Frequently Asked Questions

To reserve a date, email us at hello@thebarnatblackwalnutfarm.com with the date you are ready to book, and we’ll let you know if it’s available.

We encourage you to come take a tour prior to reserving your date, although it is not required. Dates are reserved on a first requested basis. Your reservation is not official until we receive your booking fee and contract.

We require an initial payment of 50% of the venue rental site fee and a signed event contract to confirm your date. Additional payments will be made in two installments of 25% leading up to your event (payment schedule TBD according to your event lead time).

Due to the very limited number of available dates, and the demand from our prospective couples, we cannot hold a tentative date for you. We do require the initial venue payment and a signed contract to lock in your date– and then we can start turning down others who inquire for your weekend!

Tours are by appointment only since we are a private residence. To book your tour, click here.

In the meantime, enjoy our Gallery!

Yep, just click here!

Each venue rental includes over $20K worth of specialty rentals, decor, staffing, and fun ‘extras’! From a photo booth and audio guestbook, to Pinterest-worthy tables, chairs, and lounge furniture, curated decor items, an epic disco ball, a classic car for your photo opps— we include it all to provide amazing value with zero stress of coordinating outside rentals.

View some of our favorite inclusions:

What’s Included at Black Walnut Farm

We have a 15% Service Fee (on the venue rental subtotal) that supports the staffing for your weekend. Any gratuities for our venue team are entirely at your discretion.

We don’t change an admin fee, automatic gratuity, or any other surprise hidden fees.

While we do have some optional enhancements available (Coordination services, specialty lighting, decor styling services), you won’t be surprised along the way with any random upcharges— your base rental fee covers everything you need for a lovely celebration.

Great question. The answer is no, and here is why. Our fee is based upon several factors including set-up, tear down, cleaning, wear and tear of facilities, and utilities. We also only host one event per day so we can focus all our energy on you and your event, so the fee remains the same regardless of activities or group size.

We totally understand wanting to get a full picture of the budget; we’ve been there! While we’re happy to give you ballpark guidance, we don’t quote pricing on behalf of our vendor partners since their rates can vary based on season, guest count, and customizations. That said, we’ve curated a Preferred Vendor List with options at a variety of price points.

While every wedding is unique, most of our couples spend $70,000-$95,000+ for the full shebang, including venue, bar, catering, music, florals, and photography. We’re happy to guide you toward vendors that fit your style and budget— without ever pushing you toward unnecessary extras.

For full-scale weddings/wedding weekends, Black Walnut Farm provides the services, amenities, furniture, decor, sound and lighting, full staff, golf cart, and all the other bells and whistles you’d expect from a luxury all-inclusive venue; but the freedom and flexibility to choose vendors who fit you best. We have a varied list of preferred catering partners in different price points that we trust to handle your food, and we work closely with them to provide a seamless experience for our couples. We can also approve a licensed caterer of your choice.

Bar packages are provided by our venue, check them out here:

Beverages at Black Walnut Farm

We include items worth over $20K in rental value in our venue package— to minimize the amount of outside rentals and vendors you’ll need. Some of these include: services like a parking attendant and coat check, staff to set up and break down your floor plan, farmhouse tables and 250 chairs, many display carts and tables, in-house sound system, a portable PA and microphone, a digital photo booth, an audio guest book, a complimentary popcorn station and s’mores around the bonfire, and access to our collection of decor and service items you can borrow (including bud vases, votive holders, antique china platters, tiered dessert stands and cake stands, beverage dispensers, table runners and more).

Besides catering, the main things we do not include that most couples bring in are their photographer/videographer, florals, and DJ/entertainment.

Learn More About Our Preferred Caterers Here

We don’t offer ‘in-house’ catering for mainly two reasons. Primarily because we think food is SUCH an important part of the uniqueness of each couple’s celebration— and don’t want to force a ‘steak or fish’-style meal OR a certain catering spend on our couples! Many of our wedding clients have a vision including food trucks, or specialty cultural cuisines, and supporting alternative styles of catering is truly core to the experience we offer at the Farm.

