Practical Information

Weather: Summer is high season; prices and park guest numbers decrease after Labor Day. Early autumn in the Adirondacks is gorgeous; but as it is mountainous, expect cool nights. The Adirondacks is also ideal for a winter wedding, with all of the beauty (and sports) that the season provides. lack flies can be pests in early spring at first thaw, but check local conditions. Weather report: (518) 523 1363. Fall foliage report: (800) CALL-NYS.

Tourist Information: The Adirondacks include several counties in New York, each with their own tourist boards. The Lake Placid Visitor's Bureau has good information on the park: 1(800)44-PLACID. These are also excellent web sites on the park: Adirondacks.com, and Visit the Adirondacks. Lake George is another popular destination, for more information visit Lake George Chamber of Commerce site.

The Lake George area is hosting The Grand Wedding Show on October 22, 2006. They'll have over 70 exhibitors, including wedding and reception locations from around the region, door prizes, grand prizes, a fashion show and more. For more information, call Pat at (518)668-2200 or e-mail: pat@lakegeorgeforum.com

For information on licenses and other requirements, visit the NY State Deaprtment of Health website.

Unique Vendors and Venues

You may not be a Rockefeller, but you can experience the rustic elegance of a former Rockefeller estate at The Point Resort where guest quarters each have lake views, an eclectic mix of antique and native Adirondack furniture, and huge stone fireplaces. There are no phones or televisions on the property, which may concern you at first, but just relax and feel your priorities change as your stress melts away. Your guests will focus, instead, on the beauty of the surroundings, and the meals of the resort's 3-star Michelin chef. Also in the Lake Saranac/Lake Placid region is the Lake Placid Lodge, a Relais and Chateaux inn that has won most every award a hotel can win. The resort is also small enough to be rented in its entirety for a wedding. An overflow of guests would be quite happy at the chic, nearby Mirror Lake Inn, which also boasts a spa, perfect for pre-wedding beauty treatments. In the warm months there are daily boat tours of Lake Placid, but send your guests on those. You and your beloved will want to explore the lake up close from a canoe, with champagne, and a picnic lunch stowed on board.

Further south, on a private island in Lake George, is The Sagamore Resort has a variety of accommodations, from rooms in the Historic hotel, to rustic lodges and condominiums, all on the 72-acre island property with a golf course, spa, and sailing school. You can choose from several indoor and outdoor ceremony and reception locations, including onboard The Morgan, their classic 72-foot replica of a 19th century touring vessel. The Inn at Erlowest overlooks Lake George. A handsome stone castle that was a private residence, it has recently been restored to its former glory, and is now an elegant bed and breakfast, with five guest suites and excellent cuisine and catering.

In the central Adirondacks, check out Hemlock Hall or The Hedges (518-352-7325); two classic examples of rustic, beautiful Adirondack great camps, both bordering Blue Mountain Lake. You'll be transported back to a more civil era, with delicious meals served family-style in the dining halls, broad prches, canoes and snowshoes, fresh trout and breathtaking views.

Perhaps you have absolute exclusivity and privacy in mind for your wedding? Consider renting 12-acre private Dry Island on Upper Saranac Lake. A rustic and luxurious retreat with accommodations for up to ten people, it comes with a boatman, chef, and housekeeper.

Luxurious accommodations do exist in the Adirondacks, and we've mentioned several, but they are by no means your only option. After all, much of the charm of the Adirondacks are the 30's, 40's, and 50's era camps, cabins and motels that are tucked in the woods, alongside beautiful lakes. Consider Point O' Pines, a large, upscale girls' camp on the eastern shore of Brant Lake, which allows for private events during off-season. The boathouse accommodates 175 people, the lodge 300, and between the two is a spacious white sand beach, so there are wonderful ceremony and reception options for large parties. Certainly there are members of your party that could brush up on their horseshoe or volleyball skills? Smaller cabin resorts and camps are plentiful, and worth considering for an inexpensive, but delightful Adirondack off-season options. What fun to spread out amongst ten or twelve little cabins, to watch the sunset over the lake and toast the future from the comfort of Adirondack chairs.

A destination wedding in the Adirondacks will make you (and your guests) fall in love with the Adirondack style. William West Durant was the originator of this style, having created rustic estates for wealthy clients in the 1880's. He used native materials such as birch bark wallpaper, and furniture made from rough-hewn logs and sticks. For favors or gifts from the Adirondacks, check out the Adirondack Craft Company, for products like Adirondack chairs, wreaths, herbs and oils, Adirondack recipes and folklore. Items range in price, but the site also offers links to the artisan's own web sites so you may be able to get customized products for your event.

There are several topnotch photographers who work in the Adirondacks area. Emma Dodge Hanson's work and reputation are excellent: her black-and-white portraiture has been featured in every major magazine, and her wedding portfolio is impressive. Gina Renzi is also in nearby Saratoga. She has worked for both NBC and CBS, and is known for her exquisite artistry. Jim and Beth Pachter, of Pachter Studios love to work closely with couples to create images that reflect their personal vision. For videography, consider Brett Wasserman's Silhouette Art on Video, who specializes in wedding and event videography.

For entertainment, contact New York Players, an agency that represents several of the best dance and orchestra bands servicing the Adirondacks. A more "down home" country alternative might be Homespun Occasions, which specializes in celebratory circle, square, and contra dancing with live fiddle music led by a skilled caller. There's nothing like a little fiddle music to get everyone up and 'round and 'round, under the light of an Adirondack moon.

Finally, in terms of transportation options, the Adirondacks have some creative alternatives. Imagine arriving for your winter wonderland wedding in a traditional, handcrafted replica of a beautiful wooden dog sled, festooned for the occasion. Arden Desgns in Saranac Lake has models for children and adults. The Adirondack Scenic Railroad meanders past mountain lakes and through beautiful country; a train ride would be a fun transportation option to work into your plans. Surely the best view of the Adirondacks is one from on high, so why not plan a hot air balloon ride? From April through November, at sunrise or just prior to sunset, you can book a ride on a hot air balloon and look out over the Adirondacks, Lake George, and the Green Mountains of Vermont. In fact, the Glen Falls area hosts a huge hot air balloon festival every third week in September, so if your wedding dates coincide, the skies will be full of bright, festive balloons in your honor!