How to Pick a Unique Wedding Venue in the Hudson Valley
By Otis Wright
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Why is the Hudson Valley ideal for weddings?
What gives a Hudson Valley wedding venue a unique sense of place?
Which activities make the Hudson Valley a perfect destination wedding location?
Can you have a Hudson Valley wedding in the winter?
How does party size determine the wedding venue?
What kinds of wedding amenities should I look for?
A final tip for planning wedding party spaces
Picking a wedding venue is the most significant choice you make when it comes to the most important ceremony of your life — aside from selecting a partner, of course. One common pitfall: realizing too late that you’ve planned a cookie-cutter affair that lacks a unique look and feel. Generic party venues make it all too easy to have a blah wedding that looks interchangeable with the weddings you see on your Insta feed.
“People, in general, are trying to create an atmosphere for their guests,” said Leslie Scotto, a Connecticut-based wedding planner. “After attending their third country-club wedding, brides and grooms are like, ‘OK, this is the same as all the rest.’”
So instead of looking for wedding venues at local restaurants or banquet halls — or just giving up and trying to do it in your parents’ backyard or a local park — a smart planner will at least consider looking for a unique wedding spot. The New York trifecta would be to find a wedding venue that boasts nature as a beautiful backdrop, attractive accommodations, and great food, all within a short drive or train ride from the city.
In other words, you should have your wedding in the Hudson Valley.
Why is the Hudson Valley ideal for weddings?
It starts with sensational scenery.
“The falls here are just so iconic,” said Marisa Orapello, a Kingston-based graphic designer originally from Texas who married at the Hutton Brickyards in October 2022. “We really wanted a fall wedding because of the leaves. We wanted people coming in from out of town and people in the city to really be impressed and experience the iconic Hudson Valley foliage.”
But it’s not just about leaves.
“The history, culture, food, and beauty of the Hudson Valley make for a very special wedding,” said Emily Boziwick, a wedding planner based in the Hudson Valley and Catskills region. “The Hudson Valley is renowned for its stunning natural landscapes, picturesque mountains, rolling hills and the majestic Hudson River. Couples are drawn to the region's scenic charm.”
When it comes to unforgettable, A-list wedding locations, the Hudson Valley ranks with world-class destinations, according to Erica Tarica, a Long Island teacher who recently got married along the Hudson River.
“My family has a house in the Hamptons, and I was thinking of doing it there,” she said. “But there was the traffic and no hotels, so I was thinking, ‘What else do I like in the area?’ Every time we go to Beacon and Hudson, it’s always so nice and peaceful, and in the little towns everyone’s kind. I just think it’s beautiful.”
Tarica and Orapello both ended up having their weddings at Hutton Brickyards, where the Hudson Valley lived up to its full potential on their special day.
On the Waterfront
The majestic Hudson River makes for the perfect background. It’s a wedding photographer’s paradise.
“Everyone looking at venues is thinking about the picture: I’m going to be looking at me kissing my love with the water behind and the green all around,” Scotto said. “And as soon as they see that scene at the Hutton Brickyards, they’re like, ‘This is the place where we want it to be.’ It’s like walking into the house you know you’re going to buy and live in forever, with a spot literally like 40 feet from the water, with the green grass below them and the view straight into the water, and on the far side all the forest. And you get that whole view in the pavilion, so, for the whole reception, you see that view.”
“Some people want that really rustic barn look, which the Hudson Valley has,” she added. “They love that you are in the woods. Places in the Hudson Valley offer a lot of the ballrooms and normal stuff, but they also have a large amount of off-the-beaten-path, not-your-normal-venue vibes.
It doesn’t have to end at sundown, either. “For the afterparty, the fire pits were out,” she added.
One of the many fire pits at Hutton Brickyards.
What gives a Hudson Valley Wedding Venue a unique sense of place for weddings?
The Hudson Valley inspired a famous 19th-century Romantic art movement — the Hudson River School — which continues to influence painters to this day. What they saw, and what people see today, are regions packed with trees, parks, nature preserves, riverfront views, sweeping vistas, and gorgeous sunsets.
“It’s a place full of rich history that couples use as inspiration for their Hudson Valley wedding,” Boziwick said. “The Hudson Valley is also home to a vibrant community of artists, artisans, and creatives, who contribute to the region's artistic and cultural scene. Couples are attracted to the idea of collaborating with these creatives for their wedding day, which makes it unique and one-of-a-kind. [It’s] known for its farm-to-table cuisine, talented chefs, and locally-sourced products. Lots of chefs, florists, and other professionals take pride in sustainability and local farming.”
