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Small Wedding & Elopement Venues in Upstate New York
Upstate New York Wedding venues
Elopements and micro weddings are becoming more and more popular with couples from all over the US. It’s become a fantastic way to create a wedding day that feels more ‘them’. There are so many benefits to having an elopement or small wedding, and one of them is being able to still include your family and friends. While it is possible to find a public location to fit up to 20 guests, it can sometimes be easier logistically to still have it at a small wedding venue. Here in this blog post, you’ll find out all about the best Upstate New York elopement and small wedding venues, to make your planning easier.
Upstate New York is one of the most beautiful places to elope on the east coast. Undeniably, most people might have some misconceptions about NY. What immediately comes to mind to you? Broadway, fashion, taxi cabs, traffic, and the bright city lights of NYC. That’s how I felt too. BUT – that is not the New York we’re talking about here! Instead, we’ve gotten to know the incredible, rugged, and picturesque landscapes that make up the gorgeous state of NY. From the massive Adirondack mountain ranges to the calm waters of Lake Placid, Upstate New York can be the perfect place to get married. As your adventure elopement team serving New York and Northeastern New England, we’re here to help you decide where to get married in upstate New York.
Looking to expand your location search? You can check out our other top locations in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.
The Benefits of a Small Wedding Venue in Upstate NY
While choosing a small wedding venue over a public location can cost more, it can be well worth the money. It also completely depends on the number of guests you plan to have. Generally, we recommend asking your wedding planner or elopement photographer for recommendations based on your vision. Below are some of the benefits to choosing a small wedding venue over a public place.
- Logistics: If you are worried about having people bounce around from location to location, then booking a small wedding venue could help with that concern. Generally, you can get ready and have your ceremony and small reception party at one location. This makes the transitions of the day much more simple. Think of your day and ask yourselves “what do we want?”. If the answer is “no stress”, then this could be a great option for you.
- Privacy: Are you hoping for a more private ceremony? Then having your wedding at a small venue can ensure that no strangers will be around to witness it. Just make sure to check in with the wedding venue to make sure that is definitely the case!
- Be in a place that is special to you: A lot of people want to elope in the outdoors because they feel it’s the only way to be in a place that is special to them. However, that’s not always the case. There are plenty of small wedding venues that can offer you the same feel without the stress of a public location.
- You are catered to: Having a venue can allow for additional vendors to cater to you for a stress-free day. These small venues are there to help make your day just as special as you are hoping it will be.
The Best Small Wedding Venues in Upstate New York
Below are some of our absolute favorite small wedding venues in Upstate New York. Since we are elopement and micro wedding photographers who specialize in the outdoors, those are the type of wedding venues we will be sharing here. Remember that small wedding venues can consist of Bed and Breakfasts, Inns, AirBnBs, and traditional wedding venues that offer small wedding packages. We also have a ton more resources on our exclusive client location guide. Additionally, we have a list of epic New York AirBnBs you might want to consider for your intimate wedding/elopement as well! Whether you use them to stay the night, get ready, or have the entire celebration there, renting a private property like an Airbnb or VRBO can be a unique elopement experience!
Top Upstate New York Wedding Venues for an Intimate Wedding
There are so many benefits to booking a venue for your microwedding. If the logistical planning and DIY tasks are overwhelming, then consider finding a small wedding venue to host your event! Venues can include a wide array of amenities and help when it comes to planning. You can find one that is totally hands off and lets you bring in all your own vendors and decor, or you can easily find an all inclusive venue! We’ve compiled a list of the top best venues to have an intimate wedding or elopement in Upstate New York below:
Small Wedding Venues in the Catskills
Microwedding Venues in the Adirondacks
Intimate Wedding Venues in the Finger Lakes
Wedding Venues in the Catskills
The Foxfire Mountain House
Located by Mount Tremper. Foxfire Mountain House can host up to 125 guests for the ceremony & reception! In addition, you get exclusive access to the private 10.5 acres with all facilities from Friday at 4pm to Sunday at 11am!
The Woodhouse Lodge
If you’re looking for a wedding venue in Greenville, then The Woodhouse Lodge can make a charming space for your intimate NY wedding. They also include the opportunity to rent the whole lodge for the weekend – which includes up to 10 rooms and use of the incredible grounds so close to the Catskills!
Scribner’s Lodge
Another gorgeous Catskills Scribner’s Lodge located in Hunter, NY! They offer multiple locations for you to use, including indoor and outdoor options! If you wish to host a wedding with over 25 guests, then you will need to book out the whole lodge. And this means you get the whole place to yourselves! SO FUN!
Gather Greene
Located near Coxsackie in the Hudson Valley. Gather Greene has unique ceremony locations and incredible cabins to rent for your stay! They have 100 acres overlooking the Berkshire and Catskill Mountains. Unquestionably the perfect backdrop for a NY elopement or intimate wedding!
