photos with such fond memories, all thanks to Lavender Oaks Farm. Without their dedication and willingness to go above and beyond, our wedding would not have happened on schedule. Please do yourself a favor and book Lavender Oaks Farm for your wedding- you will not be disappointed!

Reviewed On 6/09/2018 by Mariamer P

This venue is beautiful and is very different from many of the other venues around the area. The lavender farm is right next to the enclosed barn creating a special feel to the area. Very little decoration is needed here due to the decorations ...

provided by the owner Karen. Karen had impeccable customer service and helped us work through the struggle of moving up the wedding date. She comforted us and gave us many options as to when the venue was available. She was very organized and always communicated in a timely manner with my wife, the coordinator, and the other vendors to help us have a great wedding day. This venue is truly worth it's value. I highly recommend this venue to anyone who is looking to have a perfect wedding day.

Reviewed On 2/14/2018 by Sarah S

Reserving Lavender Oaks Farm for our wedding ceremony and reception was the best decision my husband and I made in our year long wedding planning process. The site is incredibly beautiful with its elegant rustic charm both inside and out. There...

are many lovely spots around the barn and surrounding lavender fields for incredible photographs and the unique space allowed us to host multiple events throughout our wedding wèekend. What makes this venue so very special are the owners, Karen and Robert. They are dedicated to making their farm, your farm, for your friends and family to enjoy and make lifelong memories. From the moment we began planning they were exceptionally warm, enthusiastic, and accommodating to all of our ideas for our dream wedding. The plan for our winter wedding was to be married on the stone patio in front of their iron gazebo overlooking the lavender fields, but eight inches of snow fell on Wednesday night. Panic could have ensued but Karen and Robert assured us all would be fine, and it was! Our weekend exceeded all of our dreams! We began our weekend with the rehearsal dinner and band for our one hundred guests to dance to. The roaring fire outside and s'mores bar created by Karen drew our guests outside to enjoy a rare Carolina snowscape. My husband stayed with his best man in one of the rustic cabins, overlooking a beautiful pond onsite, allowing him some personal guy time before our big day. Our wedding day arrived with the ground covered in snow and ice. Karen and Robert did not flinch as they moved our wedding ceremony inside. My nine bridesmaids and I arrived by ten Saturday morning to spend the day in the absolutely gorgeous bridal suite. We were pampered, we danced, we partied until it was time to walk down the isle. I was awed by the transition of the barn to a magical place that had only existed in my dreams. Karen and Robert took all of my personal ideas and dreams and made them a reality. My 4 o'clock wedding ceremony flowed with ease into our cocktail hour and sit down dinner reception. Our two hundred and twenty guests danced until midnight and are still talking about what an amazing place Lavender Oaks Farm is. If you are looking to host a stylish and personalized wedding that is private and showcases the beauty of North Carolina, this is the venue for you. I wish I could do it all over again!

Contact Info for Lavender Oaks Farm

3833 Millard Whitley Rd, Chapel Hill, NC

Meet the Team

Robert and Karen Macdonald

Owner

We are Robert and Karen Macdonald, owners of Lavender Oaks Farm, an elegant yet rustic, upscale venue, and our dream come true! We lovingly restored two century old barns with every detail meticulously crafted to create a magical and timeless setting for guests to gather. Our 60 acres are filled with many picturesque sights including aromatic lavender fields, an emerald green forest and pasture, 3 custom built log cabins, a reflecting pond, and the most romantic setting to celebrate! We love designing events your guests will be talking about forever!

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Starting Cost: $$$ – Moderate

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