+ ARE YOU A COUNTRY CLUB? DO I NEED TO BE A MEMBER?
No. We are Tom's Country Place (not Club). We are a family owned and operated, open to the public catering and event center. No memberships are required or offered.
+ CAN I PROVIDE MY OWN FOOD OR BRING IN ANOTHER CATERER?
No. Tom’s Country Place is a catering company. We hold the food service license for our location, so all events hosted in our venue must be catered by us as well. Our expert chefs are happy to work with you to customize a menu to fit you and your guests' tastes, preferences, and dietary needs. We were voted the 2023 Best Caterer in Lorain County!
Because we do not have an in-house Pastry Chef, we do allow outside desserts, however, we are not responsible for storage or refrigeration of your desserts. Special plating charges may be applied if you choose to bring in outside desserts. Please ask our event coordinator for specific details.
+ CAN I PROVIDE MY OWN ALCOHOL?
Yes! Tom’s Country Place does not hold a liquor license to sell alcoholic beverages, so we can not buy or provide any alcohol for you. You may provide any and all the beer, wine, and liquor you want for your event. We will provide all of the non-alcoholic drinks, bar-wash items, drinkware, ice, and bartenders needed to complete your bar. No corkage fees are charged. For the safety of all of our guests, we do have a strict no-shots policy.
Alcohol can be purchased from any state-regulated vendor. We recommend our friends at 1-Stop Beverage and Minotti's.
+ CAN I PROVIDE MY OWN BARTENDERS?
No. Only our trained bartenders are permitted to bartend at the venue. They already know where to find all of the cups, glasses, and bar-wash items needed to restock the bar throughout the event. They are also responsible for safely serving drinks throughout the event, including cutting off guests when necessary.
+ CAN I HIRE MY OWN SECURITY OFFICER?
No. For events requiring security (weddings and other large events where alcohol is served) an off-duty Avon or other Lorain Country police officer will be present for security. We will schedule the officer on your behalf. Security is paid directly at a rate of $60.00 per hour. (Holiday rate of $90.00 per hour applies to all major holidays.)
+ WHAT SIZE EVENTS CAN YOU ACCOMMODATE?
Our venue can accommodate anywhere from 40-450 guests.
Carry-out catering (for pick-up or delivery) can accommodate groups of 10 or more.
Full-service off-site catering requires a minimum of 50 guests and has no maximum.
+ WHAT DATES DO YOU HAVE AVAILABLE?
Check out our calendar for venue availability in 2024 & 2025.
Our 2026 calendar will be available on January 1st, 2025.
+ HOW MANY EVENTS CAN THE VENUE ACCOMMODATE WITHIN A DAY?
Our venue can accommodate two events happening simultaneously. One in the Oak Room. And one in the Gold Room or Gold & West Room combined. To ensure events are private and intimate, each event has its own separate entrance, bar, restrooms, and coat room. The only shared spaces are the parking lot and gardens.
+ WHEN WILL I HAVE ACCESS TO MY RESERVED ROOM TO DECORATE?
For a wedding reception, your room is guaranteed at 12:00 noon on the day of the wedding. For all other events, you will have access at least 1 hour before the event starts.
+ IS THE VENUE RUSTIC?
While "country" is in our name, Tom's Country Place is a modern ballroom venue. When we were founded in 1959, our hometown of Avon, Ohio was very much the country, a rural mostly undeveloped area of Lorain County. The city and suburbs have since grown up around us, but our name and commitment to traditional hospitality remain the same.
The interior of our venue features a neutral color scheme with wall-to-wall white tile floors and golden chandeliers. This neutral palette can complement any event colors and can be dressed up for formal themes or dressed down for more casual themes. We've hosted events from rustic charm to black tie glamor and everything in between.
+ HOW MANY HOURS CAN MY EVENT LAST?
Wedding packages include a 5-hour event. 1 additional hour may be added, at a fee.
All other types of events include a 3 or 4 hour time frame (based on the type of event and menu package selected.) 1 additional hour may be added, at a fee.
Additional event time must be prearranged and can not be added during the event.
Events must end no later than 12:00 midnight, with the exception of New Year's Eve, which may last until 1:00am.
+ IS THE VENUE ADA-ACCESSIBLE?
Yes! Our entire venue is on the ground floor. No stairs or ramps! We also have a spacious ADA-accessible restroom and wide doorways.
+ WHERE ARE THE NEAREST HOTELS?
While we don't offer on-site accommodations, we do recommend several nearby hotels.
The Wyndham Avon and Fairfield Inn & Suites, Marriott are both located here in Avon, about a 3 mile drive from our venue.
The DoubleTree by Hilton Westlake and the Hyatt Place Crocker Park are both in Westlake, about a 7 mile drive from our venue.
+ ARE THERE ANY DECORATING RESTRICTIONS?
We do not allow glitter, confetti, flower petals, or other small pieces to be scattered on tables or floors.
Nothing can be attached to the walls, ceilings, or light fixtures; all decor must be free standing or sat on tables.
Real flame candles are allowed, but must be contained in a candle holder so that wax can not drip on tables or linens.
