I’m so excited to share my top 3 favorite rustic barn venues in upstate NY! Whether you’re looking for a destination/elopement wedding venue or you’re local to the area and want the perfect rustic dream wedding, you’ve come to the right place.
# 1: Maple Shade Farm in Delhi, NY
This is one of my most favorite rustic venues in the Catskills. First of all, it’s owned and operated by the most awesome humans, Jay and Abby. They both work super hard to make sure your day runs smoothly and every detail is accounted for. They are onsite all day and night and are both super detail oriented. Abby also does GORGEOUS bouquets and flower arrangements.
This historic barn venue boasts gorgeous views and all the pretty details that make your wedding day so memorable.
The upstairs of the barn is reserved specifically for dinner while the downstairs is where the party takes place. There’s a dance floor, bar, bar lounge, a separate room for desserts, favors, teas and a game room. There’s even a bridal suite for all your stuff so you can pop in fast to refresh or just have a moment to yourself.
The sunsets at Maple Shade Farm are INCREDIBLE. You don’t want to miss out on the gorgeous lighting that happens as the sun is going down and then that warm delicious light after it sets. I like to eat at the cocktail lounge outside the bar so I can keep a close eye on the light. When it’s go time, I’ll come whisk you away for a few minutes of epic picture taking.
The awesome thing about Maple Shade is that no matter where the sun is, the light is always beautiful. If you have a “high sun” kind of day, just pop around the backside of the barn and you get that gorgeous, backlit light and airy feel to your photos.
If the day is a tad bit shady, the details become saturated and dreamy. Sometimes it can be hard to pull off that contrasty look but not at Maple Shade Farm.
Even after the sun sets, there’s this fairytale glow that washes over this little valley in the catskills. I love the romantic light it creates for wedding portraits.
Have I convinced you to get married at Maple Shade Farm’s yet?
If you’re lucky your reception will kick off with a thunderstorm which makes for some epic wedding portraits. I love a good stormy wedding. Even a dark and dreary day can be magical at Maple Shade Farm. They’re ready and prepared with pretty umbrellas and a backup plan for your ceremony space if need be.
# 2: Gilbertsville Farmhouse in South New Berlin, NY
Gilbertsville Farmhouse in South New Berlin, NY is another gorgeous upstate NY wedding venue. I’ve been shooting weddings at this venue since they first began and it has been awesome to watch them grow into what can only be described as a FABULOUS rustic wedding venue. This venue has an onsite hotel, glamping tents, an incredible dining space for rehearsal dinners and parties and a stunning reception area. There are multiple ceremony spots that you can choose from including a romantic wooded area and a beautiful hillside with views overlooking the barn and hills of gorgeous upstate NY.
Gilbertsville Farmhouse also has the most epic sunsets and if you’re lucky enough to get married on a sunny day, your sunset photos are guaranteed to be breathtaking.
Another perk in getting married at this wedding venue is the BABY ANIMALS! Mostly baby goats and kittens. They sometimes even have puppies. There’s also random farm animals that wander around which definitely keeps life interesting.
Gilbertsville Farmhouse now does their own catering with a kitchen attached to the reception barn and their current wedding planner is one of the most organized and efficient people I’ve ever met. Their operation is large scale so extra hands are necessary but it’s still a family run wedding venue and I only have wonderful things to say about the Boustani’s. They work so hard to make every aspect of the wedding day perfection. Every wedding I’ve shot here has been an incredible experience, not only for my clients, but for the vendors as well.
Besides multiple ceremony spots, there are SO many places for wedding and bridal party portraits. If you get married here, it’s definitely a good idea to set aside a big block of time in order to utilize all of these locations. Like this LOVE sign next to their pond. Or the antique truck that sits in front of the main reception barn. Or the milking barn strung with dreamy string lights.
I know we already talked about epic sunset photos but I just want to plug golden hour one more time because it’s just that good.
#3: Stonewall Estate in Delhi, NY
Stonewall Estate is another Catskills wedding venue in upstate NY and perfect for a destination wedding venue or elopement. The house is located right next to both the reception barn and ceremony space. Everything is in easy walking distance and the house is large enough where both the bride and groom can get ready without seeing each other. I fell in love with the lighting inside the bridal suite and most of these images were taken without flash. The rooms are large enough as well to accommodate both your photographer and videographer which is nice when you each get those perfect shots from different angles and are able to do so without getting in each other’s way.
The groom’s quarters also has a pool table which is an easy selling point with a group of guys who take 5 minutes to get ready and need something to do before the ceremony.
The ceremony space overlooks a mountainous Catskills landscape and is especially beautiful in the fall when the leaves are starting to turn.
As far as wedding portraits go, there’s not only a pretty view to work with but surrounding fields and stone walls. Everything is within easy walking distance and close so you can get a dynamic look for your wedding album and not have to waste any time getting from one spot to another. I don’t mind traveling anywhere on a property for wedding photos ever but it’s always nice to be able to do a small loop around a property that offers so much for wedding portraits.
The reception space at Stonewall Estate is incredible. I couldn’t stop snapping photos of the dining areas when I was there. I will say that if you book your wedding here you should definitely speak with the DJ about renting uplighting. Stonewall Estate’s reception area is huge so lighting is a big thing to consider here. (Honestly, any wedding at any wedding venue should consider this because that uplighting adds so much to your pictures. I highly recommend this if the aesthetic of reception photos are important to you.) Stonewall Estate is perfect for larger weddings and has a large dance floor. Everything just glows in this wedding venue and the string lighting and chandeliers are so, so pretty.
All of these wedding venues are perfect for an upstate NY destination wedding, an elopement or for my fellow upstate New Yorkers who are looking for the perfect rustic wedding venue. I’m happy to go back ANY TIME to any of these venues so click here to send me a message to reserve your date!
