Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsay Bennett.
Hi Lindsay , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve owned Press 626 Wine Bar, which is housed in a beautiful Victorian home in Norfolk, Virginia, for the past 18 years. I’m a sommelier, and I’ve spent my entire career in the hospitality business, so creating memorable experiences for people has always been a big part of what I do.
When my husband and I bought our 20-acre waterfront property in Hertford, North Carolina, several years ago, I knew we could create something really special there. I just didn’t know at the time that it would eventually become a wedding venue. We’ve been hosting weddings and week-long vacation rentals at Wild Blue Acres since 2023, and it’s been exciting to see how the property has evolved.
We plan to move to the property in the summer of 2028, once our daughter graduates from high school. We’re looking forward to continuing to host weddings while also expanding Wild Blue Acres into more of an agritourism destination.
The property has a mature three-acre blueberry farm that we’ve been renovating, which is actually where the name Wild Blue Acres came from. We plan to offer U-pick blueberries during the summer months, from June through August, and I’m hoping to continue finding ways to make the farm something people can enjoy and experience.
And I joke with my husband that I’m going to start adding animals to the farm while he’s not looking!
I’d also love to connect with the local school system and FFA to offer educational opportunities for children—things like horticulture, farming, growing food, and simply learning how to connect with nature. There’s something really special about giving kids the opportunity to get their hands in the dirt and experience where their food comes from.
We’re still figuring out exactly what Wild Blue Acres will become, but that’s part of the fun. We have a lot of ideas, and we’re excited to see where it takes us.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Has it been a smooth road? No. Is anything ever?
I say, just make sure you’re a tough enough ride to get over the bumpy roads.
The struggles at the restaurant are a daily, weekly, and monthly occurrence. Staffing, managing guests, soaring food and utility costs, wine costs—you name it. COVID was incredibly tough. But in the end, I honestly think we’re in the best place we’ve ever been with the restaurant. Maybe not financially, but in terms of the overall experience—for our staff, our customers, and the restaurant itself. After 18 years, there’s something really special about where we are now.
Creating and managing Wild Blue Acres has been a very different experience. We created it for ourselves. When we bought the property, we always knew that one day we were going to live there, so everything we’ve done has been with that in mind.
It’s been wonderful being able to share the property with couples who appreciate its natural beauty as much as we do. At the same time, I’ll admit that it can be a little bit of a mind trip having strangers come stay in your home!
I think my biggest challenge with Wild Blue Acres has been the social media side of getting the word out. I’m naturally more introverted, so putting myself and the business out there and constantly promoting it doesn’t come naturally to me. It’s something I have to push myself to do. But I’ve also learned that if you want people to discover something special, you have to be willing to tell them about it.
As you know, we’re big fans of Wild Blue Acres. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Wild Blue Acres is a 20-acre waterfront wedding venue and vacation property in Hertford, North Carolina, overlooking the Albemarle Sound. What sets us apart is that we offer something that can be hard to find in the wedding industry: time, privacy, space, and the freedom to make the weekend your own.
Our signature offering is our Weekend Wedding Experience, where couples and their closest family and friends can spend the entire weekend on the property rather than just a few hours on their wedding day. With two homes, gardens, a blueberry farm, a waterfront large lawn and ceremony area, and stunning sunsets, the property becomes more than a venue—it becomes a place to gather, celebrate, and create memories together.
We’re known for our natural beauty, especially the expansive waterfront views and incredible sunsets, but I think what our couples appreciate most is the freedom. We don’t try to create a cookie-cutter wedding. Couples can bring their own vendors and their own style and vision, while having the time and space to actually enjoy the experience.
I’m most proud of the fact that Wild Blue Acres feels personal. We didn’t buy the property to create a venue; we bought it because we fell in love with the property and knew we wanted to live there someday. Sharing something that is genuinely meaningful to us with other families makes the business feel very different from a traditional wedding venue.
As we move toward living at Wild Blue Acres full-time in 2028, we’re also looking forward to expanding beyond weddings and vacation rentals. Our three-acre blueberry farm is being renovated, with plans for summer U-pick berries and eventually more agritourism and educational opportunities. We want Wild Blue Acres to continue growing into a place where people can celebrate, slow down, connect with nature, and simply enjoy being together.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
Throughout my restaurant career, I’ve been fortunate to have many people who have inspired me—chefs, sommeliers, and other entrepreneurs who have taught me something along the way.
Wild Blue Acres was a little different. There wasn’t really a mentor or a business plan behind it. It was more of a, “Man, this place speaks to us like no other place has. Let’s close our eyes, take a big leap, and see what happens” kind of thing.
But there is one person who has been my biggest supporter and has been by my side without hesitation since day one, and that’s my husband of almost 20 years. He’s taken every leap with me, including this one, and I truly would not be where I am today without him.
Pricing:
- Weekday micro weddings start at $2,800
- Weekend wedding experience start at $7,000
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wildblueacresnc.com
- Instagram: wildblueacresnc
- Facebook: Wild Blue Acres