Our other reason is simpler: we’re not chefs. We specialize is creating an gorgeous, unique, and immersive atmosphere and exceptional hospitality and experiences. We like to leave the cooking to those that do it best, and the Hudson Valley has some of the best culinary talent in the country.

While we don’t provide catering services, if you select one of the caterers from our preferred vendor list, we work directly to coordinate everything directly with them. All you have to do is schedule your tasting and pick your menu (aka the FUN part!), and we’ll take it from there. We’ll manage their schedule and timeline, oversee their equipment deliveries and rental drop-offs, and interface with their team during your event. We promise it will feel seamless— and the experience you will have is equivalent to the process you’d go through if you choose a venue with provided catering in-house. Just with more freedom of choice for you!

Have an eye on a caterer that’s not one of our preferred partners? Not to worry, we do regularly approve new-to-us catering services!

Yes! Our first wedding ever was booked about 8 weeks prior to their wedding date! Because we offer so many amenities and event items in-house, we can help you pull things together quickly and with minimal stress. We have a great network of local vendors, and we can help you find the right pros to bring your event to life.

We have a single-day package as well, pending availability— please note, this is not offered in September, October, or on holiday weekends..

A typical wedding venue offers shorter rental periods ranging from 4-10 hours. At Black Walnut Farm, we believe your wedding celebration deserves more. You should be able to relax and truly enjoy the time with your wedding party, family, and out-of-town guests, without having to rush through a blur of ceremony and reception with strict start and end times.

The longer format also enables you to make the best use of the property! Not only can you relax and soak in all the property has to offer (the Farmhouse is a one-of-kind experience on its own!), you can also host events on the day before the wedding for no additional charge. Yes, you read that right— we’ll even provide setup and cleanup staff for your rehearsal dinner or welcome party at no additional charge.

If your vendors want early access to the barn, or you prefer to load-out your wedding items the day after the wedding— we’ve got you covered with the Long Weekend Package.

We also include tons of fun extras and amenities for our Long Weekend Couples- contact for more info.

See what a Sample Wedding Weekend looks like at BWF!

Our barn is intimate, and can seat up to 100 guests. Cocktail-style events can accommodate up to 150 for drinks and dancing.

Groups over 100 typically have their dinner out on the lawn (either in a tent— rented from our third-party tent rental partner, or open-air under the stars), and then bring everyone into the barn to dance and lounge under our 4-foot disco ball.

Our Shed Bar is ready for service out on the front lawn, and Lily’s Bar on the back lawn.

See our Spaces

No, a tent is not provided by our venue, you’ll need to rent that from a party rental vendor.

Tent pricing is NOT standardized— you’ll need to reach out and get quotes from tent suppliers; it’s extremely variable according to size and style.

We don’t have a minimum; we love your elopements and micro weddings. The maximum that we host on-property is 150 guests.

Our 1747 farmhouse sleeps 8. Our most popular package is our Long Weekend Wedding Package, which features check-in on Thursday and check-out on Sunday. Take a virtual tour of the farmhouse.

Yes! The main floor of the barn is all on the ground level with no steps, and there is an ADA accessible bathroom available to roll right in. Most of the outdoor areas are on flat, level ground.

We have several wonderful catering partners that provide full-service catering at Black Walnut Farm. We work with them to create a flawless experience on your wedding day! If you select one of them, we handle all the coordination; you just choose your menu and we’ll take it from there. The process feels similar to venues with in-house catering.

As the venue, and as an advocate for you and your special day, we do encourage you to check our vendor recommendations list.

If you prefer to hire a caterer not on our list, they must be professional, licensed, and insured and we can get them approved.

We love home-cooked meals and family recipes, but must operate within certain guidelines set forth by state laws and our insurance carrier. We require ALL food to be cooked and prepared in a licensed off-site kitchen. For your convenience, the caterer you choose to serve at The Barn at Black Walnut Farm must be “full service” caterers with a serving team.

We do not provide use of an onsite full kitchen; local caterers will be accustomed to bringing in the equipment they need including warming trays, portable ovens, refrigerated trailers, etc.
We do have a catering prep area with a large sink, refrigerator, lighting, and power. Caterers may set up a tent onsite to house their equipment and food staging areas.

