The Venue

Where is Mountainville Manor?

Mountainville Manor is a private three-acre Victorian estate in Mountainville, New York, at the base of Schunnemunk Mountain. The venue is approximately one hour north of New York City.

Our address is: 199 Taylor Rd, Mountainville, NY 10953

Do we need an appointment to tour Mountainville Manor?

Yes. All tours are private and available by appointment only. Choose a standard 30-minute estate tour or a one-hour tour and tasting.

What makes Mountainville Manor different from other Hudson Valley wedding venues?

Three things: the food, the people, and the privacy.

Mountainville Manor hosts one wedding at a time. Owners Lauren and James Abramson remain personally involved, and the in-house kitchen is led by James Beard Award-winning Master Chef Craig Shelton.

Couples receive the convenience of a full-service venue without giving up control of the menu, traditions, vendors, or details that make the wedding personal.

Will another wedding take place at the same time?

No. Mountainville Manor hosts one wedding per day. The Manor, ceremony spaces, cocktail rooms, porch, ballroom, gardens, and staff are dedicated to one celebration.

How many guests can Mountainville Manor accommodate?

The ballroom accommodates receptions for up to 150 guests.

A rented sailcloth or clear-frame tent expands reception capacity to 225 guests.

Intimate wedding packages begin with 20 or 40 guests and can grow to 80, depending on the option selected.

What spaces are available?

The estate includes two private getting-ready suites, indoor and outdoor ceremony locations, cocktail rooms, a wraparound Victorian porch, a ballroom, gardens, a lawn, and a fire pit area.

Is Mountainville Manor accessible?

Yes. The historic Manor has been updated with air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a sound system, a generator, and ADA-compliant access while preserving its Victorian character.

Are outside caterers permitted?

No. All food is prepared by Mountainville Manor’s in-house culinary team led by Master Chef Craig Shelton.

Do we have to use Mountainville Manor’s preferred vendors?

No. You may select your own vendors, although Mountainville Manor’s preferred professionals are recommended. Outside vendors must provide a Certificate of Liability Insurance before working on the property.

Can our dog be part of the wedding?

Yes. Mountainville Manor is dog-friendly with advance approval from Lauren and James.

How do we reserve a wedding date?

Wedding dates are secured with a signed contract and the required initial deposit. Mountainville Manor does not place soft holds on dates, so contact the team when you are ready to move forward.

What tables and reception furnishings are provided?

Wedding packages include round dining tables, a sweetheart table, linens, Champagne Chiavari chairs with chair pads, tableware, candles, menu cards, and an escort display. A limited number of rectangular tables are available, and additional rentals can be arranged when needed.

Ceremonies & Weather

Can we hold our ceremony at Mountainville Manor?

Yes. Exchange vows outdoors near the gazebo or elsewhere on the grounds with the Manor and Schunnemunk Mountain beyond the gardens.

Indoor ceremonies may also be held inside the ballroom.

The ceremony team manages seating setup, the rehearsal, processional timing, guest direction, music cues, and coordination with your florist, decorator, musicians, or DJ.

What happens if it rains?

The ceremony moves into the ballroom.

Guests then continue to cocktail hour in separate rooms throughout the Manor and on the covered porch while the ballroom is reset privately for dinner and dancing.

Will our guests watch the ballroom being reset?

No. Guests enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres elsewhere in the Manor while the ceremony seating is removed and the ballroom is prepared behind the scenes.

Is the ceremony included in the wedding package?

For standard weddings, the on-site ceremony is separate from the reception package. The current ceremony fee is $1,350.

The ceremony is included in both intimate wedding packages.

Is a rehearsal included?

Yes. The ceremony service includes an on-site rehearsal covering the processional, timing, music cues, major ceremony moments, and recessional.

How early can we arrive?

For standard weddings, the couple and wedding party may arrive up to four hours before the ceremony.

Fruit, artisanal cheese, bagels, croissants, and Prosecco are provided while everyone gets ready.

Arrival timing for intimate weddings depends on the package selected.

Who can enter the Manor before the ceremony?

Before the event begins, access is reserved for the couple, their parents, and members of the wedding party.

Guests are welcomed when the scheduled ceremony or reception begins.

