Your Hosts

It’s no exaggeration to say that our wedding at Flanagan Farm changed our lives. 

On our first date, we immediately connected around a shared love of Maine and the outdoors, a (near obsession) with food, a passion for bringing people together, and a vision for what life could be like if maybe, just maybe, we could find a way to combine them all. Many years later, we feel so lucky to be doing just that, with our ample-cheeked daughters Josie and Ella in tow!  

We come to the barns each with more than a decade of events and culinary experience. Mike began cooking professionally in Colorado and Maine. This passion led to a formative apprenticeship in Italy with the renowned Italian chef and butcher Dario Cecchini. From there, Mike worked as a chef in San Francisco continuing to specializing in northern Italian cuisine.

Essie has spent the majority of her career leading events, communications, and fundraising for a national non-profit organization. In these roles, she managed relationships with high profile donors and groups and helped curate events and experiences ranging from intimate, elevated dinners to large-scale 1,000-person galas.  

Looking ahead, we hope the timeless elegance, charm, and standard of excellence that have come to define The Maine Barns all remain, infused with some of our fresh energy and new ideas for hosting modern and unforgettable events.

After all, we know firsthand how memorable (and maybe even life-changing) your wedding weekend can be. 

- Mike and Essie