Blog

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Dress . Illissa & Jim . 8.31.24

February 29, 2024

What do you do at the Rehearsal Dinner?

February 29, 2024/ Katie Hammon

Image by Beth Mickalonis Photo, Table Settings and florals by Takk housE / Meadowlark catering

Have you planned your entire wedding day and are are now wondering:

“What do you do at the rehearsal dinner?”

The good news, there are so many fun and engaging ways to celebrate!
Traditionally, the rehearsal dinner is a dinner or gathering that takes place just after your rehearsal ceremony and prior to your wedding day.

So, again, what do you do at the rehearsal dinner? You enjoy quality time with those you love! That can mean a seated dinner, cocktail style gathering, simple snacks and a movie or game night, casual cook out, a glam rock party for farmhouse guests only, ice cream social, etc. This is YOUR weekend so you can spend time with your guests in whatever way feels authentic to you!

**Fun fact, as part of your coordination services (included in your wedding package), we will run your rehearsal ceremony for you. This can help ease any nerves you may have and ensure you, your family and wedding party understand how the ceremony will run. Our plan is to limit any confusion so you feel comfortable walking into your wedding day. You are also welcome to host a rehearsal dinner and/or welcome party onsite, included in your wedding package. Just add the vendors you love to make it a truly unique event!

When it comes to planning your rehearsal dinner, there are a few things to think through:

Who do you want to spend your extended quality time with during your wedding weekend?
THE REHEARSAL DINNER - Traditionally, the attendees of the rehearsal dinner are those that are participating in your wedding ceremony, and are therefor attending the rehearsal of that ceremony. This can be family members, your wedding party, officiant, readers, performers and significant others of these individuals. At The Maples Estate, there may also be some guests staying in the farmhouse onsite that you will likely include. Most rehearsal dinners here at The Maples Estate tend to range between 20 to 30 guests. Remember, this is most often people you have chosen to include in your ceremony and likely your closest loved ones.
THE WELCOME EVENT - Sometimes our clients are looking for a larger gathering of guests where those who have traveled to attend the wedding can come say hello and spend some additional quality time together before the wedding day. This is usually what we call a “Welcome Party!” Welcome parties are a fun way to engage with your guests and enjoy additional time with them throughout your weekend. Before you plan a welcome party and invite all your guests to the event, ask yourselves, “what do we want to be doing the night before our wedding? Are you an extravert that LOVES spending time around others? Maybe you are an introvert that prefers to store up some energy to go all out on your wedding day? Keep this in mind as you are making decisions about the events you wish to host throughout the weekend, and the people you wish to spend your quality time with.
1. If the answer is extending the party and interacting with all your guests two nights in a row, plan a fun welcome party!
2. If that sounds like too much, don’t be afraid to have a simple dinner and lounge on the veranda in your PJs enjoying late night s’mores.
3. Maybe you love cooking and are excited to prepare a simple meal with your closest family and friends, sharing stories over an extended dinner table.
Determine your events and guest list based around the experience you wish to enjoy that evening!
How relaxed or formal do you want this gathering to be?
Now that you know who your guests at the rehearsal dinner and/or welcome party will be, think about how you want to engage with these individuals. Do you want a formal sit down dinner? Do you prefer a casual hang out with lounge furniture, board games or a movie projected onto the pavilion? Do you want to encourage small group or one on one conversations, group activities? Do you want to have a small dinner followed by a larger casual gathering?
Let’s go back to your guest list. Is the setting or activity you are envisioning feasible with the number of guests you have chosen to invite? Logistically and financially? If not, pair down your guest list to spend valuable quality time with those in attendance.
What level of support do you require from vendors to help you pull off your vision?
Does your vision include a sit down dinner with family style plated meals? What about a silent disco or comfortable lounge setup with vintage furniture? Maybe you want a more casual cookout with just your house guests? This vision will help you determine which vendors you will need to hire. This might include a caterer, bartender, vintage rental company, DJ, florist, etc. Do you want images of this gathering? Do you need a photographer or videographer to capture the moments? Maybe your vision doesn’t require any vendor support since you will be under 20 guests with a simple cookout utilizing the grill and farmhouse kitchen?
What food and beverage options reflect the setting you wish to create?
Your vision for the rehearsal dinner and/or welcome party may include food and beverages. If this is the case, think about the setting. Does your vision require a full service caterer for buffet, plated or family style meals? Maybe you envision a more casual setting and would prefer to hire a food truck for casual bites or a private chef for a small group meal?
Our catering blog post is a great place to start when selecting vendors. You can also check out this blog post about alcohol permits to figure out what permit or level of support you might require.
What other factors might be helpful to think through when planning the rehearsal dinner?
RSVP - Ask your guests to RSVP for this event. You won’t regret it! It will help you plan when it comes to food and beverage, the location and setting for the event. It also raises the chance that those guests will show up!
Expectations - It’s pretty common that couples see their rehearsal dinner or welcome event as a much more casual event than their wedding. If this is the case, share that with your guests. If they show up thinking there will be a formal dinner and you have a super casual pizza party or desserts only with tunes and board games, they may feel overdressed, hungry and unsure how to interact with the event. Setting expectations limits confusion and ensures guests interact with the event in the way you would like them to!
Start Time - You may think it’s helpful for your guests to have a casual “come by anytime between 6pm and 9pm” but in reality it’s a huge a pain when it comes to planning. Your guests will likely be confused as to when they should arrive and therefor many of your guests will come late. By that time, food can be cold, the first guests to arrive may feel out of place and the party may feel a bit awkward until everyone is onsite! If you set a start time you can ensure the party gets going right away with all the fun vibes!
Another factor that affects the start time is sunset! Remember, this is the first time most of your guests will be arriving to The Maples Estate. Pulling up to the venue once it’s dark can make it hard for guests to get their bearings. With such a large property, we want your guests to see the venue for the first time in daylight. This is not usually a question in June, July or August but this is definitely a factor for fall weddings when the sun is setting around 6 or 7pm. If you will host a welcome event after your rehearsal dinner, make sure your welcome event starts well before sunset.

Location - Think about your vision for the rehearsal dinner and/or welcome event and also your guest list. Is the best setting on our veranda? What about outside the pavilion on our cocktail lawn, or in the tree grove? During coordination services we will talk through the best location for each of your events based on the guest count, vendor selection and the vibes you are going for!
Remember, the farmhouse restrooms are for farmhouse guests only and your other guests will need to use the portable restrooms at the pavilion. This may affect where you chose to host your events.
Logistics - Remember to think through the little details! There is nothing worse than being distracted when you are just trying to have fun with your loved ones! There are a lot of things to think through leading up to your wedding. When you are going for a casual setting and have limited support from vendors, you may forget about things like plates, napkins, silverware, serving utensils, music, entertainment, table decor, linens, ice, beverages, an SLA permit, etc. You may think these little things don’t matter too much, but your guests will notice and it’s just one more item to think about when you are simply trying to have fun and engage with your guests. Always air on the side of hiring support if you want a seamless event without worrying about those little details. We will help you think through the plan and provide your tables, chairs and basic setup, but hiring vendors for key elements like food and beverages will ensure you are covered!

So what now? How do you move forward with planning your rehearsal dinner or welcome party?

Now that you have answered these questions, solidify your vision and start checking the boxes in bringing it to life. Check out our catering blog post to find vendors that match your unique rehearsal dinner vision! If you are a Maples Estate client, you can also view our private vendor guide for additional vendor suggestions!

Are you a full planning or coaching client? Let’s chat through your vision during one of our monthly zoom calls!

Find additional planning support in our inspiration blog and learn more about our wedding packages to host your own wedding here!

Featured

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Dress . Illissa & Jim . 8.31.24

February 28, 2024

Wedding Timeline 4pm Ceremony

February 28, 2024/ Katie Hammon

About to send invitations and haven’t yet set your wedding timeline?

“What time should we tell guests to arrive for our ceremony?”

We hear you and have you covered!! It can be hard to set your wedding timeline as there are so many little details to think through as you make your decision. It’s important to note that every wedding is different (especially here at The Maples Estate) so the answer to this question will change depending on your wedding vision. At The Maple Estate, it’s most common that wedding timelines have a 4pm ceremony start time. Though this is often the case, let’s chat through some items that might effect your decision.

Do you have a more traditional wedding vision?
By traditional, I mean ceremony to cocktail hour to dinner and reception. If that’s the case, you will likely start your wedding between 3pm and 5pm. If you have a nontraditional wedding vision such as a brunch wedding, twilight ceremony, field day, etc. your timeline may be completely different. If that’s the case, scratch tradition and build a timeline that speaks to you!
If you have guests staying at a hotel, what time is check in?
Most hotels will have a 3pm check in time, though some do vary from that. If many of your guests are arriving to the hotel on your wedding day, you might want to consider this when planning your ceremony start time. If they check in around 3pm, they should be available to depart the hotel between 3:30pm and 3:45pm. Depending on where your guests are staying (most accommodations are located 10-40 minutes away from our venue) they will also require some travel time from their lodging to your ceremony. In this case you can look at a 4pm or 4:30pm start time.
Have a shuttle? Keep this in mind as you are scheduling your shuttle hotel departure.
How long do you think your ceremony will be?
Most often in a wedding timeline, 30 min. is scheduled for your ceremony. If you know you will have a longer ceremony with an extended script, readings, performances, religious elements, etc. you may want to allocate 45-60 minutes for your ceremony.
How long do you think you will need for photos during your cocktail hour?
Everyone has a different vision for how they want to celebrate their wedding! Often cocktail hours are 60 minutes, however, this can change if you require a longer period of time for photos. Many of our couples choose to hold a ‘first look’ prior to their ceremony which allows you to complete the majority of your formal personal and wedding party photos before your ceremony begins. This means cocktail hour can be used for family photos. If you do not care about formal photos or you complete photos prior to your ceremony, good news, you get to enjoy your full cocktail hour with your guests!
If you hold off on seeing each other until you walk down the aisle, you will likely need a longer period of time for your photos, unless you are not planning to have formal photos taken. If that’s the case, check in with your photographer. They will likely suggest you plan for a 90 minute cocktail hour to ensure you have plenty of time.
What time do you want to eat dinner?
This may seem like a simple question but it’s often a main driver when it comes to setting your ceremony start time. Dinner is most often served 30 min to 1 hour after your reception begins.
During your coordination services, we will talk through a plan for eating throughout your wedding morning, however your wedding day can be a whirlwind and you may forget to eat. You may even have butterflies that make it a bit difficult. For this reason, plan for an earlier dinner than you would normally eat at home.
For a 4pm ceremony, dinner often begins around 6pm. You may think that you will be snacking during your cocktail hour but sometimes this is difficult if you are off taking photos.
What time is sunset?
This may be something you forget to think about. June, July and August weddings are the best for daylight, but as we get closer to fall, the sunset will affect your timeline. Ask google, “what time is sunset on (insert wedding date)?”. We always want to have your reception begin before the sun sets. This allows you and your guests to enjoy the views and settle in before it’s dark outside.
How many hours did you hire your photographer for? What time do they depart?
Your photographer is one of those vendors that is around for the majority of your wedding day. Think about what details you want to be captured in your images. Many couples enjoy having photos of them getting ready through any formalities, cake cutting and of course dancing! Say you booked an 8 hour package with your photographer, this can have a pretty serious affect on your wedding timeline to ensure all those experiences can be captured before they depart!
Hair + Makeup can take longer than you think!
Unrelated to your wedding start time, hair and makeup is something to think about as you start to plan your wedding day. Most hair and makeup teams have 1-3 professionals for your entire wedding party, friends and family members that will partake in ‘getting ready’ onsite. Each person partaking in hair and makeup can take 30-90 minutes depending on the services they require, the hairstyle and makeup technique they chose. Check with your hair + makeup artists to determine the best start time for your group, keeping in mind that the number of individuals served and professionals supporting you will change the time required.