Ballroom Weddings

How many guests can the ballroom accommodate?

The ballroom accommodates receptions for up to 150 guests.

Its scale creates a warm, connected atmosphere for dinner, dancing, speeches, and the major moments of the reception.

Can we hold the ceremony and reception indoors?

Yes. The ballroom can host an indoor ceremony followed by dinner and dancing.

Cocktail hour takes place in separate Manor spaces while the ballroom is reset privately for the reception.

Can we still use the grounds with a ballroom reception?

Yes. Couples may hold the ceremony and cocktail hour outside before moving into the ballroom for dinner and dancing.

Guests may continue enjoying the porch, gardens, lawn, and fire pit during the reception.

Are ballroom receptions available year-round?

Yes. The ballroom is climate-controlled and available throughout the year.

It offers the character of a historic estate with the comfort and consistency of an indoor reception space.

Tented Weddings

How do tented weddings work?

A sailcloth or clear-frame tent is rented and installed beside the Manor for the wedding.

It creates space for dinner, dancing, the bar, entertainment, and up to 225 guests while keeping the porch, lawn, gardens, and fire pit connected to the reception.

When are tented receptions available?

Tented receptions are offered on select dates during May, June, August, September, and October.

Availability is limited, so couples interested in a tented wedding should ask about eligible dates early in the planning process.

Is the tent included in the wedding package?

No. The tent is rented separately and is not included in the venue package.

The final rental cost depends on the guest count, tent size, tent style, furnishings, flooring, lighting, and other selected features.

Is the tent permanently installed?

No. Tents are rented and installed for individual weddings.

The style, size, layout, furnishings, installation, and price are planned specifically for the event.

Can we see a tent during our private tour?

A tent may not be installed on the day of your tour.

The team can show you the proposed placement area, explain how guests will move between the tent and Manor, and share photographs from previous sailcloth and clear-frame receptions.

What is the difference between a sailcloth and clear-frame tent?

A sailcloth tent has soft fabric, high peaks, and warm diffused light. It creates a more traditional estate-reception look.

A clear-frame tent keeps the sky, trees, and illuminated Manor visible through the canopy and offers a cleaner, more contemporary appearance.

Can we customize the tent?

Yes. Tented receptions can be shaped around the guest count, dining layout, dance floor, bar, entertainment, and service needs.

Couples may also incorporate chandeliers, draping, floral installations, lounge furniture, specialty bars, larger dance floors, live-band stages, lighting, and custom floor plans.

Does the food or service change for a tented reception?

No. The same culinary team, wedding packages, service staff, and day-of coordination apply whether the reception is held inside the ballroom or beneath a tent.

Wedding Packages & Pricing

What does “all-inclusive” mean at Mountainville Manor?

It means you are not starting with an empty building and assembling the entire reception yourself.

Depending on the package, Mountainville Manor provides exclusive estate use, day-of coordination, getting-ready suites, cocktail hour, open bar, signature cocktails, a four-course dinner, wedding cake, staffing, tables, linens, china, printed menus, table numbers, candles, an escort display, coat check, and access to the fire pit.

You still choose the menu, ceremony, traditions, music, flowers, photography, design, and other personal details.

How long is the wedding?

Standard wedding packages include a five-hour event: one hour of cocktail hour followed by a four-hour reception.

Intimate wedding packages are six hours and include the ceremony, cocktail hour, and four-hour reception.

What is not included in the listed price?

The listed per-person price does not include the 21% administrative fee, New York State sales tax, gratuity, the standard on-site ceremony fee, tent rental, optional enhancements, or outside vendors.

What is the administrative fee?

The 21% helps cover the administrative costs of producing the event. It is applied to the event total, is subject to sales tax, and is not gratuity paid to the service team.

Is sales tax included?

No. New York State sales tax is currently 8.125% on event costs and applicable fees.

Is gratuity included?

No. The administrative fee is not gratuity.

The intimate wedding packages currently require a 10% gratuity.

Are weekday discounts available?

Mountainville Manor offers a 10% discount for Thursday weddings and a 5% discount for Friday and Sunday weddings.

How are children and vendor meals priced?

Children ages five through twelve are half price. Children age four and younger are not charged.

Vendor meals are also half price.

