I truly believe that there is no better place to host a wedding weekend than in the Hudson Valley of New York. As a wedding photographer who has photographed hundreds of weddings in the Hudson Valley, I can tell you that I’ve found nowhere as unique and beautiful to host a multiple-day wedding event. Because of all of the options the Hudson Valley offers, it’s a prime location to consider for planning your wedding weekend, whether you want to enjoy the quaint villages or sprawling outdoors of the region with your family and friends.
What type of location to choose for your wedding weekend
The first step in planning your ultimate Hudson Valley wedding weekend is to determine what type of location you want to enjoy with your guests: Are you drawn to more urban and suburban settings, or something more rustic and outdoorsy? Knowing this will then help you to plug in all of the other major pieces to build your wedding weekend the way you want to.
The Hudson Valley boasts a lot of venue locations that are very private, rustic, and outdoorsy, while still being fairly accessible to New York City. Some of my favorites are listed below, in the venue section of this blog post. Because the Hudson Valley is considered “upstate” by some, and is definitely more prone to green space than city living, urban and suburban locations are sometimes a little more difficult to pinpoint. However, I would highly recommend checking out Beacon, Cold Spring, Rhinebeck, New Paltz, and Hudson as little pockets of city-like activity.
What time of year to plan your wedding weekend
When hosting a full weekend wedding, the draw is obviously that you will get to spend an entire weekend (Friday evening through Sunday morning) with many beloved family and friends. However, this sort of a schedule can sometimes be hard on guests, so considering a holiday weekend may be helpful, especially for those who need to travel. The best holiday weekends to consider in the Hudson Valley are July 4, Labor Day, Indigenous People’s Day, and Veteran’s Day.
Depending on the type of wedding you are hoping to host, time of year matters in the Hudson Valley. If you are looking to have an event that capitalizes on the beautiful outdoors of this location, keep in mind that the Hudson Valley does not become fully lush and green until May. If you are hoping to see some beautiful fall foliage, the leaves will begin turning in early October, and will usually peak during the third weekend of October, with some stubborn (albeit not as vibrant) leaves hanging on to the trees into the first weekend of November. A lot of venues will offer discounts for weddings in the cooler months (December through March); however, it’s important to be aware that snow and extreme cold weather may impact your plans during these months.
Temperatures vary in this area: They are comfortable May - early June; humid and hot July - August; comfortable again September - mid October; and then taper off into cold weather at the end of October into November.
It rains fairly often in the Hudson Valley, so it’s important to have rain plans for all of your weekend activities that you love just as much as your hopeful sunny weekend plans. It is always best to plan for the worst and hope for the best, instead of relying on hope and good vibes. In the past few years, we’ve seen the most rain in May, September, and October, but this can always change. Weather is often unpredictable here - whether it has to do with rain, heat, freezing cold, or snow. If you are planning a Hudson Valley wedding weekend, it is best to be prepared to embrace whatever weather comes your way.
When to send invitations and save-the-dates
Since wedding weekends are scheduled for, well, entire weekends, and sometimes include extensive travel for guests, it’s best to send save-the-dates and invitations earlier than usual. I would recommend sending out save-the-dates a year before the wedding, and formal invitations six months prior to the wedding. The invitation suite should include the invitation itself, but also instructions on how to book accommodations at your venue, closest airports and/or transportation guidelines, and a general schedule for the weekend so that people know how to plan.
How to choose your Hudson Valley wedding vendors
When choosing which vendors to hire for your wedding weekend in the Hudson Valley, I highly recommend that you hire local professionals. The Hudson Valley is a unique location, and hiring local vendors ensures that you will be able to rely on them to know how to pivot or troubleshoot in the event of unforeseen changes. For example, some photographers in other locations may be able to rely on public transportation in their area; however, public transportation in the Hudson Valley is not as prevalent or accessible. It’s important that your photographer has a car, and knows how to navigate local roads in the event of construction or inclement weather.