Let’s look at a basic wedding timeline with a 4pm ceremony!

9:00am | Hair + Makeup

2:00pm | First Look + Photos

3:30pm | Guests Start to Arrive

4:00pm | Ceremony Begins

4:30pm | Cocktail Hour + Final Photos

5:30pm | Reception Begins + Formalities

6:00pm | Dinner Served

7:00pm | Formalities

7:30pm | Dancing + Party + Dessert Served

Worried about the little details?

Remember, at The Maples Estate we work with each of our clients to build a comprehensive in depth timeline for your wedding weekend. This is included in your package and is determined during your coordination services which begin 8 weeks prior to your wedding.

For couples that have our wedding planning and design or coaching packages, we create a draft timeline in the first stage of planning as we are creating your wedding design board. We use this when communicating with and selecting vendors.

Find more answers to your questions on our inspiration blog and learn more about our wedding packages to celebrate with us!

Featured

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Dress . Illissa & Jim . 8.31.24

December 28, 2023

Epic Wedding Weekend. Christina & Vivianie. 10.14.23

December 28, 2023/ Katie Hammon

The Marriage of Christina and Vivianie
October 14, 2023 at The Maples Estate

Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY

This epic wedding was the party of a lifetime for brides Christina and Vivianie!

An epic wedding weekend full of celebration, Christina and Vivianie curated an elaborate wedding extravaganza at The Maples Estate nestled in upstate New York during mid-October 2023. This fall wedding weekend kicked off with a family friendly game of baseball in our tree grove followed by a rehearsal ceremony and dinner all before their official wedding day began on Saturday.

Christina and Vivianie wanted every opportunity to celebrate their love surrounded by their family and friends, so they packed the weekend full of festivities and were ready to party! The weekend was a beautiful blend of their two cultures, Christina's Italian heritage intertwined with Vivianie's Puerto Rican roots.

Getting Ready!

Christina, Vivianie, and their entourage of friends and family prepared for the special occasion in our get ready suite. These two brides glammed together echoing their desire to share every moment of this monumental day side by side! They even designed personalized outfits for each day so all their house guests matched throughout the weekend from robes to slippers, sweatshirts and pajamas!

Our farmhouse served as their haven throughout the weekend — a hub for cherished memories, full of love and laughter! It was clear that family, and friends were incredibly special to these two as they embraced those around them and injected the spirits of their departed loved ones into the weekend. To honor loved ones whom had passed, they incorporated a memory table that moved from the ceremony to the reception, as well as a symbolic chain, intricately connected to Christina’s wooden floral bouquet.

Love Is Love!

Not only was their wedding significant from the blending of their two cultures, it was also important for them to exercise their right to marry. In conversations with Christina and Vivianie throughout the weekend, it was clear that they recognized the significance behind their wedding and felt appreciative of those that had fought for the rights of LGBTQ+ couples. They understood the fight that their own loved ones from the LGBTQ+ community had gone through and how they had played an integral role in their lives and love story. They expressed an unwavering support from their family and friends, how lucky they felt to have family members that embraced them as they are and encouraged them to be their authentic selves.

The ceremony script and speeches delivered throughout the evening radiated this sentiment of acceptance and admiration for Christina and Vivianie. Each heartfelt expression of gratitude underscored their remarkable bond, highlighting how they effortlessly bring out the best in each other.

Memories through photos!

Incorporating images of their loved ones throughout the day - these two embraced the opportunity to take photos themselves! In addition to their portraits taken through the farmhouse and estate, Vivianie had an affection for the iconic red barn and couldn’t wait to take photos with this bright red rustic backdrop.

The Ceremony

For their ceremony, vintage tables, chairs and doors, set the stage under our tree grove. The aisle placed with rugs and chairs with blankets, guided guests to their seats where they embraced the crisp fall atmosphere. A thoughtful touch was the QR code-equipped sign, ensuring all guests, regardless of language, felt included and informed with different translations available for their ceremony.

String players performed as they entered the tree grove for their processional and again for their recessional. Adding a touch of whimsy and fun, their flower girl and ring bearer made a grand entrance down the aisle, the flower girl steering a remote-controlled jeep—a delightful twist to a beautiful ceremony.

Following their heartfelt vows exchanged under the trees, guests meandered to the pavilion for the cocktail hour and reception. Stationed food offerings were available for the attendees, while the brides seized a perfect photo opportunity, overlooking the breathtaking vistas of the corn fields, creek, meadows, and rolling hillsides.

“If we could leave more than 5 stars, we would. Katie and Louis are absolutely incredible at what they do!

From the moment you book, you’ll have plenty of guidance in planning your wedding weekend. Katie helps you think of all the things needed to have the most beautiful and fun wedding. As soon as you arrive on the property, you get a sense of the commitment the team puts in for your wedding. They don’t just feel like vendors/coordinators, they feel like family members looking out for you through the weekend. Katie was on top of everything throughout the weekend and helped us have one of the most memorable experiences of our lives. We can’t be more grateful! Also, of course, the property is absolutely beautiful. ”

— Christina and Vivianie, Syracuse Based

The Party!

As the evening continued, the dance floor became a lively stage, thanks to their emcee and beats by DJ Pure Entertainment out of New York City. The cake cutting ceremony was a sweet interlude before the celebration began with 'la hora loca.' Masks, hats, and glow sticks adorned the guests, transforming the space into a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors and infectious energy.

The night's emcee surprised the crowd with a special performance followed by a collective Zumba dance that had everyone on their feet, moving in unison—a testament to the sheer euphoria of the occasion.

With laughter and love echoing, the evening culminated in a group photo capturing the joy of this epic party!

Serving as a final, intimate moment for the newlyweds and their guests to reminisce about the extraordinary moments of their extended weekend celebration at The Maples Estate, they enjoyed a farewell brunch in the pavilion the morning after their wedding before their guests departed back home and they fled off for their honeymoon.

Photos by Photospre

Christina & Vivianie’s incredible vendor team!
Venue / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photography: Photospre | IG: @photospre
Makeup: Elizabeth Sommer’s Beauty | IG: @elizabethsommersbeauty
Hair: Bloom Beauty Bar & Glam By Alex G | IGs: @bloom_beautybar @glambyalexg
Rentals: Wandering Wheels Events | IG: @wanderingwheelsevents
Catering: Albany Season’s Catering | IG: @albany_seasonscatering
Dessert: Villa Italia Bakery | IG: @villaitaliabakeryny
DJ Team / Roaming Photo Booth / Performer: Pure Entertainment | IG: @purentertainment845
Live Music: Music Boutique | IG: @musicboutiquenyc
Transportation: First Charter
Rehearsal Dinner Catering: Bull and Basil | IG: @bullandbasil
Rehearsal Dinner Bar: Bear and Fox Event Staffing | IG: @bearandfoxeventstaffing
Brunch Caterer: Rooster on the Run | IG: @roosterontherun_
Wedding Dresses: David’s Bridal | IG: @davidsbridal
Restrooms: Stone Industries

Learn more about *The Maples Estate**, view our* weekend wedding packages and find more wedding inspiration right here!

Featured

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Dress . Illissa & Jim . 8.31.24

December 27, 2023

Chill Wedding in Upstate NY. L & M. 9.23.23

December 27, 2023/ Katie Hammon

September 23, 2023 at The Maples Estate

Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY

This weekend wedding was more than just a celebration of marriage; it was laughter, creativity, and had an unmistakably chill vibe.

L&M’s love story originated from an unexpected college mishap—an 'all-school' email gone awry. What was originally frustration and a desire to call this man out for ‘replying all’ to a school wide email, sparked an unconventional connection that soon became romance. Their wedding at The Maples Estate in late September 2023, was a showcase of their shared love for art, laughter, and life's simple pleasures.

“My husband and I loved the idea of getting married somewhere that had an estate on the property so that some of our loved ones could stay with us and turn it into a long weekend of fun. We toured a handful of places that catered to this idea but The Maples Estate stood out from everything we saw for several reasons: Katie and Louis are on the property and are always a text away if needed, the house has the most amazing 1850’s charm with all of the modern fixes needed to be comfortable, the amount of land to explore is wild, and Katie’s background in event planning.

It’s hard to explain how my husband and I felt so at home and comforted when we had an initial tour, but we felt it in our gut and knew that we made the right call! Thank you to Katie and Louis for the valuable work that you do for your couples, we can’t thank you enough!”

— L&M, Miami

Glam Time!

Since they had recently moved to Miami, Florida it was extra special for these two to spend quality time with their loved ones from New York. Their wedding day began with glam at the farmhouse, and their stylish, romantic attire was a fitting image which appropriately echoed their fun, chill vibes. A day full of laughter, their parties enjoyed joking around all morning as they prepared for the afternoon’s celebrations!

Max, exuding style in his unique white suit and dog-adorned socks, and the bridal party in a delightful mishmash of pinks and browns offered a beautiful tone for the day. These jokesters met at the pond for a first look, then a ‘real’ first look following a reveal with their individual parties.

Photos for days!

While some wedding parties dread wedding photos, this group took full advantage of the opportunity! Their calm, chill vibes were infectious and the day was filled with fun and meaningful moments captured by the camera.

