Storyteller Farms: A Historic Illinois Property Reinvented

Written and Photography by Emma Mullins, curator and owner of Emma Mullins Photography

In early October, I made the trip to Dixon, Illinois for the highly anticipated Storyteller Farms debut. This new luxury event destination is family owned and operated, having recently hosted its first wedding in May 2026. Also in attendance were fellow wedding professionals who made the journey from locations including Chicago, Rockford and Woodstock, eager to tour the property and learn about its many offerings.

The Storyteller Farms family is made up of owners John and Kelly Waller, John and Michele Girgis, and Director of Operations, Amanda Spohn. Spohn and her family live onsite, tending to the farm and animals on the property. All three families manage and coordinate weddings and events at Storyteller Farms.

That morning, attendees met inside Cypress Barn, the main event space at Storyteller Farms. We were greeted by Kelly and Michele for a welcome champagne toast and brief history of the property. The farm was originally home to Henry Babson’s horse breeding program in the 1930s. Babson focused on preserving rare Egyptian Arabian bloodlines, and soon earned an international reputation for its horses. I was delighted to see so much of the original horse paraphernalia from Babson’s time preserved and on display at the venue, along with countless nods to the property’s history in the renovated decor. On the main property with Cypress Barn you'll find Orchard Barn (used for reception dancing), Marion's Barn (original and untouched barn from the 1930's), and The Greenhouse (an intimate building that can host up to 12 people seated). 

We were also introduced to Michele’s daughter Madeleine Girgis-Waller, one of the venue’s first newlyweds! Madeleine is also a talented artist, having created the custom art for Storyteller Farms as well as her wedding to Ian Waller (son of owners Kelly and John) this spring.

Before long, Amanda Spohn invited our group on a bus tour of some of the additional properties: The Log Cabin Estate, Twin Oaks Ceremonial Site, The Mid-Century Modern House, and finally Storyteller Manor in Oregon, Illinois. My personal favorite was the Log Cabin Estate, where we met John Waller and resident pup Rudy! Each of these properties provide options for guest lodging or additional event spaces, such as a getting ready location for wedding day or welcome party the day before. It is also worth mentioning that Storyteller Farms only accepts one wedding per weekend, which allows guests to really make use of the individual spaces and soak in the scenery. 

Interview with the Owners

I was lucky enough sit down with Kelly Waller and Michele Girgis in the Bridle Suite at Cypress Barn to chat about the origins of Storyteller Farms, and what’s next. I learned that their original idea for the space was to film movies - and it didn’t take long to reimagine Storyteller Farms as a wedding destination. Below is an excerpt from our conversation. 

MG: It was Kelly who who did the decorating and the remodeling of all the space, and she did such a good job keeping the authenticity of the history of the barn, kept some of the stalls up, kept all the stalls in the Orchard Barn. Didn't really try to alter too much of the vibe, but instead leaned in. And you did a great job. 

KW: Thank you. We wanted everything here to have a story. So most of the things that we have in use in the barn are not brand new, they have some history to them. So sticking with our sustainability and being, kind of, stewards of the land while we bring in fresh, clean newness as well.

EM: Great. Okay! I was wondering, you talked a little bit earlier, Kelly, about designing the other buildings on the property [in addition to Cypress Barn]... Was there one person who had that idea, or was it really a team effort? How did that happen? 

KW: Oh, I would definitely say a team effort. And it kind of evolves as we go along and we see what's needed. So this - all the bones are here, the barns, this one in particular, 100 years old. So again, as Michele said, we wanted to keep the authenticity, so keep some of the horse stables up. But we did have somebody come out and talked about putting a tent out there, which you could still do, but we thought, we've already got this beautiful structure [the barn that became Orchard Barn]. Let's put it to good use. And so that's when we said, okay, let's just start with getting rid of the dirt floor and make it a cement floor. And then picture it with a disco ball. And Michele found the perfect disco ball to turn it into an instant party. 

MG: It was. 

KW: And the fact that you can open up all the doors and sides just, made us think like, this is so, you know, fresh, and…

MG: What originally was one barn renovation became two. But really, that second barn is what sets us apart. You can put a tent anywhere, but you can't build that space anywhere. So it's really kind of neat. And to marry them with the winding road... if you notice, if you stand anywhere else, you can't see the sidewalk connecting them. It was by design with berms and things like that.

KW: I think it's also like, whatever happens, you can use the space. If we have bad weather, and we're planning an outdoor wedding, we've got a space where you can instantly move inside and still have, you know, a great outdoor vibe and then rehearsal dinner or whatever else you might want to do, you can do on property.

