Sugar Lake Lodge

From the moment we stepped foot in Sugar Lake Lodge and saw the beautiful outdoor space, we couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else! Our venue tour with Steve felt very welcoming, informative, and stress free. Our wedding planner, Nadine, was very easy to work with and accommodating to our requests. She truly made our vision of our wedding day come to life. Sugar Lake Lodge is truly incredible and the owners are very innovative with revamping and updating the venue constantly. We can only imagine the new visions they will create in the future. Our guests had nothing but positive reviews of the beautiful space, the amazing food, and how smoothly the timeline went. We cannot thank Sugar Lake Lodge, the amazing team, and our vendors enough for all of their hard work to make our day memorable in every way. The Booths

My husband and I had our wedding here and it was everything I ever dreamed of. The staff makes sure you have every detail you want down to the t. Not only is it a beautiful venue with amazing staff but everything is handled for you by the coordinators so you don’t have any stress in your big day!

I had a friend get married here over the summer and I was honestly blown away by the attention to detail and amount of care that the staff was putting into the event. I've been in a lot of weddings and I've never seen one go off this smoothly. The location was stunning too. Definitely felt like a fairy tale day for my friends. All of the vendors were also extremely friendly and helpful. Just want to say to Nadine and all of the staff at Sugar Lake - thank you for taking such good care of my friends and their family! If I could give 10 stars I would.

I absolutely love working with Sugar Lake Lodge! It's an incredibly stunning venue that never fails to amaze me with its natural beauty and serene surroundings. What sets Sugar Lake Lodge apart is not only the picturesque setting but also the exceptional team led by Nadine. They are incredibly professional, accommodating, and easy to work with. As a DJ, I often find myself taking on the role of an event planner, but when I have the opportunity to work at Sugar Lake with Nadine and her team, I can fully trust them to handle every detail seamlessly. This allows me to focus solely on what I do best, which is delivering an exceptional musical experience to the guests. Working with Sugar Lake Lodge and Nadine is a dream come true, making every event an absolute pleasure for both myself and the attendees.

My wife Jenn and I had our wedding here in February. Nadine was fabulous and really knows her stuff. She helped us every step of the way and was constantly available to help and answer questions. We got married with 35 days of planning and couldn't have done it without Nadine. You never would have known we didn't spend years planning what was the perfect wedding.

I need to start off by saying that Sugar Lake Lodge gave my husband and I the absolute wedding of our dreams! It is exactly 3 months later and I am still wrapping my head around how unbelievably beautiful and perfect everything was for us! My husband and I were engaged on October 31, 2021 and by November 1st we had a stack of 10 venues to look at. Sugar Lake stood out to us the most and it was the first one we wanted to see! By November 6th, only 6 days after our engagement, and one venue visit we were booked with Sugar Lake! It was the best decision we could have ever made! When we sat down with Nadine and Steve after touring the venue we just knew immediately it was it for us. Other options were not even a thought after stepping foot on Sugar Lake. Nadine, the event planner, is so unbelievably creative and took our vision to heart and made it a true reality. She was attentive and patient and always supportive and understanding of our needs. She told us on the first day that she wanted us to experience as little stress as possible and that she would make our day so special. We took a leap and trusted her completely and my goodness she did not disappoint! It is so evident that she puts her everything into her work and wholeheartedly means it. My husband and I had no doubts in her abilities and were so pleased with what she did for us! Her and her assistants were meticulous in their work and truly, the amount of compliments we received from guests was astounding! It’s one thing to love everything yourselves but for it to be 3 months later and your guests are still talking about it says something. I think it’s important for every bride to know that Nadine genuinely wants you both to be as stress free as possible. I loved how the packaging was set up and so many things were taken care of! Even down to their preferred vendors who also did amazing work for us! Looking back I really do not think I could have made my wedding exactly how I wanted without Nadine’s help. No way between work and life could it have been done for me. I am so beyond grateful my husband found Sugar Lake and we were blessed with such a wonderful experience all around. If you’re looking for as little stress as possible, Sugar Lake is the way to go! I think it’s important to know that I struggle with anxiety in general and Nadine honestly put me so much at ease and that is so important to me. My Husband and I also had the pleasure of having Steve, the owner, as our officiant. Steve did a wonderful job and really was able to personalize the ceremony for us which was so special and meaningful to us! Steve also helped coordinate the day and was there whenever you needed him. Steve and Nadine make such an incredible team! It truly took me so long to write this review partly because of my hectic life schedule but also because I wanted to make sure I could convey everything in writing that I wanted to. And honestly as I sit here and do this, I’m finding I still can’t finds the words to do our experience justice. For most, your wedding day is one of the most momentous days of your life. We all have dreams of what it will look like and have high hopes for the absolute best. To make it simple, Our wedding on November 5, 2022 was above and beyond what we have ever dreamed it could be. Our hopes and expectations were more than met and we were truly blown out of the water. We will forever look back fondly on this day and be so unbelievably grateful for Nadine & Steve.