The Ceremony

As the skies opened up for a light drizzle, guests began to arrive and made their way to the tree grove. These two put a lot of thought into the symbolism behind their ceremony from a chuppah embracing M’s Jewish heritage to individual roles which each of their wedding party was assigned. Though the wedding party was to sit during the ceremony, L&M wanted them to embrace the moment with more photo ops, so the full party posed for pictures before the ceremony officially began and the wedding party was seated.

From the role of dress fluffer to lint roller, presenting of paints, smashing glasses, shots, and more, these two had everyone involved! There was not a dry eye in the house, though everyone was filled with love and laughter throughout the ceremony.

The Party!

The reception was a fusion of fun, flavor, and heartfelt connections. From lawn games and delectable treats to pizza, BBQ, a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream cart, and even a marijuana bar—all reflected their laid-back yet vibrant personalities.

With a small guest list of just 50, wooden tables were adorned with vintage books, bud vases, candles, rocks, sea shells and other personal mementos painting a vivid picture of their shared journey.

The reception kicked off with a surprise first dance for L's parents who missed out on a first dance at their own wedding. L didn’t feel it was fair to dance with her own husband before her parents had the opportunity themselves!

The Little Details

L's artistic touch graced every facet of the celebration. From crafting caricatures of their guests with personalized notes, to introducing a canvas for colorful fingerprints, her creativity added a distinct flavor to the day.

The evening was filled with personal touches, simple yet tasty treats and relaxed comforts. From a weed bar to colorful signature cocktails, guests were encouraged to let loose and enjoy the moments.

As the night continued, everyone was on the dance floor! The DJ even arranged a set for Max's best bud / officiant to take the stage. The collaboration behind the DJ booth encapsulated the spirit of camaraderie that was seen throughout the gathering. Shared laughter, creativity, and a laid-back spirit. Their story, ignited by a simple college email, blossomed into a celebration of love, friendship, and the beauty found in life's quirks.

Photos by Rock and Love Weddings

The incredible vendor team!
Venue / Coaching / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photography & Videography: Rock and Love Weddings | IG: @rockandloveweddings
Catering: Tickled Pink BBQ | IG: @tickledpinkbbq
Catering: It's A Pizza Truck | IG: @itsapizzatruck
Bar Service: Takk House | IG: @takkhouse
Ice Cream: Ben & Jerry's | IG: @patrickpipino
Florals: Little Anne's Flowers | IG: @littleannsflowers
Hair & Makeup: @arianaberishamua | @dermaplusny
Rentals: Tremont Rentals | IG: @tremontrental
Specialty Rentals: TBIRDS | IG: @tbirdsrentals
DJ Team: DJ Ayo | IG: @onedjayo
Additional Lodging: The Beekman House | @thejohndarby
Dress: Pronovias | IG: @Pronovias
Restrooms: Stone Industries

Learn more about *The Maples Estate**, view our* weekend wedding packages and find more wedding inspiration right here!

Featured

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Dress . Illissa & Jim . 8.31.24

December 20, 2023

Romantic Upstate NY Wedding. Alanna & Russell. 9.2.23

December 20, 2023/ Katie Hammon

The Marriage of Alanna and Russell
September 2, 2023 at The Maples Estate

Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY

This romantic outdoor wedding at The Maples Estate was “Pure Magic”!

From the very beginning of their wedding planning journey, Alanna and Russell knew they wanted to celebrate all weekend long. They dreamed of a casual yet elevated, romantic, stylish celebration with delicious food, colorful cocktails and “a good time”! When they found The Maples Estate they fell in love with the setting and knew this was the perfect place for them to comfortably celebrate their wedding.

A dream come true, these two walked away from their wedding feeling like they were the stars in their very own story!

How did their romantic upstate wedding come true?

Living in Boston, Massachusetts and busy with work and life, Alanna and Russell knew they needed some support.

Eager to get started with their planning, they added our coaching package where we helped them kick off their planning with a get to know you zoom call. From this conversation we created a design board, planning checklist, comprehensive budget and a personalized list of vendors to get them started. We checked in regularly throughout their planning journey to chat through vendor confirmations, answer questions, address any concerns and determine next steps.

Once their wedding was planned, we transitioned into coordination services so we could determine their wedding weekend timeline, create event layouts and take over vendor communication. This meant that they walked into their wedding with a clear vision of what to expect so they could simply relax and enjoy time with their loved ones. We also supported them throughout their wedding weekend with setup and breakdown of each of their events, managed their vendors and kept their timeline on track to ensure their wedding ran seamlessly.

With coordination services included in all our wedding packages, our couples never have to worry about the details on their wedding day.

“Our wedding day was amazing and Katie’s support right from the start, along with all those extra coordination services (you should do it), made it all come together seamlessly. The best part was that after all of the planning, we got to sit back and enjoy our wedding day which we would not have been able to do without Katie. Katie’s has a wealth of experience that meant she could help us shape creative ideas we hadn’t even thought of, turning our dream wedding into reality.”

— Alanna & Russell, Boston based Architect and Health Care Provider

How did they celebrate their romantic upstate NY wedding?

There is no better way to celebrate than surrounded by your loved ones!

Russell and Alanna had their closest friends staying with them in our farmhouse which can sleep up to 17 guests. With three nights included in our wedding packages there is plenty of time to not only celebrate, but also relax, connect with loved ones and soak in every moment of this incredible time in your lives. The bridesmaids joined Alanna in the get ready room for glam the morning of the “official” wedding, enjoyed champagne and a cuddle with the couple’s dog Sadie.

When you utilize our farmhouse throughout your wedding weekend, it acts as your home base allowing you a place to not only sleep, but also get ready, converse with loved ones and host your pictures! The house was built in 1855 and is filled with historical charm as well as antique decor which is such a fun backdrop for your wedding photos!

Russell also enjoyed glam before joining his groomsmen in the bar and on our grand veranda. Together they helped each other tie their ties and spruce up before the first look. They too enjoyed a drink to calm nerves and ease into a day of celebration.

Their romantic wedding matched the farmhouse aesthetic and was filled with warm, bright yet moody colors with the main focus being shades of pink and green and accents of light blue, mustard and black. Bridesmaid dresses were a rusty salmon color and groomsmen were in a navy blue with light minty green ties.

The first look!

A first look is such a fun way to kick off your wedding celebration! It allows you the flexibility to see each other prior to your ceremony, easing nerves and give you time to enjoy photos before your larger guest list arrives. That means you have more time to spend with your guests and a smoother timeline for the day.

Alanna and Russell chose to hold their first look overlooking the pond which was stunning!

If you are including others in your celebration, it’s always fun to grab some shots of your full wedding party! Alanna and Russell decided to take images overlooking the hillside in our grass meadows and near the pond. We love the mixture of formal and more casual candid shots!

The ceremony

A ceremony in our tree grove is such a gorgeous setting to start your life together! Alanna and Russell utilized our mixed chairs for a vintage aesthetic. They even included their dog in the celebration with their ring bearer walking Sadie down the aisle. Russell was joined by his mom who then began playing the fiddle as the wedding party and Alanna entered the aisle. Alanna was joined by her mom and grandmother showcasing three generations!

Following the ceremony, guests made their way to the cocktail lawn outside our reception pavilion for a casual cocktail hour with lawn games while Alanna and Russell finished up their family photos.

The Party!

A gorgeous setting overlooking the Appalachian Plateaus just north of the catskill mountains, Alanna and Russell celebrated their wedding under our reception pavilion. Table design and florals by Meadowlark Catering, they celebrated in style with clean white linens, pops of color, gold accents, luxurious velvet blue runners and romantic warm candlight!

Post toasts and dinner, these two escaped during their reception for a stroll around the estate for sunset photos before kicking off the party.

The first garter toss we have ever experienced here at The Maples Estate, we LOVED how these two embraced the moment followed by a bouquet toss, Irish coffee bar and dancing to a live 10-piece funk band!!!

They even had a friend design their cake and cupcakes bringing a unique personalized element to the evening!

As the evening came to a close, they enjoyed late night karaoke with their closest friends staying in the farmhouse and woke the next day to a farewell brunch followed by a relaxing day by the pool for their house guests!

Photos by Cassandra Daye Photography

Alanna and Russell’s incredible vendor team!
Venue / Coaching / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photographer: Cassandra Daye Photography | IG: @cassandradayephotography
Catering / Florals / Table Design: Meadowlark Troy | IG: @meadowlarktroy
Band: Funk Evolution | IG: @funk_evolution_entertainment
Hair & Makeup: Hair & Beauty By Bay | IG: @hairbeautybybay @kmrmakeup
Rentals: Total Events | IG: @totalevents
Transportation: Durham School Services | IG: @durham_school_services
Dessert: Unhinged Cakes | IG: @unhingedcakes
Hotel Block: The Landing Hotel | IG: @thelandinghotelny
Invitation and Signage Designer: Gubba Gumma | IG: @gubbagumma
Wedding Dress Shop: Flair Boston | IG: @flairboston
Wedding Dress Designer: Jenny Yoo NYC | IG: @jennyyoonyc
Tux Shop: Generation Tux | IG: @generationtux
Ties: The Tie Bar | IG: @thetiebar
Brunch Caterer: High on the Hog BBQ | IG: @high_on_the_hog_bbq
Rehearsal Dinner Caterer: Mellas Wood Fired
Restrooms: Stone Industries

Learn more about *The Maples Estate**, view our* weekend wedding packages and find more wedding inspiration right here!

Featured

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Dress . Illissa & Jim . 8.31.24

November 21, 2023

Sustainable Wedding Ideas for Eco-conscious Couples

November 21, 2023/ Katie Hammon

In today's world, couples are increasingly aware of the significant impact we all have on our planet. It's no surprise that we've received many inquiries lately from couples seeking unique and sustainable wedding ideas to help celebrate their wedding. So, let's explore some eco-conscious wedding ideas that merge style, sentiment, and sustainability for the eco-conscious couple.

It all starts with a sustainable wedding venue

Right from the beginning of your wedding planning journey, prioritizing sustainability can be a central theme. It's no coincidence that you've discovered The Maples Estate, aligning with your love of the outdoors and offering you the freedom to curate an authentic celebration. Our venue has unique antique charm and remains conscientious of our ecological footprint with strategic gardens, grass paths and wild meadows. Nestled in the outdoors, our space provides an opportunity to enjoy breathtaking natural landscapes which are home to our local wildlife including deer, eagles, heron, bunnies, turtles, fish, frogs, fire flies, bees, squirrels, and more!

At The Maples Estate, we consolidate all your events in one location, facilitating meaningful connections while minimizing your carbon footprint. Moreover, we encourage guests to immerse themselves in the local community, supporting nearby businesses and neighborhoods during their stay. Additionally, upon booking, we provide a curated list of vendors including those that are local and eco-conscious. Embracing the ethos of reuse, we even offer our very own prop and rentals inventory, include tables and chairs in your package, and collaborate with specialty rental companies, enabling you to opt for reusable decor, linens, tableware, and even furniture, thereby reducing the consumption of new materials.