Additionally, most wedding weekends require a wedding planner. While some venues will offer a coordinator, not all do, and the ones that do may only offer this service for the day of the actual wedding. You’ll want a dedicated planner who can set up and run the activities you are planning for the entire weekend so that you can truly enjoy and experience it all yourself.
The best Hudson Valley wedding venues with accommodations
A few things are important to keep in mind when searching for the perfect Hudson Valley weekend wedding venue:
Access to accommodations - the best type of venue to look for will be one that also has room accommodations for guests on-site; however, if this isn’t available, the second best option will be to book a venue that has accommodations close by.
Ease of transportation - since people will be spending the whole weekend with you, it’s important that they have easy access to transportation to your venue. If you have a lot of guests either coming from one specific (and far) location, or traveling from a far airport, you may want to consider hiring a charter bus for them to take to your location.
One wedding a weekend - you want to be able to have access to the venue for the entire weekend (Friday through Sunday) so that you can plan activities in a central location, won’t have to worry about cleaning up after the main event, and can truly just enjoy your time with your guests.
I’ve put together the following venue recommendations for you to start your Hudson Valley wedding weekend search!
Neversink River Resort
Godeffroy, NY
Neversink River Resort is located in a prime location for hosting a wedding weekend - about an hour from NYC, and an hour from the heart of the Hudson Valley. It is a perfect location for a wedding weekend that elicits the feeling of a summer camp, with cabins, hiking trails, a cafe, general store, and a river (swimmable!) on-site. It is also pet friendly, and you can rent golf carts to use on the grounds.
Accommodations: LOTS. Availability for approximately 40 - 90 guests.
Callicoon Hills
Callicoon, NY
Callicoon Hills is slightly outside of the Hudson Valley, closer to the Catskills region. While it’s a little farther, it is a darling location to host a wedding weekend, with on-site access to a swimming pool, cafe, campfire area, restaurant, and dedicated barn to host your reception. It’s a relaxing and beautiful space.
Accommodations: LOTS. Availability for approximately 65 - 130 guests.
Stonehill’s
Accord, NY
Stonehill’s is a renovated and repurposed (yet still somewhat in use!) dairy farm about an hour and a half away from NYC. It boasts adorable animals on the property, as well as gorgeous updated rooms, and a spa, refreshments, and hiking trails on site. This would be an ideal location to realize your rustic wedding weekend dreams.
Accommodations: Up to 50 guests.
The Barn at Indian Ridge
Highland, NY
The Barn at Indian Ridge is a sweet yet sprawling location tucked in amongst a neighborhood in the heart of the Hudson Valley, near Poughkeepsie, NY. Like some of the other venues mentioned, it boasts animals and a barn reception location; the barn is newly built (air conditioned), and the owner will take you on his golf cart to go visit the cows (how cute!). This is a great spot for an outdoorsy wedding, where you can host your cocktail hour in the cool dusk, and then welcome guests inside the barn for dinner.
Accommodations: Up to 22 guests. Hotels are available about 20 minutes away, in Poughkeepsie.
Ryan Family Farm
Lagrangeville, NY
The Ryan Family Farm is a beautiful location that has been in the Ryan family for 5 generations. It features the original barn that has been recently renovated (it has air conditioning and heat!), and gorgeous grounds to explore. It’s also very easy to get to from NYC - only about an hour or so drive. The coordinator at this venue is extremely knowledgeable and kind, and so helpful in every way possible; the organization cares deeply for the couples that choose to get married there.
Accommodations: Approximately 7 - 14. Hotels are available about 20 minutes away, in either Fishkill or Poughkeepsie.
