Meet Danielle Neaves | Wedding Venue Co-Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danielle Neaves and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I’m from a small town in Southeast Iowa. Growing up on a family farm completely shaped who I am today. Ties to the land and the area are the foundation, literally and figuratively, are what we built the family business on. In 2000, my family built our house where my great grandfather’s trailer was. In 2018, we decided to turn our family land into a business so we can share it with others and in 2019 we built Small Grand Things. My childhood home was turned into the Guest House for wedding parties to stay the weekend in, my great grandfather’s maple syrup cook site became a ceremony site, and an old one car garage was transformed into a multi-level wedding venue nestled into an Oak and Maple forest.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Small Grand Things is a family owned and operated wedding venue in Southeast Iowa. Nestled in the middle of Oak and Maple trees, we don’t have the typical rustic, barn style seen around the Midwest. We offer an industrial minimalist style making it easy to tailor every wedding to each unique style the couple desires. We are conveniently remote offering small town prices with large city style.

We opened in September 2019, about six months before a global pandemic. While it was a difficult time for the wedding industry and small businesses as a whole, it provided us the opportunity to secure our individuality as a wedding venue in the area. Our biggest struggle since has been to broaden our clientele. We have been lucky to host several “destination” weddings to our remote part of paradise, but we want to continue to reach large city couples who want something different. With our business only being three years old this month, it is easy to see how much further we have to grow, but it is also so amazing to see how far we have come even through all the hurdles of last couple of years.

We have been able to cultivate a reputation for hosting custom weddings with creative details and unique experiences.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Every time someone comes to visit I take them on the Love Lee County tour. I adore sharing other small, family businesses in my town and county with friends. Harvestville Farms is a great place to take families and enjoy a day outdoors. In the Fall, their corn maze, pumpkin patch, and other games can be a whole afternoon of fun itself. Hinterland Dairy is the premier spot to go find locally made cheese! Hirschler’s Winery specializes in fruit wines and their tasting room is in the basement of a historical stagecoach building.

Fort Madison and Lee County is not only rich in food, but also history. Old Fort Madison is an interactive historical museum with reenactments and demonstrations. Located on the widest part of the Mississippi, the largest swing span bridge is in Lee County. The Fort Madison Riverfront is an amazing spot to watch river cruise ships, barges, trains, and more.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Ann Neaves, my mother, Seth Markey, my brother, and my grandparents. Without all of their love, support, and guidance, Small Grand Things would not be what it is today. While Seth may be a silent partner, but my favorite way to explain his role and support for me and the business is he is the string to my kite. I have all these ideas and plans, and he keeps me grounded and relative.

Website: smallgrandthings.com

Instagram: @Small_Grand_Things

Facebook: Small Grand Things