Amidst our stunning landscapes and vintage-inspired interiors, our venue allows for understated yet refined designs and encourages you to work with vendors that match your unique style and wedding vision. Imagine incorporating potted plants, dried florals, and repurposed elements.

As owners we embody an eco-friendly lifestyle ourselves by living in an off grid converted school bus (skoolie) on the property which has solar power and composting capabilities. We even have a solar powered, off grid, gravity fed 4-stall restroom built into a shipping container which your guests will use throughout your wedding weekend!

Ethical Invitations & Pre-Loved Stationery

From the beginning of your guests experience you can share your love of the environment! Why not opt for invitations made from recycled paper or scratch tradition with colorful digital invites. Consider sending paperless save-the-dates to reduce paper waste, and for printed elements, source stationery from companies using recycled materials or choose plantable options. Embrace pre-loved stationery or repurpose paper goods for a unique touch.

Sustainable and Rented Attire

Couples can champion sustainability in their attire choices by opting for garments crafted from eco-conscious fabrics such as organic cotton, hemp, or recycled materials. Consider the eco-friendly option of renting a wedding gown or suit, significantly lessening the environmental impact linked with clothing production. Alternatively, explore stores that specialize in pre-loved or vintage wedding attire, extending their lifecycle and reducing the demand for new production.

Eco-Conscious and Veg Catering

Work alongside your caterer to craft a menu that celebrates locally sourced, organic, and seasonal ingredients. In addition, why not embrace the tasty world of plant-based cuisine, offering a variety of vegan and vegetarian dishes that your guests will love. Partner with caterers well-versed in eco-friendly practices and prioritize the use of reusable or compostable dinnerware to minimize waste. Some caterers may include dishware in their package or you can source from local rental companies. Ask your caterer if they are able to incorporate composting stations and / or recycling bins for their kitchen prep, bar service and cleanup. Encouraging such culinary practices contributes to a sustainable and environmentally conscious dining experience for you and your guests. Extend sustainability post-celebration by asking your caterer to donate any leftover food to a shelter.

Tablecloths with a Story

Sourcing reused and vintage tablecloths and runners is a great way to bring life to your celebration! Not only do they tell a fun color story, but they also add unique character to your tablescape. Hunt for these treasures in antique stores, flea markets, or through specialized vintage rental services, where each tablecloth carries its own unique history. Wanting a more consistant look? Rent linens from your caterer or a rental company instead of purchasing them on your own. You can also opt for wooden tables that do not require the use of a linen.

Sustainable Floral Choices

Wanting cut florals at your wedding? Opt for locally sourced blooms grown by eco-conscious florists dedicated to reducing their environmental impact. Consider seasonal flowers indigenous to your region, minimizing carbon footprint and supporting local growers. Embrace the art of wildflower arrangements or dried florals, extending the lifespan of your blooms beyond the celebration. Choose adaptable and light weight floral arrangements for your ceremony to repurpose them at your reception and talk to your florist to find areas of impact to provide interest while minimizing the amount of blooms required.

By incorporating such mindful choices into your floral arrangements, you not only create breathtaking aesthetics but also play a part in preserving the planet's natural beauty. Consider donating your florals to local restaurants or a nursing home following your celebration, or even drying them for future use in your home. If these are not options for you personally, ask your florist if they are able to compost items for you. If not, we can compost them onsite at The Maples Estate.

Looking for something a little different? We have seen some pretty fun alternative floral options including wooden flowers and even a beaded bouquet!

Source Pre-Loved Decor

For those seeking unique and sustainable wedding decor, thrift and antique shops and online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace and eBay offer a treasure trove of possibilities. Sort through these digital aisles or wander through brick and mortar stores to discover an array of pre-loved decor items. There are also some incredible local rental companies offering unique finds that will elevate your design! Check out our props and rental inventory and collaborate with specialty rental companies to find reusable decor, linens, tableware, and even furniture.

Zero-Waste Gifts & Favors

Express gratitude to guests with eco-conscious favors such as potted plants, homemade vegan treats, or reusable items. Encourage experiences over physical gifts and suggest donations for animal sanctuaries, renewable energy, carbon offset projects and other environmental organizations. You can even go as far as gifting saplings to your guests or planting a tree at your home or in your neighborhood to commemorate your wedding and offset your wedding's carbon footprint.

Sustainable Transportation

Encourage guests to stay local, carpool, use eco-friendly transportation options, or even offer shuttle services to reduce the carbon footprint of travel throughout your wedding weekend.

There are numerous avenues to lessen our impact on the planet!

Your wedding presents a wonderful opportunity not only to adopt these ideas personally, but also express your passion for the environment to your guests. Collaborating with vendors who share this same passion ensures that your wedding embodies sustainability in every aspect.

Find more tips on planning your dream wedding below!

Featured

What do you do at the Rehearsal Dinner?

Wedding Timeline 4pm Ceremony

vintage.cowboys.styled.shoot.the.maples-138.jpg

Sustainable Wedding Ideas for Eco-conscious Couples

June 01, 2023

Estate Wedding Upstate. Lora-Ashley & Eamonn. 8.20.22

June 01, 2023/ Katie Hammon

The Marriage of Lora-Ashley & Eamonn
August 20, 2022 at The Maples Estate

Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY

This extended weekend estate wedding in upstate New York was a true family affair!

Lora-Ashley and Eamonn arrived at The Maples Estate on Thursday, dropped off a couple family golf carts and headed off for a full day of fun at the lake with their bridal parties! Back at the house that evening they enjoyed a simple dinner with friends and family and prepped for another full day on Friday. First thing in the morning Eamonn’s crew headed off for a day of golf and Lora’s crew made their way to a petting zoo for goat yoga followed by a rehearsal ceremony and dinner that evening.

This couple embraced the weekend with activities every day and got to spend so much quality time with their family and friends before their wedding day even began on Saturday.

An extended engagement

Lora and Eamonn booked The Maples Estate back in 2019 and knew they wanted an extended engagement with their wedding planned for summer 2022. Little did we know that COVID-19 was just around the corner and their timing could not have been better. Having two young children at the time of their engagement, they wanted to ensure their children would be old enough to enjoy their wedding and I’m so glad they waited as their adorable kids were involved in every bit of their day! From glamming together in the get ready room, to walking down the aisle and dancing into the evening they had the time of their lives and I’m sure they will remember their parent’s special day as they grow older.

Keep in mind, an extended engagement can also allow you additional time to plan or save for your dream wedding!

Getting Ready!

The get ready room was the place to be with all the bridal party glamming together. From friends and family to adorable children and multiple first looks, Lora-Ashley and Eamonn enjoyed the morning of their wedding surrounded by their loved ones.

Time to Celebrate!

As the day progressed they enjoyed time in the pool, relaxed in the hammock, got ready for the evenings events and took photos throughout the estate! An estate wedding at The Maples Estate means so much time to celebrate!!

First Look

This first look in our meadow was so beautiful and captured from all angles! They even enjoyed photos in the estate farmhouse following their first look before guests arrived for their ceremony.

The Ceremony

A ceremony under the trees is one of our favorites and this 180 person guest list enjoyed views of the hills while Lora-Ashley and Eamonn said their vows. With two friends and their officiants, they had a very personal ceremony that spoke to both of them as individuals.

Keep scrolling to check out their wedding video and hear their vows!

The Reception

The reception would not have been complete without this mother son dance with rival team jerseys! Such a fun, charismatic and loving group that danced the night away under the stars!

Photos by Sam Sullivan Photography

Lora-Ashley & Eamonn’s incredible vendor team!
Venue: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photos: Sam Sullivan Photographer | IG: @samsullivanphotography
Planning Coordinator: SBM Event Co. | IG: @sbmeventco
Rentals: Total Events | IG: @totalevents
Hair & Makeup: JL Beauty Inc | IG: @jlbeautyinc
Florals: Heirloom 77 Floral | IG: @heirloom77.floral
DJ: Say I Tru | IG: @say_i_tru
Photo booth: The Modern Photobooth Company | IG: @themodernphotoboothcompany
Hotel: The Landing Hotel | IG: @thelandinghotelny
Catering / Bar: Old Daley on Crooked Lake | IG: @olddaleyoncrookedlake
Transportation: Premier Transportation | IG: @premiertransportation

Learn more about The Maples Estate, view our weekend wedding packages and find more wedding inspiration right here!

Featured

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Dress . Illissa & Jim . 8.31.24

April 25, 2023

When should you send wedding invitations out?

April 25, 2023/ Katie Hammon

Wedding invitation suite for vintage cowboy wedding — Suite designed by Handmade Darling printed on acrylic and paper.

When it comes to wedding planning there are so many little details to juggle!

At The Maples Estate we help our couples stay on track with wedding planning by providing each of our clients with a personalized digital wedding planning checklist in your client portal. You can follow along with the scheduled tasks by date, check off items on your to do list and update your checklist to suit your individual wedding!

One of the tasks that we tend to get questions about though, is

“When should we send our wedding invitations out?”

What details should we include in our wedding invitation?
Do wedding invitations need to be physical or is a digital invite okay?
Do we need to send Save The Dates? Can they be sent digitally?
Do we need to create a wedding website?
What do we include on our wedding website?

Also, what’s so important about getting all those details in a physical or digital form that our guests can access and respond to?

With many of our clients guest counts at 50-150 guests, that’s a lot of people to wrangle, call, email or text leading up to your wedding. You want to make sure your guests have all the information they need to RSVP, schedule their travel, book a hotel, select their meals, dress to impress and all arrive on time! Your save the date, wedding invitation and website are your saving grace in helping your guests navigate your wedding weekend without reaching out to you for direction.

So, let’s chat through all these questions and look at some sample wedding invitations for reference as you start to think through your own invites.

Invitation suite for romantic boho wedding upstate — Suite designed by Handmade Darling printed on hand torn paper.

First off, let’s answer that big question: “When should we send our wedding invitations out?”

Answer: At least 8 weeks prior to your wedding weekend - 12 to 20 weeks is even better!

Let’s explain: Every wedding is a bit different, but at the latest you should give your guests 6 to 8 weeks to respond. You will also need enough time after the ‘RSVP by date’ to follow up with guests that you have not yet heard from, finalize your guest count, confirm meal selections with your caterer, set your floor plan, and print your seating chart and place cards - give yourself 2-4 weeks for this. You do have more wiggle room if your caterer does not need exact guest counts or meal selections and if you are skipping assigned seating.

