Behold the Copper Crown, a true jewel in the Hazelnut Inn’s coronet — a chateau of kingly splendour.

Upon thy approach, thou shalt cross a bridge over a shimmering moat to find a private courtyard garden, where the air is heavy with the scent of roses and the murmur of bubbling water and offers rest, to the weary knight or lady, beneath the watchful gaze of the heavens.

Step then within, where the craft of many masters is revealed in timber, stone, and light. Above —  a tower bedchamber is draped in such finery as to tempt a weary monarch to sleep and dream of tourneys and triumphs past. And also a deep soaker tub awaits to wash away the dust of the long road.

Below — a galley, well-stocked with fine victuals and refreshing cordials, stands ready to sustain thy strength for the quests of the morrow. And for the scholar, a hidden passage — tucked away like a dragon’s hoard — leads to a secret reading nook, the very place for poring over dusty tomes or contemplating the quintessence of thy soul.

Verily, the Copper Crown is a wondrous sanctuary, where the spirit of romance is breaths from every stone. It is a place where the banners of the heart may fly high, and where one might, for a night or two, forget the ticking of the clock and remember the older, truer rhythm of the world.

Our magical little hotel was originally dreamed up as a one-of-a-kind romantic getaway. For years, we’ve watched couples step through our gates to celebrate milestones like anniversaries, marriage proposals, and romantic birthdays. But this month, we celebrated a major milestone of our own: hosting our very first wedding.

Intimate, Intentional, and Entirely Magical

We have always prioritized a quiet, private experience for our guests, which is why parties and other events are generally not permitted on our property. However, by special permission, couples can reserve the entire hotel to host a storybook micro-wedding.

For our inaugural ceremony, the couple did exactly that. Accompanied by just a handful of their closest friends, they transformed our grounds into their own private fairytale kingdom for the day.

Under Hill, In Love

They chose the secluded garden courtyard of our Under Hill Suite for their ceremony. To mark the occasion, the iconic garden gate was draped in flowing red fabric and woven with delicate bunches of baby’s breath — a striking contrast against our handcrafted ironwork.

It was a day defined not by the size of the crowd, but by the depth of the love filling the space. We are deeply honoured to have played a small part in their love story.

Three years ago, we welcomed our very first guests. Six years before that, the Hazelnut Inn was just a crazy dream. Hailey and I sold our home, leveraged everything we owned, and poured almost a decade of our lives into building our magical little hotel.

There were endless exhausting days and plenty of sleepless nights — wondering if we were completely foolish for risking so much. (Though Hailey, the heart of my heart, never doubted.)

A Year In Advance

These days, those fears have grown quiet. And this week, the Hazelnut Inn reached an incredible new milestone: we took our very first booking exactly one year in advance.

Seeing that “year-out” reservation pop up on the screen felt like a profound release. While we expect this will eventually become our regular rhythm, this very first one is a beautiful validation of every sacrifice we made.

More Than Just A Booking

What truly overwhelms me, though, isn’t the calendar filling up; it’s our guests’ stories.

I read every single note left in our guestbooks. Guests continually comment on the level of detail and how “real” the experience feels. Hearing that they felt like they were “stepping into another world,” or that they teared up as they crossed the threshold, is profoundly humbling.

Our magic is a team effort and a massive part belongs to my sister Becke, who pours meticulous thought and care into every single stay as our innkeeper.

A Heartfelt Thank You

To every guest who has stayed with us, to everyone who has shed a tear in our suites, and to the folks who just booked their getaway for next July: thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Our journey is just beginning, and we cannot wait to welcome you — whether you’re visiting next week, or a year from now.