By Felicia Zammitt-McMann, Wedding Connections of the Hudson Valley
Photos: (barn) Courtesy of Shady Acres Farm; (all other photos) Courtesy of Rose Schaller Photo
Today’s couples have very different plans for their weddings than the standards that most of us are used to. Gone are the days when couples followed a certain “script” or cookie-cutter approach to weddings. Now, couples want their weddings to be as personalized as can be, and that can mean various things.
One of the easiest ways to personalize your wedding and to showcase your unique style is in the venue you choose. Some couples might get married at a country club, others might opt for a beach; some may choose an exotic location, or even a zoo! But no matter where your wedding is, it sends a clear and distinct message to your guests about your style and personality. Luckily, the Hudson Valley has no shortage of wedding venues to suit all kinds of couples.
Perhaps your dream wedding is a quaint, charming, intimate one in the country where your guests are invigorated by the fresh open air. Where nothing is store-bought, everything is homespun and made with care, and your guests are surrounded by nature, sitting on log benches as they welcome your walk down the aisle.
If that’s the type of wedding you’ve always dreamt of, then Shady Acres Organic Farm in Middletown, NY, is where that dream can become your reality. Family owned and operated since 1956, this 12-acre certified organic farm has everything you need for your fairy-tale wedding day.
First, let’s start with the grounds. The farm can accommodate up to 125 guests, and couples can choose between two picturesque locations for their ceremony: in the woods or in the orchard. If you choose to get married in the woods, a flagstone aisle is your “red carpet,” leading you to a beautiful wooden arbor where you can recite your vows. If you choose the orchard, you’ll be surrounded by pear trees with a neighboring horse farm in the background.
After the ceremony, you and your guests can enjoy cocktail hour in their newly built eco-friendly barn, where you can flow indoors and outdoors with ease. For photos, you’ll have endless options for picture-perfect backdrops, as you have the orchard and the woods as well as the 125-year-old buildings on the property or the koi pond to choose from. But why choose—why not take photos by all of them?
Shady Acres Organic Farm, however, is not an all-inclusive wedding venue, meaning couples will have to provide other necessities for their wedding day such as rental chairs, tables and other seating; catering; and porta potties.
Getting married here would send a message to guests that the couple cares about their community, their environment and their health. The farm and the produce they grow are certified organic, using ecologically and socially responsible growing methods that are always free from the harmful pesticides and chemicals often found in fertilizers. They believe that buying organic, from neighborhood farms and farmers, not only maintains a healthy environment but also a healthy lifestyle and a vibrant, close-knit community and helps sustain the economy by shopping from the source.
For more information about weddings or private parties at this venue, visit shadyacresorganic.com. █
