*Disclaimer* Photos in this blog post are NOT my photos.

I’m back from my trip to Hawaii and I’m already missing the fantastic WARM weather… However, I’m already thinking and I’m so excited for my next trip to… Vermont in January!

If you’ve been following my photography, you’ll notice that I love rustic weddings especially if it’s located on a farm. There’s just something about the feel and atmosphere when I’m shooting weddings in a barn. They’re much more relaxing and everyone is there to have a good time. Nothing stuffy, uptight, or formal! For those brides looking to have a destination wedding on a barn, I have the perfect venue for you! Riverside Farm and Amee Farms is located in Pittsfield, Vermont and has everything a bride could ever dream of having. The property includes six beautifully restored barns, over 700 acres and much more. Riverside Farm is one of the country’s exclusive wedding venues and I’m so excited to have been invited to visit the site in January to see what they’re all about! :]

The possibilities of creating your dream wedding is endless and the staff at Riverside Farm will be here to help you every step of the way. Feel free to check out more information at this link: http://www.vermontperfection.com/

Photo by: Courtney Desena

Feeling even more interested? Riverside Farm owners Joe & Courtney answer some of your top questions!

// When did the venues start operations for weddings? A little history?

We found Riverside Farm in 2001 when we were looking to move out of NYC. We were engaged and looking for a home outside the city to raise our kids. Joe had grown up in Queens NY and always wanted to live on a farm with a Red Barn. : )

So when we found Riverside we fell in love with it. After renovating the property- especially the post and beam barns and farmhouse – we hosted our wedding in the meadow next to our barn. We had so much fun  and soon after our wedding – a local skiing family from Boston who had a house in Killington drove by and asked if their daughter could get married in our barn too.  And that’s how it all started, we opened up the property and started researching caterers, photographers and musicians in the area and recruited friends and family to move to Pittsfield and help us run this newfound business. We are really lucky and feel honored that people choose our farm to host their weddings… it’s such an emotional and amazing weekend…and Joe and I understand how they feel… we had friends and family from Boston and NYC coming up to our wedding and we wanted to show them the best of Vermont and what we fell in love with – the mountains and the country charm.

 // How many people can they host? smallest to largest.

We had have weddings anywhere from 20 people to 500. Small elopement weekends and large multi day Indian weddings…it’s amazing how many different ways there are to get married. Every wedding is unique and memorable. With two different properties in which to host parties and events – including 3 giant post and beam barns, stone wine cellars and waterfalls, an enormous meadow, rivers, covered bridges, apple orchards, a working organic farm and plenty of antique cars, wagons and tractors … there’s so many variations on a wedding weekend…

// I noted that Riverside only does a small number of weddings per year – Why? what about Amee? Plans to expand?

We like to give every family and couple a unique and personal experience. We live right on the property and we don’t want to turn into a wedding factory (at all)…we would much rather find families who want to come and host their special weddings with us – so we can customize each one and really give it the attention they deserve- as opposed to just packing them in! We would rather do fewer, really incredible events, than tons of cookie cutter ones. Most of the couples become our friends and we look forward to seeing them again through the years as their family grows and they have kids: ) It’s really satisfying to feel like we are building memories and a community here.

// Do you grow all your food for the events or source locally? Is the menu seasonal. Do you have your own chef ?

We use local caterers- we are proud that we can be part of the local economy and support local chefs and professionals. We grow a ton of our own produce and flowers. We have a green house and plant tons of veggies with our partners Sweet Georgia P’s CSA.  – they manage our farms here in Pittsfield…specifically the natural farm at The Amee Farm.   Check with us for more info about menus etc..  We love fresh, local produce and good simple food. Although we can cook anything… I think our Vermont country style is great… Great food doesn’t have to be complicated… just use fresh and organic when possible.

// Can you host ceremony and reception?

Yes we have a beautiful Red Barn and also a giant darker wood barn called The Stonewell Barn both at Riverside Farm… a stone wine cellar for winter months and the sprawling meadow for summer and fall… Plenty of spaces. and we also have access to some adorable small white churches (perfectly Vermont/new England style) within a couple miles.

// Do you have a list of preferred local vendors eg decorations, photography, DJ?

We do have a list of preferred vendors, please e mail us for details.

// Do you do weddings all year round?

Yes – we take some weekends for our family (holidays) and we also host some trail running races and snowshoe races on our farm …so we blackout a few special dates for us… and we try and keep the most beautiful weekends for the brides…  🙂

// What about alcohol – available? licensed?

Our caterers bring the liquor license. You must buy alcohol through them and they serve. We do not allow people to host their own bar.

// Why choose Riverside over Amee? How do you market position them as separate venues?

Both are beautiful. However, I think Riverside is ideal for a larger crowd and Amee is better for amore intimate group. I met a couple yesterday who want to have 30-50 people and the Amee is perfect with a welcome party on Friday night on the stunning wraparound porch and reception on Saturday in the rustic Barn on at Sweet Georgia P’s CSA at Amee Farm.  They are a pretty sophisticated couple who didn’t want to make “such a huge fuss” but still want something really elegant and polished – so Amee is great for them.  Then I met another couple yesterday who want to have 180 people and Riverside is a better fit for them. They want to create an incredibly memorable weekend for their family and friends – they want a big fuss so we will give it to them! :] They will host the welcome party in an Apres ski vibe in the red Barn – candles and lanterns, fire pit and cozy fall menu…and then Saturday they will host their reception in the larger barn (The Stonewell barn) and that will be gorgeous and far more formal…. both are cool.

 

Photos of Riverside Farm!

The Green Mountain National Golf course, literally out the front door of our own Trailside Inn // Photo by: Riverside Fram

A casual wedding welcome dinner at Riverside Farm // Photo by: Riverside Farm

Reception Site // Photo by: Jose Villa

And here’s some photos of Amee’s Farm!

Amee Farm… Omg, isn’t this GORGEOUS?! // Photo by: Cronin Hill

Amee Farm // Photo by: Amee Farm

Bedroom // Photo by: Katina Bentley

Can’t get enough? Check out this beautiful wedding shot at Riverside Farm featured on Green Wedding Shoes!

I hope this blog post has inspired you to learn more about Riverside Farm and Amee Farm. I can’t wait for my trip in January to experience what they have to offer and show you photos that I capture! :]

If you have any questions, feel free to contact them directly; their staff is super friendly!!

email Marketing Coordinator – Brenda
Riverside Farm Wedding Inquiries – Liz
Amee Lodge – Simon & Jessica
Retreats – Tom & Erlin
General Inquiries & Reservations – Jen

*Disclaimer* Photos in this blog post are NOT my photos.