Many couples looking to get married in the Monadnock region, attracted by the area’s natural beauty and stunning views, dream of an outdoor wedding, especially during September and October.

Ian Spencer of Peterborough’s Four Winds Farm wedding venue has advice for couples who want an outdoor ceremony:

“We encourage people to always have a contingency plan for rain or if it’s cold, just in case,” Spencer said. “You never know with our New England weather; we just encourage everyone to be prepared.”

Four Winds Farm is a working farm in Peterborough with views of the Wapack Range. The property includes pastures, gardens, a historic barn, an apple orchard, a shingle-style home and forest protected by conservation easement. The venue hosts eight weddings a year August through October, with tents and dance floors provided by Monadnock Tent.

The farm has an unusual and cultured history. Spencer’s great-grandparents, Marie and Guy Currier, bought the property and established Mariarden, a summer dance and theater venue, in the 1920s. Marie Currier was an accomplished actress, and the original barn on the property still contains stage backdrops and theater items from the Mariarden era. Historic photos at Mariarden include Bette Davis, Paul Robeson and Martha Graham.

The current house on the property was built and designed by Spencer’s late mother and stepfather, architects Duffy and Rick Monahan.

Spencer said each couple who chooses Four Winds Farm creates their own personal vision for the wedding of their dreams.

“I just open the door and tell people the history,” Spencer said. “A lot of couples come here and just fall in love at first sight, then they wander around and find their own special place and create their vision.”

The barn at Four Winds Farm is 40 by 60 feet and can seat 125 people at tables in case of inclement weather. The farm provides tables and chairs.

“We provide the space, and people create the wedding they want,” Spencer said.

Spencer recalls one bride who had her heart set on a certain spot in the apple orchard for her ceremony.

“When the day of walk-through came a few weeks before the wedding, we got there and our cows were all standing right at the spot the bride had picked out! There were cows and cow pies and mud all over the spot where she wanted the ceremony to be,” Spencer said. “No one had ever picked that spot before; we did not realize she had her heart set on the particular spot.”

The Four Winds Farm crew sprang into action to make the bride’s dream come true.

“Our farmer moved all the cows. We cleaned it up, and we planted rye, which grows really quickly. Then luckily we had three weeks of dry weather, and we got the ground all repaired, and by the time the day of the wedding came, it was perfect. Our farmer even managed to have some baby calves in the background,” Spencer said.

Spencer, who is the fourth generation of his family to work at Four Winds Farm, said the joy of holding weddings on his family’s property by far outweighs any stress. He and his three siblings currently manage the wedding venue.

Spencer, who worked in the film industry for 25 years, said staging a wedding is “a little bit like a film set; there is always a bunch of stuff going on behind the scenes.”

“We really do enjoy being part of people’s important day; it is really fun being part of their joy,” Spencer said. “There are always a few stressors going into it, of course. But in the end, no one remembers that; they only remember the joy and how wonderful it was. It is really magical to share the events with these families.”

For information about Four Winds Farm, go to fourwindsfarmevents.com.