You will also want to give your guests as much time as possible to confirm their schedule, take time off work, book their travel and accommodations.

It’s all in the details

What details should we include in our wedding invitations?

Like I mentioned before, the more details you provide your guests, the less questions they will ask you.

Every invitation will be different depending on the couple but let’s review an invitation suite from one of our wedding coaching clients here at The Maples Estate! I will point out all those key items that your guests will want to know upfront. Keep in mind that they also sent save the dates and have a wedding website where their guests can find more information about their wedding.

Wedding invitation with colorful florals

Common items included in an invitation suite

Invitation Card
Response Card + Meal Selection + Envelope
Mailing Envelope
Postage

Additional items you might want to include

Design Images / Invitation Wrapper
Details Card(s)
- Directions
- Additional Weekend Events
- Accommodations
- Transporation
QR Code Linked to Your Website

Wedding invite details page for colorful summer wedding

Invitation Card

Couple Names
Many couples like to have full spelling of their individual names.

Reference Families
Many couples choose to reference their family as part of the invite.

Wedding Date
Note the date of your main wedding events.

Arrival Time and/or Start Time
Note the time that your events will begin. Many guests will arrive early so it’s best not to add a buffer period into your start time. Instead you can list a suggested arrival time.

Location
Include the address of your first event.

Any other events to follow
Note any additional event details so guests have an idea of how the day will go.

Wedding invitation accommodations and brunch details card

Details Card(s)

Together in one card or separately through multiple cards, list out important details such as:

Accommodations & Room Blocks
If you have a room block or suggested location for guests to stay, it’s a great idea to include these details in your invitation. Include the name of the lodging site, address, any details for making a reservation, etc.

Rehearsal Dinner, Welcome Events or Farewell Brunches
If everyone is able to attend additional events throughout your wedding weekend, feel free to include them in your invite. If the guest list for these events are limited, it’s better to include a specific card just for those invited or a digital invite sent separately.

Transportation
If you will have a shuttle it’s great to list the times and location in your invite. You can also provide notes about taxis and ride share services or the closest airport, train or bus stations.

Suggested Attire
If you have specific thoughts on what your guests should wear you can also include this in your invite. Things like pastel colors, black and white, formal, casual, no skinny heals, bring layers, etc.

RSVP Card

Response Date
Include a deadline to respond. We suggest 2-4 weeks before your wedding. Include all wedding events unless they are drop in.

Physical Card + Envelope -or- QR Code + Password
Give your guests a place to RSVP. That can be a physical card with return envelope and stamp or even a digital response using a QR code and password or email.

Meal Selections
Many caterers will ask you to include a meal option on your invites to confirm the guests meal selection. Confirm with your caterer ahead of time what date they need responses by. Example: Chicken, Beef, Fish, Veggie, etc.

Wedding invitation colorful design for summer wedding

Design Elements and Postage

This is the fun part where you can show your personality and also give a glimpse into your wedding design with colors, patterns and vibes!

Design Elements
Invitations can have many design elements from wrappers to ties to seals or decorative cards.

Envelope
Don’t forget a colorful envelope to stand out in the mail! You may also want to include an envelope for your RSVP card.

Postage
Postage can be a fun design element to make your envelope pop! You may also want to include postage for your RSVP card.

Wedding Invitation Q&A

Digital invites are a great way to save money and streamline the RSVP process. However, some couples and guests enjoy having the physical cards as mementos following the wedding. An invite can also be included in your flat lay which may be something your photographer shoots for you on your wedding day. See examples below!
Many couples choose to send Save The Dates once their wedding date and guest list is set. That way their guests have time to block the date on their calendar and plan ahead. This can be as simple as an email to your guests and could also be sent digitally or in physical form similar to your invite. You would provide your guests with the date of your wedding as well as the location so they have an idea for travel purposes. The save the date does not include an RSVP option and is simply announcing your wedding date and location.
You do not have to do anything, but if you are looking to limit the number of texts, calls and emails leading up to and on your wedding day, a wedding website is a great option! This is a place where you can tell your story, share your engagement photos, faqs and repeat the details on the invite in the case it gets lost.
The more information you provide your guests the better! Repeat details from your invitation including the wedding date, location, start time, other events, link to RSVP.
Share your engagement photos
Share Your Story! How you met, your proposal story, wedding party features, etc.
Guest FAQs: Lodging, transportation, wedding attire, venue setting, fun activities + attractions nearby, wedding gift registry, etc.

Wedding Invitation Inspiration!

Romantic Boho Wedding

Suite designed by Handmade Darling printed on hand torn paper.

invitation suite for vintage boho wedding in upstate new york

Green and White Outdoor Wedding

Jenna & Jay’s wedding at The Maples Estate in late August.

Invitation suite for outdoor summer wedding

Wedding invitation suite for outdoor wedding in upstate new york

Pink & Green Late Summer Wedding

Brooke & Scott’s wedding at The Maples Estate in mid September.

Wedding invitation suite for pink and green wedding in upstate new york

Modern Colorful Spring Wedding

Suite designed by Handmade Darling printed on acrylic and paper.

Orange and pink wedding invitation suite for spring wedding upstate

Pink and orange rsvp card and acrylic wedding invitation

Colorful Backyard Summer Wedding Vibes!

Suite designed by Peggy & Kate to be printed on paper for Hannah & Tim’s September wedding.

Vintage Cowboy Inspired Wedding

Suite designed by Ready Mix Designs using a letterpress.

Brown and yellow wedding invitation suite for cowboy western wedding

western cowboy wedding invitation suite for upstate new york wedding

Romantic Modern Summer Wedding

Lora-Ashley & Eamonn’s August wedding at The Maples Estate

Wedding invitation for modern romantic wedding

White and green wedding invitation suite flatlay

Find out more about The Maples Estate and discover more planning inspiration right here!

Featured

What do you do at the Rehearsal Dinner?

Wedding Timeline 4pm Ceremony

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April 19, 2023

Planning a Destination Wedding. Jenna & Jay. 8.27.22

April 19, 2023/ Katie Hammon

The Marriage of Jenna & Jay
August 27, 2022 at The Maples Estate

Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY

Wondering how to plan a destination wedding?

With so many of our couples living throughout the northeast, across the country and even across the world, it’s important that you feel supported in your wedding planning. Follow along with Jenna and Jay as they share their own experience planning their destination wedding at The Maples Estate from their home in Staten Island.

“After getting engaged at the top of Mt. Royal Park in Montreal, my fiance and I drove back down to Staten Island, stopping in the capital region for lunch. We were surrounded by mountains, stunning evergreens, and fresh crisp air. The area spoke to us and we knew we wanted to have our wedding in a place where we could admire the Catskills and breathe deeply.

It didn’t take us long to find The Maples Estate through a quick google search. We scheduled a meeting with Katie and toured the Estate on a frigid January day. The mountains in the distance watched sleepily over us as we admired the beautiful interior of the farmhouse and walked through the grounds, imagining the most special time in our lives. Katie was welcoming and immediately put us at ease, answering every question we had. On our drive home we spoke excitedly as we knew we found our wedding venue!”

Selecting Your Venue

So, what can we learn from Jenna and Jay’s experience selecting their venue?

First off, you may love your lifestyle at home, but maybe you want to getaway, relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of a destination for your wedding experience. When it comes to your venue selection, whether touring in person or virtually, it’s important to feel a comfort in the environment and be able to visualize yourselves at the venue. You also want to feel supported by your venue team, so that connection with the owner or venue manger on a personal level is so important. You want to walk into wedding planning at ease and have a good vision for your wedding day.

Here at The Maples Estate we want you to feel seen, supported, and have a clear direction for those next steps.

Planning Support

Planning a destination wedding can be tough, but with our support you are in good hands!

Once you lock in your date, we provide access to a private client portal where you can follow along with your personalized digital wedding planning checklist. This checklist spells out all the tasks you will need to complete along the way, and can be edited to suit your specific wedding tasks. For ease of use, it is categorized by date so you know what the next steps will be at all times. We also send you a large list of talented vendors to start your search off right. Many of our couples utilize our wedding coaching services to help solidify a vision for your wedding, build a budget, and get you started in your vendor search. We are that engine to get you going, a calming voice of reason, call on us to ease your mind and keep you on track with your planning.

“Living 3 hours from The Maples Estate meant that the next time we would be on location would be our wedding weekend. Our trust in Katie and her recommendations were vital as we organized things from afar. We decided to add in the ‘wedding coaching package’ and it was easily the smartest money we spent throughout the entire planning process. Her suggestions, industry knowledge, and vendor relationships were undeniably helpful. Working with our own vision and Katie’s expertise, we compiled a great vendor team entirely remote.”

For those of you looking for a hands off approach to planning your wedding, we also offer full wedding planning and design packages!

It’s all in the details

So, now that you have selected your venue and started your planning, what items do you DIY vs hiring out for your destination wedding?

There are so many little details that go into a wedding design, from signage to table decor, florals, attire, furniture and stationary. While you might be able to create some of these items yourself, you also have to think about the level of energy and time you have, the space they will take up in transport, and what you will do with everything following your wedding. Sometimes it’s more time, cost and space effective to have a professional provide these items for you.

“Having a steady schedule of calls with our vendors calmed anxieties and helped get details in order. By the time we packed our car to head up to The Maples Estate, we knew exactly what supplies we needed to bring and what our vendors were supplying. I added my own flair (I’m an art teacher) and created the centerpieces, seating chart, and welcome signs.”

If there is something that feels personal to you, you want to invest time into and know will make a big personal impact for your wedding, go ahead and create or source those items yourself.

Organization & transportation

For those items you are bringing yourself, how do stay organized and get everything to the venue?

“I was able to separate supplies by each event using three 25-gallon storage bins. I added a content list to each bin; I was able to check off exactly what I had packed and Katie’s team could easily locate the supplies during the weekend. In addition to our luggage, wedding dress and suit, we were fortunate to have a dear friend and groomsman with a pick-up truck who could help us drive everything else up. Remember - what you bring with you you’ll have to bring home!”

It’s amazing when you have a truck available to you or can rent a van or U-haul to help with transport. We have had couples arrive by air with only the belongings in their bags, some that have shipped supplies to us the week prior to their wedding, others that rented a U-haul or van and even a couple that drove from LA to NY and back, so they could have their furry friends join them for their wedding. Remember to keep transportation and packing in mind when you are thinking through those items you will DIY or bring with you vs hiring or renting from a vendor.

Trust and communication is key!

With coordination services included in your package we will wrap up all those last minute details, create a detailed itinerary for your weekend, communicate with all your vendors and run your wedding day for you. You can trust us to pull off your epic wedding weekend where all you have to do is relax, celebrate and enjoy your guests company!

