6 Outdoor Wedding Venues in Upstate NY We Love
If your dream is to exchange vows under an open sky with mountains, meadows, or a lake as your backdrop, you are in the right place. Upstate New York is home to some of the most stunning outdoor wedding venues in the country, and as a team of wedding photographers and videographers who spend our weekends capturing love stories across this region, we have a front-row seat to what makes each one special.
From Catskills mountain lodges to Hudson Valley farms to a lakeside castle in the Finger Lakes, we have put together a list of outdoor wedding venues upstate NY couples consistently fall in love with. Whether you want a rustic barn backdrop, a manicured lawn overlooking water, or acres of wildflowers, there is a venue on this list for you.
1. Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa, Milton, NY
Set on 75 acres above the Hudson River, Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa is one of our favorite Hudson Valley venues to photograph. Between the water feature it is named for, the network of walking paths, and pockets of landscaped greenery tucked around the property, we rarely run out of beautiful spots for portraits. Couples who choose this venue tend to want a full weekend experience rather than a single-day event, and the property's blend of historic charm and quiet luxury delivers that in a big way.
2. Foxfire Mountain House, Mount Tremper, NY
Tucked into the Catskills on ten private acres, Foxfire Mountain House has a laid-back, bohemian energy that we adore behind the lens. Between the pond with its bridge, the wild meadows, and the open air pavilion built for evening celebrations, there is no shortage of dreamy backdrops here. We love this venue for couples who want their whole wedding weekend, from rehearsal dinner to send-off brunch, to happen in one gorgeous location. The mountain scenery photographs beautifully in every season, but it is especially magical in the fall.
3. Wildflower Farms, Gardiner, NY
Part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, Wildflower Farms is a newer addition to the Hudson Valley wedding scene, and it has quickly become one of our go-to recommendations. The 140-acre property is dotted with orchards, heirloom gardens, and its namesake fields, giving couples a soft, romantic setting for both ceremony and reception. This is a great pick for couples who want a luxury resort experience without losing that connection to nature.
4. Glynwood, Cold Spring, NY
Glynwood is a 250-acre working organic farm, and only one wedding is hosted here per weekend, so you get the entire property to yourselves. Between the 1920s fieldstone manor house, the apple orchard, and the private lakeside boathouse, there is no shortage of scenery. We especially love photographing golden hour here, when the light hits the rolling pastures just right.
5. Deer Mountain Inn, Tannersville, NY
Perched in the Great Northern Catskills on 168 acres, Deer Mountain Inn is all rolling meadows, wooded trails, and wide open sky. Weddings here require a full property buyout, which means your guests have the entire inn and grounds for the weekend. We find this venue especially striking for couples getting married on the mountaintop ceremony site, where the Catskills stretch out behind you for miles.
6. Belhurst Castle, Geneva, NY
If the Finger Lakes are calling your name, Belhurst Castle is hard to beat. This century old castle sits right on the shore of Seneca Lake, and the manicured lawn stretching from the ceremony site down toward the water is one of our favorite backdrops in the region. It is a wonderful choice for couples who want an outdoor ceremony with a fairytale, old world backdrop.
How Ceremony Timing Affects Your Outdoor Wedding Photos
One of the questions we get asked most often by couples planning an outdoor wedding is what time their ceremony should start. It is a bigger decision than most people realize, and it can shape the entire feel of your wedding photos.
For venues with wide open spaces like Deer Mountain Inn or Wildflower Farms, a late afternoon ceremony gives you soft, flattering light for your vows and leaves golden hour open for portraits right after. We often recommend working backward from sunset on your wedding date, then building your ceremony time around it. A free tool like Sunrise-Sunset.org can give you exact sunset times for your venue's location months in advance, which makes this kind of planning much easier. This is especially true in the Finger Lakes, where properties like Belhurst Castle have that gorgeous lake backdrop that photographs beautifully as the light starts to warm up.
Wooded or shaded venues, on the other hand, give you more flexibility earlier in the day. Foxfire Mountain House and Glynwood both have enough tree cover and structural shade that midday harsh light is less of a concern, which opens up more options if you are working around a tight reception timeline or want a longer cocktail hour.
Season matters here too. A 4pm ceremony in June looks completely different from a 4pm ceremony in October, since the sun sets so much earlier once fall arrives. If you already have a venue and date in mind, we always recommend reaching out to us before you finalize your timeline. We can walk you through when the light will be at its best for your ceremony, your family formals, and your golden hour portraits, so nothing gets rushed once the day actually arrives.
Tips for Choosing Your Outdoor Wedding Venue
Every couple has a different vision, but a few things are worth thinking through before you book. Consider how far your guests are willing to travel, whether the venue offers a rain plan, and how the property looks in the season you plan to marry in. We always recommend visiting a venue in person, or at the very least during the same season as your wedding date, so there are no surprises.
It is also worth asking your photographer and videographer for their honest take on a venue's lighting and layout. We have photographed most of the venues on this list multiple times, and we are always happy to share what we know about the best ceremony spots, golden hour timing, and rainy day backup plans. If you are just starting to build your vendor team, our pricing page is a good place to see what a wedding day with us looks like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are outdoor wedding venues in Upstate NY more expensive than indoor venues?
It varies by property. Full property buyouts like Foxfire Mountain House, Glynwood, and Deer Mountain Inn tend to carry a higher price point because you are renting the entire estate, while venues like Belhurst Castle have no separate venue fee at all. We always recommend asking each venue for a full pricing breakdown early on so there are no surprises.
Do we need a wedding planner for these venues?
Some of them require one. Foxfire Mountain House, for example, requires a month of coordinator for all wedding retreats, and several others strongly recommend a planner given the size and layout of the grounds. Ask about this requirement as soon as you start touring.
What if we want a smaller, more intimate outdoor wedding?
Several venues on this list can flex down for smaller guest counts. Belhurst Castle and Buttermilk Falls Inn & Spa both work well for more intimate celebrations, while properties like Wildflower Farms and Glynwood offer full buyouts that suit both small and large guest lists depending on how you configure the space.
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