Destination Wedding Venue... Buttermilk Farm Inn & Spa

Lawn for ceremony, and stone pad in the distance for tented reception (overlooking the Hudson).

Pony's Pad and Spa (pool runs the length of the building at the spa)Pony's Pad, Perfect spot for a welcome dinner, or cocktail party on the deck
View from third floor deck at Pony's Pad, with a hot tub and incredible views of the property

The Riverknoll, One of the homes on the property, next to the tennis courts and event site. Great for large families, the bridal party, or for a rehearsal dinner. I immediately fell in love with this house!

** All images by Elan Documentary: Carlos Andres Varela**

On my recent getaway to Buttermilk Inn and Spa we had the opportunity to tour the property to see what it would be like to host an event/wedding there. The grounds are just incredible! I was blown away by the natural beauty. It is the perfect destination venue (just under 2 hours outside of NYC) for someone looking for an outdoor, farm like setting, where you can enjoy the privacy of renting out the entire inn for a weekend of events. The guest rooms are stretched between several buildings on the property all with their own unique charm and architectural style. And for brides looking to relax prior to the wedding the spa is pure bliss.

Victoria and Tim Get Married... A Sneak Peak

Images, Maggie Conley Photography

Saturday officially marked the start of wedding season for us and it couldn't have gone any better. Victoria, one of the lead event coordinators at Gourmet Galley got married to the love of her life, Tim, who also member of the team at Gourmet Galley. As two people that have been a part of so many people's wedding days, and special events over the years they both wanted this day to be one that truly felt like their own. Not one that they had created for another bride and groom, but absolutely unique to them in everyway.

Every detail had meaning and was coordinated perfectly. When Victoria walked into the center of the dancefloor that night and looked at Tim and said "Honey this is our wedding! Can you believe it?!" beeming with happiness, I knew we had acheived success.

The wedding was held at the Eugene O'Neil Theater in Connecticut, one of the most unique venues I have worked at. The theater, filled with a rustic charm, glowed throughout the night with lighting designed by Power Posse. Their wedding ceremony was held in a romantic garden surrounded by a stone wall, with water views in the distance. And while the weather didn't cooperate completely, the most romantic fog rolled in just as the ceremony was about to begin. As Victoria and her Dad walked down the aisle to Coldplay's "Sparks" it felt like a scene out of a movie.

The team that Victoria brought together to make their wedding day one they would always remember was an incredible collaboration of talent and friends. Yumiko and her crew from Hana Floral Design, blew everyone away with the flowers. The guest tables had unique arrangements that ran down the center, in an eclectic mix of rod iron candelabras and white vintage milk glass vases. They also designed a mural of branches and blooms in the foyer of the theater and created an enchanted arch of branches over the dance floor. The incredibly talented Maggie Conley was capturing the day behind the lens, and has shared a sneak peak of some of the images in the board above. I can't wait to see the rest. And Gourmet Galley catered the event. From cocktail hour to dessert, the presentation, menu selection, stations, and service were flawless. It was truly an amazing event! Congratulations Victoria and Tim!

Other Friends that Collaborated on the Event:
Jennie Fresa Beauty Library
Stonington Design & Paperie
White Dress by the Shore
Liberty Rentals
Party Rental Ltd.

Jonathan Edwards Winery... The perfect venue for an outdoor affair

We are excited to feature Jonathan Edwards Winery today, another one of Connecticut's amazing vineyards and a premiere destination spot for hosting your wedding or private event. Connecticut really has some of the most unique venues on the east coast. Most of the weddings and big events at Jonathan Edwards are held outside underneath a tent set amongst the vines. However, there is also the option of reserving the barrel room, as pictured above, for a rehearsal dinner, small wedding or intimate dinner party. It is one of the most beautiful venues in the state and Erica the face in the tasting room and behind events at the winery is an absolute joy to work with in the process.

The vineyard also hosts daily tours and tastings in the tasting room along with an incredible calendar of events all year long. For an up to date schedule check out their events calendar online.

A TRUE collaboration... Chamard Vineyards and True and Wesson

Recently True Event was asked to partner with Chamard Vineyard and their owners Dr. Bonnie and Jonathan Rothberg to exclusively manage the event coordination of the venue. We are so excited at the opportunity to work at such a unique space, and to introduce you to one of CT's hidden gems.

Chamard Vineyard is located in Clinton, a quaint New England town along the Connecticut shoreline. As you enter the gates and pull down the long stone driveway it is as if you have been transported to another place in another time, it has such an old world feel to it. The winery is crafted of stones from the property and wooden beams milled from trees harvested from the land as it was cleared over 20 years ago. The winery overlooks 40 acres of vines that gently slope along the southern Connecticut coast, just two miles from Long Island Sound.

In addition to renting the winery for your private events, Director of Sales and Brand Management, Bridget Riordan, has really done an amazing job at creating a calendar of events that run all year long. Offering daily wine tastings and tours, wine seminars, a music series of talented artists and an incredible farmer's market, it has also been one of the host sites for the Dinners at the Farm series with Feast Gourmet and the River Tavern. There is always something happening at the winery that you will want to be sure to check out.