My now husband and I got married at Sugar Lake Lodge this past August. The day couldnt have been any more perfect! We were married under the beautiful old tree near the water. Steve and Nadine were such a pleasure to work with, and so accomodating! The property itself really is stunning, and so comforting. Being able to have both our ceremony and reception there was so wonderful, and they helped fill in the details along the way. 10/10 recommend.

So I have to take a minute to tell you about how wonderful our experience was here. My wife and I got married here on November 12 and we were skeptical about planning a wedding in 7 months. Well don’t worry because they have an amazing wedding coordinator named Nadine who just was perfect. As I told her I wanted it stress free and the perfect day for my wife. Not only did Nadine and her father make sure it was perfect she always answered any question no matter the time or day. Now I know I might of been a lot at times with certain things but Nadine was awesome. Leading up to the wedding she always followed up asked if we needed anything and the day of made that day even more perfect. The venue and set up were stunning.The vendors she picked for us was spot on and she new what we would like. If it wasn’t for her our wedding day couldn’t and wouldn’t of been possible. All we can say is if you are looking for a beautiful venue with an experience that will blow your expectations away. Then I’d definitely use Sugar Lake lodge and contact Nadine because it was truly perfect.

We had an absolutely fabulous experience! The venue was beautiful and exactly what we were looking for and Nadine was such a fantastic help during the whole process and made everything so easy! She walked us through everything and made sure to go over all of the details, was always responsive and quick to reply to any questions I reached out with, and she perfectly captured the vision I had for decorations and honestly made it look even better than I expected! 10/10 recommend!

I couldn’t rave about this place more! Sugar lake lodge is a dream venue. Between the gorgeous property to every small detail Nadine puts into the wedding process and the day of is extraordinary! She goes above and beyond to make sure your wedding day is everything you could dream of! I can’t put into words how magical sugar lake lodge and all of their team is ❤️

All I can say is that Nadine and her crew are the best. Aside from making my vision come to life, they were there every step of the way. We had both of our make up artists cancel and her crew helped us finish our look which also helped avoid slight chaos. The property is gorgeous and we had the best time at the cabins for our after party. Book this place!

Sugar Lake Lodge is nestled into Painesville across the street from Hidden Lakes Metroparks. They have a lake of their own with a dock and a gorgeous lakeside ceremony space. My cousin was recently married here and it was just an incredible day for him! Everything was so fun and there was always something to do. The staff was so welcoming and helpful when I needed them. If I lived closer I would definitely choose Sugar Lake as my wedding venue!

This past weekend I had the privilege to visit a friend for her wedding at Sugar Lake Lodge! I just had to come here to say how gorgeous and nice all of the staff was to my girlfriend and I. The food drinks and dancing were amazing in this beautiful venue! Thanks for hosting our friends. Congrats Jesse and Brittny!

My now wife and I chose Sugar Lake Lodge for our wedding. I really liked the idea of being able to camp out together with friends and family after my wedding and Sugar Lake Lodge supplies cabins that accommodate up to 40 guests! We had an afterparty with about 15 friends and family members and it was great to sit around a fire after a long day. Nadine and Cailin were amazing. Our day ran smoothly and we had no issues. Our day was as perfect as we could have hoped.

When I seen my wedding planner sprinting across the property to get my vows that I forgot, I knew I chose the right venue. Honestly, that’s a lie. I knew from the moment stepping inside that I chose the right venue. Sugar Lake Lodge is gorgeous, rustic, elegant, outdoorsy, elevated, vintage, honestly whatever you would like it to be, it will and can be! Sugar Lake Lodge has package deals. My now Husband and I went with the diamond package. This made wedding planning so so easy! Our wedding coordinator nadine set us up with the best of the best vendors. If we ever had any issues with any (our first photographer was somewhat unresponsive) she is quick to supply you with a new contact. Even vendors that you choose outside of the package nadine will still contact them for you so you have absolutely no care in the world. The weeks leading up to my wedding were stress free! Nadine allowed me to email her or text her with any questions and was quick to respond with an answer. The day of our wedding, my husband our wedding party and parents wanted for nothing. Nadine and her assistants Cailin and Heidi were there to get us anything we needed. They were our personal servers throughout the night and would come to us so we never had to wait in line at the bar we could stay on the dance floor. At the end of the night we had special touches waiting in our honeymoon suite on property from the staff. I felt like a princess! As we were talking about our day. We both agreed there would be nothing we would change about our day. If you want a stress free wedding, choose Sugar Lake Lodge. You will be in excellent hands with Nadine.

