Want a wedding venue that feels like an endless summer day and is located within the iconic Catskills? There are several beautiful wedding venues within the Catskills, but Spruceton Inn holds a special place in my heart. I’ve had the honor of shooting here before and cannot say enough good things about this hidden gem or the owners.

I had the chance to capture Max and Francesca’s wedding at the Spruceton Inn, and I adore every aspect of this venue, from the mountain views to the charming inn itself. I am always happy when I get asked to capture intimate weddings here.

Read on to learn more about this special Catskills wedding venue.

Spruceton Inn: A Rustic Catskills Wedding Venue

If you’ve been searching for a wedding venue in the serene countryside that also serves as a base to explore the Catskills, Spruceton Inn checks all the boxes. This venue is rustic but chic, retro but modern, and a beautiful, tranquil oasis to escape to.

Spruceton Inn is a Catskills bed and breakfast in West Kill, New York. It is located in the hills and valleys of the Catskill Mountains. This location is simple and cozy and comes with eight acres of wild meadows, fire pits, and a creek. It’s perfect for you if you want a simple inn to serve as the backdrop for your celebration—and you know that you want a small and intentional celebration!

This is an ideal location for planning a weekend wedding getaway as you and your guests can enjoy many local activities, such as hiking! Only a couple of miles away from the inn, you’ll find Hunter Mountain Fire Tower, Diamond Notch Falls, and West Kill Mountain. You can also enjoy roadside farm stands, restaurants, antique markets, and shops all along Route 28.

You’ll also be able to relax in hammocks at the inn, enjoy exploring the creek, and you can even bring a rod and go fly fishing! The inn has six fire pits dotted around the eight-acre property where you and your guests can enjoy evening s’mores, and at night, you’ll be able to see above you a spectacular sky full of stars. This is the ideal wedding venue to immerse yourself in nature fully.

If you do want to plan your wedding here, something to note is that this venue, unfortunately, is not open all year round. You’ll definitely want to plan well in advance to have a wedding here. Spruceton Inn opens up to just a few weddings each year.

They are currently only open on the weekends and only from Memorial Day through October. Also, the inn only has nine rooms. If you’re planning a small wedding and want all of your guests to stay on site, this is the spot!

Max + Francesca’s Small and Intentional Wedding at Spruceton Inn in the Catskills

If all of this has captured your attention, here’s a behind-the-lens look at Max and Francesca’s wedding to help you picture what your wedding day could look like here!

Background on the couple

Max and Francesca met in New York City but left during COVID and traveled the US as they both love being outdoors and exploring. They are both Jewish, so they made sure that their heritage was an integral part of their day. They wanted to plan an intentional and intimate wedding at Spruceton Inn, which happens to be the first place they went away as a couple.

Once I met Max and Francesca, I immediately hit it off with them! They ended up moving to Austin and live about 10 minutes from me now. Talk about a small world!

Why they chose to work with me

From Francesca: “We are looking for a photographer to capture us in genuine moments - not too posey, but make us look decent!” They really wanted to focus on genuine moments while also highlighting the beautiful nature that was all around and it was so much fun getting to make that dream a reality for them!

Their celebration

Max and Francesca started their day by getting ready at the Spruceton Inn while their guests got their ceremony site ready. Max and Francesca got ready separately before Max went to Francesca’s room to see her.

Once they were both ready, we took some couple portraits in front of the inn before it was time for their ceremony. They had a stunning outdoor ceremony, and we couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day to celebrate! Their Jewish heritage and traditions were artfully woven into their entire day. Here are some of the traditions that were included:

Chuppah (Marriage Canopy):

The chuppah is a symbolic Jewish home, representing the new home the couple will build together, and is where the ceremony takes place.

Ketubah (Marriage Contract):

This is a legal and symbolic document signed before the wedding, outlining the couple's commitments and responsibilities to each other.

Seven Blessings (Sheva Brachot):

These are blessings recited over a cup of wine during the ceremony, expressing joy, celebration, and the power of love.

Breaking of the Glass:

The groom (or sometimes the couple together) breaks a glass at the end of the ceremony, symbolizing the fragility of life and the irrevocable nature of their commitment.

Circling:

A tradition where the bride or groom walks around the other seven times, symbolizing the circle of protection and love.

After their ceremony, we then snuck off to grab some more portraits of just Max and Francesca before their reception inside the Spruceton Inn barn. The barn was decorated with cozy string lights and felt both warm and intimate - it was truly the epitome of rustic charm.

Ready to Plan a Catskills Wedding at The Spruceton Inn?

At the end of the day, when it comes to choosing your dream, intimate wedding venue, it’s all about paying attention to how the venue makes you feel and ensuring that you absolutely fall in love with it.

If you know that you want to have a one-of-a-kind wedding complete with an entire weekend wedding experience, unique activities, and breathtaking views, a Catskills wedding at The Spruceton Inn might just be everything you’re looking for.

Now, all you need is the perfect photographer. If you’re ready to have a wedding experience where you embrace the unexpected and where genuine, true moments are captured between you and your partner, then let’s get started dreaming and planning your true elopement or wedding day at Spruceton Inn or beyond! You can get in touch with me here or learn more about my services here.

Below are a few moments captured on film…