“Steady communication with Katie, an amazing vendor team who knew exactly what we wanted, and plenty of checklists provided a solid base for our incredible wedding weekend. I distinctly remember feeling cool as a cucumber on the biggest day of my life all because I knew we were in incredible hands at The Maples Estate!”

Photos by Cheyenne Lee Photo

Jenna & Jay’s incredible vendor team!
Venue / Wedding Coaching / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photography: Cheyenne Lee Photo | IG: @cheyennelee_photo
Videography: Jessy Figgs Wedding Films | IG: @jessyfiggsweddingfilms
Catering: Mazzone Hospitality | IG: @mazzonehospitality
Hair & Makeup: New Moon Beauty Studio | IG: @newmoonbeautystudio
Florist: Jolene K Floral Design | IG: @jolenekfloraldesign
DJ: DJ Romantics | IG: @djromantics
Ceramics / Bride: Palermo Ceramics | IG: @palermoceramics
Rentals: Total Events | IG: @totalevents
Welcome Event Catering: Bull & Basil | IG: @bullandbasil
Farewell Brunch Catering: Rooster on the Run | IG: @roosterontherun_
Transportation: First Atlantic
Invitations: The Nesting Project
Portable Restrooms: Stone Industries

Learn more about The Maples Estate, view our weekend wedding packages and find more wedding inspiration right here!

Featured

What do you do at the Rehearsal Dinner?

Wedding Timeline 4pm Ceremony

Sustainable Wedding Ideas for Eco-conscious Couples

Learn more about full planning & Design

February 27, 2023

Is Hiring A Wedding Planner Worth It?

February 27, 2023/ Katie Hammon

Raise your hand if you have planned a wedding before…

If your hand did not raise, or even if it did, it’s a pretty good bet that hiring a wedding planner is worth it! There are so many decisions that go into planning, loads of emails, meetings and brainstorming creative ways to personalize your wedding. Maybe you are up for all of that! Maybe you are feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to start? Don’t worry, we include two tiers of planning in your wedding package here at The Maples Estate and can add full planning and design for those that are looking for full service planning!

Wedding Coaching

Many of our couples are super creative and have that grand vision for what they would like to pull off - some know they want a weekend experience but are overwhelmed by the thought of personalizing their wedding day, are not sure where to begin or what to check off their to do list at any given moment.

For these couples Coaching, also known as partial planning is a great way to get started in your planning. Guest, what - it’s now included in your wedding package!

a personalized design board created for you
a wedding budget outlined, and
a clear direction for finding vendors you love!
We also check in throughout your wedding planning process to steer you in the right direction and keep things in track.

With a NY Wedding Planner owning The Maples Estate, we give you all the tools you need to build a truly unique extended weekend wedding. We even provide large list of talented vendors and a digital wedding planning checklist in your client portal. That piece-of-mind and expert in your back pocket is such a great way to ensure your planning journey is fun and productive and that your wedding weekend runs smoothly!

Learn more About Coaching

Coordination Services

We even include Coordination Services in your weekend wedding package so we will work with you 8 weeks prior to your wedding to wrap up all those last minute details, build your timeline for the weekend, support you with event layouts, take over your vendor communication and run your wedding day for you.

Full Wedding Planning & Design

Are you super busy or think you might get overwhelmed with lots of tasks, emails to send, and meetings to be had? We know it can feel like adding a full time job to your plate, not to mention the overwhelm that comes from a deep dive on pinterest, scrolling through million dollar weddings on instagram or listening to your friends or family trying to steer you in the ‘right’ direction. There are so many different decisions to be made that it’s often hard to know where to even start or keep the ball rolling.

For those of you that are completely overwhelmed by the idea of planning your wedding, have no time to focus on the details or don’t have the skillset to envision and pull off your dream wedding, Full Wedding Planning & Design is for you! We love building uniquely unforgettable weekend weddings for creative couples through inspired and intentional design to ensure you have the most incredible wedding experience! We make the wedding planning process easy by managing all the little details for you so you can focus on the fun stuff and enjoy every moment!

Wondering what a personalized design board looks like?

We love working with our couples to design weddings that are truly unique to them.

That’s why each of our coaching and full planning clients receive a personalized design board! Check out these design boards from previous planning & coaching couples below! This is great document to get you started in your planning and we will reference it throughout your journey!

Sustainable Indigenous Wedding Design

Natural Foraged Design

Warm & Moody Modern Design

Warm and moody modern wedding design board

warm and moody modern design board colors

warm and moody modern wedding design board tablescape

Natural Romantic Design

natural and romantic wedding design board feel

natural romantic floral wedding design board

natural and romantic wedding design board colors green and black

Wedding design board showing natural romantic wedding attire

Colorful Elevated Backyard Party Vibes

colorful wedding design board for backyard party

colorful elevated backyard wedding design board

colorful wedding design board for backyard reception

Elevated Italian Wedding Design

Learn more about our planning packages and check out these fun filled extended weekend weddings we have supported with planning, design, coaching or coordination services here at The Maples Estate!

Featured

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Dress . Illissa & Jim . 8.31.24

February 23, 2023

Micro Wedding at The Maples Estate. Michelle & Cesar. 10.1.22

February 23, 2023/ Katie Hammon

The Marriage of Michelle & Cesar

October 1, 2022 at The Maples Estate

Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY

Both wedding photographers in New York City, Michelle & Cesar took full advantage of their micro wedding in upstate New York!

After touring our Upstate New York Wedding Venue virtually, they booked almost immediately and could not wait to see the estate in person when they arrived for their micro wedding weekend! A fall wedding was a dream of theirs and these two photographers enjoyed every moment, taking shots throughout their wedding day. Working in the industry, they had a very clear vision for their micro wedding upstate from their flowers to table decor, ceremony setting and even their attire. They had every detail locked in and even had their dream vendor list that they had been collecting throughout the years.

Arriving at their micro wedding home base!

At The Maples Estate, couples spend an extended weekend with us to truly get the most out of their wedding celebrations! Couples may choose to arrive on either Thursday or Friday and can host multiple events onsite throughout the weekend. With a smaller guest list, Michelle and Cesar decided to arrive on Friday and settled right into their lodging with a group of their loved ones! They enjoyed a simple dinner that evening and wrapped up some DIY details with the help of some friends before their wedding day arrived.

With an eye for detail, they had been dreaming of florals by Everwild Blooms and even arranged a U-Haul truck to deliver their florals all the way from NYC!

Getting Ready at The Maples Estate!

On their wedding day, they enjoyed getting ready in the morning with their friends and family in our 1855 colonial farmhouse! They relaxed, enjoyed the company of their friends and family and glammed for the evenings events while we pulled everything together for their micro wedding!

“The Maples Estate was absolutely our dream venue. From our first video call, we knew we had found our place. The fields with the mountain views, the wildflowers, the gorgeous house. All of it was perfection. When our wedding weekend finally came and we saw it in person, it surpassed even our greatest expectations.

Katie checked in with us at different points throughout our wedding planning process, and was always super thorough with coordination and details. As wedding photographers ourselves, we’ve worked with many planners, but Katie really blew us away! Speaking of photography, this place is seriously a photographers dream (SO many different gorgeous spots).

First Look & Private Vows

They opted for a first look at the farmhouse with views into the field followed by a walk around the pond where they said their vows to each other privately before their ceremony began. Such a special way to calm nerves and feel connected before walking down the aisle in a more public display. As photographers themselves - Wandermore Photography - they took full advantage of the views for a walk around the estate with their photographer capturing incredible images in the fields, on the dirt path, around the pond and more!

Katie and Louis were always available throughout our full weekend, often handling things that we didn’t even realize (major shoutout for tucking away our card box when we were partied out at the end of the night haha). It was so important for us to work with someone who truly cared about our day, and that’s absolutely what we found.

If you want your wedding to feel like a home away from home, but also the best weekend of your life? Have your wedding at The Maples Estate. Seriously. I think we’re going to have to stay again for a weekend some day in the future :)”

They frolicked through the fields and took incredible photos overlooking the Schoharie valley!

As photographers, they couldn’t resist bringing their own cameras along to capture the moment!

Micro Wedding Ceremony overlooking the hills!

And when the time was right, they joined their guests in front of the field to say their vows!

With many of Cesar’s family speaking Spanish, their officiant spoke in both english and Spanish and also incorporated aspects of Michelle’s Jewish Orthodox upbringing into their ceremony.

With florals in a round, they were surrounded by nature in an intimate setting overlooking the hills and fields.

With a micro guest list they gathered with family and friends after the ceremony to share their love!

The Micro, But Oh So Grand Party!!

Even though they had a micro guest list, they wanted their wedding to feel as grand as any other and opted for a beautiful sailcloth tent with wooden tables and colorful florals!

They focused on every detail with black and gold accents, colorful florals, impeccable signage, table runners and our french bistro chairs.

They danced the night away, laughing and taking photos all evening and enjoyed a brunch the morning after!

Michelle and Cesar wanted some time to themselves and opted to spend their last night in the farmhouse just the two of them! What a special way to start their marriage together!

Photos by Rachel Rogers Weddings

Michelle & Cesar’s incredible vendor team!
Venue / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photography: Rachel Rogers Weddings | IG: @rachelrodgersweddings
Catering: Hand Crafted Creative | IG: @handcraftedcreative
Dessert: Bites of Indulgence | IG: @bitesofindulgence
Makeup: Arielle The MUA | IG: @ariellethemua
Rentals: Tremont Rentals | IG: @Tremontrental
Florist: Everwild Blooms | IG: @everwild_blooms
DJ: Paris Creative | IG: @paris.creative
Transportation: Wade Tours | IG: @wadetours
Officiant: Once Upon a Vow | IG: @onceuponavow
Photo Booth: Bliss Booth NYC | IG: @BLISSBOOTHNYC
Portable Restrooms: Stone Industries

Learn more about The Maples Estate, view our weekend wedding packages and find more wedding inspiration right here!

Featured

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Dress . Illissa & Jim . 8.31.24

February 22, 2023

Wedding Tablescape Ideas

February 22, 2023/ Katie Hammon

Vintage wedding tablescape in barn in upstate New York

Wedding Tablescape Ideas & Helpful Tips

When it comes to your wedding tablescape, there are so many different directions to go in. Are you feeling the overwhelm?

I get it as a NY wedding planner at The Maples Estate, an upstate New York wedding venue specializing in weekend wedding packages, many of our clients ask us about designing their tablescape! Design elements can send your head spinning while browsing Pinterest or scrolling through images of million dollar weddings on instagram! So come back down to earth, center yourself and remember, this is YOUR wedding and YOU decide what setting feels right for you! This is where the fun part comes in as you get to showcase your personality and build a design that speaks directly to you!!