My daughter recently was married at Sugar Lake Lodge. From the moment I stepped inside the lodge I could feel how gorgeous her wedding would be. We were greeted by staff who took us to our getting ready suite. Coffee, mimosas, and snacks were all set up and waiting for us. After getting ready and it was time to go, we head over to the lake for the ceremony. A short drive on an air conditioned passenger bus and we were there! The ceremony space was gorgeous!! From the rugs lining the isle way, the dried petal bar to toss at the happy couple, the beautiful antique tables and chairs used in the space. This is a fairytale wedding! Her wedding planner Nadine always made sure everything went smoothly and made sure I didn’t need anything at all times. The perfect day!

could not have asked for a more perfect experience. Don't even question hiring Nadine, JUST DO IT! Her and her team went above and beyond to make sure my day was perfect and stress free. All the details were amazing and the honeymoon suite was a bonus along with the guest cabins. Worth every penny!

It was an amazing experience working with Sugar Lake Lodge! The venue is not only beautiful, but Nadine worked closely with us the entire step of the way and did everything to make our wedding everything we wanted! You can tell she loves what she does and wants everything to be exactly what you want it to be!

Wonderful experience working with Sugar Lake Lodge and Nadine for my daughters shower of 80 people. The logistics were seamless, the venue is beautiful and the addition of the special chairs and chargers available via Sugar lake lodge made it even more special. The guests were wowed with the space. A gem in Lake county and all set on a beautiful piece of property. It was so good that I am planning my second daughters wedding shower there as well.

Wonderful wooded venue gorgeous foliage for pictures. Love that dancing and the meal are in different rooms. Love the couples suite enough room for multiple attendants to get ready and for the couple to stay the night after the wedding Staff are super friendly and helpful right on every need thank for such a wonderful wedding!

I had my wedding here and it was AMAZING!! Everything was perfect from the moment we got there for our first visit down to the morning after the big day. Shout out to Nadine for being such a GREAT wedding planner! She took all of the stress away, had amazing ideas and helpful tips for the wedding. She really did go above and beyond anything we could ask for! I would recommend Sugar Lake Lodge/Hiring Nadine as the wedding planner 100%!!!

We had a fall wedding and even though the rain didn't go my way, the set up inside was done so quickly and beautifully! Working with Nadine and her team was the most amazing seamless experience! I now feel like Steve and I are also besties 😅 Honeslty they welcomed me into their family and I couldn't be any happier with the experience I had! I will be back for every other major event in my life that's for sure ❤ Thank you guys so much!

My husband and I just got married here on December 11, 2021 and could not be happier. I always tell other brides, please make sure you find a venue you love the looks and price of, but also one that has staff/owners you will like working with for an extended planning period. This venue had both without a doubt. Steve and Nadine made our day perfect! They were reliable, accommodating, and just the sweetest people. If you want everything to be perfect but with very little stress and work on your part, hire Nadine and trust her to make your dreams come true. You wont regret it. I wouldn't change anything about our day and I am so thrilled we went with Sugar Lake Lodge for our big day!

I had my wedding here in October and I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect venue! Absolutely beautiful and everything went flawlessly thanks to Nadine! She was absolutely terrific and made sure everything was exactly how we wanted it! So happy and would recommend this venue 100%

We hosted my daughter’s baby shower at Sugar Lake Lodge. The venue was elegant and beautiful. Everything we asked for was ready upon our arrival. The venue was perfect! A wonderful setting. Everyone who attended loved the venue.

Our daughter and son-in-law had the wedding of their dreams. The venue is beautiful. The wedding coordinator was awesome accommodates everyone and works very hard with her assistant to make this day special. They offer different packages for your needs. It’s very much worth calling and taking a tour to see the beautiful property for your dream wedding.

The staff go above and beyond to create an amazing experience. With its unique setting that guests love. This place really is a hidden gem.

This venue was a dream come true for my son and his new bride. Everything they imagined and so much more! Their wedding coordinator was amazing as she was able to bring their vision to life. From the very beginning with a horse drawn carriage bringing the bride to the ceremony, to the last dance, every detail of this wedding will be remembered by all of the guests. We received so many compliments on this venue, the beauty of the property and the professionalism of the staff. It truly was a wedding of a lifetime.

We booked with this venue for August 2021 and couldn’t have been more happy to do so! A beautiful and scenic lot for a wedding with multiple location options for the ceremony. This venue had a unique, rustic look and the neutral decor helped us A LOT. We especially loved working with Nadine who is a wedding coordinator at this venue. We hired her for our day of and know the wedding would not have been so perfect without her! We also rented the summer camp cabins for the night for friends and family.

So I had my wedding in August of 2021 and it was so beautiful..... From my coordinator Nadine putting my ideas and hers together to make a beautiful simple ceremony, and reception. Helping with my twin toddlers!!!! Making sure my husband and I enjoyed ourselves and everything was so perfect for us!!!! The pictures outside surrounding the building we used made our photos so much better with the natural beauty of the land. All my guests loved!!! Thank you sugar lake lodge for my special amazing day!!!

