The Barn at Montague Retreat Center

Updated January 26, 2024

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About This Vendor

Extraordinary Hidden Gem in MA with Stunning Views

Welcome! We are so glad you are considering the Montague Retreat Center for hosting your wedding! The Montague Retreat Center is a hidden gem, nestled in the rolling hills of the upper Pioneer Valley. From single day events to full wedding weekend events, there are countless ways to put a personal stamp on your wedding! We offer both indoor and outdoor spaces across our expansive land for up to 180 guests. Say "I DO!" in our lush Ceremony Circle, nestled up to the apple orchard just beneath one of the oldest maple groves in Massachusetts, while enjoying stunning views across the valley. Then, make your way down to our bluestone gravel courtyard and the Stone Patio for cocktail hour and dinner. The lovingly installed goshen stone patio features a 40’ x 50’ dinner tent and a 75’ long retaining wall/bench surrounded by beautiful land and the sounds of the Sawmill River. Following dinner, guests will make their way to our Great Hall Barn with exposed chestnut beams, bamboo floors, lots of glass and geothermal cooling. It's the perfect place for your after dinner dance reception! When it comes to catering & bar service, our couples will work with our exclusive catering team, Wheelhouse on the wedding day. Their farm to table offerings will wow your guests! Some of our other amenities include 10 private on-site accommodations, a getting ready lounge in our Robert Frost Suite, an on site yurt, an ADA-compliant lift, and accessible restrooms. Two streams run through the property and the Robert Frost Trail is within walking distance. Get in touch today to talk about hosting your wedding in our extraordinary place. We'd love to provide you with more package information and book you a tour. The Montague Retreat Center hosts weddings from May through October. We are currently accepting inquiries for the 2023 and 2024 Wedding Season!

Amenities & Details

Ceremony Area, Covered Outdoors Space, Dressing Room, Handicap Accessible, Indoor Event Space, Liability Insurance, On-Site Accommodations, Outdoor Event Space, Reception Area, Wireless Internet

Guest Capacity

Up to 200

Ceremony Types

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

Venue Service Offerings

Bar & Drinks, Cakes & Desserts, Other Desserts, Destination Weddings, Food & Catering, Rentals & Equipment, Tents, Service Staff

Settings

Barn, Farm & Ranch, Estate, Garden, Mountain, Tented, Trees

Business Attributes

Pricing for The Barn at Montague Retreat Center

Option	Value
Starting Cost	Affordable
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Peak Season Cost
Peak Season Reception Cost
Peak Season Ceremony Cost
Peak Season Bar Service Cost
OffSeason Months
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The Barn at Montague Retreat Center Reviews

Nicole LaMarche (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating

We cannot overstate how amazing the staff at MRC were in helping us plan our wedding and making the day of go so seamlessly! They were so communicative and accommodating. And the venue is breathtakingly gorgeous! Highly recommended!
Reviewed on 14-12-2023

Rachel Folan (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 06-10-2022
Where do I start...from the beginning we knew that MRC was going to be our wedding venue. We first met Jackie and Kellsey at a spring tasting event, where we were able to see them and their exclusive caterer, Wheelhouse, in action. The location is absolutely beautiful, the indoor/outdoor areas are a major plus to have variety on your wedding day, and really we barely added to what's already there in terms of decor because it did not need anything additional. Our wedding day went so smoothly and they even went out of their way the night before/morning of to move a semi-fixed birch arbor so that our own arbor could be put out for our ceremony. This was such an amazing service they did and I cannot recommend them enough. The nicest, calmest and most helpful people you will meet in the wedding industry, I 100% recommend Montague Retreat Center to other couples looking for an amazing and beautiful experience on their wedding day.
Reviewed on 04-11-2022

Lauren Crawford (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 04-06-2022
We had our wedding at the MRC in June 2022. It is a stunning venue with professional staff who are passionate about what they do! Jackie and Kellsey were wonderful coordinators to work with. Their communication and planning before the event made us feel like everything was taken care of, and they ran the wedding flawlessly so that we didn't have to worry about any details day-of. Dale takes great care of the facility and the grounds; his passion is evident. Wheelhouse catering provided the best wedding meal we've ever had. We stayed on site with our wedding party in the gorgeous new cabins, which was such a fun and unique experience. Overall we could not recommend MRC more!!
Reviewed on 04-07-2022