Rustic Ridge View Farm
Kerhonkson, NY
In putting together this list, I’ve been doing my best to feature venues that offer accommodations on-site; however, even though Rustic Ridge View Farm doesn’t offer rooming options, I couldn’t not share it because it is such a special and magical place. Everything at Rustic Ridge View Farm has an open-air feel - the ceremony space is located atop a hill overlooking the mountains, and the reception space is a covered pavilion with open walls to allow the air to flow through. Everything is located close to each other, and the owner is one of the kindest and most hands-on I’ve ever met. To me, this feels like the perfect outdoor adventure location, and if it were me, I would personally be willing to overlook the lack of accommodations just to be able to celebrate in such a special place.
Accommodations: None; but hotels are available about 20 minutes away, in New Paltz.
Cedar Lakes Estate
Port Jervis, NY
Billed as a fancy summer camp, this location is exactly what it claims to be - a beautiful outdoorsy location that feels like your best childhood vacation; and, it actually has deep roots as a summer camp, originally being built as Camp Minisink in the 1920s, and transitioning to the Team USA Sports Camp in the ‘90s. It’s only about an hour and a half from New York City, and really encapsulates all of the best of the Hudson Valley - mountain views, hiking trails, and lake access. It’s a perfect location to host an entire wedding weekend.
Accommodations: LOTS. Availability for approximately 300 guests.
Preston Barn
Dover Plains, NY
The Preston Barn is located on a historic property, where the original inn and restaurant still stands. In addition to having access to the inn for getting ready, you’ll be able to host your reception in the large newly-constructed barn, which features both heat and air conditioning. The food here is absolutely delicious, each dish being handcrafted by a house chef, instead of mass produced, as is common with some other wedding venues. The land on this property is not sprawling, but it is ample enough and well-maintained, and the barn is gorgeously appointed.
Accommodations: Approximately 50.
Wildflower Farms Auberge
Gardiner, NY
Wildflower Farms, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, is a gorgeous wedding venue about 1.5 hours from NYC. It is positioned in a beautiful space, surrounded by fields, hiking trails, animals, and access to all of the best that the Hudson Valley has to offer. There’s a spa and restaurant on site, as well as multiple activities hosted by the venue. The coordinator here is also wonderful, competent, and kind - truly, one of the best.
Accommodations: LOTS. There are 65 various types of rooms on-site.
Mohonk Mountain House
New Paltz, NY
Mohonk Mountain House is one of the crown jewels of the Hudson Valley. Its historic status and iconic location alongside a lake in the mountains, surrounded by flower gardens (I know - it’s amazing), makes it an absolutely incredible location to host a wedding weekend. On-site features include a spa, hiking trails, water access, and a delicious restaurant.
Fun fact: Mohonk Mountain House can be seen as Lake View Resort on Amazon’s show Upload.
Accommodations: LOTS. However, this location is first and foremost a historic hotel, so you will be sharing the location with outside guests. There are 267 rooms total on-site.
Troutbeck
Amenia, NY
Troutbeck is a truly special location - even though I live in the area, it’s a location where I would gladly choose to schedule a weekend getaway. Like some of the other venues I’ve recommended here, it’s historic, tracing its origins back to the 1700s; however, the accommodations here are updated, beautiful, and comfortable. This venue features so much on its grounds - a pool, spa, restaurant, hiking trails, stream access - that your guests will never feel bored.
Accommodations: 37 guest rooms are available.
The Roundhouse
Beacon, NY
The Roundhouse is located in the heart of Beacon, NY, and, while some of the other venues recommended here invite you to enjoy a rustic summer camp-like experience, hosting your wedding weekend in Beacon gives you a lot of opportunities for other activities at some of the local small businesses (there’s a cat cafe, multiple bookstores, and yummy restaurants within walking distance of the venue - as well as the venue having its own restaurant on-site) . The Roundhouse features a beautiful and elegant indoor industrial aesthetic, while still inviting in natural light through its floor-to-ceiling windows.
Accommodations: LOTS. There are 41 rooms in the hotel on-site.
