A pastoral backdrop for your special day.
Nestled among 175 acres of breathtaking foliage, sweeping meadows and rolling hills, the John James Audubon Center offers a bucolic setting for any event, private or public, at any time of year.
Once the estate of famed naturalist and illustrator, John James Audubon, the Audubon Center is a beautiful retreat from fast-paced city life. Choose to host your event within the 18th-Century fieldstone barn with its hand-hewn beams and soaring wooden ceiling, or perhaps in the newer all-wood pavilion. Your guests will enjoy strolling outside, within the shade of the apple orchard or beside the bank of the winding creek. Whether you are planning dinner for 50 guests or a ball for 250, Audubon is the ideal venue for any elegant and special occasion.
Civil Union, Commitment Ceremony, Elopement, Interfaith Ceremony, Non-Religious Ceremony, Religious Ceremony, Second Wedding, Vow Renewal Ceremony
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks, Bar Rental, Cakes & Desserts, Cupcakes, Other Desserts, Food & Catering, Planning, Rentals & Equipment, Service Staff
Settings
Backyard, Barn, Historic Venue, Museum, Trees
Business Attributes
Pricing for John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove
Option
Value
Starting Cost
Moderate
Cost Starting
Price Range
Couples Usually Spend
Peak Season Months
Peak Season Cost
Peak Season Reception Cost
Peak Season Ceremony Cost
Peak Season Bar Service Cost
OffSeason Months
OffSeason Cost
OffSeason Reception Cost
OffSeason Ceremony Cost
OffSeason BarService Cost
John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove Reviews
Gina McCauley(other)5 out of 5 Rating
We are so happy we had our wedding at the John James Audubon Center! It has the most beautiful nature backdrop for pictures outside. Our ceremony and cocktail hour were in the barn and it was one of the most beautiful buildings. Our guests were so impressed by it! The reception in the pavilion was gorgeous with large windows, a fireplace and mantle, and ample space for our guests. Our JAM coordinator was the MVP of the day and went above and beyond to make sure everything was perfect. I would highly recommend having your wedding at the John James Audubon Center! Reviewed on 18-10-2023
Michaela Attia(other)5 out of 5 Rating
My husband and I got married at John James Audubon Center in September 2023, and we highly recommend it! All of our interactions with JJAC/JAM Catering were nothing short of courteous and they made wedding planning stress-free. We worked specifically with Tara Iannucci, and she was an absolute pleasure to work with. Tara was thorough in her review of our timeline and patient when answering our questions. She was attentive to our needs and her adaptability made last-minute adjustments possible. Her reliability enabled us to feel relaxed and enjoy our special day. The barn and pavilion were spectacularly decorated, the food was fabulous, and the staff were kind. Our guests had a wonderful time. We a lot of give credit for the enjoyment of our day to Tara/Audubon/JAM. If we were to do it again, we’d still choose JJAC. Photographer: John DePasquale(Haley Richter Photography)Florist: Splints & Daisies Reviewed on 01-01-2024
Meghan K(other)3 out of 5 Rating
The summary: beautiful venue, amazing food and great ceremony options, but look out for costs you may not have thought about and read reviews carefully. Here's some helpful planning info plus our experience:VENUEIt was a beautiful place to get married! We loved having options for ceremony/reception, especially a lovely backup indoor ceremony space, which we did end up using. Once the ceremony was over, the space transformed into cocktail hour.FOODThe food was amazing. I've never heard so many people rave about chicken before. The wait staff was great too! BOOZEYou can bring your own booze or get an alcohol package. The bartenders were great.PARKINGLots of parking for guests and our buses had no problems. You can only leave 1 car overnight in the parking lot, since it's a park, so keep that in mind for planning. SOUNDThere is no sound provided - you must bring your own equipment.CANDLES Loved that we could do live flame in containers.ACCESSIBILITYThere's a golf cart to help folks get around and I think all of our spaces had ramp options.GETTING READYThere's a suite that you can use 3 hours before your event - it's a good size and fit our whole wedding party. If you want to use it earlier, it's $500. ADD ONSIf you want to add extra lighting/greenery/candles/plates/glasses, or extra food stations, they probably have an option for you. It's good to have the decor options, but they do add up, so if you are trying to save money, you may need your own planner/friend to set things up.SPECIAL THINGSWe loved that they had apps/drinks for us so we could have a moment to ourselves on the porch before happy hour. Our guests also loved the outside area with the fire pit. You can request an owl visitation for an extra $200 - apparently owls are finicky so we had a falcon, but it was cool. MAKE SURE YOU...Make sure you carefully read the paperwork and what is included or not. We didn't realize how much more we would have to pay for things/to make things work and we wish we'd read the papers better. There are a lot of food options that you have to pay extra for. When we went to our tasting, we tried a bunch of stuff, but nearly all of it were stations to add on, or fancier plated menu dishes. When we chose our menu later on, we were bummed that we hadn't tried things in our price point. Also if you are doing a plated menu, you don't get to pick your appetizers - if you want to change them, it's $1 per person per appetizer. We also paid $15 to rent a table for cards/gifts, which seemed extra to us. I guess it's the wedding industry though.Bottom line: make sure you have thought about the things you want/can afford before you sign. It may be more coordination than you realize. 1 signature drink or 2? Cake with 3 flavors? Can your DJ bring equipment for multiple locations? Where will you get ready/get pictures/how will transportation work? Costs add up fast.A HEADS UPRead reviews carefully. They have a program where you can get one of a few $500 add-ons if you give reviews on these sites and post on social media about them before your wedding, so some positive reviews may just be for that. COMMUNICATIONI think there was staff turnover during our wedding planning - it felt like we got handed off to a different person for each part of the process, which made things feel impersonal and disjointed. The people we worked with were nice, but at times we felt like more of a transaction than an excited engaged couple. Reviewed on 28-12-2023
Heidi McCollester(other)5 out of 5 Rating
we absolutely adored our wedding at John James Audubon Center! It was gorgeous even in December. It was rustic, cozy and romantic. The staff was wonderful and the process was great the whole way through! Reviewed on 26-12-2023
Madison C(other)5 out of 5 Rating