My wife and I tied the knot at this incredible venue earlier this month. Sugar Lake Lodge is set on a beautiful property in Leroy Township. Our ceremony was held out by the lake. There's a large oak tree that provided shade for the wedding party. An old barn nearby gave the day a nice rustic feel. We had our reception in the lodge itself which is a short walk from the lake. The lodge offers the same rustic feel but is updated where it matters. There was ample space for the wedding party to get ready. A split hall for dinner and dance floor offered a nice dynamic for all guests. Nadine coordinated the wedding up to and on the big day. She went above and beyond, tailoring every little detail to our particular taste. She was so reassuring and helpful. We couldn't have done it without her!

We had our wedding here on 4/9/21 and let me tell you, you will not be disappointed if you book them! Affordable, BYOB, beautiful, and THE best wedding coordinator we could have asked for. We had to reschedule our wedding from 2020 to a new venue, and when we found Sugar Lake Lodge it was such a huge relief. Nadine and Stephen were wonderful to work with and made the process of switching venues and organizing everything last minute so easy. Nadine has such an eye for decorating and is creative too! She helped us keep our sanity while figuring out what we wanted to do with decorations, floor plans, etc. Communication was spot-on and she was always quick to reply. Her ideas for a champagne wall as our place card holder table (highly recommend!) , table design, and even organizing all of our guests after the ceremony to take a huge group photo outside so they could flip the ceremony space for cocktail hour were great. Not only do we have a huge group photo now but everyone was impressed with how quickly they switched everything around (less than 3 minutes!) Besides being super organized, Nadine is also one of the kindest people I have met. She will make you feel like you are the only wedding she is planning/organizing, and when the day comes, you will be able to full relax. She calls ALL of the vendors the week of the wedding and confirms deliveries etc. Each of our vendors were highly impressed with how organized she was, and how great she was to work with. The morning of she had a mimosa bar ready for us, and was there ALL DAY in case we needed anything. Truly, I can't say enough about Sugar Lake Lodge and Nadine and Stephen. They are SO worth setting up a meeting with and seeing how they can help your wedding day dream come true!

Nadine was awesome! She helped us so much. Venue was beautiful. Was extremely hot but Steve and Nadine took care of us girls to make sure we had the best most comfortable time getting ready. Would recommend 100%! This is the place to get married if you want a rustic theme. Lake was perfect. Bugs didn't bother us either lol. Shocking!

I cannot recommend Sugar Lake Lodge enough. I had my wedding here over Memorial Day weekend and it was an absolute dream. It truly was everything I have ever wanted. The property is stunning, the lodge is beautiful and there’s options to incorporate indoors and outdoors, which I did and loved. Steve and his wife were wonderful and so accommodating. I do have to give Nadine, the wedding planner a special shout-out. She was so organized, a wealth of knowledge, she was creative and turned my vision into a reality. She told me she wanted every bride’s wedding to be unique to their taste and she completely proved that. She went above and beyond to make me feel heard, supported and worked her butt off to give me my dream wedding. She coordinated and suggested vendors/rentals and we didn’t have to lift a finger. If you are venue shopping, look no further.

My daughter‘s wedding and reception were held at Sugar Lake Lodge. We could not have had a more wonderful experience. The scenery is stunning, the lodge is gorgeous and the ability to incorporate the outside space with an indoor reception makes it even more wonderful. The owners were gracious and wonderful to work with. I have to give a special acknowledgment to our wedding planner, Nadine. If there is one suggestion I could give to anyone considering this venue, it would be to purchase the package with the wedding planner included. She made the experience completely stress-free, just as she promised. She ordered the tent, spoke with the florist, suggested make up artist and caterers. She set every table to perfection. I cannot tell you how many guests said they’d never seen anything like it! She met with us privately 3x to make sure no detail was forgotten. She was exceptional. If I could give this venue 10 stars, I would.

This venue was absolutely amazing!!! The setting is picturesque and out of a dream, and the people are incredible!! Nadine is the coordinator and her desire to make your experience special and unique is so special. She is beyond talented in helping each bride to achieve her perfect day!! The property owners are willing to do whatever it takes to accommodate the needs of their guests and it shows!!! The attention to detail and personalized service is awesome!!!! I would recommend them to anyone!!

I was the maid of honor for a wedding at this absolutely gorgeous venue and everything went wonderfully. The bride and groom were really able to sit back and enjoy the day because of the staff at Sugar Lake Lodge! Would recommend this venue to anyone inquiring.

