Although the region is home to all kinds of wedding venues (vineyards, country clubs, former factories, farms, even castles!), there’s something so Hudson Valley about a cozy inn, whether bursting with greenery or dusted with New Year’s Eve snow. Usually featuring a handful of rooms and manicured grounds, these inns separate themselves from boxy, often-crowded hotels. But it might be easy to lump them all together upon first Google search. They’re certainly all beautiful and emphasize Hudson Valley hospitality. But each inn attracts a different kind of wedding—farm-style and informal, cozy and historical, woodsy and private. Some host big weddings all the time and can keep guests occupied all weekend; others are favored for their romantic elopement packages. For all sorts of needs, here’s your guide to seven of the best wedding inns in the valley.
Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa | Milton
The sprawling 75 acres of Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa in Milton allow couples to mix and match all the event spaces and accommodations. Overlooking the Hudson, the riverfront patio could be the site of the ceremony or the reception. Likewise, the barn suits a farmhouse reception or cocktail hour on the wraparound porch. The main inn contains seven rooms, but the outbuildings cater to a variety of needs. The couple tends to stay in the Pony’s Pad because it’s private but located in the middle of the property. Brides often get ready in the River Mansion because the enormous windows give such good light. “In summer and springtime, it just gets ridiculously beautiful,” says Sam Austin, wedding and corporate sales manager. “Everything’s blossoming. The bees are buzzing in the aviary. Roosters are crowing. It’s so nice to walk around the property for a breather.”
ElmRock Inn | Stone Ridge
Bed and breakfast the ElmRock Inn is saturated with romantic history. The Dutch Colonial farmhouse was built in 1770. In fact, the Stone Ridge venue is only an hour away from where Alexander Hamilton exchanged vows with Elizabeth Schuyler. Even the trees are historic in a 250-year-old locust grove that has seen uncountable love stories. “It has that historic charm,” says Kimberly Weeks, co-owner and director of catering and events. “Intimate events at the inn are very special.” Although a tent can hold up to 200 people outside, the great room makes an impression indoors with soaring ceilings and a long table set with farm-to-table fare made onsite by chef/owner Mark Suszczynski. A bluestone patio can be used for extra dancing or a cocktail party. Finish the night outdoors with a fire pit, cornhole, and a converted camper van bar to occupy partygoers.When one couple wanted a wedding weekend that would speak to both of their cultures—an Indian ceremony the first day and a traditional western wedding the next—it meant that the flowers and food would need to be reinvented overnight. The solution to the logistical frenzy was Foxfire Mountain House in Mount Tremper. The Catskills inn, which can host 125 guests and lodge 30, offers a full weekend package that allows exclusive access to the 10.5 acres. Chef/owner Tim Trojian oversees onsite catering, and event planning is included. “At a lot of properties, you only have one day or the afternoon,” Director of Operations Chris Sikora says. “You put in all that labor and emotion and money and then the venue coordinator taps you on the shoulder saying you need to wrap it up. You want to be the primary focus for the weekend.”
Old Drovers Inn Bed & Breakfast | Dover Plains
Of all Old Drovers Inn’s features—the Colonial barn, the pleasantness of the staff, the Appalachian Trail-adjacent location—it’s the catering that earns the most positive comments and reviews, its wedding coordinator Helene Rosenkranz says. The time-tested menu boasts options like farmhouse cheddar and apple tarts, lager-braised short ribs, chicken saltimbocca, and country cookie jars. But of course, the aim is to serve, so dishes can be adjusted for dietary restrictions and preferences. One Italian family requested a pasta course, and a Scandinavian couple couldn’t celebrate without some sort of herring. In addition to five hours of open bar, two signature cocktails can speak to the couple—like margaritas as a nod to a first date. The Dover Plains inn has six rooms, in addition to outbuilding lodging. Accommodating 220 people, the barn lends old-world charm with vaulted ceilings and 200-year-old reclaimed wood.
The 1850 House Inn & Tavern | Rosendale
Situated on Main Street in Rosendale, 1850 House presents the conveniences and amenities of being in town without sacrificing a scenic mountain location. Guests can hike, rock climb, kayak, catch a screening at the Rosendale Theatre, visit farms, or bike a few miles down the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail to sip whiskey at the Coppersea Distilling tasting room. With views of the Rondout Creek, an outdoor ceremony can seat 80, and receptions glow under softly lit tenting. Established in 1850, the inn is composed of 10 rooms, including a two-bedroom suite decorated with vintage photographs. The tavern, a haunt for the locals, provides alcohol, catering, and rehearsal dinners—think truffle parmesan fries, crispy Brussels sprouts, and crab cakes for the kind of informal, late-night party that no one wants to leave.
The Abbey Inn & Spa | Peekskill
After a pink-tinged sunset ceremony and terrace cocktail hour at the Abbey in Peekskill, wedding guests are whisked away into a 19th-century chapel transformed into a castle-like ballroom. A relic from when the inn actually served as a convent, the Highlands Ballroom works with several aesthetics, from a woodsy wedding to a fairytale come alive. Specializing in intimate events for no more than 120 guests, the Abbey promises to only host one wedding per day. Catering is locally sourced dishes such as striped bass crudo and a chef’s charcuterie table, and a custom cake from Homestyle Desserts Bakery is included. Brides can treat themselves to bridal party spa packages with Whirlpool and sauna.
The Garrison | Garrison
Winter might be the most beautiful time of year at the Garrison, nestled in the Hudson Highlands, and not all Hudson Valley venues can handle off-season, 200-person nuptials. Vistas abound from the snow-covered Catskills, and the floor-to-ceiling windows in the River and Hudson rooms show off the 300 acres of frosty property. But a warm-weather wedding can be just as spectacular. In the Ceremony Garden, a pergola made of interwoven bittersweet vines stands upon a mountain overlook. The wedding package gets you an open bar, passed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, a Champagne toast, a three- or four-course meal, accompanying wines and the cake. (Garrison Farm on site supplies many of the ingredients for Valley Restaurant’s seasonal menu.) The couple can add experiences for the family such as rounds of golf or a lawn barbecue as the rehearsal dinner. After the big day, the family usually retreats to the seven-room inn with a country aesthetic.