With our wedding right around the corner, I wanted to share how pleased I have been with the JAM staff at John James Audubon Center. They have been great with communicating and helping us plan our day. I have felt at ease with working with them and am sure everything will be great on the day of our wedding! Reviewed on 10-05-2023
Andrea Fondots(bride)5 out of 5 Rating
We are having our wedding at The John James Audubon Center this year with Jeffrey A Miller catering and we can't WAIT. The venue is so beautiful and unique. I love that they have both an indoor and outdoor ceremony option on case of inclement weather, and I love the clear doors and wall in the reception hall. This gives it a very outdoor feeling, even inside! The catering is unmatched. No detail is overlooked and the food is phenomenal. I also love their focus on sustainability and fresh ingredients. Reviewed on 01-05-2023
Nicholas Gardocki(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 11-05-2024 Went to John James Audubon and had our wedding tasting. The food was unreal and the staff was very friendly and accommodating. We especially liked seeing the venue set up just like an actual wedding. This helped us get a sense of what it will look like on our big day. If you are looking for a wedding venue, look no further. Reviewed on 11-03-2023
Madison Conway(bride)5 out of 5 Rating
JAM at John James has been so great! We just had our tasting with them and it was nothing but amazing. The food was all amazing, but the staff was even better. The wedding coordinators were attentive and making sure any and all questions were addressed. Cannot wait for our wedding there in June! Reviewed on 23-01-2023
Melissa Marchand(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 24-06-2022 John James Audubon Center was the perfect place to have our ceremony and reception. Shelley, our event coordinator, was AMAZING! She worked around the clock to answer questions and help us in planning our day. She laid everything out for us so that we could clearly see how the event was going to look and what was going to happen to the minute. During the event she went around to us and all family members to make sure we were happy and taken care of. The Audubon team even helped repurpose our flowers when our florist was unable to. They were very easy to work with and we would highly recommend anyone looking for this type of venue!! Reviewed on 20-07-2022
Tina Benno(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 12-05-2022 The John James Audubon Center was an absolutely gorgeous wedding venue that my husband and I fell in love with the minute we toured it when looking for venues. Our wedding guests were so impressed by the venue and appreciated the open space concept where they could walk the grounds and enjoy the beautiful weather we were blessed with on our big day. If you are looking for a rustic elegant and indoor/outdoor sort of wedding, we highly recommend looking into this venue for your own wedding. We had the best time on our wedding day and it was absolutely perfect! Not to mention there are so many spots where you can take pictures at this venue whether it's for solo couple shots or with your wedding party or others. Reviewed on 23-05-2022
Jillian P(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 01-05-2022 Absolutely beautiful venue with friendly staff. Our coordinator Tara has been extremely helpful with every step of the process. She’s super flexible and has helped out unique visions comes to life! Reviewed on 04-05-2022
Olivia Famous(bride)3 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 12-03-2022 -Grounds are beautiful, fee is reasonable, planning/sales women are fantastic. -Staff from John James parking attendings were extremely rude to my guests especially the man who was in charge of the parking staff, unfortunately we do not know his name. -The lighting needs to be separated, it can not be all or none. We had chandeliers (that we paid a hefty fee for) and the included market lights. We didn't have the option to dim or turn off one or the other, which made for a very bright dancefloor. -Day of we had a minor snow storm, no state of emergency. No loss of power. As the bride, the morning of our wedding I was consulted about the chance of power loss and told they did not have a generator large enough to cover the building. We were asked to shorten our wedding time frame and put all activities in one building in case they lost power. UNACCEPTABLE. Had this call not been made and a generator been accessible, I would have given the venue a 4 star. -Forced to open an insurance policy for 1 million dollars to cover the wedding. - Lack of back up plan in case of inclement weather. -Highly suggest going to the yearly tasting with JAM catering. Incredible food and lovely staff at JAM who is there exclusive caterer. Reviewed on 28-04-2022
Monica Peters(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 30-10-2021 John James Audubon was the most beautiful venue we could imagine for our wedding last week. When we toured the space, we instantly fell in love with the space and several options for the various wedding events from the apple orchard to the open air pavilion. The Audubon and Jeffrey Miller Catering staff we worked with throughout the process were so helpful and answered many of our questions as we were planning our wedding during a pandemic. Our planner, Shelley, made everything so easy for us. Shelley was prepared with suggestions and guidance every time we spoke with her and we felt like our day was in the best hands. On our wedding day, Shelley took all the stress away from us serving as a central contact for our band and florist as they arrived and checking in with us through the night to ensure we did not want for anything. The food was also AMAZING! Guests raved about cocktail hour and we cannot wait to dive back into our cake next year. I would highly recommend this venue for anyone looking for an elegant natural wedding! Thank you Shelley and JAM! Reviewed on 07-11-2021
David Loiter(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 19-09-2021 So accommodating and loved having the owl come out for our cocktail hour! đź’• Reviewed on 27-09-2021
Laura Even(other)3 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 29-05-2021 I will start out with the negative, because I think it's important for any couple considering this venue--though the issues were with the partnered catering company (Jeffrey), which must be used--not the venue itself. Because of their handling of rescheduling and fees/pricing during the pandemic, I would not recommend them to another couple.Our initial wedding date was a Saturday in May 2020. As it became clear this would not be feasible, we were offered to reschedule without any fees to any date. We selected a Friday in July 2020 (naively thinking that things would be better by then). As that date neared, it again became clear that we would need to reschedule again. At this point, the conditions were changed. We were offered, without charge, to switch to any Monday-Thursday date until March 2021. If we wanted any other date, we would be charged an additional $6000. After much discussion, we opted to select a date in May 2021, accepting this additional charge that was obviously frustrating. Our wedding