This will be lengthy. But if you’re considering this venue please read it. We went to look at Sugar Lake and it was gorgeous. We loved that it was different, rustic with modern touches, and on a beautiful property. We booked with them with a 50% deposit. We signed a contract. About a month after that we needed to reschedule due to unforeseen circumstances with one of our parents and our date. When we went to reschedule, Steve charged us a 250 fee. Not thrilled by it, but ok. We paid it and moved on. Then Covid hit. And in March we went into quarantine. Our wedding was in May. We called Steve to express our concerns and he advised us to wait it out. We didn’t want to do that because at the time no one knew anything about this virus and what was going to happen. We asked to reschedule as one does when there’s a pandemic. At that time he informed us there would now be a 1000 charge to reschedule. We were in shock. We inquired about why the price was 250 and he advised us per his contract he could make changes whenever he wanted about policies. Basically tough luck. We managed to talk him down to 875 because we were really stuck and had no choice. (And also because he told us our package included wedding insurance but then told us at this time we had to purchase it) If you look at another review it seems he did the same thing to another customer. Back in 2019 before us. Hmm But it was scummy. Beyond scummy to take advantage of people DURING A PANDEMIC. We rescheduled to 9/11. Another thing he didn’t have any Saturdays and stated if we waited until the following year we’d have to pay those differences in price. So a Friday was what we had to take. Another month went by and we slowly realized the pandemic was inhibiting weddings and what they could do so we made the difficult decision to move our venue to my parents and cut our guest list down drastically. Steve prides himself by thinking he did a service by cancelling our date and not asking for the remaining 3300. He kept our rescheduling fee as well as the previous 3300. I understand keeping the deposit. We were contractually obligated. It is what it is. He even requested we give him positive ratings on the apps. I was incredulous. But we should’ve received our rescheduling fee back. Poor business practice. Also keep a paper trail with this place. Their contract is very basic and old school and I wish I would’ve read it better. His contract basically says he can change any policy at any time and you can’t do anything about it. If you book here ask them to change that. Otherwise, run! I know it’s a pretty venue but these people took advantage of a couple during a pandemic. It’s not ok. The fact alone he changed his rescheduling fee when the pandemic hit on a whim is gross and opportunistic.

Was a wonderful ceremony and had a great time. The staff was so helpful and made my day go so smoothly

Had my wedding at Sugar Lake Lodge and am so happy I chose this venue. The place is absolutely breathtaking! They have a beautiful lake on the premises along with a really cool rustic lodge. My day ran perfectly and the owners and staff were very nice to work with. All of my guests enjoyed themselves, and overall our experience was 10/10!! I would highly recommend! The place is beautiful and there is a lot of potential!

I was a photographer here in September this year ... it was one of my favorite spots to shoot. The amount of options for your wedding is unlimited. The bride I worked with ended up having her ceremony by the oak tree by the lake and then put a tent outside to crest this amazing boho tent wedding. Not to include that Steve and Marcia (the owners) are amazing. You should definitely book this venue.

My daughter got married here July of this year. It was perfect. Planning a wedding is stressful enough but Steve was very accommodating to every email, phone call, text message or questions that we had. The place is beautiful and we rented the cabins the night before and the night of the wedding. Our guests loved it! Suggestions: If renting the cabins in the summer bring industrial fans for each cabin. We did and it helped keep it comfortable. Also bring solar lights to walk the path between the cabins and the barn where the fire pit is. Otherwise you can not see to walk the path at night and this makes a bit of a challenge for guests.

Absolutely beautiful! We had both our ceremony and reception at the camp and the owner was very helpful while we were there. The only issue was that the communication leading up to the wedding was sometimes difficult. Would recommend for a outdoorsy-woodsy experience though!

We got married at Sugar Lake last weekend (July 20, 2019) and we couldn't be more pleased with how our special day went. Steve accommodated our request to get married in a more unconventional ceremony site and put in the extra effort to make sure the landscaping fit our vision. This venue's grounds really are beautiful and Steve can help customize your package to meet your needs for your special day. The venue allows flexibility as well in your planning by allowing you to choose your own outside vendors for catering and other services. This was especially important to us since we had my Uncle travel from Cincinnati to host a pig roast for our wedding dinner. Thank you again for a fabulous day.

Perfect for any occasion recently had attended a wedding reception with cabin accommodations afterward the owner and everyone involved in the operations where excellent in service and polite throughout the whole 2 day experience I would recommend Sugar Lake Lodge to anyone and I hope to return in the near future!

We had our daughter's wedding there in May, 2019 and everything was beautiful and exactly what she wanted for her wedding. The venue owner was very helpful and was available via cell if we needed anything. I would highly recommend this venue for your wedding and reception.

I fell in love with this place as soon as I drove down the lane. The lake is absolutely gorgeous and the Lodge available has a rustic and industrial feel at the same time. It’s really a beautiful venue. I had my engagement party here on August 25, 2018 after I had booked my wedding for 2019. I loved it so much I wanted to have the engagement party there as well. They have two on-site venues and I will be renting out both for my wedding day because they give a great deal if you rent both at the same time. The owners are great to work with so far. I always get a fairly quick response. One of the things that really drew me in was the fact that I could bring in all my own stuff and do exactly what I envisioned. Unfortunately we were so caught up having fun I only got a couple pics with my sister but I will be posting pics after the wedding with another review of how things went! Hopefully it will be smooth sailing!

