How the Covered Pavilion Protects Outdoor Ceremonies at The Mohicans Treehouse Resort & Wedding Venue

We have watched Ohio weather shift quickly more times than we can count. Fog settles into the valley in the morning, clouds build faster than expected in the afternoon, and sudden rain can arrive right as guests are taking their seats. When you are planning an outdoor ceremony, those changes are part of the reality.

At The Mohicans Treehouse Resort & Wedding Venue, ceremonies are typically planned for the ground-level ceremony patio, positioned to take advantage of the surrounding forest and west facing light. The covered pavilion is built into the layout of the venue for moments when the weather does not cooperate, offering a way to keep the ceremony outdoors without scrambling for a last-minute solution. It is a space designed to protect the flow of the day while preserving the setting couples come here for.

Why Covered Doesn't Mean Compromise

The pavilion is located adjacent to the ceremony patio. It's open on all sides, so you still get forest views and natural light. Your guests stay dry, but they're not boxed into four walls. We can set up your ceremony arbor and rustic benches under the pavilion roof exactly the way we would on the open patio.

One couple last October watched rain pour down during their rehearsal. They moved the ceremony under the pavilion for the wedding day. In their words, it felt just as romantic as the outdoor setup, and no one spent the ceremony clutching an umbrella or worrying about their shoes in the mud.

The structure is already there, so you don't lose time on your wedding day hauling equipment or scrambling to rearrange spaces. Your Event Day Manager confirms the location with you based on the weather that morning, and your ceremony happens on schedule.

What Your 13 Hours of Venue Access Really Covers

When you book The Grand Barn, you get exclusive use for 13 hours on your event day. That's all day access, whether you're hosting 75 guests on a Wednesday or 200 on a Saturday in warm weather. For cold weather events, we recommend 150 or fewer guests so everyone fits comfortably indoors for dinner.

The pavilion is part of that exclusive space. So is the ceremony patio, the main level cocktail bar deck (covered and handicap accessible), the mezzanine deck on the second level, the fireside lounge with a fire pit, and the ground level spaces around the barn. You can use the ceremony patio for your actual vows if the weather holds, then move cocktail hour to the covered bar deck while we flip the ceremony space into your reception setup.

Your Planning Team from The Mohicans Treehouse Resort coordinates all of this with you in the months leading up to your wedding. On the event day itself, your Event Day Manager and on site security make sure everything runs smoothly.

The Spaces Inside When You Need Them

The main dining room and mezzanine level together give you about 2,500 square feet. We include white lights strung on the trusses, beams, and handrails, plus tasteful greenery accents and chiffon drapery. The furniture package covers your ceremony arbor, white garden chairs, 30 inch by 8 foot banquet tables, and farmhouse dining chairs starting in 2026. We also provide a 24 foot rustic head table, sweetheart table, cake table, and receiving table, along with high top cocktail tables for your cocktail hour.

Three party suites with beauty bars give your wedding party space to get ready. The spacious serving kitchen accommodates your off site caterer. And if the weather turns truly miserable, the main dining room can hold a very small ceremony with guests seated at the dining tables, though that's rare and not something we promote as a primary option.

How Couples Actually Use the Covered Spaces

Most of our weddings happen between March and December 15. We close from mid December through the end of February, so you won't be navigating ice on our gravel driveways or asking guests to trek up steep terrain in a snowstorm. But even in our operating season, Ohio weather shifts fast.

Here's a common flow. Ceremony on the ground level patio at 4 p.m. in September. Clouds roll in at 3:30 p.m., and it starts to sprinkle at 3:50 p.m. Your Event Day Manager moves the ceremony under the pavilion quickly and efficiently. Guests arrive and sit on the white garden chairs under the roof. You walk down the aisle with the forest still visible on three sides and the barn framing your backdrop. After vows, everyone moves to the covered cocktail bar deck on the main level while we reset the dining room. Dinner and dancing happen upstairs in the main space, with the mezzanine open for guests who want air. No one missed the outdoor ceremony, and no one got soaked.