And all those factors contribute to weddings that guests walk away from remembering for the rest of their lives.
THE BIG PICTURE
You can see some of the industrial past that gives Hutton Brickyards a sense of history and place.
Hutton Brickyards is a prime example of a one-of-a-kind venue; it’s the only wedding spot that blends past and present and comes with a fascinating back story. The historic brick factory, which operated continually for more than 100 years (1865 to 1980), still has some of the iconic infrastructure, including three enormous steel-frame kiln sheds and a giant crane. Its bricks helped build some of New York’s most iconic institutions including Yankee Stadium, the Cloisters, and the Empire State Building. What’s more, there are to-die-for Hudson River views and a unique mix of bucolic and industrial that you can’t find anywhere else, even in a region that’s already over-the-top pretty.
“As a wedding planner, I can confidently say that a Hudson River view has a profound impact on a wedding and choosing your wedding venue,” Boziwick noted. “It elevates the entire event to new heights. The tranquil waters and rolling hills create not only a stunning backdrop but also a sense of serenity. A Hudson River wedding also leaves a lasting impression on not only the wedding couple but the guests as well. It adds a touch of exclusivity and luxury that you just can’t get anywhere else.”
Which activities make the Hudson Valley a perfect destination wedding location?
The area provides the best of both worlds for a wedding. It has a small-town Americana vibe while also being a short hop from one of the most glamorous and exhilarating cities in the world.
Will your old-fashioned grandparents be flying in for an extra day? Why not go to an apple orchard or take the historic Catskill Mountain Railroad from Kingston for a leaf-peeping tour of the region? Got younger folks coming? The region boasts dozens of local breweries and distilleries, not to mention late-night hangouts. Art lovers can visit world-class art at places like Dia Beacon (art from the ‘60s to the present) or Storm King Art Center (which has perhaps the largest collection of contemporary outdoor sculptures in the United States), among other museums that explore the rich history of the region. Nature lovers are right at home, too — at Hutton Brickyards, the famous 750-mile Empire State Trail winds next to the property, and there’s a public riverside beach within walking distance.
“We wanted options for people to do things like apple picking and explore the Hudson Valley outside the wedding,” Orapello said. “We wanted people to view it as a little vacation, too, because it’s such a nice area. Hiking, apple picking, local breweries — we found out people at our wedding were staying longer just to experience the Hudson Valley!”
There’s always a sense of accessible adventure just around the next bend. “A lot of my friends went to Woodstock for the day, a lot of people went to Rhinebeck, walked around Kingston, Storm King, Dia Beacon,” Tarica said. “People took the train to the city, people drove around.”
It’s no surprise then that many wedding planners make their Hudson Valley wedding a weekend-long experience for their guests. “We help them find fun, local things to do before and after their wedding day,” Boziwick said. “Lots of couples offer maps and recommendations for local hikes, kayaking, biking, and quaint towns with eclectic shops, historic sites, scenic parks, and museums. After the wedding, couples host brunches on the venue property or off at charming cafes and restaurants, morning hikes, or suggest live performances or local workshops before heading back home. Traveling to the Hudson Valley transports you into a whole new world. Couples want to offer that ultimate weekend experience their guests will remember.”
At Hutton Brickyards, wedding parties can arrange for hikes, bikes, guided kayak experiences, paddle-boarding, outdoor yoga, beekeeping, archery, croquet, and more.
Can you have a Hudson Valley wedding in the winter?
“Winters in the Hudson Valley are magical,” according to Boziwick. “The fields and mountains offer a winter wonderland experience, providing an intimate setting. Think twinkling lights and roaring fireplaces. How cozy!
It’s also a great time of year to incorporate seasonal elements such as warm comfort foods, mulled wine and elegant, winter-inspired decor. The winter also allows couples to provide their guests with different weekend experiences like snowshoeing, skiing, and snowboarding on some of the country's best mountains.”
Not all venues are open all year so check with your planner before you dig any deeper.
How does party size determine the wedding venue?
First, accept the fact that the number of guests will fluctuate. Next, make sure everyone involved knows if the invitation is for a “plus one” (spouse/partner) or just the invitee. Children of all ages should be included in the headcount because they need seats and food too. Finally, discuss what happens if you suddenly have a few more unanticipated people at the party. Will there be an extra fee? Can the venue accommodate that? Ask the planner/proprietor if they have had weddings as large (or small) as the one you are organizing.