What is the difference between the primary wedding packages?

Both include the estate, coordination, cocktail hour, open bar, a four-course dinner, wedding cake, staffing, and reception essentials.

The expanded package adds a sixth passed hors d’oeuvre, a carving station, an ultra-premium bar, broader menu choices, additional service staff, miniature sweets, and late-night food.

Can we remove or replace a dinner course?

Yes. Couples may remove the first or second course for a per-person reduction or exchange one of those courses for another display station.

Planning & Personalization

Is day-of coordination included?

Yes. Mountainville Manor’s primary packages include day-of coordination.

The team manages the venue timeline, ceremony logistics, room setup, vendor arrivals, meal service, and the details taking place throughout the estate.

Is day-of coordination the same as hiring a full-service wedding planner?

No. Mountainville Manor coordinates the wedding taking place at the estate.

A full-service planner may provide additional help with budgeting, invitations, hotel blocks, transportation, overall design, outside events, and the months of planning beyond the venue itself.

Can we choose our own photographer and DJ?

Yes. Couples may choose professionals from Mountainville Manor’s preferred vendor list or hire their own photographer and DJ.

Will the team coordinate with our vendors?

Yes. The team coordinates arrival times, setup, ceremony placement, music cues, and the wedding-day schedule with the professionals working at the estate.

Can we incorporate cultural or family traditions?

Absolutely. The ceremony, menu, timeline, music, signature cocktails, and other details can be shaped around the traditions and people that matter to you.

Will our wedding feel like a standard package?

No. The package creates the operational foundation: food, bar, staffing, rentals, coordination, and service.

It does not dictate your ceremony, design, traditions, vendor team, menu preferences, or the way you want the celebration to feel.

Cuisine & Bar

Who prepares the food?

Mountainville Manor has its own scratch kitchen led by James Beard Award-winning Master Chef Craig Shelton.

The culinary program is part of the venue, not an outside caterer added after you book.

What makes the cuisine different from standard wedding catering?

Chef Shelton approaches the menu with restaurant-level technique, seasonal sourcing, and close attention to every course.

Cocktail hour may include smoked salmon blini, fluke ceviche, filet tataki, grilled lamb chops, and chef-attended stations.

Dinner may continue with handmade pasta, wild salmon, organic chicken, Hudson Valley grass-fed beef, wine pairings, wedding cake, miniature sweets, and late-night food.

Can we customize our wedding menu?

Yes. Menus can reflect your family, culture, lifestyle, traditions, dietary needs, personal tastes, and the ingredients available during your wedding season.

Are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free meals available?

Yes. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free guests receive composed entrées prepared by Chef Shelton’s kitchen.

These are complete dishes, not standard entrées with half the ingredients removed.

Does the kitchen use seed oils?

No. Mountainville Manor states that its kitchen uses organic avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, organic coconut oil, and 100% grass-fed beef tallow instead of seed oils.

Where do the ingredients come from?

Mountainville Manor works with Hudson Valley farms and makers including Great Joy Family Farm, Edgwick Farm, Black Oak Mushrooms, Ronnybrook Farm, Bread Alone, and Catskill Provisions.

What is served during cocktail hour?

The primary packages include five or six passed hors d’oeuvres and at least one display station.

Selections may include whipped ricotta with local honey and Fresno chili, Long Island fluke ceviche, petite filet tataki, French brie en croûte, grilled lamb chops, sushi, seasonal pasta, Mediterranean mezze, Spanish tapas, or a carving station.

Is the bar included?

Yes. Standard wedding packages include five hours of beer, wine, liquor, and nonalcoholic beverages, along with a Champagne toast and two signature cocktails.

The bar is premium or ultra-premium depending on the package selected.

Can we create signature cocktails?

Yes. Each primary wedding package includes two handcrafted signature cocktails chosen around your tastes and the season.

Mountainville Manor’s bar program includes house-made syrups, infused spirits, fresh citrus, fruit, herbs, spice, and thoughtful alcohol-free options.

Are wine pairings available?

Yes. Wine pairings can be added to individual dinner courses, or couples may select an upgraded wine for the entrée.

Chef Shelton helps choose wines according to the richness, acidity, and flavors of the menu rather than relying on standard ratings alone.

