Faqs
General
Darby House handles:
the venue operations — including the outdoor ceremony space, indoor/outdoor cocktail hour and indoor reception venue spaces
setup and teardown of tables, chairs and linens
our in house team for gate attendant, valet, on-site security and day-of coordinator
wedding rehearsal (practice walk-through) and ceremony coordinating on wedding day
all alcohol/bar service – must be ordered and purchased through Darby House directly due to us carrying the liquor license
We also go above and beyond making sure your vendors have what they need on wedding day and if we can assist in small tasks like setting light décor for you!
Darby House does not handle:
- Catering — you get to pick from our list of Exclusive Catering partners and work with them directly.
- misc. vendors — i.e. DJ, Cake, Florist etc. If helpful, you can visit our Vendors We Love page to see who we recommend. We do not require you to use the vendors on this list; they are just recommendations to help get you started.
Darby House invoice would consist of: Venue Rental + Added Value (Linen/Chair package) + Bar Service + any (optional) Enhancements.
Check out our Sample Proposal here!
Please download our Pricing Brochure to see our rates and inclusions. Please make sure to note if you are planning for a 2023 wedding vs. 2024 as our pricing and inclusions have changed slightly for next year.
Of course! Please keep in mind that Darby House only hosts 1 event per day so the rental fee pricing structure remains the same.
Wonderful! We do have quite a long list of inclusions that cover both ceremony and reception items, but things cannot be eliminated or substituted for a reduced cost. The pricing is based specifically on the date and full timeframe you book regardless of what happens inside that timeline.
With 1,200 acres we can hold quite the affair! Our sweet spot for our outdoor terrace and indoor event space is 250 guests.
Groups of 200 or more guests will be charged a $10 per person fee to accommodate any additional tables, chairs, linens, setup, teardown or potential flipping of the space on event day. Additional fee is due two weeks before your wedding day and will be based on your final guaranteed guest count provided. Note: we will only set for the number of guests you guarantee.
For cocktail receptions/networking events (standing room or mixed high/low seating) we can accommodate 500+!
Yes! Darby House rental includes access to all of our venue spaces including our Waterside Terrace, Racing Room and Dining Room, as well as our brand new bridal party suites for the full duration of your event.
No. At Darby House we want to ensure that you have total privacy on your wedding day, therefore, we only allow one event to be held in the venue at a time.
We require you to spend a certain dollar amount based on the season, day and time of day you wish to host your wedding. We do not have a ‘guest count’ minimum. Enjoy the freedom of having a lavish affair for 50 guests or a more relaxed, casual wedding for your favorite 250 guests!
Your venue rental, added value package, bar package, décor enhancements and service charges all apply to your event minimum. Note: Catering costs and sales taxes do not go towards the event minimum
We host indoor weddings in our Racing Room that features panoramic views of Darby Creek and gives you the tranquil outdoor feel, safe from the elements.
Your Darby House Event Manager / day-of coordinator will be there to shuttle you around Darby Dan Farm, along with your photographer and videographer, on our 6-seater golf cart to capture gorgeous photos!
Check out some amazing photo opportunities in our Gallery!
Darby House brides are welcome to schedule time with their Event Manager to take engagement photos on the property. A Darby House staff member must be present during the session and a waiver of liability must be signed. For anyone not booked with Darby House, a fee will be involved for photo sessions and are subject to date/time restrictions.
Darby House assigns each event an “Event Manager” or who also acts as your day-of wedding coordinator assisting with all venue related needs or questions leading up to the event and will be there on the day of from start to finish. Leading up to the big day, our Event Managers will set up touch base meetings, help with your wedding day timeline, vendors, rehearsal and ceremony. They are also available to help with general setup and teardown on the day of. Staff will place general décor items discussed at the final walk through. Items must be labeled, marked for placement and pre-assembled. Any intricate décor items requiring a ladder, tools, florals, vases, candles etc. will need to be done by event professionals (florist or third party decorator).
Since Darby House is a private estate located on a 1,200 acre farm, we have no noise ordinances! Our rentals allows you access until 11:00pm with a 1 hour tear down accommodated until midnight. We find that works best (and safest) for everyone’s agenda on wedding day!
Darby House loves incorporating your fur baby into such a special day! Of course, we just ask that the pup have a designated handler while on property and heads home after the ceremony and photos are over. A $350 fee will be applied as a non-refundable security deposit.
Outdoor and indoor fireworks alike are not permitted on Darby House property, however, we do allow sparklers for send-offs!
We do NOT allow any entertainment vendors to use “Cold Sparklers” or indoor sparklers.
Yes, Darby House will provide parking services for you and your guests on wedding day. We have a convenient lot near the building where cars can be parked.
Darby House is situated between Hilliard and Grove City, only 10-15 minutes from nearby hotels. See some of our favorites below!