Be grateful when you find a place that’s flexible. “The Hudson Valley doesn't do a lot of weddings outside of places that only do weddings,” Scotto said.
That’s another Hutton Brickyards strength; with 40,000 square feet of event space, the venue has all the resources to pull off the largest of weddings — and that all-important riverside location, which wows even in the worst weather. In fact, Hutton's largest outdoor event space can accommodate up to 4,000 guests standing, 3,500 in theater seating, and 600 for banquet seating. Smaller, more intimate spaces, also abound.
The grandest of Hutton Brickyards’ covered pavilions, Butler Pavilion may be designed with several activity zones in mind or serve as a single gathering place.
“The very first time that a client and I saw Hutton Brickyards, it was in the pouring rain, and we still booked there,” she said. “And it was a downpour like you wouldn’t believe. But we were like, ‘If it looks this pretty in the pouring rain, it must be gorgeous when it’s not pouring.” (The weather for their Hutton Brickyards wedding ended up being perfect.)
Scotto said Hutton Brickyards’ expansive property — 76 total acres, 31 cabins, a mansion and more — accommodates entire wedding parties without cramming everyone in too closely.
“When clients really wanted to have their wedding party all stay together, Hutton Brickyards had the different cabins and the house they could stay in so then all the parents and family could stay there,” she explained. ”And Hutton has a lot of different reception options, from the big pavilion (Butler Pavilion), which holds like 4,000, 5,000, even more people, to the smaller pavilion in the front and the little house room, which we used for the cocktail hour and brunch.”
Large party events, including weddings, also require ample parking. Not an issue at Hutton Brickyards.
Hutton Hall offers cathedral-like acoustics for live music and entertainment.
What kinds of wedding amenities should I look for?
For Tarica, the amazing local food was a big selling point for her wedding at Hutton Brickyards, which has its own gourmet restaurant, The River Pavilion, with a craft-cocktail bar and also works closely with other award-winning local chefs. In fact, nine Hudson Valley restaurants and chefs were named James Beard Award semifinalists in 2023.
Wood-fired ovens and grills are the centerpieces of the open-air River Pavilion, located on the banks of the Hudson River.
“Most of the time you go to a wedding you don’t even remember the food,” she said. “But at Hutton, [with the help of an independent caterer] the steak was really good. The fish was really good. The cocktail bar was interesting instead of the usual thing. There were big rolls of sushi. We gave out little jars of local honey to show guests where their tables were instead of the usual signs. Also, for dessert, we got donuts from this amazing place in Beacon. We wanted an abundance of desserts.”
You’ll get a lot more options than just chicken breast or overcooked beef in the Hudson Valley, Boziwick said.
“Another distinguishing factor that sets a Hudson Valley wedding apart is the emphasis on locally sourced food and the farm-to-table movement,” she said. “Bountiful farmland makes it an ideal location for sourcing fresh and seasonal ingredients.”
The only-in-Hudson Valley touch applies to everything from the flowers to the music to the on-site yoga instruction.
“At a Hudson Valley wedding, you can expect a wide variety of talented professionals who excel in their own way,” Boziwick said. “From different cultures to sustainability practices, Hudson Valley vendors each offer their own unique experience. Such a variety ensures couples can find the perfect match for their wedding, creating a personalized celebration that incorporates their own traditions, cultures, and values.” Hutton Brickyards’ website links to local farms, bakeries, orchards, and shops.
You’ll also notice Hudson Valley’s small-town level of care.
“They didn't treat my wedding like a business,” Tarica said of the local Hudson Valley vendors that worked on her wedding. “They really wanted to get to know us.”
A final tip for planning wedding party spaces
Orapello still looks at photos from her own wedding at Hutton Brickyards with awe thinking about the magic Hutton Brickyards created for her.
“I’m thinking, I’m going to get all these people up from Texas and I’m bragging, ‘You’ve never seen anything like it!’ And I was worried it wouldn’t live up to the expectations I was building up. But it did. It was perfect. It was peak foliage. We were totally close to the water, our guests just saw the backdrop of leaves and foliage, and I saw people taking pictures in front of it and raving about how beautiful the leaves were. It was all so beautiful.”
One key thing she did right: She planned in advance. For maximum flexibility, wedding planners need to secure a perfect wedding venue at least a year in advance. For a truly unique wedding, that’s the first (crucial) step.
Go ahead and roast some marshmallows over the fire pit