planner, who works with many similarly priced venues in the Philadelphia area, informed us that this was the only venue with this new fee policy. When we asked for our new contract to include a COVID-rescheduling clause in the event that we needed to reschedule again, we were denied this request. Luckily, we were able to hold our wedding on our May 2021 date. However, we were again met with a surprise regarding fees. Leading up to our wedding, local regulations decreased our allowed guest count to approximately 15-20% of our original guest count. In response to this, JAM lowered our catering minimum by 20% of the original (not TO 20%, but BY 20%), so we were expected to pay 80% of the original catering minimum for only 20% of the guests, thereby increasing our charge per person by nearly $100. Our wedding planner discussed this unfair (and frankly, made-up?) policy with Jeffrey (the catering company’s owner) himself, and she reported to me that he agreed we should be paying 20% of the minimum, not 80%. However, the next day, our planner received an email saying that Jeffrey had talked to his business manager and would be unable to honor the pricing that he, the owner, had said was appropriate. Counting the $6000 we were charged to move our date, we would have actually been paying over 100% of our original catering minimum for 20% of the original guests.I understand that this pandemic has been difficult for couples, vendors, and guests. And I am glad that our venue and associated catering company were still in business when it came time for us to finally celebrate together. However, working with JAM and its unwritten, changing policies (that were not seen at other venues or vendors) just added to the stress. Having already spent thousands of dollars with this company and knowing that other venues were booking up, we felt trapped. It was unfortunate that with each changing policy, we were made to feel like we were being given a deal, that fees/costs could have been much worse. My hope is that the pandemic's effects are through, but in the event that they are not, couples will not be met with flexibility or professionalism from this catering company. If I had could go back in time, I would not have scheduled with this caterer. And I would not say that about any of our other vendors.If it weren't for the catering company's COVID business practices, I would give this venue 5/5 stars across the board. Reviewed on 23-07-2021
Sophia Choi(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 22-11-2020 It’s been hell of a year but we made it with the Flexibility and care of JAM staff. Our wedding was originally supposed to be on 11/22/20, but we were able to move it to 8/22/21, thanks to their generosity. We take great pride in the fact that our food will be the best quality and and farm to table food. We have high confidence that the food at our wedding will be the most memorable to our guests. Thank you Sharon and the team! Reviewed on 02-07-2021
Chelsey Fix(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 14-11-2020 JJAC and the Jam Catering team worked hard to create safety guidelines that were reasonable and still allowed everyone to have a great time. The setting is absolutely beautiful anytime of year, and the owl visit was insanely popular! The Staff was amazing, and Shelley went above and beyond to make the whole experience exceptional. Finally, can’t leave a review without mentioning the phenomenal food!! We got so many compliments on the food and I am still craving our dinner menu. There isn’t a better venue or team in the area! Reviewed on 29-12-2020
Liz Howell(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 01-05-2021 We had a fantastic experience working with Danielle last weekend. She gave us a full tour of the venue and made so excited to be getting married there in May. The venue is absolutely beautiful and there are multiple options for where to have the ceremony and cocktail hour. She gave us a run down of different options in case of rain. I have heard such amazing things about JAM catering and cannot wait for the tasting this winter. Reviewed on 05-11-2020
Meghan O'Brien(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 14-05-2021 We are so excited to get married here and celebrate with our family and friends! John James Audubon Center and JAM Catering have been nothing but supportive and informative during these crazy times of planning a wedding! They have done everything in their power to make sure we are feeling comfortable and keeping us in the loop on our next moves towards our big day. Listening to some of our friends who are also getting married and the stuff their venues are putting them through is something we will never have to worry about with JAM and John James Audubon Center! Reviewed on 09-08-2020
Rachel Soh(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 27-07-2019 We had a great experience working with John James Audubon Center and JAM catering. It was the first venue we looked at and we fell in love with the natural environment. We booked it even before the visitor center was completed because we knew it was special.Jenn B. was our coordinator and did everything amazingly. She handled last minute changes (even day-of changes) like a pro and never made me feel like I was a burdensome bride. We had a very full schedule and she helped us stay on track without making us feel like we were rushing. She answered all of my emails in a timely manner and was always super nice and great to talk to.Everyone who came to our wedding raved about our venue, telling us that they never knew this hidden gem was in Montco. We also heard from everyone that they loved the food by JAM catering. Thank you JAM and JJAC team! Reviewed on 01-01-2020
Maike Hirst-Roddey(bride)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 03-08-2019 I am so sad to not write a 5-star of this amazing venue, but unfortunately 2 different things make this 4/5 stars. I have to give up the positives first. It’s a lovely space, with an included tasting (of amazing food), included cake and wedding planner, excellent staff, and great professionalism. Our family and friends raved about the food and the wedding in general. The day we had was perfect and I could not be more grateful for this unique and fantastical venue. First, the tipping of the staff. Included in the “JAM handbook” was a tipping guide with certain amounts to tip. I was also provided with my staff count weeks before my wedding. 3 days before my event, I received an email with my official staff count. I thought I already had that, but this staff count was completely different. More staff was on there, and included was a tipping guide, with completely different (higher) amounts to tip. This discrepancy was confusing and infuriating, considering I already had all my tips in separate envelopes ready to go. All of a sudden they’re suggesting more tips for more people, and to top it off, we didn’t even have all the staff that was in the email three days before the event.Next, the bartender. We had an older white male bartender at our event that was inappropriate. He made comments about the mother of the groom being hot to the father of the groom, told who he thought was the groom (actually best man) that “it’s not too late to say no”, and severely over served the brother of the groom (he was feeding the brother drinks the whole night and actually left the bar to serve him over-filled drinks).I can’t say that the bad outweighs the good, because all-in-all I would still recommend this place and didn’t regret a thing. I just have to point out the negatives because I think they deserve to be said. Reviewed on 24-11-2019
