July 10, 2025
Wayside at Cottom Farm: A Family Tradition of Southern Charm and Celebration
By Kyle Coppola
Wayside at Cottom Farm: A Family Tradition of Southern Charm and Celebration
Located on 70 peaceful acres in Lake County, Wayside at Cottom Farm is a family-owned event venue rich in tradition and Southern charm. Established in 1987, the property began as a quiet agricultural haven and has blossomed into one of Central Florida’s most beloved venues for weddings, celebrations, and community gatherings.
In 2010, the Cottom family opened the gates of their scenic homestead to the public, transforming their land into a sought-after destination for couples and event planners. With sprawling landscapes, rustic beauty, and a dedication to personalized service, Wayside at Cottom Farm has become a timeless setting for life’s most meaningful moments. This place looks and feels like vintage Florida and it’s a very special place.
(Wayside at Cottoms Farm is a great local wedding venue.)
“We wanted to create a place where memories could grow just like our family has,” said Cheyenne Shoemake the Event Coordinator & Social Media & Marketing Manager for Wayside at Cottoms Farm. “It’s more than just a venue, it’s a place where people feel at home.”
The venue offers thoughtfully curated packages for events of all types and sizes, designed to make planning seamless and stress-free. A dedicated staff works closely with each client to ensure every detail reflects their vision, allowing guests to simply enjoy the peace and beauty of the farm.
But the Cottom family’s sense of celebration doesn’t stop with weddings.
During the holiday season, the farm transforms into Cottom Farm’s Christmas Village, a magical experience that draws visitors from across the region. The annual tradition includes a vendor and craft fair, the beloved Breakfast with Santa, and a spectacular Thanksgiving weekend drive-through, where families can enjoy festive lights from the comfort of their vehicles.
In a unique twist on tradition, the farm also hosts Christmas in July, with this year’s summer celebration scheduled for July 12. The event will feature crafts, vendors, food, and a bit of early holiday cheer under the Florida sun.
This is a true treasure of Lake County. This entire home, venue and event space is so refreshing. If you ever find yourself in the area, it is certainly worth the visit and an absolute fantastic place to get married.
Kyle Coppola was born in Newton, Massachusetts and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Communications from Curry College in 2016. After traveling to Florida on a family vacation, he decided he could not get enough of the warm weather and made the move from snowy Massachusetts to central Florida 8 years ago.
For the last decade Kyle has gained valuable experience in social media content creation, marketing and sales, writing, video production, sports announcing and even broadcasting for local radio stations, such as FM 102.9 in The Villages and FM 91.5 in Massachusetts. Every year he volunteers at The Villages Charter High School as a play-by-play sports announcer for the football games as well as a public address announcer for the basketball games, including the annual Battle at The Villages Tournament.
Outside the office Kyle is a husband and father to two beautiful girls along with their cat. In his spare time he likes to spend time with his family, travel, play golf and swim. He is also a huge sports junkie and even bigger motorsports fan and loves to attend racing events when he can.