Absolutely, the option to utilize our spaces the day before the wedding is offered as part of our Long Weekend Wedding Package for no additional rental fee! Most of our couples host something on property, whether that’s a casual pizza party or food truck reception, or just ‘welcome drinks’. We have special welcome party bar packages available, and we provide setup and breakdown staff as well as a parking attendant— all included in the Long Weekend Package .

Absolutely! As long as your food trucks are licensed, insured, and agree to our venue policies we can get them approved to work on our property.

We do require that any food truck you hire also provides staff assigned to bussing tables and clearing food-related litter throughout the evening. If they don’t have servers available, you can hire them through our venue.

Our advice is that you work with a food truck that has experience in weddings and private events, and knows how to handle a high volume of service to avoid long lines for your guests.

Yes, when you book your event at The Barn at Black Walnut Farm, we will provide you with our hand-picked list - including wedding planners, florists, photographers/videographers, lodging, rentals, photographers and videographers, DJs, live music ensembles, hair & make-up, bakeries, officiants, insurance, rentals, transportation, valet parking, and more. Every vendor on our list reflects our dedication to warm-hearted, inclusive service. We provide our list as a helpful service— there is no obligation for our couples to hire our preferred vendors, and this list is not ‘pay to play’; but most of our couples start there, as we have pre-vetted these vendor teams and know they’re great! Black Walnut Farm does not accept any payments or kickbacks from our preferred vendor network.

Are you vendor who would like to work with us? Introduce Yourself Here.

Yes, the barn features air conditioning and also a de-humidifying feature.

Yes, the barn is heated.

Although we can’t predict or control the weather, here are the average high and low temperatures in Saugerties by month:

​​January 36° / 22°

February 39° / 24°

March 48° / 31°

April 61° / 41°

May 73° / 52°

June 79° / 60°

July 84° / 66°

August 82° / 64°

September 75° / 58°

October 62° / 47°

November 51° / 36°

December 41° / 28°

We’re sorry, but camping is not permitted onsite according to our town regulations. We have a campsite at our sister property, Chestnut Hill- please inquire. You can also check out our neighbors at Rip Van Winkle Campgrounds and AutoCamp Catskills for wonderful camping options nearby!

Yes, we do– we can help arrange event insurance through our insurance partner (avg range is $125-$250). We have already filled in all the necessary paperwork, so you just add your signature, purchase your insurance, and they will automatically send us your documents. Easy peasy!!

We also recommend cancellation insurance, which will reimburse you for any payments already made should there be circumstances beyond your control causing you to cancel your wedding. While we don’t require cancellation insurance, we’re unable to refund payments due to client cancellation— so we advise it to protect our couples! Cancellation insurance usually costs less than 2% of your total wedding budget.

Quiet Hours begin at 11pm on Fri-Sat and 10pm Sun-Thurs. At that time, amplified music (Djs, bands) must come to an end. Light conversation in the outdoor areas (ie, around the bonfire) are fine! All events conclude by midnight. We can recommend some fun options in town (6-8 minutes away) for after-parties. Any guests not staying overnight in the farmhouse must vacate the property within 30 minutes of the event conclusion.

We highly recommend a tent rental as a contingency plan to provide a space we can move guests to and from while we ‘flip’ the barn for different moments of your day.

If you reserve a tent but the weather looks perfect the week of the wedding, all of our local rental companies have flexible cancellation policies if you determine you don’t need the tent after all.

For your guests’ convenience and safety, we require hiring a transportation service to transport your guests on and off the property, so they can relax and enjoy all the festivities without worrying about driving. Uber and Lyft aren’t reliably available in our area! We do have a parking lot for any guests that need to drive (young families, elderly guests, etc.), and folks are welcome to drive to the event and leave their cars overnight if they prefer to take the shuttle home.

We are an indoor/outdoor venue, and most couples have their ceremony outdoors. We do have outdoor patio heaters that can be set up in your ceremony area; and we recommend providing some cozy touches for guests like blankets or a hot cocoa and cider station. The barn itself is heated. A tent with a tent heater may also be rented from a third-party vendor.

