Wedding DJ at Tamerlaine Sanctuary & Preserve in Montague, NJ

The Space

The farmhouse at the center of Tamerlaine dates to 1774, built by Simon Westfall a year before the American Revolution began, and it later served as a stop on the Underground Railroad in the early nineteenth century. Charles G. Mortimer Sr., who went on to become president of General Foods, bought and modernized the farm in 1940, and the building has been preserved through all of that history.

In 2013, founders Peter Nussbaum and Gabrielle Stubbert began rescuing animals after adopting two roosters named Yuri and Jupiter, and by 2018 that had grown into the purchase of this historic 336-acre Westfall Farm property with help from a private foundation. Today the sanctuary is home to more than 250 rescued animals, cows, pigs, goats, horses, and more, sharing the same grounds where a wedding is held.

Capacity & Layout

Ceremonies can be held overlooking a pond or under Norway Spruce trees in an area the venue calls the Enchanted Forest, two distinct outdoor settings depending on whether a couple wants open water or wooded cover as a backdrop. A basic tent setup for up to 200 guests is included in event packages, so an outdoor reception does not require sourcing a tent separately.

Receptions can move indoors to the Event Barn for parties under 100 guests, or stay outdoors under that included tent for a larger crowd, up to 250 seated or 500 standing at full capacity. The farmhouse itself has 7 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms and comfortably sleeps 14, so a wedding party can headquarter on-site for the weekend rather than commuting in from off-property lodging.

Amenities

A heated saline pool, hiking trails, and a pollinator garden are all on the grounds, amenities more associated with a private estate stay than a typical event venue, and they are part of what a wedding party staying in the farmhouse gets to use over the weekend. Power access and a luxury restroom trailer are both included in event packages.

The one firm rule is that all food served on the property must be plant-based, out of respect for the resident animals, and outside catering is not permitted, so a caterer needs to be one that can work entirely within that restriction. Public tours run Saturdays and Sundays at noon, and private tours are available seven days a week, useful for a couple planning a visit before booking.

Location & Getting There

Tamerlaine sits on 336 acres in Montague, in the far northwest corner of New Jersey, less than two hours from New York City, which makes it a genuine countryside destination rather than a short drive from a nearby town. Guests should expect a rural approach through preserved farmland, with the animals themselves visible on the grounds as they arrive.

This is a working animal sanctuary as well as an event venue, and the two ceremony sites, pond overlook and Enchanted Forest, sit outdoors on open or wooded ground rather than in any built structure, so a DJ setup outside has no walls to bounce sound off and needs to project across open meadow. The Event Barn, by contrast, is an enclosed indoor space with its own more contained acoustics for a smaller reception.