Wedding Venues in the Adirondacks
The Bark Eater Inn
The Bark Eater Inn offers an outdoor venue set on 200 acres with incredible mountain views as well as accommodations for around 20 people! It includes various site locations for your ceremony, reception, rehearsal dinner, brunch, cocktail hour, and more! Furthermore, the entire landscape is your playground with the incredible mountain scenery, diverse forests, flowering meadows, profuse gardens, and bucolic farmstead buildings become your backdrop.
The Promise Gardens
The Promise Gardens is an indoor/outdoor venue that hosts exquisite seasonal events. It offers unforgettable gardens, sweeping mountain views, and lush grounds for your intimate event.
With a breathtaking backdrop of Three Sisters Mountain, the historic homestead in Thurman, NY is a great option for your wedding day in the Adirondacks!
The Lorca
Surrounded by forests, as well as a lake with gorgeous islands that is a short walk away. The Lorca has eight units including all the amenties you could need PLUS s’mores, and firewood! The property includes grills, fire pits, lawn games, a seasonal pool with weekend hours, a nature walk, and more.
Moon Meadow
Moon Meadow is situated on a 50-acre meadow alongside a 20-acre lake, along with a breathtaking view of Whiteface Mountain in the background! It’s perfect for both intimate and larger celebrations, and packages range from 2 hours to 12 hours on-site.
Wedding Venues in the Finger Lakes
Firelight Camps is the most ideal venue for couples who love glamping. Locally-sourced breakfast is complementary – woo! The trail to Upper Buttermilk falls is located right on the property. And lastly, the accommodation itself consists of 19 king or double-queen luxury canvas tents with covered porches, a large lobby tent, and a massive banquet tent that can accommodate up to 125 guests. What else could you ask for?!
Scottland Yard Farm is officially one of our new favorites. You won’t believe your eyes when you step foot onto this beautiful property. It has tons of farm animals, a breathtaking natural swimming pool, miles of hiking trails, and 9 unique structures that can be rented individually or altogether, accommodating up to 33 people total. It’s the perfect spot for your laid-back crew to unwind at, and it’s only minutes from downtown Ithaca.
Bristol Mountain Occasions boasts that their spaces offer unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences – which seems to perfectly fit the vibe of our couples! They offer fun amenities such as chairlift rides, lawn games, and a bonfire, and have 5 different spaces on-site to choose from, including a cannery, lodge, and even a café. Not to mention that their food options are drool-worthy: potato bar, pasta station, street taco station, Thai noodle station, sundae bar..?! YUM. Just tell us the date and we’re in!
Woodcraft Camps is set on 250 pristine acres that surround 2 private lakes and borders the windy Moose River. It has a classic Adirondack summer camp vibe. The camp includes all the activities you and your guests could dream of: swimming, canoeing & kayaking, tennis, basketball, soccer, and softball! For an additional fee, rock climbing, archery & rifle ranges are available as well. Bunk-style and private staff cabins can accommodate up to 150 guests.
(All venue images courtesy of their associated websites)
This is just a short list of the incredible wedding venues that adorn the beautiful state of New York! Feeling indecisive? We’re always able to help our couples find others that may fit within their vision. And don’t forget that we also have a list of epic New York AirBnBs you might want to consider for your intimate wedding/elopement! Regardless of what you use the space for, renting a private property like an Airbnb or VRBO for your wedding or elopement can be an incredible experience!
Some Additional Advice
As you begin planning your elopement or small wedding, there are a few more topics we like to discuss with our couples before they go ahead and start planning.
Have best of both worlds: Just because you are having an intimate wedding with guests doesn’t mean you can’t have best of both worlds! Several of our couples choose to elope by themselves (or with a few guests) and then have an intimate wedding with their favorite people later. It’s the best option if you want to have a day for the two of you (or even just a morning). That way, you get to be fully present with one another, and then enjoy everyone else’s company later on.
Add in adventures: Although you are planning an intimate wedding day, you can still carve out time to adventure alone. You can start your morning with a small hike and vows, then do the intimate wedding thing later on… OR you can create a two day experience with an adventure one day and the intimate wedding the next!
Timing: With venues, they will typically rent out the full weekend for weddings. Therefore, they have minimums for how much you will need to spend. If you can be flexible with your timing and try for a week day, there may be more options available.
Event options: If a venue has a max capacity for an elopement or small wedding and you are over that guest count, then think of other ways to celebrate with all your loved ones. You can find a few ideas here!
New York Elopement Photography
Convinced that New York is the elopement destination for you? Reach out to book your New York Elopement and Intimate Wedding photographer! We are so excited to hear about you and your day!!