Onteora Mountain House
Boiceville, NY
Onteora Mountain House is a little closer to the Catskills region than the Hudson Valley, but I would be remiss not to mention it here because it is such a gem. The space for you to use and explore is unique and stunning, with a ceremony space overlooking the mountains, an open-air pavilion for the reception, and lots of little locations on-site to take photos or have quiet conversations with friends.
Accommodations: Availability for up to 18 on-site. Hotels are available about 30 minutes away, in Kingston.
Beekman Arms
Rhinebeck, NY
The Beekman Arms is the oldest inn in America, and it’s amazing that you can host your wedding weekend at such a historic and beautiful location. The prettiest ceremony space is in the backyard garden, and you’re able to host a reception of up to 80 people at this location. While the Beekman Arms is amazing, I also think a lot of the draw of hosting a wedding weekend here is the surrounding town of Rhinebeck; you’re steps away from a spa, many cafes and restaurants, an iconic sweet shop owned by Paul Ruud, Hilarie Burton, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Samuel’s Sweet Shop), and a ton of amazing boutiques. Rhinebeck is a gem, and it feels like something out of Gilmore Girls to get married there.
Accommodations: LOTS. There are 73 guest rooms between the Beekman Arms and its sister property, the Delamater Inn, a short walk from the main building.
Buttermilk Falls Inn
Milton, NY
Buttermilk Falls Inn is nestled in a quiet area of the Hudson Valley; it’s so hidden, that you can sometimes miss the turn off the main road to get there. It’s a beautifully quaint yet varied location - with access to an animal rescue sanctuary, a spa, a renowned restaurant, and walking trails. It has multiple locations to choose from for both your reception and your ceremony, and planning a wedding weekend here would be nothing short of delightful for your guests.
Accommodations: 17 guest rooms and suites, all with varying amounts of how many people can stay in each space. Some accommodations are traditional rooms in the inn, while others are whole guest houses.
The best airports for your guests to fly in to
If you’re hosting your Hudson Valley wedding weekend as a destination event, the closest and easiest airports are Stewart International Airport (SWF), Westchester County Airport (HPN), and Albany International Airport (ALB). I would recommend trying to book travel to these airports over any of the major NYC ones, for an easier, calmer, and quicker airport experience.
The best activities to plan for your wedding weekend
Part of the appeal of planning an entire wedding weekend is getting to spend extra time with family and friends. As such, it’s always nice to have some activities planned for people to attend so that there are natural opportunities for people to see each other and mingle. A few fun wedding weekend activities to consider are trivia, yoga, a group hike, a group game of bingo, a bonfire, river sports, or a community reading circle.
How to welcome your guests to your wedding weekend
I believe it is best to welcome your guests to your wedding weekend in two distinct and special ways: (1) by placing a welcome bag in their room, and (2) by hosting a welcome dinner reception where you can mingle with people prior to the big day. In the welcome bag, consider including: a bottle of water, various medicines such as Advil and Pepto Bismol, sunscreen, bug spray, a few snacks, a map of the wedding weekend location, and a detailed itinerary for the weekend.
Sample wedding weekend schedule
Every Hudson Valley wedding weekend is different, but the beauty of these types of events is the extended amount of time you get to spend with all of your family and friends. Below is a sample schedule you could use to start to plan the itinerary for your long wedding weekend:
Friday - Welcome
4:00 pm: Room check-in
5:30: Welcome reception - dinner, drinks, and toasts
8:00: Trivia
10:00: Quiet hours
Saturday - Wedding Day!
8:00 am: Cafe open for coffee and breakfast
10:00: Yoga
12:00: Lunch
1:00: Walking trails open / group reading in common area / pool or lake open
4:00: Ceremony
4:30: Cocktail hour
5:30: Reception begins
10:00: Afterparty either in common area on-site or at a local bar
Sunday - Farewell
9:00: Brunch
12:00: Checkout
I hope this blog was helpful in planning your wedding weekend in the Hudson Valley! I’m sure it’s clear how much I love this location for all of its unique, beautiful, and varied wedding opportunities - there is truly no place like it.
