Wedding FAQ'S

Do you offer traditional weddings as well as adventure weddings?

Yes! We allow our future brides and grooms to customize their packages to their liking.

What is an Adventure Wedding?

Adventure Weddings often include many outdoor adventure activities and are considered completely unique wedding experiences. These types of weddings are best suited to those who enjoy an adventurous lifestyle (or those who want to introduce more adventure into their lives)!

Adventure weddings can last one day or an entire weekend! We offer many activities including Zip Line Tours, Buggy Tours, Paintball, and more. We also have an onsite lake and over 30 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails. Some examples activities that may occur during an adventure wedding here:

Zipping over the lake in your wedding gown.
A stress-relieving game of paintball the night before the nuptials or a Bachelor/ Bachelorette Paintball game.
Enjoying a picnic-style rehearsal dinner.
Being married out on the lake, with many of your attendees watching from the lake in a canoe or rowboat.

I'm concerned that older members of the wedding party may not want to participate in adventurous activities. Can you be too old to participate?

You can never be too old to participate in our activities! People of a myriad of ages have enjoyed zip lining, riding buggies, and playing paintball in the past. We also offer hiking and mountain biking trails of varying intensities. Needless to say, we’re friendly to all ages and abilities here! If some of your guests still feel uncomfortable with participating, they are more than welcome to act as a spectator in many of the activities.

Do I need to have zip lining, paintball, ATV riding, hiking, biking, or boating experience?

You do not need to have any experience! We have the ability to cater all of our activities to people of various skill levels. In addition, our biking and hiking trails have different intensities which are mapped out and kept at the front of our building for your convenience.

I would like to offer my guests the option of renting a cabin or campsite, as well as the opportunity to participate in your activities, but I don't want to be responsible for their payments and reservations. Can you help me with this?

Absolutely! We can provide you with a unique XBC Code, specific to your event. You can then distribute that code through your invitations, website, email, etc. allowing your guests to use that code to reserve their own adventure during your event, while still getting any group discounts that we discuss.

Although I love the idea of spending my time outdoors, I am worried it will rain on my wedding day! Do you have an indoor venue we could rent for our reception?

We have our beautiful Gallery which is fully heated and air conditioned and it can be used as a backup in case it rains (if it's available)! It’s a rustic-style hall furnished with tables and chairs, a small bar area, a stage area for bands or dancing, and it is decorated with original paintings by Patricia Rhoden Bartels, a highly accredited Impressionistic painter.

The average person spends over $25,000 on their wedding and I can't afford to spend nearly that much. How expensive are adventure weddings?

Our packages are completely customizable depending on your needs. We recognize that couples have varying budgets and we make adventure weddings affordable for most budget types. We offer discounts for multiple activities and for large groups. You can easily afford to have a traditional or adventure wedding here on a tight budget.

I would like to visit your facility. Do I have to schedule an appointment for this?

We ask that you call ahead to ensure that The Gallery is not currently in use. You can also book an appointment online by clicking here. We may have same-day appointments available. You can contact us at info@explorebrowncounty.com or by calling 812.988.7750.

I have more questions about your Gallery, such as questions regarding pricing, discounts, the use of outside caterers, and the serving of alcohol at our event. Where can I find more information?

Please visit our “Rentals FAQ” page for more information about The Gallery, rentals, and regulations. You are also welcome to call or email us with any of your questions.

Rental Policies

Rental Fees

The Gallery is an indoor facility that accommodates up to 165 guests (using the porch increases number to 200) for your wedding, reception, event, or special occasion. There is outdoor space where tents may be set up to accommodate larger parties. The cost of all additional rentals including tents, tables, chairs, etc. including set up and tear down will be incurred by the persons renting the hall.

Our outdoor wedding ceremony locations can accommodate a variety of guests depending on the site. If you are renting the Gallery, there is a reduced charge based on location: $400 outdoor stage, $350 lake front. Both locations include 4 campsites.

The Gallery's daily rental fees -

Silver Package - includes the Outdoor Pagoda and the Tap Room
- $750 | Off Season
- $1000 | Peak Season (September & October)
Gold Package - includes the main banquet area (with tables, chairs, and Patricia Rhoden-Bartel's Art Gallery), antique bar area, upstairs loft, "The Grooms Room", "The Bridal Suite", our prep kitchen, and covered porch
- $1500 | Off Season
- $2000 | Peak Season (September & October)
Platinum Package - includes everything from the previous packages in addition to an overnight stay in the Bridal Suite and Cabin 10. Also includes all day ice, table linens, and a beer tap. We will also provide a 10% discount to all our lodging and activities for you and your guests for the day of, before, and after
- $3000 | Off Season
- $4000 | Peak Season (September & October)

If you are renting The Gallery for a wedding or event and need the hall the night before for a rehearsal dinner or an extension of your event, the cost would be half price of its normal price per day. A non-refundable payment in full is due at the time of booking with a signed contract to hold the Gallery. Additional rental items are available upon request and payment is due the day of the event. Please review our inventory rental price list for items and costs.