The Treehouses and Cabins Nearby

Your venue rental includes one night in The Nest Treehouse, which sits adjacent to The Grand Barn. You also get priority lodging access for your wedding guests across our ten treehouses, four cabins, and two country homes. The treehouses were designed by Pete Nelson, and Little Red has been featured on TV. White Oak, El Castillo, The View, Moonlight, Tin Shed, The Nest, the Airstream, and Old Pine all offer heat, air conditioning, and a mix of queen and loft beds. Some have Wi-Fi, though cell service and connectivity can be limited across the property.

Guests check in at 2 p.m. on your wedding day and check out at 10 a.m. the next morning. Many of our couples treat the wedding as a full weekend experience. Their guests drive up from Columbus or Cleveland (we're about an hour and a half from each), stay in the treehouses Friday and Saturday night, and spend the weekend hiking or relaxing by the half acre pond before heading home Sunday.

Planning Around Weather Without Losing Your Vision

The covered pavilion isn't a fallback that disappoints anyone. It's an intentional part of how we designed the venue, so you can commit to an outdoor ceremony without the stress of wondering what happens if it rains.

We're located at 23164 Vess Rd in Glenmont, on 75 wooded acres atop the hills of Mohican Valley. We're close to Mohican State Park, Pleasant Hill Lake, and Loudonville. You're getting a destination feel without the destination cost or the need for your guests to book flights. But that also means you're surrounded by Ohio weather, and Ohio weather in April or October can do anything.

The pavilion solves that. You plan an outdoor ceremony, you get an outdoor ceremony, and you don't spend your wedding week refreshing the weather app every hour.

What You Don't Have to Arrange Separately

Because your 13 hour rental includes the pavilion, the ceremony patio, the decks, the barn interior, and all the furniture. You're not renting a tent or hiring a crew to install it the day before. You're not paying extra for a weather contingency or hoping your vendor can pivot on short notice.

We include on site security during your event and an Event Day Manager who handles logistics on the wedding day itself. In the months before your wedding, The Mohicans Planning Team works with you on venue coordination. Your caterer uses our serving kitchen, and you bring in your own bartenders or use a licensed service. We provide a wall mounted TV, display units like a mobile three barrel stand and a three shelf rustic unit, and an optional vintage rental room if you want additional decor.

Conclusion

If you've been hesitating on booking an outdoor venue because you're worried about Ohio weather, the covered pavilion at The Grand Barn takes that concern off the table. You get the ceremony you want, the forest setting you're picturing, and a backup plan that doesn't feel like a compromise.

We're booking events from March 1 through December 15. You can reach us at weddings@themohicans.net or call (740) 599-9030 to schedule a tour. When you visit, we'll show you the ceremony patio, walk you through the pavilion, and let you see for yourself how the covered space still feels like an outdoor ceremony.

Your wedding doesn't have to depend on a weather forecast. It just has to happen at a venue that planned for Ohio weather from the start.

FAQs

What happens if the weather forecast looks bad a week before my wedding?
You don't have to make a final decision until the morning of your wedding day. Your Event Day Manager will check the forecast and conditions with you that morning and help you decide whether to use the ceremony patio or the covered pavilion. Both are included in your 13 hour venue rental, so there's no extra cost or complicated logistics. If conditions change suddenly, we can move your ceremony setup under the pavilion in about ten minutes.

Can we decorate the covered pavilion the same way we would decorate an outdoor ceremony?
Yes. The pavilion is open on all sides, so you can bring in florals, signage, aisle markers, and any other decor you'd use on the ceremony patio. We set up your ceremony arbor and white garden chairs under the pavilion roof just like we would on the open patio. Many couples add their own personal touches, and the structure doesn't limit your design options.

How many guests fit under the covered pavilion for a ceremony?
The pavilion is part of your venue access and works for the same guest counts we accommodate across the property. In warm weather, we host up to 200 guests. In cold weather or winter months, we recommend 150 or fewer for comfortable indoor seating during dinner. Your ceremony setup under the pavilion follows the same capacity guidelines as the ceremony patio.

Is the covered pavilion the only weather backup, or can we hold the ceremony inside the barn?
The covered pavilion is our primary weather backup because it maintains the outdoor ceremony feel while keeping your guests dry. The barn's main dining room is set up for your reception, so moving a ceremony indoors would require significant rearrangement. Very small, cold weather ceremonies with guests seated at dining tables are possible in rare cases, but we don't promote that as a standard option. The pavilion is designed to be your weather solution, and it's worked well for couples who want an outdoor ceremony without weather risk.