By: C. Michelle Bryant
Charleston, South Carolina, is well known as one of the best wedding destination locations in the United States! Located just 20 minutes from Summerville, north of Charleston, in Holly Hill we discovered Southerlyn Farms. Southerlyn Farms is a “rustic chic” style wedding and events venue that sits on 360 acres of private land surrounded by beautiful woods and fields and is the perfect place to create a unique, fun and romantic environment where friends and family can relax and enjoy the private, serene beauty of a country setting.
Allison Malphrus is the founder of Southerlyn Farms. Well known for her organizational skills and creative eye for detail, she has coordinated and planned
executive-level meetings and various events for more than 20 years, and it has been a dream of hers to be an event planner. However, in her wildest dreams she never thought she would own a wedding venue.
Southerlyn Farms is known to host: weddings (ceremony and reception), bar/bat mitzvahs, proms, quinceañeras, graduations, debutante balls, corporate events, anniversaries, sweet sixteens, holiday parties, engagement parties and rehearsal dinners to name a few, but Allison is always excited to see any type of event hosted at her venue! In fact, although out of town, Allison graciously allowed “Focus on Fabulous” magazine to shoot the cover for our Fall 2016 anniversary issue among the farm’s sunflower fields and allowed us full access to the property.
Allison’s husband purchased the land many years ago for hunting and agricultural reasons to farm the land, which they will always continue to do. But it was during the planning stages of her daughter’s wedding a year ago that Allison began planting the seed to her husband to help her build a barn on the farm in Holly Hill to house the wedding. Although the barn was not in the making when her daughter got married, Allison still designed the beautiful rustic wedding and ceremony. Afterward, many people commented about their talent for creating such a beautiful event. Realizing the common interest of many brides to get married in the Charleston area, Allison’s husband agreed to construct the barn of her dreams! Now Allison’s son is engaged, and they are very excited that the barn and facility are up and running for their son and his fiancé’s big day!
The Cypress Exterior barn is 2,880 square feet and one of a kind. It will comfortably accommodate 175 guests indoors within its with rough-cut pine interior walls and comes equipped with a concrete dance floor, fireplace, built-in bar and has plenty of green space to expand your event up to 350-plus people outside. There is an outdoor patio area with 30 ceremony bench seats, which hold approximately 150 guests. The barn is heated and cooled for year-round events, has two indoor bathrooms with handicap rails and a small kitchen area as well. Provided is a nice-sized parking area in addition to a fully equipped, gorgeous one-bedroom cottage with a bathroom, kitchen and living area for the bridal party to get ready. The cottage is also available for overnight use as a “honeymoon suite.”
In addition, there are many added touches to make Southerlyn Farms special for your event including: 96 padded white chairs, five cocktail tables, five 6-foot rectangle tables, two rolling cypress wood carts each with two metal bins inside. The best part is complete privacy for anyone looking to hold an event!
Combined with the ambiance of this country setting, you will feel like you are in another world that has been set aside for your special day! The barn is rustic enough to give you the country appeal on the outside, but it is finished on the inside with a chandelier and café lighting to fit any style event. It can be a very classy rustic chic, vintage, fancy or as is, and it will be beautiful no matter what the vision is!
Allison makes herself available to answer questions and assist clients with any matters they may have. Southerlyn Farms has received many five-star reviews for excellent service and attention to detail. Of course, the number-one goal for them is to see their clients happy and to have the best event imaginable with all the fun, excitement and joy they planned with as little stress as possible!
Owning this venue has made one of Allison’s dreams come true. Through Southerlyn Farms, she gets to and wants nothing more than to help others have their
dreams come true also! Contact her at: Southerlyn Farms 4872 Bass Drive, Holly Hill, South Carolina. You can make an appointment to tour the facility by calling (843) 906-4163 or emailing southerlynfarms@aol.com.