Only a 20 minute drive from downtown Louisville, Gheens Foundation Lodge is a dream wedding venue!

Gheens Foundation Lodge, Louisville Kentucky

Congratulations! Chances are, if you’re reading this that you’ve recently gotten engaged. What an exciting time in your life!

After the initial glow of being engaged starts to settle down, it’s time to get into planning mode. You’re probably scouring the internet for the best Louisville wedding venues. We’re so glad you found this page.

Our goal at Green Apple Photography is to provide you with as much information all in one place to help you narrow down your search. We know it can be absolutely exhausting bouncing around between websites and gathering information, so our hope is to make your life so much easier so you can move on to planning the rest of your big love filled day!

Here we’re chatting all about Gheens Foundation Lodge, which if you haven’t checked out the Parklands yet, you’re going to love this!

The Gheens Foundation Lodge is located within the Parklands of Floyds Fork. The Parklands are massive, at 4,000 sprawling acres, in which you will find 4 different parks to visit. In fact, it’s so large that its one of the largest-donor and visitor-supported park systems in the country. Talk about bragging rights.

To find Gheens Foundation Lodge, you want to look for Beckley Creek Park. Each of the parks within the Parklands are described as having their own personality, and Beckley Creek Park’s is that it’s a traditional and urban park. Surrounded by the suburbs, it’s often a recreational destination for families to enjoy picnics, fishing activities, community gardens, and even a farmers market.

Within the park you will find paved and natural paths that wind all around the creek. Likewise you will find the star of this post, the Gheens Foundation Lodge.

If we were to describe to you the general aesthetic of the lodge, we’d say it was earthy with a touch of whimsical.

Being surrounded by the woods and the creek that runs by, this is time to channel your inner woodland princess. You will be overjoyed with a location quite as stunning and versatile as this one.

The major swoon factor here, is not only are you surrounded by nature, but your ceremony can be outside in nature. It’s a super magical feeling getting to feel the fresh breeze on your skin, as you walk down the grass towards your loved one, with your favorite people sitting by. Hear the sound of the creek gently flow by as the birds chirp their delight from overhead.

Just behind you will see the entrance to the Gheens Foundation Lodge which can easily accommodate up to 300 guests. Weddings held at the lodge get access to the Creek View Terrace, which you guessed it, is an outdoor patio that has a close view of the creek.

Inside you’ll have your pick of a few different rooms, mainly the UPS Great Room which can host up a capacity up to 300. This breathtaking room is beyond words but we’ll do our best to describe it.

This window lined room at the Gheens Foundation Lodge is described as snug and wood-paneled but we say it’s so much more than that. From inside you have a clear and bright view of the surrounding lawns that roll down towards Floyds Fork. The natural light that shines through from the outside is enough to make us say you should book this immediately.

The interior wood paneling makes everything feel extra warm and cozy, and at night when the overhead twinkle lights shine, they reflect off the walls of windows, creating a shimmering light effect that elevates the ambiance of your evening wedding even more.

If you’re planning a small intimate wedding you may love the Parklands Room, which would comfortably fit up to 50 guests. This room also has the same joy with walls of floor to ceiling windows. Both rooms are Pinterest worthy yet still ready to serve as a blank canvas for you to decorate to your hearts content with centerpieces and other decor.

Those who are curious about the history of the venue will be delighted to hear that this park was designed by Floyd Law Olmstead. You may recognize his name, he’s the creative genius behind the amazing Central Park in New York City. In the early 1890’s he came to Kentucky to design this park system.

In 2004, 21st Century Parks Inc was founded to keep his vision of “bringing nature to neighborhoods” active. One of the parts of this vision is ensuring that parks are free and open to the public all year long.

The Gheens Foundation Lodge was built in 2009 and has since served as an outstanding venue for events, weddings, meetings, and parties.

Additional Accommodations for Ceremonies and Receptions

In addition to Gheens Foundation Lodge, The Parklands has multiple other venues located within is expansive park system. Some other venues available nearby that you may want to check out include:

Hockensmith Barn
-Can accommodate 250
-Adjacent yard is perfect for ceremonies and can be tented
-Open air doors
-Traditional Amish style

Egg Lawn
-22 acres of open space

PriceWaterhouseCoopers LLP Pavilion Venue
-Indoor/outdoor option
-Can accommodate 100-150
-Easy access to other locations on the grounds
-Buffet-set up

Ben Stout House
-Can be rented for a Bridal suite
-Can accommodate 15

Brown-Forman Silo Center
-Former dairy farm transformed into a venue
-Includes a number of spaces: The Picnic Barn, The Farmer’s Table, and the Silo Lookout
-Perfect for a wedding venue!

Moss Gibss Woodlands Garden
-Paved garden on the hillside perfect for a small wedding ceremony

Ogle Foundation Woodland Pavilion
-Can accommodate 125
-Close to other locations on the grounds
-Buffet-set up

You can click here to see the list of these options and to get more information.

Noteworthy Features

Gheens Foundation Lodge has a closed vendor list for catering. This may feel like a bummer if you want unlimited options to choose from, but we think this is a great way to ensure you are getting a trustworthy vendor that already is familiar with your wedding venue. This will help the banquet services run smoother and feel seamless on your big day.

Pricing & Collections

Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Weekday pricing. Prices are available on request here.

You can learn more about Gheens Foundation Lodge on their website here.

A picture says a thousand words! Want to be captivated and inspired by previous wedding events at Gheens Foundation Lodge? Check out this engagement photo session and this wedding that Green Apple Photography captured here.

See what other Louisville Wedding Venues are still to be discovered by clicking this link to head back to our main Louisville event page.