Let’s first talk through the elements of your wedding tablescape!

Tables & Linens

Here at The Maples Estate, we include both wooden and plastic rectangular banquet tables in your rental as well as cocktail rounds. The plastic tables and cocktail rounds do require linens, but that means you can get creative with colors, patterns and textures! Linens come in many different styles with various price points and can be rented, provided by your caterer or even purchased if you have a future use for them. Our vendor list includes both rental companies and specialty linen rentals and you can also check with your caterer to confirm if linens are included in your contract.

Looking for something a little different? Wooden tables come in many different shapes and sizes are a really fun look. If you want something other than those we provide onsite, there are lots of rental companies offering different styles. Check out our vendor list to locate tables that match your unique aesthetic. You can even find assorted vintage tables through a specialty rental company - checkout their inventory to see the different styles we offer!

Don’t forget napkins!

**See our breakdown of included tables and chairs and linen sizing.

Florals

Fresh, colorful flowers are a great way to bring visual design to your tables. From greenery to small and large centerpieces, bud vases and hanging installations, each come with a different price point and aesthetic. You will want to talk to your florist about the specific colors for your wedding design, flowers you are allergic to, those you love, those you hate, textures and fullness of the design and also the budget you are looking to work within. With common flowers used throughout your wedding design from your ceremony to cocktail hour and reception, many of these vases or ceremony backdrops can be repurposed at your reception.

Keep in mind that many florists have a minimum rate and you will want to confirm this amount before signing your contract. If you have a smaller budget you may want to work with an a la carte florist.

Candles

We love candles but it is VERY common for a candle to catch something on fire, especially when guests are drinking, dancing and mingling. If you are looking to have candles in your tablescape design at The Maples Estate - you will need to plan ahead.

Votives need to have 1/3 of the vase above the top of the candle. We have seen menus and table cloths catch fire, so giving some space for that flame to burn inside the vase is needed.

Tapers will need to be secured in the candle holder by melting the base of the candle and placing it in the holder while hot. We also require they have glass votives around them such as a hurricane vase, so if a candle falls you know it won't catch the table on fire. It’s always good to confirm the height and width of these vases as we have had instances where the vases were shorter than the candle in the stand and would not fit around the candle holder.

Candles are messy and wax builds up quickly on tablecloths. Confirm with your linen rental if they allow candles with use of their linens. The best way to avoid this is to choose a vase with a closed base. Talk to your florist or rental company to see if they offer candle packages!

Good news! Candle vases will also limit the draft from wind and will minimize how quickly they will drip - keeping them lit longer!

Dishware

Wanting a pop of color, a vintage aesthetic or a modern look? Dishware is a great place to showcase your personality and rental companies offer different styles for dinner, salad and dessert plates, glassware and silverware. Some caterers include these items in your package, (a great way to save money) but it’s best to confirm the look ahead of time to ensure these items match your design aesthetic.

Signage

Signage such as table numbers, seating assignments and menu cards are often placed among your wedding tablescape. There are many different options for this signage from printed paper to wooden or acrylic displays and you can get as creative as you like to match your design aesthetic. Are you skipping assigned seating and serving a buffet? Scratch the signage all together for a more relaxed setting.

Fun & Personalized Elements

Do you love books or movies? Antiques? Photography? Walking on the Beach? Travel? Board Games? Legos? Animals? There are so many ways to incorporate your loves into your table design through physical elements. We have seen board games distributed at each table, Polaroid table numbers, driftwood displays, disposable cameras, crayons and more! Not only are these elements a little taste of your personality, they can also serve as activities for your guests throughout the evening.

Table Layout

Don’t forget to think through your event layout when determining your table design. This will help to confirm quantities needed for any physical items on the tables. Do you wish to have one long family style table, a rectangle, grid pattern, clusters of tables, etc.

If you are totally overwhelmed by the idea of tables and want a more intimate and relaxed feel, why not scratch the tables all together and opt for vintage lounge furniture and cocktail tables instead!

Wedding Tablescape Ideas & Inspiration

Vintage Cowboy Inspired

This vintage wooden table surrounded by assorted chairs offers a calming country aesthetic with vintage plates and glassware, beeswax candles in copper holders, dried florals, deer antlers, a birds nest, table number and menus on theme.

Wedding tablescape featuring vintage dishware in barn

Wedding tablescape in barn for wedding reception

Wedding tablescape with candles and dried florals

View more images

Modern Black & Gold

This micro wedding utilized a black and gold theme with rented wooden tables and dense colorful florals at two heights. Table numbers, seating assignments and menus were designed for a modern look and black plates were purchased by the couple to match their aesthetic.

Wedding tablescape at The Maples Estate in Upstate New York

Wedding tablescape at The Maples Estate for wedding layout

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Retro Artistic Vibes

This colorful, retro design incorporated vibrant florals in bud vases, driftwood centerpieces with Polaroid table numbers, moss, hand poured crayons and disco balls. The couple also purchased assorted vintage place settings and silverware from thrift stores.

Wedding reception tablescape with colorful florals

Wedding tablescape centerpiece inspiration

Colorful florals on wedding tablescape in upstate ny

VIEW MORE IMAGES

Green & White

This reception focused on classic green and white elements with eucalyptus table runners, rented wooden farm tables, wine bottle table numbers on hand made clay holders with fairy lights. A simple yet elegant setting.

Green and white wedding tablescape for reception layout

Green and white wedding tablescape at The Maples Estate

Pretty In Pink

A long wooden table with pops of pink and gold - vintage plates, amber goblets, gold silverware and clusters of pink and white florals with candles.

Vintage pink and gold wedding tablescape at The Maples Estate

Vintage Pink and White Wedding Tablescape

Antique wedding tablescape with pink, amber and gold

What setting feels right for you?

Let us help you brainstorm with wedding planning and design or coaching!

Learn more

Discover more about The Maples Estate, an Upstate New York Wedding Venue and find more planning inspiration!

Featured

Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Dress . Illissa & Jim . 8.31.24

Check out our planning packages

February 01, 2023

How long does it take to plan for a wedding?

February 01, 2023/ Katie Hammon

Bride holding her bouquet at The Maples Estate wedding venue in upstate NY — IMAGE BY DOTTIE MORRIS

Newly engaged and asking yourself
“How long does it take to plan for a wedding?”

Engagements can be 4 years, 18 months, 2 months or any other length of time, but on average most couples spend at least a year in the planning stages before they celebrate their wedding. However, that doesn’t mean you have to follow the crowd because that’s actually more time than you really need to plan a wedding. It’s not unheard of to get engaged in the winter and plan a summer or fall wedding just 4-6 months later, as long as you have a clear direction and are flexible with your vendor selection. You will also want some flexibility in your schedule to research vendors, tour venues, email and chat with vendors, go shopping, and keep track of your plans.

If this sounds like you, here are some helpful tips to get started in your wedding planning today!

Now that you’re engaged, take some time to enjoy your engagement, share the news with friends and family and start to think through your priorities when it comes to celebrating your wedding. In these first couple weeks you will want to think through your wedding budget, talk to any family or friends that might be contributing to your budget, and get a general idea of what your guest count might be. This will all help you when starting to research venues.

TOTALLY STRESSED OUT OR OVERWHELMED?

We can take your stress away with wedding planning & design or coaching!
As a New York Wedding Planner, I have planned weddings in as little as 3 months and I’m happy to step in if you need our support!

First things first, you will need to schedule tours at venues that interest you, fit your budget and can accommodate your guest count. We always suggest checking out a few different venues to see what setting feels right for you, matches your style, the vibe and vision for your wedding - but don’t go overboard, after a while it’s hard to keep track of the details at every venue you see, and unfortunately, you cannot lock in a date, select vendors, or announce your wedding until you have booked your venue. So once you have found your dream venue (fingers crossed it’s The Maples Estate!) and a date that works with your schedule, go ahead and lock it in, set your date and sign your contract!!

Now that your venue is booked, congratulations!!
You can start to lock in your vendors, set your guest list and send those save the dates.

Before reaching out to vendors, it’s a good idea to first think through the vision you have for your wedding. What are those must haves, priorities and the overall vibe you are looking to create for your wedding. Once you have an idea of this, start researching.

Here at The Maples Estate our weekend wedding packages include a large list of vendors by category as soon as you book so you can find unique vendors that match your vision - you can always stray from the list if you like, but it’s a great starting point!

I always suggest reaching out to catering first, since it’s likely going to be your largest vendor fee. It’s a good idea to get a few quotes before locking in any other vendors to keep that budget on track. From here you can research and book your photographer, florist, DJ /music and hair & makeup.

It’s very possible that you will receive some “sorry, we’re already booked” emails, but don’t worry, keep reaching out, with a little work you will find vendors that you love, in your price point, that ARE available! If you are overwhelmed by this step, let us take over your planning and we will contact all these vendors for you. That means you can just select the vendors you love, sign the contracts and enjoy the party!

Once your caterer is confirmed, you can lock in a hotel room block and start to design your invitations. If you have already sent your save the date, it’s a good rule of thumb to send out invitations 6-12 weeks before your wedding so guests can plan ahead for travel, and book their accommodations. Check with your caterer ahead of time if they will need guest meal choices provided with their RSVP card, and think through any other events such as a welcome event, rehearsal dinner or farewell brunch that you might need to include.

Quick Note:
If you are on a short timeline and would like to wear a wedding dress on your big day, it’s a great idea to schedule a few bridal appointments as early as you can. Confirm ahead of time what their lead time is like on orders, so you don’t find your dream dress only to learn it’s not available before your wedding. If you are having trouble finding a dress that matches your timeline, consider shopping at a bridal consignment, resale store or even online. You may need to arrange some alterations, but you can likely have the dress in hand much earlier and find a local seamstress to fit your gown to your body.

Now that your main vendors are locked in, go ahead and take a look at your budget. Do you have some wiggle room for additional activities, events, personalized touches, fun decor items, etc? This is the fun part when you can get personal - add in a videographer, photo booth, yummy desserts, performers, entertainment, guest transportation, specialty lighting, draping, vintage furniture, signage, programs, linens, table decor, guest favors, etc. No need to go overboard, but it can be fun to add some special touches if your budget allows.

Don’t forget those personal touches like wedding day attire, shoes, jewelry and accessories! What about your officiant, wedding party, their attire as well as any speeches, traditional elements or rituals you would like to include in your wedding events? Also your rings and marriage certificate!

