Nestled among rolling hills, a serene pond, and lush orchards in Ridgeway, South Carolina, The Farm at Ridgeway has become one of the region's highly sought-after wedding venues by embracing the beauty of its rural setting. The venue's newest addition, a light-filled chapel featuring expansive bifolding glass walls, builds on that experience by creating an event space that feels immersed in the landscape while remaining comfortable and functional throughout the year.
Designed to open completely to the outdoors or close for a more intimate ambiance, the chapel offers couples the flexibility to celebrate in every season while fully enjoying the beauty of the surrounding environment.
An Indoor-Outdoor Wedding Venue with Bifolding Glass Walls
The Vision Behind a Year-Round Event Space
Originally owned by the Sharp family, The Farm at Ridgeway was sold during the 2008 recession only to return to the family when plans for a residential development never materialized. What was simply meant to become a place for family gatherings soon took on a new purpose as more and more couples began visiting the farm in hopes of celebrating their weddings there.
The chapel represents the newest addition to the property. Working alongside architects Robbie Smith and Jeff Lewis and Southern Reflections Builders, the owners completed the project in 2024. Built in honor of the family's late matriarch, Eileen Sharp, the building provides a dedicated indoor-outdoor wedding venue that complements the farm's existing reception space while expanding its capacity to host ceremonies year-round.
Embracing the Natural Surroundings
Rather than positioning the chapel beside the existing reception building, the owners opted for a quieter location that would showcase a different side of the property. The chosen site overlooks a tranquil pond while opening toward the orchard beyond, surrounding ceremonies with uninterrupted views of the landscape. The placement encourages guests to experience areas of the farm they otherwise might never visit, transforming the walk to the chapel into part of the celebration itself.
To further dissolve the boundary between the interiors and the landscape, the architects specified two nearly 9-feet-tall bifolding glass walls on each side of the chapel. The four systems fill the indoor-outdoor wedding venue with daylight and fresh air while framing panoramic views in every direction.
“This space has become highly sought-after because of how flexible it is,” says Lakyn Johnson, Venue Manager at The Farm at Ridgeway. “You have the chapel, the expansive rolling hills, and the indoor event space, so there are so many different ways couples can use the property.”
Flexible Bifolding Glass Walls Invite the Outdoors In
From the outset, the owners envisioned a chapel that offered the openness of an outdoor ceremony without exposing guests to the unpredictability of the weather. To achieve this, the architects specified NanaWall Generation 4 folding glass walls, each spanning an impressive 22 feet wide, creating two 44-foot-wide openings on each side of the structure.
Customized with a Pure White powder coating color, the systems seamlessly blend with the chapel’s white exterior, preserving its timeless architectural character while allowing the surrounding landscape to take center stage. Whether fully open to welcome fresh air and soothing breezes or closed to provide shelter from unexpected rain, the bifolding glass walls give guests the best of both worlds.
“What I love about the NanaWall bifolding glass walls is that they are wonderful for wedding events because we can easily open these doors one-handed or easily close them if a couple would rather have a more intimate indoor feel.” - Lakyn Johnson, Venue Manager at The Farm at Ridgeway
Flexible Openings for Year-Round Gatherings
The chapel was designed as an indoor-outdoor wedding venue that could respond to whatever the weather might bring. To ensure interiors remained comfortable during inclement weather, the bifolding glass walls were specified with double-glazed panels for optimal thermal efficiency. In addition, a thermally broken Low Profile Saddle Sill creates a smooth transition between the interior and exterior, allowing photographers, guests, and venue staff to move effortlessly throughout the day. The ADA-compliant sill offers a high-heel-friendly floor track for safe and fluid indoor-outdoor transitions.
When the doors are kept closed, integrated swing doors are located at the far end of each system, allowing staff to quickly adapt the space to changing conditions. Each swing door was paired with a higher kickplate and panic hardware by others to meet commercial requirements. To fully optimize interior space, the panels were specified in an outward configuration that allows them to stack neatly to the side and out of the way. Plus, with a SixFold panel set, each system can stack to the left or to the right depending on the needs of the day.
“Even on a day when it's raining, it's still beautiful to have these doors open and to hear the rain falling. But in colder months, it's nice that the doors can be closed to keep a warm interior environment for our winter weddings that we host out here.” - Lakyn Johnson, Venue Manager at The Farm at Ridgeway
Enhancing ROI in Event Spaces with Flexible Bifolding Glass Walls
For wedding venues and event spaces, adaptability directly influences profitability. A venue capable of comfortably hosting events in all weather conditions expands booking opportunities, reduces cancellations, and accommodates a wider variety of celebrations year-round. Generation 4 NanaWall folding glass walls support that operational flexibility through durable engineering, the slimmest frames, and the smoothest operation designed for frequent commercial use.
Independently tested for long-term performance, the systems are engineered for 20,000 opening and closing cycles, equivalent to roughly 27 years of daily operation. Additionally, the swing door is tested to 500,000 cycles, ensuring continuous durability. Combined with narrow sightlines that maximize daylight and landscape views, these systems help indoor-outdoor wedding venues create memorable guest experiences while minimizing long-term maintenance concerns.
Final Thoughts
Rooted in family history and inspired by the surrounding landscape, the chapel at The Farm at Ridgeway offers a setting that feels open, timeless, and deeply connected to its environment. With the flexibility of NanaWall bifolding glass walls, the space adapts effortlessly to changing seasons, weather conditions, and event sizes, ensuring every ceremony feels just as memorable as the surrounding landscape. Operationally, that flexibility translates into greater value. The chapel can transition seamlessly between open-air and enclosed ceremonies, giving every couple the indoor-outdoor experience they envisioned.
Learn more about the durability and flexibility of NanaWall Generation 4 Folding Glass Walls here!
