If New York City isn’t your speed, the Hudson Valley offers some of the most beautiful spots to tie the knot. If you’re not from the area, it might seem harder to navigate than a city where it feels like everything is right at your fingertips. This guide will give you all the ins and outs of planning your Hudson Valley elopement.

But first, let’s discuss some of the reasons to have a micro-wedding in the Hudson Valley.

• You want to be surrounded by nature

  • Whether you’re going for woodsy boho, a lush garden, or a mountain backdrop, Hudson Valley truly has it all

• You want a weekend away from the City without high travel fees

  • Hudson Valley and the Catskills have amazing towns between 1.5 hours and 3 hours from NYC. You can totally feel like you’re whisking your small crew away for an adventure without the hefty price tag.

• You have a love for unique art and music

  • If you’re looking for places to get some awesome photos taken, you can visit some of the coolest museum around like Dia:Beacon and Storm King. For music lovers, the Levon Helm house puts on shows every summer in Woodstock.

• You want to embrace quirkiness

  • One of my favorite things about Hudson Valley is it’s quirky offerings. From super cool antique shops to an Atlas Obscura, there’s so much to see and do with a small group.

Choose a Venue

This is where I’d recommend starting as your venue really helps dictate the overall vibe of the day, not to mention the rest of the activities surrounding your wedding. Hudson Valley is quite a large area with lots of different venue types (including some awesome parks). Here are some things to consider when searching:

Proximity to NYC

If it’s important to be close to New York City, or accessible by public transportation, you might want to consider places like Cold Spring, Beacon, New Paltz and Garrison.

Venue Vibe

Hudson Valley has venue types for every couple. Perhaps you love nature, but are picturing your ceremony indoors. Picking a direction makes your search easier so you aren’t sifting through hundreds of venues, getting overwhelmed in the process. Some popular location types for Hudson Valley are: industrial, wineries/breweries, bed and breakfasts, barns, state parks and airbnbs.

On-Site Accommodations

If you want to make a weekend out of your elopement, finding a venue with on-site accommodations might be important to you. If that’s the case, I’d recommend looking at boutique hotels and airbnbs.

Where to Search

Once you have an idea of the aesthetic you’re most interested in, you can use these tools to start your search:

-Pinterest: Lots of planners and photographers will post pictures from past weddings

-Facebook Groups: You can search for groups specific to the area or geared towards elopements like HV Brides and Intimate New York Weddings.

-Instagram: Search hashtags like #hudsonvalleyelopement or #catskillselopement

Booking Vendors

Once your venue is selected, you need to go about finding the rest of your vendor team. Vendors to consider are: photographer, videographer, florist, hair & makeup, officiant and of course wedding planner. As a wedding planner who focuses exclusively on small weddings and elopements, I am well versed in how these weddings differ from larger affairs.

If you aren’t using a wedding planner, make sure you have a solid understanding of how each vendors’ policies fit into your timeline. For example, will you have to drive to your florist to pick up flowers the day before? Will you have to go into a salon for hair & makeup or does the stylist travel?

Keep track of your vendor information with a Google sheet so that you have everyone’s contact information and deposit schedule in one place.

Make Your Announcements

Whether you choose to go the paper or digital route, make sure you give your invited guests an explanation of the day! If you’re not having any sort of celebration afterwards, make that clear in your invitation. If you’re having an adventure elopement and guests should wear a specific type of shoe or clothing, include that information in your invite as well.

If you want to announce to a larger audience that you eloped, you could order your announcement cards before your wedding day and send them right after. If you think you may plan a more casual reception down the line, you can send the announcement at that time along with an invite to celebrate with you.

Plan the Rest of Your Celebration

The Hudson Valley and Catskill areas have no shortage of amazing activities to fill a whole celebratory weekend! After your ceremony, take your guests out for a great meal at one of the many restaurants that offers farm to table dining like Gaskins or Butterfield. In warmer months, you could do a group hike at the amazing Kaaterskill Falls or in the Gunks. If your family enjoys libations, plan a tasting at Tuthilltown Spirits or Brotherhood Winery.

Consider printing an itinerary for your guests so they know where to be and when!

Get Your License

In New York, you must get your marriage license at least 24 hours before your ceremony. Every town is different so email the town clerk where you’ll be getting married and ask if an appointment is needed. There will be a small fee and you’ll take your physical certificate to wed home with you that day.

After your ceremony, your officiant and witnesses, along with the two of you will sign it then send back to the clerk’s office. A few weeks later, you’ll receive your marriage license in the mail.

If planning for yourself feels totally overwhelming, I’m here to bring your intimate wedding dreams to life! I offer full-service planning as well as all-inclusive Hudson Valley elopement packages.