Katherine Hyde(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 28-09-2019 JJAC ended up being the perfect venue for our September wedding. We luckily had great weather, so we were able to move forward with our Plan A, which was beautiful -- our ceremony under the honey locust tree, our cocktail hour in the rustic barn AND outside by the apple orchard, and our reception in the pavilion with the fire pit lit (and s'mores)! Our guests RAVED about both JAM's food and the beauty of the venue. The food was beyond delicious, and the food service was also impeccable. We had the pleasure of working with Shannon from JJAC, and she was incredible. Her personality definitely helped to put us at ease throughout the planning process, and she was there to help answer all of our questions (and she did so promptly and with great detail). Shannon had all the answers to our questions, and she helped make our vision a total reality. From the minute we met her when we were scoping out venues and she offered us a tour, to our wedding day when she was there to ensure everything went flawlessly (and make sure we were having the best time), she was awesome to work with. Between Shannon, JAM Catering, and the beauty of JJAC, I would absolutely recommend having your wedding here - it was truly the best :) Reviewed on 11-11-2019
Caitlin Donnelly(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 27-09-2019 We had our wedding here in September 2019. We couldn’t have asked for a better day. From the day we booked the venue, we were guided in all the decisions we needed to make. At times we felt clueless and behind but our wedding coordinator Jenn assured us we were on schedule and everything would be great. The day of was above and beyond anything we could have imagined. The team took over decorating our reception area and took our idea and made it beautifully real. Jenn was so attentive to our needs that day asking multiple times if she could get us a drink, or to remind us that our food was out and we should eat. We would hands down book this place all over again. The food was amazing! The atmosphere was so unique and had something for everyone! Reviewed on 08-11-2019
Morgan Pliska(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 06-07-2019 We had our wedding here back in July and it was everything we hoped it would be! My husband and I had no idea where to start, but Jenn with Jeffrey Miller Catering was amazing through the entire process. It started to rain right before the ceremony, and the rain plan went on without a hitch! The staff day of was amazing and the space is so beautiful on it's own, you don't need a lot of extra decor or flowers. Our ceremony/cocktail hour was in the barn and the reception was in the pavilion. The food from Jeffrey Miller was amazing, all of our guests were raving about it. Thanks again Audubon, for making our day one we'll never forget!! Reviewed on 11-10-2019
Danielle B(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 21-06-2019 I had my wedding at the John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove in June and could not have been happier with choosing their venue. From the moment we visited they were warm and welcoming. Their partnership with JAM catering made the whole experience even smoother. Not only did we get a beautiful venue with a range of spaces to utilize (we had the ceremony in the apple orchard, cocktails in the barn, and dinner/ dancing in the pavilion), but we also got delicious, locally sourced food that all of the guests were raving about. Jenn was our planner and she was extremely thorough. We were planning from New York so couldn't always be on-site but she was extremely accommodating scheduling phone calls with us. The day-of she kept things moving smoothly and her whole team was extremely professional and made everything run smoothly. Everyone had a wonderful time and loved the atmosphere of the space! We would highly recommend it! Reviewed on 12-08-2019
Ben Greenwald(groom)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 05-07-2019 My wife and I instantly fell in love with Audubon when we visited the grounds looking for a wedding venue. Its picturesque scenery and connection to nature won us over — it felt elegant, modern, rustic, and peaceful. Perfect for us! They completed a series of incredible renovations just two months before our wedding, which made the already beautiful venue even more gorgeous. Plus, you can request to have an owl featured at your cocktail hour. Our guests absolutely loved meeting Scooter! Audubon was the perfect wedding venue for us, can’t recommend it enough! Reviewed on 01-08-2019
Stephanie Beatty(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 17-05-2019 As soon as we visited Audubon, we knew it was the right venue for us. It’s just so naturally beautiful and rustic. Throughout our wedding planning process, we worked with Jenn as our wedding planner. Jenn was incredible. She was very Type A in the planning process, so that relieved A LOT of my stress during planning. I also appreciated that she would give me her opinion and her ideas when I asked because she obviously knows the venue way better than me and can tell me what works best. The day of the wedding Jenn was a source of calm for me. She made me feel like I truly had nothing to worry about and I can honestly say I was able to enjoy our day because of that. I really liked that Audubon offered Decoration Packages. It really saved me a lot of time and stress. We bought a decoration package that included table numbers, wooden tree stump slabs for the tables, a box of throw blankets for the firepit, tree stumps to line the ceremony aisles, a pick a seat not a side sign, an easel for our welcome sign, and these GORGEOUS wreath light installations for the Pavilion. We went to our group tasting the summer before our wedding. JAM Catering’s food is to DIE FOR. Almost all of the food we chose for our menu we tried at the tasting. We did Orange Cardamom Short Ribs, Seared Corvina, and Zucchini and Quinoa Cake. For the cocktail hour we added a BBQ in a Jar Station and a Paella Station. During the reception we added a Gelato Station. All of our guests raved about the food! Our BBQ in a Jar Station completely went and I keep hearing how amazing and tender the Short Ribs were. Our ceremony we had outside in the Apple Orchard. It was beautiful! And our cocktail hour was in the Barn and also outside. Everyone loved that! Our guests kept saying: “How did you find this place? It’s gorgeous!” Our reception was held in the Pavilion. Our guest count was on the higher side (200) so it was a little cozy, but during dinner we asked Jenn to open all of the garage doors in the Pavilion and it opened up the space SO much! People could be outside and still listen to the music and be a part of the party! Our guests utilized the outside fire pit too. One thing that really impressed me was the bartenders. Our wedding had a lot of wine drinkers. So we brought approximately 8 different wine varietals and about 3-5 different wines of each varietal. We were VERY impressed at how well the bartenders organized all of the wine we brought and were able to memorize Our selection and serve our guests in a quick manner. Lastly, we had JAM do cheesesteaks and Philly soda bottles to go as a favor! Everyone loved it! Overall, the event was flawless! The service was excellent. It truly was thebest day of our lives! Only cons: Videographers are not allowed to use drones. But I got over that pretty quickly. And there really isn’t a “Bridal Suite” on site. Just a small room. Reviewed on 16-07-2019