EM: Great. One thing that's really standing out to me here today is that it's really evident that the spaces were designed with the guest experience in mind. Everyone can just kind of flow from one building to another. And there's so much around here to see. And if you get lovely weather on your wedding day or wedding weekend... it's just really enjoyable.

KW: So I should talk about collaborating. We had such a wonderful wedding coordinator plan for Ian and Madeleine's events [Nicole Fauls of Urban Allure Events and founder of ChiTheeWed]... 

MG: And Nicole helped us from day one. She came in when it was dirt floors... She was instrumental in the experience when we said, you know, she was part of the team that we were looking at the tent and it was like, or we could do this [renovate Orchard Barn in addition to Cypress Barn]. And she was like, oh, that'd make it really special.

KW: Now, Michele came from the hospitality world. I did not, but having the combination of her experience and Nicole specifically focused on weddings was helpful to make sure we didn't miss out on anything…

EM: Well we love that it's a family business and we would love to know a little bit more about that. Do you think any of this would have happened at all if it weren't for Madeleine and Ian? 

MG: That's a great question… I'm not sure we would have done weddings without Madeline and Ian being a little bit of an impetus, because when they first showed up and it was dirt floor… Madeleine is the artist, so she had the dream and she's like, this could be incredible. And I really, really think so. There's a risk with your kids being the first wedding because everything's going to go wrong. But then again, that's okay too, because they're your kids. They'll forgive you. 

KW: Well, and we certainly have to talk about the family that has joined our family and lives on property - the Spohn family.

MG: Amanda and Nick - 

KW: - and their two children that keep this property looking pristine. And we wanted them just as guests for the wedding. And Amanda said, nope... I want to learn. And they were spectacular. Down to the guest who says, oh my goodness, my shoe broke - and their daughter... was like, no problem, I've got this. And she goes and gets the glue, I believe it was, and fixed the guest’s shoe. So full service.

EM: Full service! There you go.

MG: So three families, not just two. And they're probably the most important on the property. 

EM: Amanda’s great! She gave us the tour earlier. 

MG: It's been amazing.

EM: Are you hoping to attract mostly clients and couples getting married from nearby? Midwest, Chicago, or all over the place? What's your vision?

MG: We're open to anything.

KW: Yeah, I think all over would be great. And, you know, I don't think many people think, from other parts of the country, oh, I'm going to go to rural Illinois. But we would love that. I lived in Chicago for 30-something years before I came out here and realized Illinois is gorgeous and has some beautiful, beautiful landscape. That being from the city you have no idea you're going to experience. And you don’t have to go that far out of a big city, so you've got everything you need within driving distance.

MG: When we hosted the wedding, I would say, we had 208 people and they came from everywhere. They came from Japan, they came from Hawaii, they came from Florida, Chicago, Georgia, New York, Maine, Seattle. They came from everywhere. And once they got here and and saw it, so many, including our own family members… through the weekend just kept going on and on and on… I think everyone that went was surprised at how really amazing it is here. And magical. And a little bit different than what you would expect.

EM: Yes. The nature aspect is really incredible. And how secluded you feel out here. That's the magic for sure. And of course, I'm sure you can see all the stars and things like that.

MG: It's so true. You can.

EM: Are you going to accept weddings 12 months out of the year? How's that going to work? 

MG: Naturally, this is an area that January, February and March are going to be quiet, and it can get chilly in there. We can bring in heaters. Yes, we can do any of that. 

KW: I love the vibe for a December wedding. December/New Year's kind of vibe. And it's shockingly comfortable with a huge span of temperature, but you can always bring in heat and cool things off as well.

MG: The mechanics are here for it. So it's not that you couldn't. 

EM: Okay. Thank you so much. Anything else either of you would like to add? 

MG: No. It's just been a fun journey. 

KW: Been a great fun journey. Yes. It's great to come to work every day with your friend. So I really love that… 

MG: It is. It's just been great. We're super excited to share it.

If you’d like to host your wedding weekend at Storyteller Farms, inquire through the web site for pricing and availability. Thank you to the Girgis, Waller, and Spohn families for hosting us in October! Looking forward to returning to Storyteller Farms soon.

Creative Partners:
Planning + Consulting: Urban Allure Events
Florals: Flowers by Coll
Tablescapes: Tablescapes
Photography: Emma Mullins Photography
Music: Elegance Violins 
Coffee: Homestead Brew
Cookies: Hazel’s Cafe
Tacos: Hector’s Cocina
Art + Design: MGW Design Co.