The short answer is, yes! However, we must approve all pets brought onsite in advance of the event. While we love your animals, we are not permitted by our insurance carrier to host aggressive breeds; this may be characterized by certain breeds that are known for exhibiting specific behaviors that include: excessive barking, lunging or charging at people and other pets, snapping and snarling, barring teeth, or biting. Black Walnut Farm may not be held liable for any incidents resulting from aggressive dog behaviors.

Approved pets must be attended to at all times throughout the weekend. We can refer you to a pet concierge service to attend to your dog throughout the day.

We require our clients to purchase their bar packages directly from our venue, and we also provide bartenders. View our packages and pricing here:

Beverages at Black Walnut Farm

No, with our specific liquor license type, alcohol purchased at retail may not be served. We will need to work with our wholesale distributors to source all of the alcohol for your event.

Nope! We only book one wedding per day.

We have a whole page dedicated to informative info for your guests!
Guests, please be aware that this is an old working farm with some uneven surfaces and terrain. Most of the happenings will be outdoors in the woods, on the lawn, or inside the barn, so appropriate footwear is recommended. Ladies will be more comfortable in wedge or block heels than stilettos.

We also recommend bringing a jacket or shawl in the spring and fall if you tent to run cold.

Depending on the date, it might be possible! Please inquire.

The Village is where you’ll find wonderful art galleries, restaurants, bars, antique shops, bookstores, cafes and more. We are a 6-8 minute drive from the heart of the Village.

There are four hotels just two miles up the road, as well as numerous small inns and vacation rentals for guests to stay. Within an 8-mile radius there are seven national hotel brands (ie, whatever loyalty program your guests are part of, they’ll likely find a nearby option. Ask us for our lodging list!

We don’t require you to hire a full-service wedding planner, however, to make your day the absolute best, we do require a professional Coordinator be hired to run the schedule and timeline for the day, and be our venue team’s point of contact for any issues that arise. Then, we won’t have to bother you or your parents on your wedding day with minor questions or small hiccups!

We have Coordination services available through our venue via a package add-on (pending availability, please inquire). Our Lead Coordinator, Lindsey Hogan, and our coordination team are truly incredible (read our reviews and see how many couples name-check Lindsey as their wedding hero!).

You may have an outside coordinator, but they must be a professional, and they cannot also be a guest at the wedding.

Of course if you are working with a wedding planner, we will support their efforts on your wedding day.

Yes, this service is available for an additional fee. We do include a venue captain and venue assistants to look after the facilities and help handle any venue issues at no additional charge. Curious about the difference? This cheat sheet explains what services are included at our venue, and what you may want to hire: Venue Captain vs. Coordinator vs. Planner

Table settings and linens are usually arranged via our catering partners— we do not maintain our own collection of tableware. Place settings can also be rented through a third party (we have recommended vendors we can introduce you to!).

Our farmhouse tables are gorgeous and intended to be used without tablecloths— although if you prefer that look, tablecloths can also be rented. Many couples just borrow table runners and simple table decor from our ‘Something Borrowed’ collection, at no additional charge.

We have 250 chairs, 10 wooden farmhouse tables (each seating 10), and numerous display tables and carts. Supplemental furniture can be rented through a third-party rental vendor.

Yes, we have three designated outdoor ceremony spaces: the Meadow, the Forest, and the Lawn.

We have multiple outdoor spaces and satellite bars that can be utilized for cocktail hour; and we have outdoor heat lamps as well as a complimentary bonfire (weather permitting).

We do not allow live flame inside the barn— we recommend battery-operated candles, lamps, and lanterns for indoor table settings.

We allow dripless candles in the outdoor spaces, however they must be inside a glass container to prevent them from blowing out. For this reason, many of our couples also use LED candles in their tents or outdoor dining so wind won’t be an issue.

We have two gender-neutral restrooms inside the barn. We highly recommend an additional restroom trailer if you have over 100 guests— and we do offer this as a package add-on, please inquire for pricing.

Our staff will set up and break down all the furniture for the ceremony and reception. We do not set up personal items and decor, or rental items from a third-party vendor such as floral installs. We have a Decor Styling Package Add-On available if you’d like to bring your own decor but not worry about setting it up.