Courtney B (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 02-10-2021
This venue is a special, one-of-a-kind place that I will forever think about when I think back to my wedding. Driving down that gravel road when I first visited the venue, I knew it was where I wanted to celebrate my wedding. My husband and I are very outdoorsy and were looking for a venue we could really call our own for the weekend. MRC was the place! The owners Bill and Beth and caretaker John were so welcoming and organized, there to make sure the weekend was everything I hoped for. I used the bridal suite the entire weekend and was very helpful for our friends to crash in the suite with us after the wedding. We had so much flexibility to make this our own and spent lots of time by the roaring fire pit. The turning foliage made this place magical for our wedding and can't wait to see all of the photos taken in so many spots on this special venue!
Reviewed on 07-10-2021

SHANNON MCFARLAND (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 24-09-2019
Montague Retreat Center was an amazing venue. You can't beat the location and everything that comes with it. Absolutely gorgeous scenery. We got married in fall '19 and the place and staff were everything or more than we could hope for. They were helpful, accomodating, and made sure we had anything we could need. It was all very well thought out and they made it easy to plan our big day. I'm so grateful we got married at this beautiful place and have wonderful memories of the days we spent there.
Reviewed on 29-03-2020

K & I E (groom) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 27-07-2019
When we started planning our July 2019 wedding, we knew that we wanted a beautiful, eco-conscious, outdoor venue in the rolling Massachusetts hills where we could host guests for the whole weekend and people could camp and sit by a fire at night. We weren’t sure we’d find someplace that checked all those boxes; then we found the Montague Retreat Center.It was everything we were looking for and more. We loved that we had the whole weekend to see our guests and that they got to know the place, too. The Center already has a tent set up for the reception, and the venue was so well set up with its own furniture and catering-ready kitchen, that other vendors kept telling us how delighted they were to be going back there.We had around 100 guests, about 25 of which camped at the Center. The camp site is in a pine forest on the property, and our camping guests were all very happy with their stay and with the facilities. A lot happens in a wedding weekend, but the staff is prepared for anything and everything. The caretaker, John, was particularly notable in how quickly and quietly he took care of the facilities while we were there. We’d turn around and he’d have taken care of the trash or put another few logs on the fire. It was easy and wonderful. It was wonderful to have things like lights already set up, and a room of wedding decorations others have left to reuse or leave instead of stress about bringing everything and cleaning it all up. We were glad they compost everything and the facility even runs on geo-thermal heating/cooling.We took the Retreat Center’s recommendations for almost all of our vendors, and they were all wonderful (especially Wheelhouse Catering for our reception and Jackie M coordinating all of our vendors and the day of the wedding). We got flowers from Red Fire Farm, and sent our guests to check out the Montague Book Mill (and took photos there ourselves!).We are so glad we found the Montague Retreat Center and through them got to know the Pioneer Valley better!
Reviewed on 13-08-2019

Jessica Bibeau (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 18-08-2018
My wife and I got married at the retreat center on 8/18/18 and we have nothing but great things to say about the venue and the staff. Beth & Bill were great to work with and the venue is AMAZING. Beautiful stone patio, great barn for the reception and great area under the willow tree for cocktail hour! Plus you have plenty of great places to take photos. We couldn't have imagined a better wedding venue!
Reviewed on 07-06-2019

Stephanie Brueck (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 08-09-2018
The Montague Retreat Center is the best! Beth & Bill and their team have cared significantly for the property and the venue is so beautiful it needs very little to make it a perfect wedding venue. They are also very nice and wonderful to work with. It’s a hidden gem where you can have access to the venue for many days (and you are the only wedding for the weekend) so you can prepare the venue however you choose with little stress. You also bring in all your own vendors which allows you to truly make it your own wedding. We loved every minute of our time there. One tip - hire at least a day-of coordinator to help manage all the vendors so that you can fully enjoy your big day :)
Reviewed on 23-09-2018

