Inside the Allure of Weatherhead Hollow

Back in 2012, Daniel Kornguth and Katherine Partington bought a 1792 Vermont farmstead in Guilford. They worked closely with the State of Vermont and Town of Guilford to lovingly restore the property through Kornguth's interior design and construction company, Plumb Level Square. Weatherhead Hollow opened in the summer of 2023 for artist residencies, country getaways, events and weddings. And lately, they are getting a lot of attention. Their interior design work for the Weatherhead Hollow farmstead was featured in atHOME New England Magazine's 2024 Winter edition, and the 1792 farmhouse is featured in the book, Create the Style You Crave: The Sweet Spot Guide to Home Decor. Weatherhead Hollow is located on four acres in Guilford, Vermont where the Sokoki tribe of the Western Abenakis once lived. The Historical Society of Windham County reports, "In 1600 as many as 10,000 western Abenaki inhabited modern day Vermont and New Hampshire, depending on seasonal hunting and fishing, gathering and some agriculture." On their property, there are two boutique lodging options: The Blacksmith Shop and The Carriage Barn. The Blacksmith Shop and The Carriage Barn have 180+ 5 star reviews on Airbnb for "offering exceptional Vermont country getaways." "Daniel is a general contractor and an artist, so he restored all the buildings on the property with an artist's eye. He brought in whimsical elements with really bright and colorful rooms — each room has its own personality," says Partington. "There was a cupboard that said "Danger Explosives" and we put it on the wall as a piece of art," she adds. "We are a very unique venue. We're not meant to be a corporate enterprise. You have a place to stay all weekend and you can enjoy your time." "For weddings, we can fit 150 people in the barn with space for a band and caterers to set up." VERMONT CONNECTION Partington went to the Putney School for her last two years of high school and fell in love with Vermont. She grew up in Albany, New York and was raised between Albany and Manhattan. She was a professional dancer before transitioning to an actor and producer in film and television. Daniel and Katherine met when she was working at Vermont Performance Lab. They both worked in the hospitality and service industry for years. "He brought me to this barn before it was restored and he was picking my brain about starting an artist residency and I said, "Don't do it, unless you are excited about fundraising!" That got the couple talking and soon they fell in love and began to develop this idea of a wedding venue and a vacation rental spot. "It's a low for-profit model where a portion of everything we earn goes to supporting artists in residence here. We've had a handful of them so far," adds Partington. Kornguth is from Rochester, New York and lived in the city but wanted to finish his education elsewhere. "I decided I didn't want to live in the city anymore, so in 1995 I came to Vermont, lived in a cabin and went to Marlboro College [to get] my degree in painting and playwriting." DIY WEDDINGS "We attract couples that want to be more involved in their wedding. They think of Weatherhead Hollow as their home for the weekend," Kornguth says. One groom wanted to have his fire truck come and one bride wanted to have the tractor she learned to drive on, and they said yes. "We support couples who want to do something unconventional and we want to make sure each wedding feels unique, magical and not rushed." "We do require that they hire a wedding coordinator or a planner. The couples are dealing with us directly as we are on site the whole time. We're backup and additional support so it will truly be a great event," Kornguth says. Weatherhead Hollow is pet friendly, too. They've had mostly dogs so far but horses are also welcome. "People feel complete ownership of their process, not rushed. Weddings are already stressful enough," Kornguth says. There is a new tennis court, a pickle ball court and basketball hoops across the street at the Guilford Fairgrounds which are free and open to public so guests can take advantage of those. Katherine sums it up, "How awesome is Southern Vermont? The Guilford Country Store has [even] catered a few different brunches for weddings." "Our location is pretty unique because we're not at the end of a long dirt road. We have all of the benefits of being in the countryside, but we're just 6 miles from Brattleboro. We have Wi-Fi, lots of amenities including full kitchens, and washers and dryers in each property." VENUE DETAILS Weatherhead Hollow hosts weddings from late May until the end of October yearly. Located at 1208 Weatherhead Hollow Road, in Guilford, Vermont. Wedding rates: Start at $7,000. Which includes everything: a three night stay of both lodging sites, including the barn for the reception and access to the property for the entire wedding weekend. For more information, call 802-222-0544 or visit www.weatherheadhollow.com