Special cleaning fees may be assessed if any of your decor causes extensive clean-up time or any damages to the venue, tables, chairs, or linens.
Please discuss your plans with us so there is no misunderstanding about what is permitted.
You are responsible for the set-up and clean-up of all of your personal decorations.
+ ARE PETS ALLOWED AT THE VENUE?
Our garden areas are pet friendly, so dogs, horses, etc. are welcome to be a part of your wedding ceremony and/or event photos. But only registered service animals are permitted inside of the building. Pet owners are expected to clean up after their animals.
+ CAN I HAVE MY EVENT OUTSIDE IN YOUR GARDEN AREA?
Because we are located in a residential neighborhood, local noise ordinances prohibit us from having outdoor events, with the sole exception of wedding ceremonies. Our picturesque gardens are also available for you and your photographer to capture photos.
+ DO YOU OFFER A CEREMONY-ONLY WEDDING PACKAGE?
No. For weddings, our garden ceremony area is reserved exclusively for couples hosting their reception with us as well. You may use the gardens for your ceremony and/or photos.
+ CAN I HAVE A TENT IN THE GARDEN AREA?
No. Our garden area has an extensive sprinkler system buried a few inches underground so we can not stake a tent into the ground and risk hitting a sprinkler. Additionally, a large tree sits in the middle of the garden area and would be in the way of most tents.
For wedding ceremonies in the garden, in the event of inclement weather, your ceremony will be moved into your reserved reception space.
+ I WANT TO PLACE A CARRY-OUT CATERING ORDER. HOW SOON SHOULD I ORDER?
We need your final order details at least 1 week in advance. Orders placed less than 1 week in advance may be subject to limited availability. Longer lead times may be required around major holidays, especially Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
+ I WANT TO HAVE MY CARRY-OUT CATERING ORDER DELIVERED. IS THERE A FEE?
Yes. Delivery charges vary based on location. It is a $25.00 delivery fee anywhere in Avon, Ohio (our hometown) and the fee increases the further we need to travel. Additionally, deliveries on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays require a minimum order of at least $1,000.00. Delivery is subject to availability.
+ DO YOU HAVE A FOOD & BEVERAGE MINIMUM OR A MINIMUM GUEST COUNT?
We do NOT have a Food & Beverage Minimum. We do have minimum required guest counts.
The Oak Room requires a minimum of 40 guests.
The Gold Room or Gold & West Rooms combined require a minimum of 80 guests.
The Grand Ballroom (the entire facility) requires a minimum of 150 guests.
Each room has a venue rental fee in addition to the minimum required guest count. (Venue rental fees vary based on the room selection and date/length of the event. Please contact us for specific details.)
Additional fees will be added if your guest count is below the required minimum.
Full-Service Off-Site Catering requires a minimum of 50 guests.
+ HOW FAR IN ADVANCED CAN I RESERVE MY EVENT DATE?
Any date may be booked at any time. We are still booking for 2024 (limited dates available) and 2025. You may book dates in 2026 and beyond, however, packages and prices are not set and are subject to change.
+ DO YOU REQUIRE A DEPOSIT TO HOLD MY DATE?
Carry-out catering does not require a contract or deposit; payment in full is due the day of your order.
Weddings require a signed contract and a non-refundable deposit of $1,300.00 to $3,000.00 (based on room selection).
All other events require a signed contract and a non-refundable deposit of $425.00 to $1,000.00 (based on room selection).
All deposits are applied towards your event total; they will appear as a payment on your invoice.
No dates can be held without a deposit and signed contract.
+ WHAT IS THE CANCELLATION POLICY?
All deposits are non-refundable. In the event of a cancellation, your deposit is refundable only under the following criteria: Tom’s Country Place must be able to re-book the exact date as listed on your contract with the same minimum guest requirements and at the same price per guest as listed on the current event price list.
You may choose to change your date to another available date within the same calendar year without penalty. Postponing your date to a different calendar year requires the cancellation of the original contract and forfeiture of the deposit. A new contract and deposit must be placed for the new date in another calendar year.
+ WHAT IS THE SERVICE CHARGE?
A service charge is an industry standard fee that covers our administrative and labor fees. Rather than charging individually or hourly for the services of our event coordinator, chefs, servers, dishwashers, set-up team, etc. a service charge is applied to cover these expenses. Our service charge ranges from 15% to 18% (based on the type of event and date of the event.) Per Ohio State Law, service charges are taxable. Service Charge is not a gratuity.
+ WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?
We accept cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.
For weddings, we can not accept personal checks within 10 days of the wedding date, but can accept cashier's checks.
We do not accept Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal.
+ WHAT IS THE TAX RATE?
We are located in Lorain County, Ohio, so events hosted in the venue are subject to a 6.5% sales tax.
The entire invoice, including the service charge, is taxable with the exception of bartender fees, security fees, and venue rental fees.
Tax exempt organizations must show proof of exemption.
Carry-out catering and full-service off-site catering are not subject to tax in the state of Ohio.
+ IS GRATUITY INCLUDED?
No, we do not automatically charge a gratuity. Gratuity for excellent service is always appreciated but is never expected.