The Gallery rental fee includes:

Heated and air-conditioned hall that seats up to 165 people including space for a band and serving food area
Large, antique wooden bar, suitable location for all beverage service
Use of the prep-kitchen
Trash service, restrooms, personalized signage in the hall entrance, parking areas, tables and chairs...

Outdoor venue location fee includes:

Trash service, parking, and restrooms.
4 campsites (outdoor stage & lakeside only)
electric outlets

Damage Deposit

Lessee will be responsible for all damages and/or theft that occur during the rental period of the Gallery. It is the responsibility of the lessee to report any damages upon occurrence. We require a credit card number to be on file for any damages that may occur; a hold of $1,000 will be placed on the card for large events. We reserve the right to charge the credit card for the amount of damages found. If outside vendors are brought in for additional renters, they become the responsibility of the lessee and assume all risks for damages and/or theft from the vendors. eXplore Brown County at Valley Branch Retreat is not responsible for damages or theft of any items before, during, or left after the event. Items left behind can be picked up or shipped at the lessee's expense. Any items remaining after 7 days from date of the event will be considered the property of eXplore Brown County at Valley Branch Retreat and subject to removal by the staff.

Cancellations

A non-refundable full payment is required at the time of the booking with a signed contract to secure your date and times. All payments towards the Gallery are non-refundable.

Privacy

eXplore Brown County at Valley Branch Retreat is open to the public on a year-round basis. We will continue to operate all outdoor activities and programs including but not limited to: Paintball, Arrow Tag, All-Terrain Vehicle Tours, Mountain Biking and Zip Line tours, rental of Campground and Camping Cabins during your event. When you rent The Gallery, it becomes a private area and we will make every attempt to control public access. Campers have access to the road going past the Gallery towards the campgrounds. If you wish complete privacy, the entire camping cabins, camp grounds, and hall facility can be rented for a fee.

Features of the Gallery

Patricia Rhoden Bartel's Art Gallery

Enjoy the impressionistic artwork of Nashville's best selling living artist! While you can find her art across the state of Indiana including Eli Lily, Indiana University, and the Fort Wayne Museum of Art (just to name a few), the Gallery hosts the largest collection of her work. Her oil and acrylic landscape paintings really capture the natural beauty of Brown County! But don't take our work for it, pay us a visit by clicking here and take a look for yourself!

Upstairs Loft

Our loft area overlooks the ground floor of the Gallery. In addition to providing a great view of the ground floor the upstairs is also surrounded by the artwork of Patricia Rhoden Bartels!

Antique Bar

If you enjoy a little history you'll love our Antique Bar! The bar itself and the decorations are taken from the Bartel's Cafe, built right after Prohibition in Liberty Center, Ohio. Serve your own drinks or hire a bartender and relish in the old time feel of the bar.

Grooms Room

The Grooms Room is the perfect hangout spot! Included as a flat screen television, poker table, foosball table, and dart board. Whether if it's the fellas enjoying one last hurrah or a group of coworkers who need a small conference room the Grooms Room should have everything you need.

The Suite

Our Suite can be the perfect place for the bride-to-be and her bridesmaids to get ready or the perfect spot for a romantic wedding night. The Suite has everything you need including a flat screen television, small living room area with a couch and coffee table, a small kitchen and dining area, make-up mirrors, a bedroom with queen size bed, and it's own bathroom.

Prep Kitchen

The prep kitchen has everything needed for any catering service to provide a great meal for your guests. The kitchen comes equipped with a refrigerator, heating cabinet, stove/oven, industrial sink, and plenty of counter space for your preparation needs.

Tap Room

Our Tap Room is just like it sounds; an area that can be used for those who'd like to provide kegs of beer for their wedding/event. Guests will also be able to use a sink and a heating cabinet if they would like to serve food. The Tap Room leads right to the Outdoor Pagoda.

Outdoor Pagoda

Our Outdoor Pagoda is located outside with a gorgeous backdrop of the woods of Brown County. While this makes a perfect setting for summer weddings/events, a campfire ring is included as well for the other seasons or in case it gets a little chilly at night!

WARNING: Under Indiana law, an agritourism provider is not liable for an injury to, or the death of, a participant in agritourism activities at this location if the death or injury results from the inherent risks of agritourism activity. Inherent risks of agritourism activities include risks of injury inherent to land, equipment, and animals as well as the potential for you to act in a negligent manner that may contribute to your injury or death, or for other participants to act in a manner that may cause you injury or cause your death. You are assuming the risk of participating in this agritourism activity. As added by P.L.3-2011, SEC.1. The property used by Valley Branch Retreat Inc. dba eXplore Brown County dba Paintball Valley is a Classified Forest/Tree Farm and an Indiana Agritourism provider.