Catherine Callaway(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 25-05-2019 We're getting married at JJAC this coming May. Planning is in full swing and has been such a pleasure so far. The JAM team and our planner Shannon are fantastic. They answer any question, small or big, provide recommendations and are just overall helpful! We can't wait for our big day! Reviewed on 30-01-2019
Kristen Kissinger(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 23-11-2018 The JJAC is a beautiful place no matter the time of year. Our wedding was in late fall, after all the leaves had fallen off the trees. It was so peaceful! The grounds were beautifully kept. The construction of the new Visitor Center was tastefully obstructed from view. We did our first look/photos by the old owl enclosure, and held the ceremony in the barn. It felt so intimate. We loved dining and partying in the pavilion, too! We had an owl make an appearance during cocktail hour, and they brought us Scooter, the cutest little one-eyed carnivore you'll ever see. Having the fire pit going later that night was a plus! Our guests have all told us how much they loved our venue. We are so happy we got married here. Reviewed on 14-12-2018
Andrew Oliver(groom)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 12-08-2018 The moment we pulled into John James Audubon Center to meet Michelle, we knew the other venues we had planned to see that day had a lot to live up to. Michelle was incredible, she listened, cared and understood what kind of celebration we wanted for our wedding. She was wonderful in showing us other venue options under the J.A.M family but John James Audubon Center was tough to beat. Although it was always in our top three, we decided on this venue because the backup plan in case of rain was just as perfect as our original plan of an outdoor ceremony. After deciding, we were connected to the wonderful Shannon and Ashley, the whole team at this venue were beyond incredible! From the attention to detail to the seamless contact, we never felt stressed about our venue. Ashley made time for us via email and face to face to go over every single detail. She really did understand what kind of day we wanted and made sure everything was taken care of. Our face to face meetings settled our nerves, helped us with aspects of the wedding we hadn’t thought of yet (wedding brain exists) and confirmed why we were so connected to this venue and the staff. On our wedding day, Ashley was incredible, and our already stunning venue transformed into something magical. Our discussions with Ashley painted a good picture of what our day would look like but we were blown away with how beautiful everything was and how it surpassed our imaginations. John James Audubon Center was beyond incredible, the staff made our day seamless from the moment we showed up at our first appointment to leaving at the end of our wedding night. Reviewed on 04-11-2018
Pamela Piersante(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 24-08-2018 This was the second venue that we saw and knew from the beginning this was exactly what we wanted. The barn is so unique and special and we decided to do our ceremony there, the cocktail hour on the lawn in the Honey Locust tree area, and reception in the beautiful pavilion. My husband was thrilled that the barn and pavilion had air conditioning especially since we got married in late August. Not only was the venue gorgeous, but the food was exceeded our expectations and our guests are still raving about it. Jeffrey A. Miller provided a diverse and seasonal menu and even accommodated our custom layered cookie cake with cream cheese icing in between. The staff was very attentive the night of and throughout the process. Shelley was our assigned coordinator and we couldn’t have made it through the day without her. For example, our ceremony started one hour late due to transportation issues and she immediately took a look at the timeline and made suggestions for how we could make up the difference. She took care of us and our guests all night. We choose John James Audubon Center again in a heartbeat! Reviewed on 03-09-2018
Rosie Clancy(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 10-11-2017 Our November wedding at John James Audubon was perfect. We had an unseasonably cold evening (19 degrees!) for our big day and the staff did everything to make make us comfortable. Even when one of the heaters in the pavilion stopped working - it was quickly replaced with one that did. The food was fantastic from hors d’oeuvres to dessert - Jeffrey Miller and his team did a wonderful job. The staff at Reviewed on 07-08-2018
Amanda Elko(bride)1 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 02-12-2018 My now husband and I were beyond excited to get married at this venue in June! The place is absolutely beautiful and a perfect backdrop for a wedding. However, the service was very lackluster. While it was a very hot day, the failed to turn the air conditioning on until past 3pm for a 6PM wedding. So our cocktail hour was stifling to say the least. Our guests were very uncomfortable as were we. Also, after the ceremony my husband and I were supposed to have a moment on the porch to eat some of the cocktail hour food and have a drink. We were not served either of those things. Neither of us ate anything during cocktail hour and didn’t get a drink until much later. We struggled to get a drink at the crowded bar until we had to ask somebody to get us a drink. The bridal suite is not air conditioned and it was difficult to access. The bar was not open in the reception area until after the speeches so none of our guests had drinks for the toasts. The beer was also warm all night. For how expensive this place is, you definitely expect much better service. Wouldn’t recommend it. Reviewed on 20-07-2018
