If you’re dreaming of a historic wedding venue in Central Ohio that blends rich tradition with cozy charm, Mac-O-Chee Castle has what you’re looking for! Located in West Liberty, Ohio, this gorgeous historic property is the ideal backdrop for couples who want a truly unique venue for their big day.

Hi, there! I’m Allyson, a wedding calligrapher and the owner of The Pemberley Creative. If this is your first time on this blog, welcome! I specialize in creating custom wedding signage that adds a personal touch to your big day. Recently, I had the opportunity to create some wedding day stationery pieces for a styled shoot at Mac-O-Chee castle, and I can’t wait to share the details about this stunning new venue with you. Let’s dive in and explore all the reasons this historic wedding venue is a must-see for Ohio couples!

LET'S TALK WEDDING SIGNAGE!

*Mac-O-Chee Castle Bride & Groom | Photo by Gracie Foell*

The History of Mac-O-Chee Castle

Mac-O-Chee castle has a long standing legacy in Central Ohio. The Castle was built by the well-known Piatt family in 1881 as their flagship residence, and the family didn’t hold back when designing their stately home. The Castle is a gem in the otherwise plain Ohio countryside with its Victorian Gothic Revival architecture. The original structure of the Castle features unique details such as a carefully painted interior and elaborate millwork. Priceless antiques adorn every surface and make for amazing tours and photo opportunities.

It’s unique name, Mac-O-Chee Castle, stems from the Piatt family’s deep connection to the local Native American tribe called the Mekoche, who also lived in the West Liberty area. The estate’s inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places secures Mac-O-Chee Castle’s notoriety as a prominent local historical landmark.

Two couples from the Cole family, another family local to the West Liberty area, purchased Mac-O-Chee castle from the Piatt family in 2019. Their goal was to preserve the timeless beauty of this historic estate and maintain the community’s access to the special landmark to share with future generations. What a better way to showcase and share this historic site than to use it for wedding celebrations?

Things to Love about Weddings at Mac-O-Chee Castle

If you’re looking for an enchanting wedding venue with the perfect combination of history and elegance, look no further than Mac-O-Chee castle. When you arrive on the expansive, picturesque grounds of the estate, it feels like you have stepped back in time. The newly updated stone courtyard looks straight out of a fairytale and gives a stunning view of the original castle. Old stonework makes up the castle terrace that overlooks the grounds, providing ample opportunities for photo ops fitting a king and queen.

*Mac-O-Chee Castle Wedding Bride & Groom | Photo by Gracie Foell*

There’s even more wonder inside the Castle. The dramatic grand staircase, intricate ceilings, and the 19th century hardwood floors all create an atmosphere of timeless elegance that feels like stepping into a classic romance novel. Every corner of Mac-O-Chee castle offers unique opportunities for stunning wedding photos, from the cozy nooks perfect for intimate moments, to the sweeping staircase that shows off the grandeur of your wedding day.

The Courtyard is the perfect spot for a romantic outdoor ceremony that will wow your guests with a background of a water feature, wood burning fireplace, and views of the original castle and sweeping grounds. Follow up your ceremony with an indoor reception in the Great Hall with a breathtaking view of Mac-O-Chee castle through a wall of windows overlooking the celebration.

*Mac-O-Chee Castle Newly Updated Courtyard*

What’s Special about Weddings at Mac-O-Chee Castle?

The history of Mac-O-Chee Castle is what makes it stand out from so many other wedding venues in central Ohio. But thanks to facilities updates, you don’t have to sacrifice convenience and modern amenities to have the castle wedding of your dreams.

Many historic wedding venues are small and don’t allow for large wedding celebrations, but that isn’t the case for Mac-O-Chee Castle. The newly added Great Hall and Courtyard were designed to host up to 300 guests, fully capable of accommodating the modern wedding of your dreams. But don’t let the new construction fool you - the updated facilities incorporate the historic architectural details of the original Castle to continue the vintage aesthetic throughout. The Courtyard’s water features even incorporate the original bridge and well from the 1881 build, blending timeless charm with modern elegance.

Mac-O-Chee castle was designed with versatility in mind, ensuring couples that your wedding day meets your specific needs. The venue provides multiple options for your ceremony, whether you envision exchanging vows outside in the castle courtyard, or if you would prefer the elegance of a ceremony in the Great Hall. The Great Hall is also a perfect backup ceremony location in case of inclement weather, and your reservation includes the use, setup, and teardown tables and chairs in either location. The Castle also boasts a bridal suite and groom’s lounge that provide plenty of space for the wedding party to get ready in comfort and style - complete with coffee and drinks bars and even streaming and video game compatible TVs for the guys!

