Story by Carol Vogel
Heath Williams knew there was a need for a large wedding venue and event space in the area. In his hometown, Dolgeville, NY, he made his vision a reality with Rustic Ties. He’s now passed the torch on to new owners Brooke and Ty Stowell, who are looking forward to carrying on Heath’s vision while making it their own.
How it Began
Rustic Ties is a unique venue in the area, and Heath explained how he got started building his vision. “I started planning Rustic Ties back in 2017 because there was a need for a wedding venue in our area and a need for one that could hold larger weddings. I purchased the land and designed the grounds and buildings to be very functional and spacious. It was always my plan to build the business up and sell it in 5 years so I could retire outside of the United States.”
The wedding and event venue features plenty of green space on its extensive 43 ½ acres which includes a pond, making it perfect for stunning photographs. In addition to the huge indoor event space for up to 200, there are bride and groom dressing suites, an outdoor covered bar and a caterer’s kitchen.
“Rustic Ties opened in 2019 and hosted a handful of weddings. Those weddings and the fact that people could now see the venue complete gave me a full season of bookings for 2020. Unfortunately, Covid came along and destroyed my 2020 season and limited my 2021 season. Through all of that, I continued to make improvements to the grounds and facilities and booked weddings each season. Rustic Ties blossomed into a beautiful venue with a great reputation, but it was time for me to move on.”
A Perfect Fit
Brooke had run her own creative business in Dolgeville prior to working with Rustic Ties. “I started out doing the little craft shop in town, and then I always did a little bit of floral work. I think I planned my first wedding at 19 for my boss at the credit union when I worked there.”
Heath recalls, “Brooke had been a vendor for some of the brides over the years, and I knew her as someone that was creative and hard working. She also enjoyed working with weddings and had helped some of the wedding coordinators in the past with the set-up and decorating of the barn. “
The conversation led Heath to realize that Brooke and her husband Ty had many talents that would benefit Rustic Ties. Besides Ty’s landscaping business, he also did property maintenance like commercial cleanings and stripping and waxing floors among other projects. Ty mentioned that “every once in a while, I get crazy and do catering jobs, too!” Brooke laughed and said, “Heath lit up and said, ‘You guys really can do it all!’”
Heath added “She had the background with weddings and decorating, and Ty had a background in landscaping, maintenance, bartending, catering and has been the officiant for several weddings at Rustic Ties in the past.” He couldn’t have found a more capable and reliable couple to run Rustic Ties.
Getting to work
Heath was impressed with the transition. “Brooke came on board and picked things up very quickly. I took some vacation time and let her run things without my assistance/interference. She handled everything great, and Rustic Ties didn’t skip a beat.”
Things were going well, and then “She told me that she and her husband Ty were interested in buying the business from me, so we worked out a plan to let them operate the business for the entire 2024 season without me being present. I told them to do things the way they wanted to do them and the way they would do it if they were the owners. I wanted to make sure they knew exactly what they were getting into, and I wanted them to feel comfortable making changes and adjustments so that it was 100% realistic. The 2024 season was all theirs, and they did an amazing job.”
Rustic Ties “Sweetheart Swings” and fire pit feature. Photo used with permission from Rustic Ties.
Heath mentioned that everyone was on the same page. “They even added a sweetheart swing which was her idea, and Ty built it. I was impressed because every year I added something new to the venue that added a nice touch or new photo opportunity, and they were already thinking the same way. They survived the 2024 season and said they still wanted to buy the business.” Heath laughed. “When the season ended at the end of October, we finalized the paperwork, and Rustic Ties is now theirs.”
Brook and Ty Stowell are the new owners of Rustic Ties. Photo used with permission from Rustic Ties.
Getting that first-hand experience was integral and the way things worked out wasn’t lost on Brooke. “It was always a dream to have my mom and my sister join me. My mom passed away several years ago, so she’s not able to help out. However, Ty has stepped in and taken over, so my dream still becomes a reality.”
Brooke and Ty are thrilled to be the new owners of Rustic Ties. Their family business gets to help create amazing memories for other families, not only as a wedding venue but for community events and live music as well.
Looking to the Future
There are many exciting projects and additions coming to Rustic Ties, and both Brooke and Ty have ideas for things they want to accomplish at the property. Brooke has plans to highlight those who are married on the property. “Heath always did something new each year, so we plan on carrying on that tradition. I am trying to do something very personal to commemorate each of the couples that we have spent time with and have been married here since we took over. I am looking to find something unique where they can initial or sign their names or something like that on the property as a display starting from our first wedding of 2025 moving forward.” Inspired by the love locks on bridges found around the world, Brooke is excited about creating something memorable for her couples.
Sunset at Rustic Ties. Photo used with permission from Rustic Ties.
Although the setting is already picturesque, Ty’s focus will be on creating even more photo opportunities on the property. “I am going to be putting in a 1-acre wildflower field in one of the corners. We are going to have an easy access path, which we will accentuate with a stone wall and open up to an acre of wildflowers. It will give a beautiful photo op for our photographers and brides and grooms.” Ty is working on mixing it up so that they have a rotating field that blooms consistently throughout each season. “We want to have a rotation, so we don’t have a big burst in spring, and then they’re gone.”
Another addition to Rustic Ties is in-house catering. Ty’s family has done food catering work for 40 years and, in addition to all the property maintenance, Brooke says “he is also taking on becoming our caterer for the venue as well so he’s a busy boy! He does all of the fun stuff!” He has lots of help from family, especially his dad, who likes to pitch in and help prep like peeling potatoes and vegetables.
Brooke and Ty have lots of ideas. “Wait and see what we’re going to do, you’re going to be like, ‘Man, that is a great idea!’” Ty adds. “We know what we’re doing next fall, and we will reveal it in the Spring of 2026 because it will be a year-long project for us. It will give more opportunities for photographers and our couples, and it will make a couple of areas around the property a little more homey – I guess we’ll leave it at that without giving too much away!” Ty laughed.
Band at Rustic Ties. Photo used with permission from Rustic Ties.
The word is out about Rustic Ties, and Brooke is excited for the future. “We have a lot of weddings booked already for next year, and we are booking into 2026. Our first public event of the 2025 season will be the Violet Festival Band Night – and we are going to have Gridley Paige out for that on Friday, June 13th, 2025.”
Moving Forward
Heath was extremely happy with how seamlessly everything worked out. “For me, they were the perfect fit. I wanted Rustic Ties to go to someone who would care for it as much as I did. I also wanted someone who would be looking to make improvements and learn from each wedding. Things are always changing, weddings aren’t cookie cutter anymore, so you must be willing to make changes and grow with the times. I have no doubt that Brooke and Ty will succeed. They are both hard-working, and their skill sets complement each other and this business perfectly!”
Ty added, “It’s an easier transition because we’re just carrying on things since we have been involved already in the business. It’s the kind of thing that you have to come here to see the differences and wait to see how we put our stamp on it.”
Brooke agreed and was so thankful for the opportunity. “It was really a blessing for us because Health had built this beautiful business despite the struggles with Covid and all of that and he was still able to build up a successful business. He had a great vision, and I feel honored that he hand-picked us. He considers this his baby and his legacy, and he wants to hand the reins over to someone he knows would treat it the same way. We’re really very thankful that he chose us.”
Learn more about Rustic Ties by visiting their website https://www.rustictiesweddings.com/ or their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/rustictiesllc/. You can also take a virtual tour of the property: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=xVrFranCL9s