Something Old, New, Borrowed and GREEN
The former homestead of two sisters who never married might seem an unlikely wedding venue. But spend an hour wandering through the lush heritage plantings and alluring secluded spaces at Goodell Gardens & Homestead, and you might wish to spend your honeymoon there, too.
This nonprofit botanical garden and arboretum in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, is an ideal spot for an intimate affair with personal flair. Just ask Executive Director Amber Wellington.
“I actually got married at Goodell Gardens before I started working here,” says Wellington, whose wedding illuminated the events barn in October 2010. That winter, she got a job offer in public relations for the Gardens. “I was so excited at the thought of being involved in this project.”
That same enthusiasm is what led Wellington and her husband to marry there. “We wanted to do something that would allow the money we’d be spending to ensure that our friends and family had a great time, while also making an impact on our community,” she explains. “Folks who choose Goodell Gardens aren’t just choosing to have their wedding in a beautiful place; they’re also supporting environmental education and sustainable land stewardship, and providing the community of Edinboro and region beyond with a public green space and educational and cultural programming.”
Needless to say, much of that programming has been interrupted this year, the first season their May 1 opening day had to be postponed to June, and even then, on a limited basis. But those who spend a lot of time around plants learn the art of adaptation. During quarantine, Goodell Gardens improvised, sharing out videos via social media. A performance by musicians who’ve frequented their “barnstand,” a lecture about The Women of Goodell, guidance on growing your own food, and a heartfelt virtual garden tour led by Wellington all arrived like rays of warm sunshine as spring dragged its feet in arriving. These, and several lovely photos of what’s in bloom, served as welcome reminders that life goes on beautifully around us, even if worries have narrowed our vision.
Goodell Gardens always has that effect, in fact. It widens the gaze. Whether you’re there for their summer music series or to learn how to raise monarch butterflies, you’re likely to find your pace slowing, your shoulders easing—a deeper exhale leaving your lips.
Late last spring, I had the pleasure of wandering through the Gardens with four Sustainable Food Systems interns from Penn State Behrend. One ran out of superlatives as she toured us through her favorite plants. Another found great treasure in a lending library, stocked with botanical books. Another was so inspired by a poster depicting the Gardens’ master plan that he dedicated a senior project to designing a future garden space for Behrend’s campus. And another took one look at Carrie Goodell’s one-room cabin and said, “This is all I’d ever need.”
There’s something deeply settling about this space. It feels welcomingly lived-in.
Of course, Goodell Gardens is meticulously tended and pristine. But at its essence is a refreshingly untamed freedom that’s hard to put into words. No wonder so many flock to the space in a regular season for everything from a garden preschool to an evening of beverages made with botanicals from the garden. And no wonder so many choose this space months—even years—in advance for their wedding day.
“It’s definitely a do-it-yourself sort of place, and our site is adaptable to so many different types of weddings,” Wellington says. “It’s a blank canvas, so you can turn it into what you’re really looking for. We’ve had folks who make it a little more farmy and country-looking, or others who’ve brought in some interesting fancy tents that make it feel more like a New England garden party—kind of like on The Office when Andy has his garden party at Schrute Farms. People are able to make their vision work here.”
She does mention that while Goodell Gardens can accommodate thousands of people for events like the Edinboro Art & Music Festival or its Homegrown Harvest Festival, it only has one 30- by 40-foot building that can be used for rentals. So an additional tent is recommended for more than 70 reception guests.
“But the main thing to realize is that we are just the site,” Wellington summarizes. “We have tables and chairs we can set up for clients, but we don’t offer any sort of catering. We also leave the planning up to the client. It’s hard to make decisions on behalf of other people, particularly about a day that’s so important. So while we’re here if you need us, we try to be as hands-off as possible.”
I ask Wellington what she thinks the Goodell sisters, Carrie and Margaret, would think of the Gardens today.
“We do our best to be responsible stewards of their homestead,” she replies. “I would hope that there would be some tenderness from them to see their home being appreciated by so many people, and so many young couples getting their start here.
“We’re lucky to have thousands of photographs that Margaret took, and an archival room at Edinboro University where we have every single one of Carrie’s diaries,” she continues. “When you read what Carrie has written, you see that she fell in love. There was this man that she talks about who comes to visit a lot, but her dad is not really keen on him being around. And then one day he shows up and tells her he’s marrying someone else—and it crushes her.”
Incidentally, despite the generous gift they have provided for generations to come, Carrie and Margaret Goodell had a reputation around Edinboro for being somewhat contentious. Wellington offers some perspective.
“I look at it being two little old ladies living on a giant farm in the middle of a town that’s trying to develop their land,” she explains. “At one point, Carrie [who outlived Margaret] found a [planning] map that showed this farm subdivided. So that was her catalyst to protect this land somehow. We are very mindful as an organization of keeping Carrie’s wishes and the vision she had for her property as best we can, and finding a sustainable way of making that happen.”