Jessalyn Kadelski(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 05-05-2018 Look, when you're planning your wedding you have a vision & style in your mind for what you want the venue to look like. But beyond aesthetics you also want a team that is easy to work with and communicate with as you are preparing for your big day. There are a ton of details that require organization and someone to help guide you through the process. Let me just say all of those things came to fruition with the venue and the team at John James Audubon Center. My partner and I specifically worked with Shannon over there over the past year to coordinate everything and she is amazing. Shannon is calm and truly wants you to have the most beautiful day of your life. I am in awe of our wedding, everything was just so perfect I wish I could do it a million times over. Our wedding guests were blown away by the venue, the food and the staff. James Miller Catering is not your typical wedding food; this is real deal farm to table deliciousness. Something that really stood out to my wife and I was a special moment that the staff had set up for us right after we had our ceremony they whisked us away on their golf cart to the private porch so we could have a moment to take it all in together. Waiting there was every hors d'oeuvre and two signature drinks for us. As always and in life it's all about the details and they blew us away. One side note; don't let the construction fool you; nobody noticed a thing and the work they are doing is completely hidden from the barn and the reception pavilion. Shannon and team thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts xoxooxo Reviewed on 24-05-2018
Carly Whitehead(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 09-06-2018 Getting married here this summer and could not be more excited. Jenn and Shannon have been so helpful so far and have made everything less stressful. We are especially excited about the food—the venue is catered by Jeffrey A. Miller Catering and is farm-to-table with lots of delicious and inventive options (gelato, a Philly pretzel bar, snow cones) to suit foodies and more conservative family members (We are trying to balance the two.). The experience of wedding planning with the Audubon so far has been awesome. Reviewed on 15-04-2018
Jessica Corso(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 21-09-2018 My fiance and I are getting married in September of this year, and we could not be more excited to have it at the Audubon Center! We both knew from the moment we saw the barn, the pavilion, the apple orchard, and the beautiful surrounding scenery, that this is where we wanted to get married. The planning team for the Audubon Center and JAM Catering has been great at each turn; the scheduled visits, quickness in response to our questions, and overall level of service have helped delivered a great client experience so far. We can't wait! Reviewed on 05-04-2018
Nicole Merton(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 08-06-2018 This place is the perfect choice if you are looking to get away from the ballroom/country club setting. The grounds are absolutely beautiful, the barn is breathtaking and the staff has been so helpful each step of the way so far. I am getting married this June so we are just about to start the fun stuff like our tasting and meeting with our coordinator! They have been reaching out making sure things are getting scheduled and we have everything we need for the big day! We are looking forward to the coming months working with Shannon, Lindsey, and the JAM team! Reviewed on 26-01-2018
Anthony Pascale(groom)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 14-10-2017 My husband and I chose to tie the knot at the John James Audubon Center on October 14, 2017. From the moment we set foot on the gorgeous grounds at Audubon, we KNEW it was the place where we were meant to marry. Setting all other factors aside, the property is simply gorgeous and offers an array of beautiful locations for ceremony, cocktails, and reception. We chose to have our ceremony in the gorgeous apple orchard, our cocktail hour in the 100+ year old barn (with its cracked plaster walls and wooden beams, the barn is a rustic couples DREAM location), and reception in the amazing pavilion. Our guests continue to rave that our wedding was one of the most beautiful they have ever attended. Combined with the perfect weather, the grounds at Audubon provided ample space for multiple changes of scenery all culminating with our dream reception in the pavilion where we were able to leave all of the gorgeous windows raised. On one side we had the fire pit surrounded by log seating, lawn games, and string lighting, on the opposite side was the bar and photo booth. Having all of the outdoor space effectively doubled the size of the reception and created this amazing indoor-outdoor experience that we had always dreamed of.Now having said all of that, beyond its beautiful spaces Audubon offers another indispensable benefit which comes in the form of Jeffrey Miller Catering!!!!!! Specifically, Shannon (our Wedding Coordinator) and Tom from Buttercup (Jeffrey Miller's floral and event design division) were HUGE assets to us during the planning process; I can safely say that our wedding simply would not have been possible without their unbelievable patience, creativity, flexibility, and passion. They both care so much about what they do, we genuinely felt like they were almost as invested in our big day as we were! These two, with the help of their amazing staffs, helped to turn our rough ideas and pinterest boards into the romantic and enchanted forest wedding of our dreams!!!My advice to all future brides and grooms is that the most important lesson for us was that you really need to find wedding vendors that you can TRUST. There will be an inconceivable number of moments where you will second guess yourselves and the decisions you are making, but when you have partners like Jeffrey Miller Catering and Buttercup you can fully trust that at the end of the day, they are going to help you execute a wedding that you and your loved ones will swoon over for generations to come. Thank you Shannon, Tom, and the rest of the Jeffrey Miller team for everything you have done for us!!! Reviewed on 10-11-2017
Maryann Egee(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 14-07-2017 The John James Audubon Center was the perfect venue for our BIG day! The exclusive caterer, Jeffery Miller Catering, was absolutely amazing to work with. Our wedding coordinator, Shannon, was with us every step of the way throughout the planning process. She answered every single question we had, covered every last detail of our day and allowed for everything to run smoothly. The venue itself is stunning! It is very unique and offers a rustic, romantic ambiance. From the gorgeous grounds at the Audubon center to the rustic barn, it is a gorgeous place to host a wedding. Reviewed on 27-07-2017
Sarah Pusch(bride)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 06-05-2017 I couldn't have asked for a better ceremony. Reviewed on 15-07-2017
