Terms & Conditions:

Deposits:

Initial booking deposits of half of the total rental fee are required on all events to secure the space. These deposits are due within two weeks upon receipt of contract. Deposits are nonrefundable in the event of cancellation. The remaining rental balance is due 30 days prior to your event. Midway Village Museum accepts checks, cash and credit cards for payment.

Midway Village Museum also charges a $100 damage deposit for rentals with less than 25 guests, and a $200 deposit for groups with over 25 guests. Half of this deposit is due at time of booking and the remaining balance is due 30 days prior to your event. This deposit will be returned to you within 20 days following your rental providing no damages to the premises or excessive cleaning were incurred during your event.

Guidelines for Use of Facilities and Grounds:

All rentals at MVM include set up and take down of tables and chairs, staff on site throughout the event and on-site parking. For public safety reasons in the Village, vehicles are permitted in the parking lot only. Arrangements can be made in advance to accommodate vehicles in the Village for special needs such as drop off and pickup of decorations, vendors and caterers.

Rental clients are responsible for general cleanup of the rental area. No items may be pinned, nailed, taped or stapled to our facilities structures, walls, etc. No fireworks, open flame candles, sparklers or confetti of any kind is permitted. Any use of these items used will result in loss of deposit. Only real flower petals may be thrown for outdoor ceremonies and only artificial petals may be thrown for indoor ceremonies. A room setup for your event is included in the rental price. Any resetting on the day of the event may incur additional setup fees which will be deducted from your damage deposit.

Smoking is prohibited in all Midway Village Museum buildings and subject to Rockford Park District policy. Designated areas are posted. Smoking is not allowed in the Village area.

Unmanned aerial vehicles such as radio or remote controlled motor driven airplanes, drones, etc., shall not be operated without a Rockford Park District issued permit and are subject to approval by Midway Village Museum.

Please note that you have rented a portion of Midway Village Museum for your event and there may be other rentals and the public on the property during your rental period. You have access to your rental based on your rental times and not the entire property. If your guests disburse throughout the Village, they may be asked to return to the rental venue. During all rental events, supervision of children is mandatory. Children must remain in the designated rental at all times unless accompanied by an adult. All persons using the facilities and grounds will be responsible for the removal of all supplies and equipment no later than the time stated on the contract. This includes removal of musical equipment and decorations. Late rental charges will be assessed starting thirty minutes after contract expiration time and will be billed at an hourly rate of $50.00.

Midway Village Museum is not responsible for any lost or damaged articles before, during or after your event. The host of the event is liable for any damages, theft or misconduct of all of their guests. Midway Village Museum reserves the right to inspect and control all private functions.

Food and Beverage:

All food and beverage service at MVM is provided through MVM approved caterers. Alcoholic beverages are permitted in rental areas only and only from the approved caterer. Alcohol brought in from any other source will be confiscated. Please see our list of previously approved vendors and caterers for your convenience. Cakes may be brought in from a bakery of your choice and is exempt from using a MVM approved caterer.

At MVM, we believe that surprises should be pleasant and reserved for your guests. We include all expected charges on our proposals and contracts so you can make informed, intelligent decisions about your event. Our caterers are required to pay MVM a 9% fee for doing business at our venue. Some caterers may pass this fee onto the customer while others have folded this fee into their standard pricing.

For additional details or to view the facilities, call Lisa Beardsworth, Rentals Manager, at 815-397-9112, ext. 114 or lisa.beardsworth@midwayvillage.com.

Midway Village Wedding Detail Sheet

Now that we are in FULL wedding season, we wanted to clarify a few policies here to ensure that your wedding day flows as seamless as possible so that you can enjoy your day of celebration and love!

First, keep in mind that we are able to offer an affordable wedding venue because we have very limited staff. Please preplan for inclement weather as much as possible as heat, cold and rain can surely put a damper on festivities and we are not staffed to make drastic changes on the day of your wedding. We do allow up to six hours before your wedding ceremony to change locations if the weather is not cooperative. Because of this benefit, we typically do not place wedding ceremony chairs until a firm ceremony location has been established. White wedding chairs cannot be relocated once they are placed.

*Alcohol – Please remember that there is no alcohol permitted on the grounds that is not dispensed by one of our approved caterers. Please refrain from bringing in any coolers from outside sources before or during your wedding reception and encourage guests to leave bottles of spirits at home as it jeopardizes your caterer’s liquor license. Alcoholic party favors are not allowed for this reason.

*Use of Grounds – We encourage you to capture great photos and take full advantage of the grounds, just be courteous of others who may be utilizing the grounds also. You’re welcome to get complimentary engagement photos here, just let us know you’re here on property in advance to avoid paying admission fees.

*Golf Carts – Our wedding host is happy to offer guests who may have difficulty navigating the grounds a lift to your ceremony and reception spot using one of our golf carts. If you would like to offer additional golf cart services for your guests, we do have a local golf cart company that we work closely with. Please contact Kathy at Players Golf Carts for pricing and availability. She can be reached at (815) 874-8787. Midway Village must be notified one week in advance and you must sign a damage waiver. Any damages to the property as a result of rented golf carts will be deducted from your damage deposit.

*Decorating / Setup – We will make every effort to allow you as much time as possible to decorate. Often, decorating the day before is possible if the venue is available and the museum is open. Please inquire for availability.

*Rehearsal – A one-hour wedding rehearsal is permitted the day before your wedding when available. To ensure clean, dry chairs on your wedding day – chairs will not be set up for your rehearsal unless prior arrangements have been made. Whenever possible, we prefer to have rehearsals concluded by 6pm.

*Event Host – An event host will be available two hours before your scheduled ceremony time until dinner service begins. The event host greets your guests upon arrival, assists guests with difficulty walking by use of a golf cart and helps guests find the reception venue following the ceremony. For full service wedding coordination, we are happy to provide you with a list of reputable wedding planners in our area.

*Desserts – You’re welcome to bring desserts in from any bakery of your choice. Keep in mind that refrigeration is limited unless arranged in advance with your caterer. Please provide boxes or bags for any leftovers.

*Vehicles in Village – There are no vehicles allowed in the village during museum hours. The village is open Tues – Sunday from 11 – 4pm May through October. We do have a vendor gate entrance from the bike path for your DJ and caterer and vendors who are dropping off items that cannot be carried or transported in a golf cart. We will make every effort to allow decorations dropped off by vehicle at the Barn but vehicles must return to the parking lot after drop off. The only vehicles that may be left at the Barn is the DJ and Caterer on the day of the wedding. Please ask for a map to provide to your vendors as necessary.