Destination: Upstate New York

From quaint towns to natural wonders, from the most elegant and rarified venues to ones as funky and festive as a county fair, add history, culture, and charm, and, from almost any vantage point: water. In a state that boasts over 3,000 lakes, and 30,000 miles of rivers and streams, an upstate New York wedding setting often includes a body of water. At Destination Bride, we know the byways and the waterways, the back roads, belle dames, and best bets of upstate New York. Here is just a sampling of the possibilities.

Weather: All four seasons are well represented in upstate New York. The further north you go, the more pronounced the cold seasons will be, and the summer's steamy index goes up as you go south. In upstate New York you can plan a wedding around the bst that any season has to offer - from gloriously hot summer weather to the-definition-of-crisp Fall temperatures, from outback skiing to cottage-garden Spring days. Words of caution: the hottest summer days can sometimes include a thunderstorm anywhere upstate, and if you're planning a winter wedding, the farther north and west you go, the more dramatic the "lake effect" snowstorms can be. In upstate New York you can choose from many natural settings that are at their best in whichever season or weather you most prefer. Get weather information at the I Love NY website.

Tourist Information: You can find most regions of New York represented on the state's tourist site, and there are also sites specific to each area. For example, if you are considering a wedding in the jewel of upstate New York, the Adirondacks, you should first contact the Lake George Chamber of Commerce site, for the most extensive and reliable information and listings. Lake George is "the gateway to the Adirondacks," and its Chamber of Commerce is a first-rate resource for anything you need to know about Lake George, or the greater Adirondacks area.

Unique Vendors and Venues

Rockefeller is a prominent name in New York history, and let's suppose (even if you don't always live like one) you want to marry like a Rockefeller. An elegant historic mansion, or an historic great camp might be the way to go. In the middle of Heart Island in the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence is a magnificent castle built by George C. Boldt for his wife Louise (New York's version of the Taj Mahal). This beautiful monument to love, Boldt Castle is a remarkable jewel on its own private island, and it's available for private weddings. Experience the rustic elegance of a genuine Rockefeller resort in the Adirondacks at The Point Resort, with beautiful lake views and big stone fireplaces.

A company that covers many of upstate New York's most cherished regions in great style is the Glen Sanders Mansion. Starting with the original mansion in the Albany Scotia area, the company has expanded to include one of Saratoga's most esteemed venues, the Hall of Springs (part of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center), and most recently one of the premier venues on Lake George in the Adirondacks, The Inn at Erlowest. Each is quite extraordinary. In addition, the company does full service catering at venues throughout upstate, from the Catskills to the Finger Lakes.

In the Hudson Valley town of Amenia you'll find The Troutbeck Inn, a beautiful forty-three acre resort in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains. You can marry in an English cottage garden under towering sycamores, or in the intimate stone chapel. In the Finger Lakes region you can have a castle wedding at Belhurst, where you can marry in one of the ballrooms, or on the grounds overlooking Lake Seneca.

Some of our favorite settings for upstate New York weddings are private estates, farms, and barns, which lend themselves to summer evenings of gracious warmth and festive fun. Pure summer colors, a barn hung with willow branches and fairy lights, and music spreading out under a bright, clear sky. Ask us aboutsome of our favorite exclusive spots. For those who want to marry in style, but not necessarily expensive grandeur, there are plenty of venues to choose from in all areas of upstate New York. In a state so full of natural beauty it is easy to find a setting fit for a king, but one that won't make you and your beloved paupers.

At Point Lookout Inn in the Catskills, you can enjoy a view that includes five states while your guests toast your happiness. The Lakehouse Inn in Stanfordville (near Rhinebeck) could not be more beautiful or romantic. They promise you'll "feel a long ways from the city" here, and you will. How about inviting a crowd, with a camp-style setting? In the Finger Lakes regions, consider the Nature Center overlooking Cayuga Lake. You can toboggan or go tubing (depending on the season) between festivities. In the Adirondacks, Point O'Pines is a beautiful girls camp on a peninsula overlooking Brandt Lake. In the off-season, it is available for weddings and family reunions. With 75 rooms, you can have a wedding and a dual-family-reunion!

If you are marrying anywhere near Albany/The Capital Region, consider My Favorite Things Florist. Christopher Grigas and his team are young and hip; their design sensibilities are very current, creative, and fun. A favorite with The Sagamore and other first class venues, My Favorite Things always seems to come through in a way that gets noticed, and exceeds expectations.

Also in the Capital Region is These Days Photography with June Branigan, who does lovely rich work, mainly in black & white. Looking through her portfolio is like reading - so evocative are her images. Also with a photojournalism style, Rae Barnes of Rae Barnes Photography is located in the Adirondacks. No back-woods photographer she, Rae's work is exquisite: classy, vibrant and true, stylish and truly memorable.

Upstate New York is such a popular wedding destination, there will soon be a new magazine devoted to the many possibilities for couples planning weddings here. The people who bring you Vermont Vows, which is full of fresh ideas for Vermont wedding venues and service providers will do the same for Upstate New York with Well Wed. Lisa Light has an article in the premier issue...which will hit the book chains (Borders, Barnes & Nobel and Walden Books) the third week in January. Watch for it!

My Favorite Things Florist

85 Lexington Avenue, Albany, New York

(518)427-7758