Kristie Huey(bride)3 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 12-05-2017 We had our wedding here May 2017. This venue is beautiful and will provide you with amazing photos and memories. When we first visited, the grounds were incredible but couples be aware they are currently undergoing some renovations. I recommend this venue to those who are looking for something rustic, natural and simple. If you are looking for a place to customize and go over the top, this may not be the right option. Or be ready to spend some extra money! Shannon and Lindsey were our planners and coordinators that day. Overall things came together but communication and prioritization can be improved greatly as logistics were not that great. I had a lot of DIY projects and creative details so Shannon worked hard to make sure she can provide me with what I needed. However, there were also some major disappointments: set up was not on time, our friends were ignored waiting for Shannon to finish conversations with potential clients during set up, some paperwork wasn't reviewed until the morning of the wedding, order of service was incorrect (family served last instead of first), kitchen ran out of salad, end of night was chaotic with boxes and bags of food thrown into the bridal room (small closet space). Pros: natural grounds, many photo ops, varied outdoor/indoor spaces, food, alcohol BYO, outdoor firepit space and lawn games, bartendersCons: communication, planners, logistics, order of food service, tiny bridal room, venue currently under constructionAll in all our day was perfect because of all the love and people we had with us but if you choose this place, be aware there might be some work and headache ahead! Reviewed on 06-06-2017
George Snyder(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 24-07-2018 I've attended a wedding here previously and I'm having my wedding here this coming July. The park is beautiful which is great for our outdoor wedding, but the old barn is a wonderful indoor option (or a rainy day backup). And since the venue is catered by Jeffrey Miller, we will have no worries about our guests enjoying the food! If you're looking for an awesome place with a lot of character, check out the Audubon Center! Reviewed on 24-05-2017
Renee Pannell(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 03-09-2017 John James Audubon center is absolutely amazing! My fiance and I are getting married at the venue in September, and the planning process has been seamless so far. The grounds/venue are gorgeous, and there are many different areas and options for your ceremony and reception. Shannon and all of the staff at Audubon are incredibly helpful and a pleasure to work with. Jeffrey A Miller is the exclusive caterer, and their food is to die for. I've attended two of their group tastings and have been blown away. You really can't go wrong with any of their offerings! They have so many options to choose from, and really work with you to customize your perfect menu. I would highly recommend John James Audubon center to any brides looking to get married in the PA area! Reviewed on 04-04-2017
Dalene Cheek(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 16-09-2017 This venue is the perfect choice if you are looking for something different than the classic country club wedding. The grounds are beautiful. We plan on having our ceremony in the apple orchard, cocktail hour in the barn, and reception in the pavillion. Both buildings have AC and heat--perfect for the outdoor experience without the inconvenience of having your guests be uncomfortable. So far our communications with Shannon have been great. She is prompt to return your questions via email or phone. Out tasting went well! We definitely enjoy the unique selections that are \"farm to table.\" Not your typical chicken and steak wedding meals. Reviewed on 22-03-2017
Bridget Dackow(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 08-10-2017 Believe it or not, wedding planning has been a breeze! I credit it to Shannon and the JAM team. They are so knowledgeable and helpful. I completely trust them and am so happy they're the ones helping us with the big day! Reviewed on 09-02-2017
Nikole Musho(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 21-07-2017 LOVE at first sight! Beautiful meticulously kept grounds and your whole wedding can take place in one location. Can't wait for the apple tree ceremony, barn cocktail hour, and air conditioned pavilion reception!! Reviewed on 29-01-2017
Diana Gibson(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 10-09-2016 My wedding is exactly one month away and I couldn't be more excited. Working with Shannon and Jeffrey Miller has been a fantastic experience, and I am sure my dream day will be better than I could ever imagine! Reviewed on 17-08-2016
Val Weisman(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 22-07-2016 My husband and I recently had our wedding at the Audubon Center and it was a great experience. Overall we were happy with the planning process and the big day went great. Planning in general was very easy and thorough. Shannon was so calming and responsive to all our questions. On the day, pre-ceremony help and direction was perfect. It seemed that everyone knew what was happening and we were kept on time. Shannon even helped shut down a guest that was obnoxiously taking photos on a cell phone and getting in the real photographer's way! We were on schedule throughout the night with toasts, cake, etc. The staff really seemed to do a great job getting out the food and accommodating all the various allergies. We got our food quickly and they made sure we got dessert too :) Obviously no wedding is completely perfect, but the pros definitely outweighed the cons. Our guests gave us many compliments about the beautiful location (especially the ceremony in the apple orchard) and the terrific food (one of our older \"foodie\" friends even said it was the best wedding food he ever had.) I would highly recommend Jeffrey Miller Catering. Reviewed on 16-08-2016
Kelly Melcher(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 30-04-2016 I cannot saying anything less than magnificent when it comes to this venue. If I could give it six stars I would! My husband and I were married there on Saturday April 30th, 2016. The day could not have gone more perfect. We have received compliment after compliment, not only about how unique and beautiful the venue was, but how smoothly everything flowed… from the ceremony, to cocktail hour, to the reception. That was all thanks to Shannon and Kate. They were more help than any bride could ask for. From the day we booked the venue to the very end of the reception, they were right there. They made everything so stress free and fun. The food was out of this world. The staff was amazing. I could not have asked for a more perfect day. Not to mention the natural surroundings of John James Audubon Center make for the most beautiful and romantic pictures! Reviewed on 05-05-2016
Kerry Nihill(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 03-09-2016 The space at JJAC is absolutely stunning. Rustic and full of greenery that offers the option for a couple to make it their own. I've had nothing but wonderful experiences working with the team at JJAC and look forward to continue the planning! Reviewed on 23-02-2016
a member (bride)5 out of 5 Rating