Another special thing about Mac-O-Chee castle - venue owners that care! The Cole families are so passionate about bringing life back into this fundamental piece of history in their community so that couples can start writing their own history on their wedding day. Your wedding reservation includes the usage of a client portal for wedding planning details as well as an on-site venue manager for the entirety of your day. Your wedding day is chapter one of you and your future spouse’s story, and the Cole families are honored to be a part of it!

How I Styled Wedding Signage for this Venue

The inspiration images for this styled shoot featured varying shades of green and brown so I stuck with those hues for the place card calligraphy. I loved how the earthy fall colors complemented the rich tones featured so prominently throughout the interior of the castle. The place cards paired so well with these adorable treats customized with the profile of Mac-O-Chee castle. What a great way for guests to remember your wedding at this historic venue with personalized favors!

The wax seals really tied in the old world historical feel that this venue exudes. Wax seal place cards are also a great way to indicate meal choice for your guests - you can use various colors of wax seals rather than needing an icon or letter to communicate the selection to the servers. This was also my first time experimenting with gold metallic ink, and I think it’s safe to say that I’m a huge fan!

*Wax Seal Wedding Place Card Calligraphy by The Pemberley Creative*

For the welcome sign, I went with a more modern and playful design to go along with the (“late night” portion of the shoot) on acrylic. By working in a neutral color palette, the wavy welcome sign with whimsical hand drawn drink illustrations proves that Mac-O-Chee castle can be a stunning backdrop for your modern wedding as well.

I can’t wait to create more calligraphy pieces and signage for couples getting married at Mac-O-Chee Castle. With this venue’s rich character and décor, I’d love to create a fabric wedding welcome sign to add some organic texture in a neutral color that would let the venue do the talking! A matching fabric seating chart would pair perfectly with the welcome sign, or you could have a floor length mirror seating chart to amp up the formality. A castle wedding provides a unique opportunity for a formal affair, and I’d love to help you create a truly regal seating chart display.

I hope you enjoyed learning more about weddings at Mac-O-Chee Castle! It’s a venue where history, beauty, and love come together seamlessly to make your wedding truly unforgettable, and it’s sure to become a favorite venue in Central Ohio. Mac-O-Chee Castle has availability for weddings starting in March 2025, when all of their facility updates will be complete. Reach out today to book a tour and see the Castle in person.

Venue Details

Address: 2319 State Route 287, West Liberty, OH 43357
Phone: 937-699-4137
Website: https://www.macocheecastle.com/

Pricing: Varies from $7000-9500 based on season and day of the weekend
Capacity: Seating for up to 300 people in the Courtyard or Great Hall
Exclusive access to the venue and grounds the day of the wedding
Included use of chairs as well as setup and teardown of chairs and tables
Thursday rehearsal
Use of bride and groom’s suites
Full service bar with bartending
Paved parking for 100 vehicles with overflow parking available

Styled Shoot Vendors

It was awesome to work with so many talented local vendors that participated in this shoot! Please check them out for more examples of their work.

Event Planner: Gracie Foell
Photographer: Gracie Foell and Carlos Manuel Stoner
Florals: Bells Flowers
Models: Micah & Hope; Ethan & Laine
Hair: Alexis Snow
Makeup: Hayley Palmer Makeup
Calligraphy Signage: The Pemberley Creative
Cake: Let’s Eat Cake
Candy: Maries Candies
Stationery: Elle A. Design Co

All photos shown below are courtesy of Gracie Foell and Carlos Manuel Stoner

I hope this blog gave you some helpful insight into this newly updated historic venue in Central Ohio! My goal is to not only create wedding signage for my couples, but to be a helpful resource for them as well.

Interested in learning about another fantastic wedding venue in Columbus, Ohio?

Check out my post on Morgan & Mike’s elegant summer wedding at the Westin Great Southern Columbus.

LEARN MORE

I go into full detail about all of the possible wedding signage options you may want to consider in my free guide, Your Ultimate Guide to Wedding Signage (plus a checklist!). You can get it now by signing up here.

Want to know what I consider to be “must have” wedding signage? Read my blog post about it here.

Looking for more wedding signage ideas and inspiration? You can see some of my favorite pieces that I have created here.

A Historic Ohio Wedding Venue: Mac-O-Chee Castle