At The Maples Estate we provide all our couples with a digital wedding planning checklist by date, so you can follow along at the appropriate times and check tasks off as they are completed! We also now include coaching - a partial planning package - in your package so we can help you get started and support you along the way. It may feel like a lot of details but our planning checklist breaks it all down into easily digestible items so you can check everything off your list one by one. If it all feels like too much, let us take the worry off your hands with full planning and design!

So, are you ready to get planning!

Schedule a tour!

Helpful Planning Tips Continued…

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How Many Guests Is Normal?

Outdoor Wedding. Rain Plans

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January 30, 2023

How Many Guests Is Normal?

January 30, 2023/ Katie Hammon

Wedding guests in front of The Maples Estate farmhouse

How Many Guests Is Normal?

When it comes to your wedding invite list, there is a fine balance between eloping and accidentally inviting hundreds of people. From extended cousins of cousins, to college roommates and old co-workers. So, how do you decide how many guests is too many or too little? At The Maples Estate, our weddings range between 25 and 150 guests.

Though honestly, it’s up to you!! That’s the beauty of your wedding, it’s YOURS and YOU get to decide how you wish to celebrate. However, we know that it can feel super overwhelming with so many decisions to make, so let's dive into some important factors when it comes to setting a guest list.

Budget

I know you don’t want to blow that wedding budget out of the water unless you have unlimited funds coming your way! With wedding costs tied to each one of your guests such as food, drinks, number of tables and chairs, linens, centerpieces, guest favors, transportation etc. setting an ideal guest count and sticking to it, is super important. If you know you have a finite amount of money to spend, this is a great place to start for your guest count. Food and drinks are one of the most expensive line items in your budget and are almost always priced per person.

Say you have a $20,000 budget for food and drink and your caterer quotes $250 per person, you should plan to invite ~80 guests.
Maybe your catering budget is $30,000 and the caterer charges $200 per person, you can invite up to 150 guests.
Hosting a casual gathering with a caterer quoting $75 per person and a food budget of $10,000, you can host ~130 guests.
What about an intimate gathering with a focus on food - $12,000 food budget, $400 per person, that’s 30 guests.

Venue Capacity

Every venue has a guest cap, here at The Maples Estate, (an upstate New York wedding venue with lodging) this is 150 guests. Our cap is set by the size of our parking lot (50 cars) and the amount of tables and chairs we have onsite. We can raise this amount if you are able to rent some additional tables and chairs and arrange a shuttle for some of your guests, however we do set this number in our contract. Every venue will list this number, and while we have some wiggle room here at The Maples Estate due to the flexibility of our outdoor spaces, most venues are capped by the constraints of their event space, staffing, restroom capacities, fire and codes and it’s legally not possible to invite more guests than is listed in the contract. Therefore, this is a great place to set your guest count. When mom and dad are asking to add on your great aunt, their neighbor down the street or your old friend just got a new girlfriend, you might use the venue capacity as an excuse to say no.

Vision and Priorities

Your wedding vision and personal priorities have a huge impact on how many guests you wish to invite. Are you the life of the party who loves to mix and mingle? Maybe you have a huge family that you are super close to or a large friend group that has only grown over the years. Do you want everyone and their brother to be part of your special day? Maybe you are shy in crowds and prefer to celebrate with a smaller group or want a friends only wedding weekend and will celebrate separately with family at a different moment? Maybe you want to stretch your budget across a smaller group so you can throw an over the top weekend wedding experience with incredible food and activities for that special group.

Family Invites, Plus Ones, Kids and Co-workers

We know it’s hard to say no, but sometimes your guest list is a bit too long. It definitely adds up quickly when your parents are adding guests to the list, every guest is allowed a plus one, everyone’s kids are attending the wedding and co-workers are asking for invites. These are some hard and fast rules that can be set as needed. Maybe give your parents each a set number of invites, limit the number of plus ones to specific guests, only invite the flower child and ring bearer or have a no co-workers policy. This will help to reign in the list when it’s feeling overwhelming.

So, now that you have an idea of those important factors to think through, let’s get started. I always suggest making a few different tiers within your guest list. This will give you a good idea of where to cut first in the case you have to.

Quick Tip: Use excel or google sheets so you have a digital list you can update along the way and use later for RSVPs.

List ‘A’ is going to include those people you HAVE to have at your wedding - your direct family members and closest friends.

List ‘B’ is for extended family and additional friends that you would like to celebrate with but it’s not the end of the world if you do not.

List ‘C’ are those additional individuals such as college roommates that you haven’t spoken to in a while, people that invited you to their wedding so you feel you should invite them to yours, co-workers, etc.

Learn more about our Upstate New York Wedding Venue and find wedding planning tips below!

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January 30, 2023

Outdoor Wedding. Rain Plans

January 30, 2023/ Katie Hammon

Outdoor Wedding. Rain Plans

An outdoor wedding at The Maples Estate is absolutely stunning, rain or shine!

With coordination services included in your wedding package, we will talk through your rain plans ahead of time for your outdoor wedding, to ensure we have a ‘Plan B’ confirmed before you even arrive. As a NY Wedding Planner, I will also remind you to turn off your weather app the week leading up to your wedding, since it will only just stress you out, and the weather is one of those things we have absolutely no control of on your wedding day. It is guaranteed to change 1,000 times in those 7 days leading up to your wedding weekend.

Instead, we will talk through an alternative ceremony and cocktail hour location in the case it’s needed, and get an idea of how important your ‘Plan A’ is to determine the best time to make the call on your ‘Plan B’. When it came to Rachel and Nick’s Rainy Day Lord of the Rings inspired wedding in fall 2022, they knew they didn’t care about a little drizzle on their wedding day and preferred to stick to their ‘Plan A’ even though rain was guaranteed at some point in the day. I kept a very close eye on the radar and shifted their ceremony back by 30 minutes to catch a break in the rain and hold their ceremony in the tree grove where they had originally dreamed it would be. We then shifted their cocktail hour under their tent to ensure guests were comfortable and dry. With a brand new event pavilion for our 2023 wedding season, couples no longer need to rent a tent and will be covered from the elements with over 4,000 square feet of sheltered event space!

With rain on Nick’s parents wedding day, this couple was prepared to make that call and I’m so glad they did because their photos are absolutely stunning and the drizzly day brought just the right amount of magic!

If you are a bit more concerned about the chance of rain for your outdoor wedding, we will confirm the location that is best for your ceremony and cocktail hour based on the number of guests you have attending, and also your personal vision and preferences.

There are a few alternative spaces that could work well for you.

With a 4,000 square foot reception pavilion, we could shift your reception layout to allow for a ceremony and/or cocktail hour to be held under the pavilion and out of the rain while still retaining the incredible views of the field and hills.
For smaller groups, our grand veranda could host your ceremony or cocktail hour for approx. 50 guests.
You could put a hold on a tent through a local rental company to have a backup covered structure as needed for your ceremony and/or cocktail hour.

Tips to share with your guests to ensure they are prepared for any kind of weather.

Remind your guests to have an umbrella or raincoat on hand just in case it’s needed.
The temperature can drop a bit when the sun goes down so remind your guests to have a top layer available to cover up on those chilly nights around the firepit.
Grass is not the best for stilettos, instead guests should plan to wear chunky heels, platforms or flats on your wedding day. It’s also nice to have a comfortable pair of shoes to change into for late night dancing!

In Summary - Never be afraid of a little weather
It might just add that touch of magic to your wedding day!

Wanting more planning inspiration? View these blog posts below and learn more about our Upstate New York Wedding Venue!

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Wedding Timeline 4pm Ceremony

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January 04, 2023

Micro Wedding Upstate NY. Rinata & Aaron. 9.24.22

January 04, 2023/ Katie Hammon

The Marriage of Rinata & Aaron
September 24, 2022 at The Maples Estate

Schoharie, NY - Upstate, NY

The Maples Estate was the perfect intimate venue for Rinata & Aaron’s micro wedding in upstate NY!

Both doctors in Philadelphia, they wanted an intimate, relaxing getaway that was central to their family across the east coast, and allowed them all the comforts of home. With incredible views and a large kitchen - that’s all Rinata and Aaron needed to ensure their small guest list felt comfortable all weekend long. This couple knew exactly what they needed and booked sight unseen after just a quick phone call. Since they had not yet seen the venue in person, the second they stepped foot onsite and started to explore the estate, they where in awe of the surrounding beauty and settled right in to their wedding weekend in upstate New York.

Bride and groom portraits in The Maples Estate field

Keeping things intimate, they hired just one vendor to support them on their wedding day - a photographer! We are so glad they did because their wedding celebration was so beautiful!! From Rinata’s dress, to the hand prepared details, tiny guest list and absolutely gorgeous fall day, their wedding was personalized in the best possible ways!

Getting Ready At The Farmhouse

Rinata and Aaron got ready in our 1855 colonial farmhouse and enjoyed a ‘first look’ just outside the get ready room! They took full advantage of the estate with photos across the property before their guests arrived and with such an intimate setting they were able to scratch tradition to celebrate with their guests in the farmhouse before the official celebrations even began.

Welcome Drinks!

Rinata’s parents were excited to prepare a traditional meal for their small guest list and spent much of the weekend prepping in the farmhouse kitchen. On the wedding day they greeted guests with a cocktail hour spread across the bar and grand veranda and welcomed them into the farmhouse as if it was their own home - offering delicious treats to every guest before the ceremony began!

Micro Ceremony At The Pond

Their ceremony took place overlooking the pond with our barn and willow in full view, and as guests gathered they collected a package of dried flowers as confetti to shower the newly married couple.

Portraits Around The Estate

As guests gathered back on the veranda, Rinata and Aaron found some time to wander for more photos across the estate as they enjoyed some personal time together before the reception began.

Dinner & Drinks For Their Micro Guest List

While most receptions at The Maples Estate take place outdoors in our field or on the veranda, Rinata loved the interior setting of the parlors and felt an inside reception was perfect for their needs. The setting reminded her of gatherings and intimate family style restaurants from her childhood. Her parents were in and out of the kitchen hosting the entire evening and thoroughly enjoyed entertaining their guests.

Evening Activities

As the day moved on, the group gathered back in the bar for traditional desserts and a cake cutting and then made their way to the fire pit for an evening fire under the stars.

Photos by Bailey Q Photo

Rinata and Aaron’s incredible vendor team!
Venue / Coordination: The Maples Estate | IG: @themaplesestate
Photography: Bailey Q Photo | IG: @baileyqphoto

View more real wedding inspiration and learn more about our Upstate New York Wedding Venue!

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Bridgerton Inspired Wedding Dress . Illissa & Jim . 8.31.24