After your personal items and rental items are removed, we will take care of cleaning.

You may visit as many times as you need, all visits and on-site meetings are by appointment only, please do not drop by.

The final planning meeting, to finalize your details and floor plan, must be scheduled within 30 days leading up to the event. This can be done in-person, or virtually.

We’re always available for a call or Zoom and will support your planning process as much (or as little) as you need.

30 days; this will allow us adequate time to source your bar package inclusions.

We have the property treated every other week with an organic, non-toxic tick and mosquito spray— this has been a true game-changer and very effective! However, in our rural area bugs are a part of nature— please be aware that if you walk through the forest, you should check for ticks.

We offer our 4-bedroom, 2.5 bathroom farmhouse for getting ready! Common areas include the Sun Room, Living Room, Dining Room, and Patio. We haven’t designated specific changing areas for each partner, that’s up to you.

We also offer the use of our barn for getting-ready; there are restrooms, a changing area (the Parlor) with a mirror, and our mezzanine-level Lounge is available for a fun, relaxing space to hang out with leather club chairs, a vintage vinyl collection and turntable, a card table, and even a vintage Pac-man console!

We will make the property available for a 1-hour timeframe the week of the event, for a rehearsal and to drop off any decor items or personal items (timeframe pending availability). Then, the venue is available from 8am-midnight on the day of your event. We require all personal items and decor removed after the event, and we include 2 hours of load-out/breakdown time immediately following the conclusion of your event.

Rental items must be stacked in a designated location for pickup (pickup times from rental vendors or florists must be confirmed in advance so venue staff can be onsite).

If you prefer to break down/load out the following day, this can be arranged by request and a convenience fee may apply.

Yes, we are pleased to offer a 10% Military Discount. Thank you for your service!

We love children, and have designed the space with eye to whimsy and imagination (for kids of all ages!). However, we are in no way child-safe. There are breakable items pretty much everywhere, sharp corners, creeks, bonfires, an active train line, and lots of features really meant for adults to enjoy. Children under 12 at our events must be within 10 feet of the adult who brought them at all times.

Our friendly Town of Saugerties put together a hiking guide, find that here.

About 90 miles. The estimated travel time is est. 2 hours in car/bus/train.

Albany International Airport is about a 45-minute drive.

Although it’s definitely possible to travel from NYC via train (Amtrak to Rhinecliff Station), or bus (Trailways to Kingston) and get a taxi to the property, there’s nothing walkable from the property, and Uber etc are not plentiful in this area. Via car, it’s 4-8 minutes drive to all the main attractions and shops in the area.

We absolutely love Miss Lucy’s Kitchen for fabulous food and cocktails in the village. The Partition offers great bar bites in a casual outdoor atmosphere with cornhole, karaoke, and a super family-friendly environment.

We have a whole blog post about that— check it out for some of our favorite recommendations: How to Host a Magical Upstate New York Weekend Wedding

Like all venues, we do have a ‘force majeure’ or, ‘Act of God’ clause in our contract. If circumstances beyond our control make it impossible to host your wedding, we will not be legally obligated to provide services, and you will not be obligated to pay any outstanding balances. 

We highly recommend that our couples purchase cancellation insurance for this reason. Our preferred insurance provider, EventGuard by Indemn, offers this as a bundle with your event insurance for usually just 1%-2% of the cost of your total wedding budget. Here’s what our agent advises:

• Wedding Cancellation Insurance is coverage built to reimburse you for your dollars lost when the unexpected happens to a planned event. Coverage can save the day if there is extreme weather or an immediate family member becomes ill, and even cover costs for other things like a dress ripping, a vendor cancels, or event gifts are damaged. Claims can be made to recoup nonrefundable deposits, to pay additional costs to move event dates, change flights, ground transportation, book new lodging, payments for lost photography, clothing and jewelry, flowers, missing gifts, and much more. Some of the best laid plans can go awry, and without insurance, the cost to make a necessary change at the last hour can be prohibitive. Typically, the limit of coverage you purchase is the total of your expenses (your budget) to host the event.

While all payments that have already been made are non-refundable, you will be released from any obligation to pay outstanding balances if we can rebook your date.