WEST (Hilliard-Rome Road Area — approx. 10 minute drive northeast)
Home2Suites by Hilton Columbus West — 5460 Fisher Rd, Columbus, OH 43228 — (614) 845-5620
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Columbus Hilliard — 5520 Maxwell Pl, Columbus, OH 43228 — (614) 643-4300
Hampton Inn Columbus West — 5625 Trabue Rd, Columbus, OH 43228 — (614) 851-5599
SOUTH (Grove City — approx. 15 minute drive southeast)
Courtyard by Marriott Columbus Grove City — 1668 Buckeye Pl, Grove City, OH 43123 — (614) 782-8292
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Columbus Grove City — 1722 Buckeye Pl, Grove City, OH 43123 — (614) 808-8200
Hilton Garden Inn Columbus/Grove City — 3928 Jackpot Rd, Grove City, OH 43123 — (614) 539-8944
Elovaire Hotel Blocks is a free service that specializes in finding wedding couples and their guests hotel accommodations. Check out the link below for more information!
visit: https://elovairehotelblocks.com/ or Get Started
Tours & Booking
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We are typically open Monday-Friday and some Saturdays for tours depending on our event schedule. All tours must be scheduled by appointment only. Schedule a Tour to see our current openings — we would love to show you around!
Once our team receives your RFP form we will write a customized Quote for you and email it over for your electronic signature. After we receive your signed Quote, we will populate your quote total into our contract and deposit schedule.
Booking 12 months out or less, you will owe 25% of your total quote as a date reservation fee/deposit.
Booking 13+ months out, you will owe 50% of your venue rental only with signed contract to save your date!
Checks can be addressed and mailed to:
Darby House
801 Darby Creek Dr.
Galloway, OH 43119
Catering
Clients are required to use one of the caterers from our list.
Catering will provide all china, flatware and table-top glassware (water goblets, wine glasses for dinner, champagne flutes for toasting etc.)
If you would like a special wine pour with dinner or a champagne toast, catering will be responsible for providing and setting the table top glassware (wine glasses or champagne flutes) and Darby House will provide the alcohol and servers for pouring.
Our catering list is evaluated annually as we want to make sure we provide the best of the best for your day.
Bar Service
A $1,500 minimum spend is required for any of our Bar services.
Darby House staffs 1 bartender per 75 guests, based on your final guest count.
Bartenders are $275 each and include bar setup/teardown and 4.5 hour bar service.
As a responsible liquor provider and for the safety of our guests, we do not permit shots or doubles to be poured at our facility. This includes Martinis, Manhattans, Old Fashioned or any liquor poured on the rocks, with a splash of water or neat. All cocktails must be single pours with a standard mixer.
All bar charges will incur 7.5% sales tax and 22% service charge. This 22% service charge is calculated on all beverage costs. It is not considered gratuity for bar staff. Service charge includes but is not limited to glassware, ice, beverage napkins, bar setups, prep, mixers, straws, stirrers and condiments.
Darby House must provide all alcohol through our liquor license. Client and guests are prohibited from bringing any alcohol onto the premises in accordance with the Ohio liquor permit owned by the Facility. If outside alcohol is brought onto Darby House premises, Darby House staff will confiscate from the client/guest and client will be charged a $350 penalty fee.
Miscellaneous
When you book with us, you will generally follow the outline below:
4-6 months out – you will be assigned to your Event Manager.
Our Event managers can assist with venue-related planning questions along the way and will setup a touch base call to check in.
2-3 months out – your Event Manager will schedule a final walk-through meeting.
Review event details, provide diagrams, order specialty rentals and linens
Caterer will also join you at this meeting to recap menu selections
Week of the wedding
Run your wedding rehearsal (using an outline we provide you)
Day of your wedding
Be the main point of contact on wedding day to ensure vendors arrive on time, assist with minimal décor, welcome and direct guests, oversee the general flow of the evening and guest experience.
For an outdoor ceremony, there are plenty of outlets available for your DJ, string quartet etc. to plug in. They would need to provide their own speakers, microphone etc. Keep in mind, you’ll want to make sure a microphone is provided at least for your officiant.
Your DJ / Band vendors will also need to provide their own speakers and microphones for your indoor reception. Darby House does not have an in-house sound system.
Nope! Feel free to use whomever you’d like to build your vendor team. Our list is provided just to get you started and highlight vendors who have worked with our former couples and do a great job!
Clients are welcome to secure event insurance if they so choose through a company of their selection, but are not required to do so.
For as little as $160, your wedding insurance policy can cover a variety of situations. Not only could it cover lost rings, damaged gifts or ruined photos — it could also provide additional coverage for lost deposits, weather related postponements, sudden illnesses etc. The biggest benefit for coverage would be for:
Reimbursement – available if a necessary and unavoidable cancellation or postponement of the event occurs. Reimbursement is available for transportation, food, catering services, property and equipment rentals, hall and location rentals, and more.
- Liquor liability – as an individual liability option to your policy, you can add this coverage to protect yourself against liability arising from alcohol-related occurrences (subject to policy conditions and exclusions).
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