Is wedding cake included?

Yes. Standard wedding packages include a tiered wedding cake and a complimentary cake tasting for the couple.

Cakes are created by Denise Smith of My Daughter’s Cakes, with flavors such as Parisian lemon, dark chocolate, carrot, Earl Grey, cardamom, passion fruit, salted caramel, dulce de leche, chocolate hazelnut, and lavender-blueberry.

Can we serve more than wedding cake?

Yes. Depending on the package and enhancements selected, dessert may also include house-baked cookies, miniature sweets, premium coffee and tea, s’mores with house-made marshmallows, a sundae bar, or late-night food.

Intimate Weddings

Does Mountainville Manor offer micro-weddings?

Yes. Mountainville Manor offers complete intimate wedding packages for celebrations of up to 80 guests.

They include the ceremony, cocktail hour, open bar, four-course dinner, wedding cake, four-hour reception, coordination, staffing, and exclusive use of the estate.

They are not ceremony-only or abbreviated weddings.

What is the difference between the two intimate wedding options?

One option begins with 20 guests and includes a bridal-party brunch, six passed hors d’oeuvres, a display station, an ultra-premium bar, and miniature sweets.

The second begins with 40 guests and includes getting-ready refreshments, five passed hors d’oeuvres, a premium bar, four-course dinner, wedding cake, and the full reception experience.

Both options can grow to 80 guests.

Are intimate weddings shorter than standard weddings?

No. Both intimate wedding options are six-hour celebrations, including the ceremony, cocktail hour, and a four-hour reception.

Tours & Tastings

Are tours private?

Yes. Every tour is private. Mountainville Manor does not conduct group tours.

What is included in a standard tour?

A standard private tour lasts approximately 30 minutes.

It includes the getting-ready suites, indoor and outdoor ceremony locations, cocktail rooms, porch, ballroom, gardens, fire pit area, and proposed location for a tented reception.

What is included in a tour and tasting?

A private tour and tasting lasts approximately one hour.

It includes a canapé, a small four-course wedding meal, and a cookie dessert, along with a private tour of the estate.

The tasting is complimentary for two guests.

Can additional guests attend the tasting?

Yes. Additional tasting guests are currently $35 each.

Is a cake tasting included?

Yes. A complimentary cake tasting for the couple is included in the standard wedding packages.

Private Events

Does Mountainville Manor host rehearsal dinners and welcome events?

Yes. Rehearsal dinners and welcome events may be planned as seated dinners, cocktail receptions, brunches, or chef-attended culinary experiences.

What other private events can be held at the Manor?

Mountainville Manor also welcomes bridal brunches, baby showers, afternoon tea, Sweet 16 celebrations, corporate gatherings, milestone celebrations, and private dinners.

Directions & Guest Travel

How far is Mountainville Manor from New York City?

Mountainville Manor is approximately one hour north of New York City, depending on traffic and your starting point.

How do we get to Mountainville Manor from Manhattan, Brooklyn, or Queens?

Most guests travel north through the Hudson Valley toward Mountainville, New York. We recommend entering 199 Taylor Road, Mountainville, NY 10953 into your preferred navigation app before departure and allowing extra time for city traffic.

How do we get there from Long Island?

Guests traveling from Long Island should plan for additional time to cross through or around New York City before continuing north toward the Hudson Valley. Travel time varies significantly by location and traffic.

How far is Mountainville Manor from Westchester?

Mountainville Manor is within convenient driving distance of many Westchester communities. Guests should use the venue address in their navigation app for the most accurate route and current travel estimate.

How do we get there from Northern New Jersey?

Guests from Northern New Jersey can reach Mountainville Manor by traveling north toward Orange County and Mountainville. The exact route and drive time will depend on the starting location and traffic conditions.

What address should guests use for navigation?

Use:

199 Taylor Road
Mountainville, NY 10953

Are Uber and Lyft available?

Uber and Lyft serve the area, but availability may be more limited later in the evening. Guests relying on rideshare should schedule their return pickup in advance.

Should we arrange guest transportation?

A shuttle is often the easiest option when several guests are staying at the same hotel. It keeps arrival and departure times organized and reduces the number of guests navigating unfamiliar roads after the reception.