I recently attended an engagement party at Sugar Lake Lodge. It was absolutely stunning and could not have been better. The bride was relaxed and commented on how great the owners were to work with. Everything was clean and organized. The scenery was rustic and modern. I asked the bride and groom if they would recommend the venue to others, and they said "yes" without hesitation. There was plenty of room for everyone and it was just gorgeous.

A continuation of the review by Allyson N on 10-01-8 from the father's viewpoint. Quoting the response from the venue "...all brides to keep good records, ask questions, and review details. We keep good notes and you should too". This is almost laughable. **BRIDES/GROOMS... DEMAND EVERYTHING IN WRITING SO YOU HAVE A PAPER TRAIL. ASK QUESTIONS, GET ANSWERS IN WRITING. TAKE NO VERBAL AGREEMENTS OR CONFIRMATIONS. DO NOT ASSUME. We toured the venue prior to the wedding, there was a ton of construction happening at the venue at that time so we couldn't go everywhere. But the work that was promised to be completed was in fact done. Bonus. (this will be important when we talk about the restrooms). 1. Saying that arrangements hadn't been made for the East Wing are a fallacy. We talked at length about having food there AND in the event of rain, having the ceremony there as well, that room was reserved from the very beginning. 2. The bridal party DID NOT get ready for the ceremony in the lake house, but rather the lodge. We walked from the lodge to the lake around the old outdoor restrooms, by the horse barn and waited in the gap between the bushes and waited for the ceremony to begin. Never once did the bridal party go into the lake house. *Brides beware: having your ceremony by the lake may constitute having to rent the lake house whether you want it or not. That was never once brought up to us. We said we didn't need it or want it and we're told that that was fine. 3. The restrooms. The mens room is literally in a closet with a bifold door. Granted you go in there for one or two reasons, it doesn't have to be all kinds of fancy, but a proper door is not too much to ask. The other one, with the magic curtain... I gave it that name. There are two private stalls with doors (that don't close properly) as stated, but the third, the handicap one, is made private only by a curtain. If the curtain is closed, one should assume someone is in there RIGHT? I was in that room twice, both times, the curtain closed. I asked "anyone in there?" Getting a response the first time I waited, but the second time with no response... embarrassment. It was like a really bad magic trick when I pulled back the "magic" curtain. IF this was truly designed BY someone FOR handicapped people as stated for ease of use... that person needs to be fired and new plans drawn up. Is this even ADA compliant? I would give this facility a great review, but the fact that Steve, rather than take constructive criticism and respond professionally, decides to be aggressive and deflect, not only with Allyson's comments but others as well makes this impossible. If I hadn't witnessed it, I may doubt it. But it's real. Other things were brought up to me during that day by guests, I buffered and handled the best I could. This statement... "EVERYTHING we do ,we do for the benefit and or safety of the couple and their guests" leaves so much to be desired. P.S. Fix your cooler. Luke warm beer? Not good. Good thing we had ice.

The site itself was gorgeous, and everybody loved it. We had several people ask how we found the venue and how much they would like to maybe have an event there in the future. We toured this facility back in July of 2017, very soon after the venue itself was purchased by the current owner, and we understood that he was working on the property to make improvements. One complaint my guests had was about the bathroom situation with the men's room. There is apparently only one toilet in the men's room, and it's basically in a closet, in the room where the guys are supposed to get ready. The shared bathroom off of the main hall in the lodge had two stalls and what was called "the magic curtain," neither of these bathrooms, according to my guests, had urinals. My guests were uncomfortable using the stall with the Magic Curtain, but with the other two stalls and the only closet toilet available in the men's room, there wasn't really another option. I really thought a long time about how to write this review, as I LOVED the venue, and we had a really great time, but we did have issues with the owner. When we signed our contract back in 2017, we agreed that we would have the side room on the left for food. Two weeks before the wedding, he told us we, in fact, DIDN'T rent that room, but because he was in a good mood, he would comp it for us. He also had it marked incorrectly that we were using the lake house...which we were not. It was also discussed that he would arrange security, which did not happen, I had to do that after he said he talked to the sheriffs who didn't get a call about our wedding (again, 2 weeks before). I also paid to have people that allegedly worked for Sugar Lake help with set up and take down and direct traffic. There weren't any people...it was him and his wife, which is fine, but not what we were expecting. As far as I know, we did the setup/tear down ourselves. We also discussed wedding insurance on a mid-year visit, and I told him we would not be purchasing. again, 2 weeks before the wedding, with no updated contract, wedding insurance was now required. I understand things and situations change, but an updated contract for all of these things would have been useful, and I'm mad at myself for not requesting it sooner. There are some wonky times that you can get into the venue. At first it was we couldn't get in until 3:00 on the wedding day. Then it changed to setup between 10am-1 pm, and then come back at 3. I don't understand why we needed to leave at 1, but it didn't really matter because we were on time/early with everything anyways. The last, and biggest thing, was that he told my aunt, who was driving my grandparents (my grandpa has a handicapped sticker because he cannot walk very well), that she could not park in the handicapped parking. My dad took care of that and only told me about this incident the other day, but seriously? If he had fallen because they weren't allowed to park in the handicapped parking spot... Also - There are rooms marked private in the upstairs of the main hall - bedrooms for when his kids come visit. I really don't want to deter people from using this venue because it is so gorgeous and so amazing, but working with Stephen did make things more difficult than they needed to be. I don't know if it's inexperience with renting out venues for weddings or what, but I agree with the other review - have a paper trail. Keep tabs on EVERYTHING.

