Pining for perfection

Nestled in the North Dakota countryside, just outside Fargo, is a unique property holding not one, but two award-winning venues known as Pines White and Pines Black. Each building provides a custom-built and timeless canvas that lets renters curate their dream event.

“Our versatile space can accommodate anywhere from four to 400 people,” says Lisa Vedder, director of events at The Pines.

This modern yet rustic, venue has served the Red River Valley since opening in 2018. But the history and start of the company are just as fascinating as the events it holds today.

History
The site Pines Wedding & Events inhabits has a long history dating back to 1876. The property was the Kennedy Bonanza Farm from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. This farm was home to two massive horse barns, a workshop, the main house, worker lodging, and a general store.

After the land had changed through numerous owners’ hands and many years had passed, it was purchased by Delmer and Ardell Schultz in 1960. The Schultz family operated their family farm on the land for 60 years, and many buildings still standing on the property today result from the Schultz generational farming operations.

A new direction
“Our start is a little different from other companies,” laughed Vedder as she recounted the beginning of the Pines.

The idea for a wedding and events venue came from a company with a different niche. Grain Designs is a custom industrial furniture company specializing in wood and metal designs.

Grain Designs, a Fargo-based company, was founded by Grant Koenig and Blain Mikkonen in 2013. The pair began crafting premium quality furniture to provide unique designs, exceptional quality products, and noteworthy customer service.

After a year of operating out of their apartment garage, the Grain Designs team had the opportunity to expand their operations and rent a farm shop located southwest of Fargo. This property was leased to them by the Schultz family. In 2015, Grain Designs moved all production to the Schultz farm shop. During this time, the team referred to the property as “The Pines” to help differentiate the farm from their two other existing shop locations.

After four years of Grain Designs operating out of ‘the Pines,’ the multi-generational Schultz family farm was prepared to sell their property to an outside entity. While Grain Designs had been renting from the Schultz family, the pair had developed a strong working relationship. When the decision was made to sell, they offered the property to the team at Grain Designs. They decided to take the offer, and in early 2018, Grain Designs officially owned the land they once rented.

After purchasing the land, the team immediately began reimagining and planning how the property could be used. The final idea was to create a one-of-a- kind wedding venue and event space as unique as the furniture they sell. Imitating the same core values of Grain Designs, the Pines Weddings & Events was developed with great attention to detail, a well-designed venue, and noteworthy service in mind.

After the initial idea was conceived, business plans were developed, and construction on Pines White began soon after. In fall 2018, the Pines White was completed, and they successfully hosted the property’s first wedding!

Pines White hosted hundreds of weddings in the first three years of operating and won multiple area awards, including Best of the Red River Valley Wedding and Party Venue in 2019 and 2020. In 2021, the Grain Designs and Pines team announced the Pines expansion project. This project included the creation of Pines Black, a second venue on the property, and sitewide improvements to the existing Pines White and surrounding land.

In 2022, Pines Black held its grand opening and joined Pines White as a premier event space for the Red River Valley, winner of the Best of the Red River Valley Wedding and Party Venue for the fourth consecutive year.

Pines White
The original venue on the property is known for its rustic, white, barn-inspired aesthetic. The venue offers a customizable space with a 400-person capacity. Designed with weddings in mind, the venue also provides a picturesque outdoor ceremony site just a step away from the venue.

Custom work by Grain Designs can be found throughout the venue, from the sliding barn doors in the ceremony space to the farmhouse tables inside the venue. Although the rustic feel of the outside of the venue may make you feel like you’ve traveled through time, modern amenities such as an indoor built-in audio-visual system and a full-service bar (Kennedy Bar) can be found inside. The name Kennedy Bar pays homage to the property’s past.

Pines Black
The newest addition to the property showcases a modern, industrial, black exterior with barn-inspired architecture and the space to hold 345 people. Like Pines White, Pines Black offers an easily customized, versatile interior space. The utterly black exterior is contrasted by the white inside that features lofted white ceilings, exposed white brick columns, and clean white walls. This blank slate offers the ability to showcase one’s personality and signature style during an event. Unique features include a golf simulator and a patio for guests to mingle outdoors.

Pines Black also showcases custom work by Grain Designs throughout the venue. The full-service bar in Pines Black is named The 120 Bar, which is a nod to the massive 120 x 120-foot draft horse barn that was once on the property where Pines Black sets today.

Events today
Today, the Pines Weddings & Events has held countless weddings at both venues. 2023 will be a historic year as they are set to host the most weddings since opening.

Along with being a premier destination for couples looking for a wedding venue, the location is also a sought-after venue for community and corporate events.

“The Pines hosts hundreds of events yearly, from weddings and corporate functions to charity events. We have the privilege of working with amazing organizations like Bobcat, Sanford. CHS, and numerous nonprofit events like Peace Academy, Kindred Arts Partnership, and Down Home,” Vedder remarked.

Interested people can take a virtual walkthrough of the properties on their website, with options to see different layouts for events and even renderings of décor options. Visit thepinesvenue.com to explore both venues and plan your next event!