Elizabeth Ryan (bride) 3 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 07-07-2018
My husband and I were married at Montague Retreat Center on 7/7/18. We rented the accommodations beginning Tuesday 7/3 as many of our friends and family were traveling for the event. We have so many fond memories of our time at MRC. It was a seriously dreamy week, however; it came with a few surprises that I will share here in case you are considering the space as your venue. The Good: From the time we booked the venue, Beth and Bill were very flexible and allowed us to visit multiple times over the winter. They provided lots of information via e-mail that greatly helped us plan our day. As for the wedding week, the place is remarkably beautiful. It felt like we were on another planet all week. The space itself is serene and minimalist which really highlights the natural beauty of the surrounding hills. Because of this, lots of decorations are not a necessity (though if you want more decor last minute, they have a decorations storeroom with just about everything). Beth, Bill, John and Kate kept the place clean and were super professional on the wedding day. They were reasonably flexible about anything we needed during the week.The Less Than Good: As I mentioned, my family rented the rooms at MRC beginning Tuesday 7/3. MRC became our family's \"hub\" as people got into town leading up to the wedding. During the week, we were really surprised with how poorly we were treated. During our time, multiple tours were given of the property and our private accommodations with no notice. Our napping guests were pretty weirded out when they woke up to a group of strangers being paraded through their bedroom. I understand that this is a business, but a simple call or text to let us know there would be a tour would have gone a long way. Additionally, there is a summer camp that uses the woods surrounding MRC (which we were told with plenty of time) but what we were not told was if the summer camp gets rained on, they will take over the stone patio and basement area. If it rains all day, they will be there all day. It was really a shame we were not told this for a couple reasons. One, we were storing all our decorations in the basement (per instructions) and some of them became games for the kids. Two, it rained all day on Friday, and we had a DIY rehearsal lunch planned for the stone patio. When we brought this up to the camp counselors, we were told they would not be able to leave. When we brought it up to Beth and Bill, they told us that they really needed to put the possibility that this would happen in the contract (I truly hope they do!). Luckily, we were able to work around the kids, but it was a stressful time.All in all, MRC provided us with a beautiful wedding. At this point, I could not recommend staying there all week unless you have a pretty tame group that only wants to use the sleeping quarters as a makeshift hotel. On the other hand, I can 100% recommend MRC for your wedding day. It is a beautiful blank slate and the MRC crew really knows what they are doing when it comes to the day-of. Everything went off as we envisioned and we could not have been happier. I simply hope they can figure out the week-of accommodations because the place really is something special.
Reviewed on 09-08-2018

Gwendolyn Coiley (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 27-05-2017
What a fantastic place the retreat center is. It is simply great and all our guests thoroughly enjoyed every event we held there for our wedding celebration (4 events over 4 days). The premise has a beautiful barn ideal for dancing, a spacious tent which can be used as dinning room (we had 125 people sitting comfortably). The barn also has a lovely ceremony circle where you can celebrate your wedding ceremony. The owners, Bill and Beth, are extremely organized and they are very helpful in terms of planning and executing all the events related to the weeding. The really make a very stressful event very smooth and easy. Our experience was fantastic and we advise anyone who is thinking of using this venue for their wedding to go and see it and fall in love with it. After talking to Bill and Beth you will know what we mean. Gwen and Luis.
Reviewed on 01-06-2017

Kate Coleman (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 22-10-2016
We held our wedding at the Barn at Montague Retreat Center, and we couldn't have been happier. We initially chose the venue because of its incredible landscape, but ultimately, we were glad to have chosen it thanks to its amazing, built-in rain plan. Our wedding ceremony and reception were both beautiful, and we would highly recommend this as a venue to low-key couples hoping to spend time visiting with loved ones surrounded by nature.
Reviewed on 13-11-2016

Anonymous (wedding party) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 09-04-2017
If you would like to share here is Tara & Keith's Wedding Video at the Montague Retreat Center on 6/20/15\rhttps://vimeo.com/153842975
Reviewed on 09-02-2016

Melissa Williams (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 25-07-2015
The Montague Retreat Center does not disappoint as a wedding venue. Since it has only recently become available as such, many local people have not yet been there. They are taken aback by the grounds, the historic barn, the spacing, the fields, flowers and views. It is a unique venue in Western Massachusetts and we are so lucky that we stumbled upon it. Bill and Beth were attentive to our needs, were very flexible, and did their up most best to insure our day was perfect. The event was executed without a hitch and we are so grateful. The venue is not a “one size fits all” place where every aspect of the event is dictated. We really were able to personalize our wedding with unique details that we would not have been able to do in another setting. We were so happy to work with Beth and Bill and look forward to seeing more events booked at the Retreat Center!
Reviewed on 06-08-2015

