PINE RIVER, Wisconsin (WJFW) – When Chris Schultz and his wife Marling purchased Hillview Farms in Pine River, their goal was simple: to operate a small farm with Christmas trees and livestock. It wasn’t until 2018, when Schultz’s brother approached him about getting married in the barn, that Hillview Farms became one of the premier wedding venues in the Northwoods.

“Growing up, we would always drive by this place and admire how beautiful it was. And I thought ‘Wow, I would really like to own this one day.’ I never had any idea of ​​doing weddings, but it just happened,” Schultz said. “The people at his wedding really liked it and said we should do it. And I thought ‘oh, no one will ever rent this.’ Well, we worked on it a little more and created a Facebook page and almost immediately we got a response from a girl who wanted to book it … within a week of the first wedding.”

Schultz said many wedding guests — especially those who are less active on social media following new wedding trends — were pleasantly surprised at how beautifully a barn can be decorated as a wedding venue.

“You don’t feel like you have to come in a suit and tie. If you want to come in cowboy boots and blue jeans, that’s fine and people like that. It’s very relaxed and I think that’s starting to catch on. People don’t want everything to be so formal.”

Schultz said he was proud not only of creating a beautiful wedding venue, but also of the additional revenue Hillview Farms has brought to both the Pine River community and the entire city of Merrill.

“It’s a good thing for this community and for Merrill. It’s a good thing to have this here. When a wedding happens, it brings a lot of money into the hotels, restaurants, gas stations and everyone else.”

And Schultz told me they still have a few dates available. If you’re looking to book the perfect venue for an authentic Wisconsin wedding, check out their website at Hillviewfarmsweddingbarn.com.