Our event was July 27, 2018 (Friday); we then made use of the entire Sugar Lake Lodge Facility for the remainder of the weekend; had a family reunion. We had family come from ALL OVER and wanted to spend the weekend with them, in lieu of taking off immediately on a honeymoon. This review represents the Friday evening event. During the planning stages, Steve was VERY quick to respond to texts/emails; he made it easy to meet with him and he also allowed us to view the venue when we asked,so we could plan our decor. We've watched this facility improve DAILY, since May, 2017! The potential is limitless, and I know Steve/Marcy are working it aggressively! PERFECT place for a party of 100! A/C worked GREAT! Steve was helpful in working with us/caterer in room set up. Bride/groom 'get ready rooms' were great, just need to lock off certain doors & point out where other bathroom was so we didn't have guests walk in on us. Felt a tad rushed after the event to have everything out. Being there for the weekend, I'm sure had I asked Steve would have maybe allowed us a short time the morning after to clear out. I think if they had a woman available the day of the wedding, should any of the bridal party need anything, that would be helpful too! Plus, if their staff was in a company shirts, that would help guests with questions/directions. The Valet parking was not good. We had guests who were staying the weekend in the cabins, and one guest in particular was directed to the main hall and started to unload their sleeping bags, no where near cabin. Seems the parking staff was uninformed of what the plan was for the day, so we felt that was not worth what we paid at all. We had 2 guests arrive a little late, and parking staff was already gone so they wandered around the grounds, not knowing where to go and missed our ceremony. A bit before the bride was to walk down the aisle, she was informed we would be responsible for any wall repairs should the tape peel any paint. Just seemed bad timing for a busy bride,and the groom had already been informed of this. The dumpster was great for trash; but having recycling would be AWESOME! It was paining my Canadian relatives throwing things out as their country recycles BIG TIME (but so do I). I don't want to sound like I'm hen pecking this, it's just a suggestion. It was a little awkward having the event where the owners live...made me feel bad at times, like I was interrupting their home life, but I know The Todd's have a plan for that too, so it'll be cool (SUGGESTION: don't make the lake house your home, build new back in the woods! That house is PERFECT for renting! I think making that your family home would take away a HUGE amount of business from you!) Their 'NO SHOT's AT THE BAR POLICY' is an ABSOLUTE MUST!!! Liquor shots just make things ugly...fast, and I support them on this 110%!!! No need to drink on the dance floor either! Trust them on this! Steve responds FAST; know that he has a lot of bases to cover, providing a venue like this, so be patient. There is a lot of liability that needs addressed, and it for the best for ALL! Steve, you and your wife in nice SLL light blue golf shirts, and parking attendants in light blue t-shirts would be AWESOME! The bride needs a female available, and the groom a male. People, know too that the Todd's are working on more signage for the grounds...in fact they've probably already handled it since July! ENJOY!

Without a doubt the location of this venue is beautiful but the owner made my wedding day embarrassing for me and my guests!!! First, with each visit back to the venue, myself and my husband had to correct the owner on what had previously been discussed as he would forget what we had already talked about and booked; so keep a detailed record of everything so that you can follow a paper trail if needed! Second, we booked the night before our wedding for the rehearsal/setup and upon arrrival he told all my guests that we had to leave the site by 8p because he had somewhere to be. I told him that he emailed me saying that we had the venue til 11pm to setup. After I told him about the email we did stay that evening until 11p to complete our setup. Third, the morning of my wedding as I was getting my things into the lake house for set up, the owner said that he didn’t want to start the day off with a negative note but that he was upset that there were stickers left behind on the ground from the night prior. Just what any bride wants to hear as she’s preparing for her wedding day.. The owners expectations on owning a wedding venue are definitely not realistic!! Fourth, he told my bartender that she wasn’t allowed to pour any shots for our guests to drink despite there being a police officer on site. The fifth and most embarrassing/upsetting thing was that the owner was pulling my guests off the dance floor while the band was playing and told everyone they weren’t allowed on the dance floor with a drink in their hand!! I have never heard anything like this before in my life!! I was so upset and my guests were made extremely uncomfortable!! These are my honest encounters with this venue.