Meghan Archer (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 12-07-2014
Our experience with the Montague Retreat Center as the venue for our wedding last summer was nothing short of amazing. I grew up just a short ways down the road, and when the property changed hands and became the Montague Retreat Center I heard many good things from the community about the group of people running the place. When the time came to find a venue to gather our friends and family in a celebration of our marriage, the Retreat Center was an obvious choice. \r\rThe site itself is breathtaking. Perched on the hillside overlooking the valley and the hills beyond, we were surrounded by wildflowers and a lush pallet of greenery that required little in the way of \"decoration\". We held our ceremony up in the meadow, after which family musicians lead the party down through the grassy paths to awaiting drinks and appetizers. We set up the space in a way that allowed some guests to cool off indoors, while others partook in friendly but fierce competition in a variety of yard games set up out in front of the barn. \r\rAt dinner, the tent comfortably fit our large crowd, and the food prep and serving went off without a hitch in large part due to the kitchen facilities. As the sun went down we moved into the great hall for a lively contra dance followed by a late-night funk party. \r\rOne of the most rewarding aspects about the Montague Retreat Center was the versatility of the space, and the variation of activities it enabled. At a wedding you bring together a large variety of people with different needs and interests. There was an amazing dance floor for the kooky aunts and wild friends to boogie down while the older crowd looked on and the kids slept on meditation cushions in the corner. At the same time other groups of people, old friends and new acquaintances, watched the moon rise out on the beautiful patio in the quiet summer night. We got an overwhelmingly positive response from all our friends and family about the wedding, and a lot of it had to do with being comfortable and at-ease with the flow of activities and the nature of the space. That quality would have been hard to achieve at any other venue. \r\rIn addition to the beautiful setting and facilities, the staff were a joy to work with. My husband and I had a particular vision of how we wanted the day to flow, and the staff did an amazing job working with us leading up to the day to get things in place. They were incredibly receptive to our ideas. It felt like a productive collaboration, and a true community event. \r\rI would, without any hesitation, highly recommend the Montague Retreat Center for a beautiful rural wedding in Western Massachusetts.\r
Reviewed on 02-12-2014

Anonymous (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 10-08-2014
The Montague Retreat Center had every thing we wanted in a venue.\rA nice big sun lit room to get ready in. \rBeautiful grounds with rolling fields enabled us to create our ceremony on top of the hill next to an old apple orchard over looking lush mountains.\r We had our happy our under the big weeping willow tree.\r The reception was nestled in the large court yard atop of a beautiful goshen stone patio with the sound of the river in the background. Our caterers had full use of the brand new industrial kitchen, and walk in refrigerator. \r We danced into the night in the stunning refurbished barn equiped with two stories, large windows, bamboo floors, temp control, and an elevator. \r On top of all of the wonderful amenities the owners were a joy to work with. Always available to answer questions, and address concerns. \r We are so pleased we chose the Montague retreat center, and would highly recommend it. \r
Reviewed on 09-09-2014

Shannon Londoño (bride) 5 out of 5 Rating
Wedding Date 16-08-2014
How can I even begin to put into words how phenomenal my experience was? Starting with a killer location and venue, the Montague Retreat Center is the venue of any rustic, vintage, or country wedding's dreams. The property is absolutely breathtaking, and coupled with the newly renovated facilities as well as fabulous managers, I would recommend this place to any and everyone. \r\rDo be advised that there is a lot of planning that goes into this space that is the responsibility of the bride/groom or planner. What this venue offers is a gorgeous blank canvas with the opportunity to turn it into whatever you would like. I was the Retreat Center's 7th wedding and I kept hearing from the staff how every single wedding was incredible different. You will have to organize people to park, set etc. \r\rThat being said, the owners, Bill and Beth Jacobson were an absolute dream to work with. They have such wonderful vision for the property and were extremely invested with my wedding and making sure all of my needs, desires, and frivolous wishes were met with a smile. I am sure if I asked, they would have given me the shirts off their own backs. They let me cut wildflowers from the property, let me begin setting up almost 6 days in advance, and continued to check in with me about whatever else I wanted. \r\rDo not think twice about getting married here, and just do it!\rWedding: Recently Married\rServices Used: Flowers, Ceremony & Reception Venue
Reviewed on 24-08-2014

16 Reviews, with a Rating of 4.88 out of 5.0

Contact Info for The Barn at Montague Retreat Center

Contact	Value
Facebook	https://www.facebook.com/montagueretreatcenter/
X (Twitter)	The Barn at Montague Retreat Center
Pinterest	The Barn at Montague Retreat Center
Instagram	montagueretreatcenter
Website	www.montagueretreatcenter.com
Phone	(617) 435-3649
Address	177 Ripley Rd, Montague, MA, 01351
Email	montagueretreat@gmail.com

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