You’re kidding??? Kohler is so beautiful, but I was there in July. 
If you are open to the Berkshires . . .
My sister got married at Gedney Farm more than 25 years ago. It’s nice to see that they are still in business and looks very similar. We had a lovely time.
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Nope, 02/02/02 (hence my screen name). There was snow on the ground and everything.
Shepard Hills Golf Course in Roxbury, NY in the Catskills.
We attended a lovely wedding in Nashville.
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For D1’s wedding we went to the location multiple times for food tasting, cake tasting, and meeting with various vendors. You wouldn’t be able to do that for a destination wedding.
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That’s a good point. But I think that sometimes couples opting for destination wedding are wanting to avoid that level of control, go with the flow at an adventure location.
Waterperry Farm Visits | Waterperry Farm Its owned by the sister of a friend .
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jym626 - this place is gorgeous
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Lots of lovely places!
I’m in the caution camp for a destination wedding. Years ago, friends planned one in Nevis. From where we lived, it required 3 flights and we had 3 kids under 7, so babysitting was a challenge for us. (And this was June - I don’t want to go to Caribbean in Summer!) We opted not to go. The bride has never forgotten this and still holds it against us. My H and groom were best of friends growing up - the B can barely acknowledge me to this day. They have never had kids, so still don’t understand the reality of small kids. I felt this was a way to make it cheaper for them and more expensive for the rest of us.
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I don’t know why they’d be mad at you since your husband was the one with the close relationship. Maybe he could e home alone? My sister had a destination wedding at an all inclusive with childcare and it’s of activities for kids because I had a 2 and 4 year old at the time. About 20 people came, I was the only one with kids. She had a reception in the city where she lived, and another at our parents where she grew up.
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I think they want to do a destination wedding so they could combine the wedding and the honeymoon. There is no reason to have a wedding in Pittsburgh or Atlanta unless they plan on honeymooning around there. They could find something similar in the lower hudson valley and just limit number of people. I don’t think venues in other parts of the country will be any less expensive.
Yes oldort, that is correct. They would combine the wedding and honeymoon. Therefore, the location would be a place that they and their guests would enjoy. My daughter has traveled a lot with us when she was younger. Therefore, her dream honeymoon is Japan, where she has not gone. Anything in the U.S, Caribbean or Mexico would be for the enjoyment of everyone in the party. Definitely not during hurricane season. If it is too expensive, it won’t make sense and they might as well go to Japan.
For the record, there are no small children in our family currently.
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Well a cruise out of NY or NJ would be pretty inexpensive and easy, a passport isn’t even needed.
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Also, the wedding planners do a LOT online with these folks. The destination we went to had event planners who specialized with these long distance arrangements. In our case, the bride and groom had vacationed there…so knew some of the lay of the land. Once they chose the venue, they went for a second vacation for tastings and the like.
In their case, the parents had given them a dollar amount for the wedding. And the bride and groom also chipped in. Wedding was far less costly for a three day event in Tulum than just the wedding alone in the major metro area where they live.
I asked them if this affected friends attending…no. Their circle of friends travels a lot to weddings….or just for travel. The families (like us) viewed this as a vacation op and we actually went a few days early. Wedding planner also helped us with our hotel arrangements as well as scheduling airport shuttles, and tours for sites.
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A cautionary tale: My MIL was living close to us in assisted living. Her grandson was getting married at a winery in Northern California, about a six hour drive away. He sent an invitation to his grandmother (MIL) but not one to us. Clearly, either he wasn’t thinking or he was just inviting his grandmother as a pro forma thing knowing that without us to drive her there, she wouldn’t be able to come. It was rude. Were we supposed to drive grandma to the wedding and then sit in the car waiting for her to come out?
Destination weddings can create issues like this. Another thing to consider.
The Hudson Valley is a beautiful area, but it’s difficult to make recommendations without knowing a ballpark budget. I guess how far you go depends on how much vacation time guests have and if they’re willing/able to pay to spend it at someone else’s dream vacation location. If the wedding is held in the Northeast it saves on travel costs for guests, but if finances aren’t an issue then I’d consider some of the suggestions in the Southeastern US. There are some beautiful gardens there.
I am actually glad that son’s wedding next May will be in the general area where they have both lived since graduating from college. It is fairly convenient for alot of their friends to get to and within a half days drive for others, including us. There may be about 25 percent of guests that will/may need to fly.
They went to a destination wedding last month in Italy. About 40 guests . But they don’t have kids yet and could do it, and had the money also to it. Many do not and have other financial and family commitments.
I like cruises but don’t want to go on one or travel on a plane any time soon, especially internationally if I can help it right now , until this pandemic is more under control. But that’s just me.
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Have they investigated Fruitlands in Harvard, MA?