One of the factors that attracted my husband and me to Audubon was the confidence that we would not be sacrificing anything in terms of views or arrangements depending on the weather. Rain or shine, the property abounds with idyllic settings. We ultimately elected to have our ceremony in the barn because we loved the rustic setting, and our reception in the pavilion because it offered plenty of room for everyone to dance! \r\rWe worked directly with Shannon and Kate, who made sure that everything was executed expertly on our wedding day. Looking back on the planning process, I recognize now that I underestimated the value that comes from working with people who know a venue so intimately, and who have gained such a wealth of knowledge from organizing at least one – if not two – weddings at the site each weekend during the height of the season. I spent countless hours thinking through variations for different aspects of the day. In hindsight, I wish that I had asked Shannon for her recommendation first, and saved myself some time! Shannon knew exactly how our varied requests could or would not work within the space, and was able to offer fitting suggestions for alternate arrangements, as needed. \r\rWhile Shannon and Kate were helpful and responsive during the planning process, their knowledge and professionalism really shone through on our wedding day. In particular, Shannon’s familiarity with the space meant that any day-of variations and last-minute requests from us, our guests, and/or our vendors did not ruffle her at all. She was composed throughout the wedding weekend, and calmly guided my husband and me through the day’s schedule. Despite the numerous hours spent planning and thinking through of the details that I thought that I would need to remember, I never needed to remember these things on the day of the wedding because Shannon was right there, keeping everyone organized and right on schedule. Shannon and Kate made it so that, on our wedding day, my husband and I only thought about relaxing and celebrating with each other and our guests. Reviewed on 17-01-2016
Bridget Kinnon(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 16-10-2015 We got married at the John James Audubon Center on October 16th, 2015. The venue is beautiful and the food was amazing! Jeffrey Miller Catering is the exclusive vendor to this location and they are great! We worked with Shannon and Kate during the initial booking process and Mandy was our wedding planner. Everything went perfectly on the day and our guests had a great time and loved the food! We had our ceremony outside, our cocktail hour in a beautiful barn and the reception in a great, newly renovated pavilion. It was the perfect combination of rustic elegance. I would highly recommend this venue and Jeffrey Miller Catering! Reviewed on 29-11-2015
Lauren Weaver(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 26-08-2016 We haven't gotten married yet, but don't be mistaken, the wedding planning process should be smooth and easy! Shannon and Kate and JJAC are so sweet and responsive, something you are definitely going to want! They really worked with us around our budget to make it a little more affordable so that we can have our dream wedding! They took us on 2 tours of the beautiful property, have given us recommendations for djs, florists, and photographers. I never wait over 24 hours for a response email from them both. Be sure you're working with planners who care -- and you'll have that at JJAC! Reviewed on 03-11-2015
Maria Catalano(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 15-09-2018 Amazing! Everything about the day was perfect! Staff was great and food was amazing! Reviewed on 31-10-2015
Jessica Shell(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 29-08-2015 We knew John James Audubon Center was our venue for our wedding on our first visit! We were looking for a venue with a historical feel, and since we loved the beautiful natural surroundings it was a perfect match for our vision. Shannon and Kate were wonderful with every aspect of our planning, from answering all of our questions to providing great advice. The group tasting event that we attended was so much fun! It felt like we were going to a wedding reception, and was such a help when choosing our menu.\r\rOur day ran perfectly smooth thanks to all of the staff at Jeffrey Miller and Audubon, and especially Shannon and Kate! They were so wonderful at ensuring exceptional service, keeping the timeline flowing, and even driving some of our guests on the golf cart:) Our guests are still raving about the food, and the beautiful, unique venue! Thank you so much, we had a perfect wedding day! Reviewed on 27-10-2015
Haeley neff(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 06-09-2015 If you want a straight up fairy tale wedding-this is your place. My wedding was so incredbily beautiful, thanks to Shannon and Kate at Audubon. They made everything run smoothly and go beautifully. They took a ton of time out to make sure every little detail was covered (thank God because you dont even think of these little details!) Out of all the rustic venues I looked at, Audubon had the most flexible pricing which I really appreciated. My only regret was that I couldnt spend more time looking at how beautiful everything was the day of! They really go above and beyond to make sure everything is perfect. You can even have the option to have owls come out during your cocktail hour! I cant speak more highly of this venue. Reviewed on 13-09-2015
Gabriella DiFulvio(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 19-10-2013 I had my wedding here on October 19th, 2013 and I loved it. My husband and I wanted something non traditional and the Audubon Center was definitely the place while still being classy and elegant. Shannon the event coordinator was super helpful and gave us a great experience. I would definitely recommend it if you are looking to go outside the box! Reviewed on 05-11-2013
Allison Montanaro(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 05-10-2013 I first saw a photo of this venue on Pinterest and knew that was where we would be married. We chose October 5 because we love fall in this area (although we ended up with 85 degree weather!) There are so many things I could say about JJAC, but I don't have much space. In essence - we LOVED IT. It was the best day of our life and Shannon helped bring everything together. I did a lot of things myself, so I had boxes of random decorations, signs, etc. and she put everything together flawlessly. I couldn't believe it was my wedding - it looked straight out of a magazine. The food is amazing, the space is gorgeous, and every one of the staff members was beyond helpful and accommodating. We had our ceremony in the orchard, our cocktails in the barn, and reception in the pavilion. I just wish I could have been a guest at it! We got the most wonderful compliments from our family and friends, and that is a reflection of JJAC. It does not come cheap, I'll admit, and I did feel like every tiny thing had an additional cost, but I guess that's the nature of weddings! I would do it again a million times over. It was PERFECT. Thank you!!! Reviewed on 22-10-2013
64 Reviews, with a Rating of 4.77 out of 5.0
Contact Info for John James Audubon Center at Mill Grove