We had our wedding mid-October 2017 and were blown away by the overall experience. The venue itself was exactly what we were looking for in terms of atmosphere, scenery, and overall experience. We had sole use of the lodge for 2 days and on both days our party was the only people allowed in the venue which was a huge plus. Steve and Marcia were nothing but helpful in the run-up and during the course of our wedding. We couldn't praise them enough. There were many ways to customize our experience such as booking a shuttle and setting up lighting for the driveway. By our wedding, the venue had a brand new air conditioning system as well as other upgrades from when we first booked our contract. The venue played a huge part in the success of our weekend and the amount of our guests who are still talking about your venue is a testament to that. Thank you!!

We got married here on October 21, 2017. The venue is absolutely gorgeous in the fall with all the foliage happening. It's secluded and very rustic. We rented the main hall and the east wing. We got married on the east wing and then had the reception and dinner in the middle main hall. We used the mezzanine for a photo booth and just an area to get away from crowds. The bride and groom have separate areas to get ready in which is a plus. The only downfall to that is, they are right in front by the door so we ended up locking the first door due to traffic on the in and out and being exposed to everyone in the lobby. All plugs worked and lights worked in the room and it's very spacious. The flow of the evening was great. The only thing I'd suggest is to get pavement instead of gravel as it's hard for ladies in heels to walk a far distance. We did have drop off at the door to avoid that though! Also, we set up the night before and I would HIGHLY suggest doing this. It would be way too hard to do it the day of! Steve and Marcia were very accommodating during our big day and were not in our way in the least. I would highly recommend Sugar Lake Lodge to anyone searching for a rustic/secluded venue!

I went to a wedding on the7th. The catering and decorations were beautiful (done by somebody other than Sugarlake) The ceremony was beautiful. That was it. There was no Handicapped parking you had to walk all the way up to the venue in rocks while wearing heels. When you left there was no lighting at all. The air conditioner did not work and the men's bathroom door was broken which resulted in a few embarrassing encounters. There was no security. The owners hovered over you like a parent. It was terrible. A member of the bridal party hurt her leg and an ambulance was called and the owner was nasty about the whole ordeal. STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS VENUE UNTIL STEPHEN TODD IS NO LONGER THE OWNER. It could have been perfect.

My son and my daughter in law were the first wedding hosted here on 7-7-17. This venue could be exceptional, if the new owners are receptive to suggestions and constructive criticism. It's a beautiful place for a wedding. The pictures by the lake turned out exquisite! That being said, the place desperately needs an adequate air conditioning system, first and foremost! We sweltered! Every one of us was miserable from the heat! A building that size shouldn't be affected if doors are opening and closing, as your guests are entering and exiting. It's should respond accordingly, and adjust your air temperature to keep the room set at the degree set on the thermostat. It was horrendous! No one wants to pay large sums of money on hair and make up, only to look like a sweaty mess on the forever photos! Even the bride was affected. There needs to be some sort of shuttle to and from the lake house. Maybe a golf cart. My husband used our personal car repeadidly to accommodate everyone, as the trek there and time frame were impossible for everyone, all fancied up. Also the parking lot needs handicapped parking, and a shuttle service. The rocks and uneven terrains were ridiculous to navigate in dressy shoes. Another problem was the bridal suite's outlets had no electricity to them. A big inconvenience for the last minute touches needed to be done for hair, and cell phone charging, as the day was long. Also, I'd suggest a basket of little odds and ends that one in the wedding party might need such as safety pins, needle and thread etc. And finally, I felt that the owners kind of hovered all night. If you rent a place, you shouldn't feel as though you're overstaying your welcome! The place should feel yours until the time has expired. I felt like a Jr high school kid, at a dance with the owners being the chaperones. It wasn't a very comfortable feeling. If Steve and Marcy take peoples experiences into consideration, and rectify them, I'm sure they will have a very successful business endeavor. My sons wedding was beautiful, none the less, and everyone had a great time!

My husband and I were the first wedding at this venue, so I understand there will always be kinks and things to improve. I give them 3 stars for the following reasons. Upon arriving at our July 7th wedding, which was a very hot day, the indoor ceremony room, reception hall, and bridal suite were incredibly hot due to the window air conditioner they had, which one of our guests had to plug in themselves because it was not even on. My hair fell flat immediately and my face was shiny all night from sweating. While we had the place beautifully decorated and a band playing inside, all our guests had to spend their time outside because of the heat indoors. There is also not handicapped parking spaces, and it can be very dark from the treck from the venue to the parking area after partying, with gravel roads that are hard to walk on. We rented out the cabins for our guests to stay in, which did the job for them to sleep in saftley and not have to drive drunk. I was, however, disappointed that the fire pits were not cleaned out of weeds and grass a promised, so we couldn't have a relaxing bonfire afterwards. I also payed for security, which was not provided, but they are willing to refund me for this, and I hope they follow through. The bathroom stalls did not close properly, so a few of our guests were walked in on while using the restroom. Overall, if they get a working central airconditioning unit, fix the bathrooms, and pave and light up the parking area, maybe even offer valet, and clean up the cabin area, I think it will be a successful wedding venue.