Values We Live By
At The Maples Estate, we believe a wedding should feel like stepping into a world that reflects who you are — not what the industry tells you it should be.
We are not a ballroom.
We are not a banquet hall.
And we are not a venue built on volume.
We are a home.
A retreat.
A place where time slows down, and celebration becomes something deeper.
We believe in honesty over scarcity.
In clear pricing, availability, and communication.
In telling the truth and building trust.
In guiding you with clarity, never pressure.
We believe in authenticity.
In honoring your culture, your traditions, your quirks, and your story.
Beautiful weddings aren’t created by imitation; they’re created by meaning.
We believe in inclusion as a lived practice, not a tagline.
We celebrate love in all its forms and warmly welcome people of every gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
Our estate is a place where you can express your truest selves — where who you are is honored, protected, and celebrated.
We reject discrimination, and we exclusively partner with couples who do the same.
We believe what makes a wedding unforgettable isn’t perfection — it’s presence. Connection.
That feeling of being surrounded by your favorite people in a place that feels like home.
We design weekends, not just wedding days.
Intentional, deeply personal, elevated yet relaxed.
A celebration that feels curated, but never staged.
Luxurious, but never stiff.
Fun, bold, soulful.
We host only a small number of weddings each year because your story deserves depth, care, and attention — not a template.
Your wedding should feel like the best weekend of your life.
And together, we’ll build an experience that lives not only in your memory, but in your bones.
This is your wedding, your retreat, your story — and we are honored to help you tell it.
Caterers We Love
Elevate Your Wedding with Exceptional Cuisine
One of the most memorable elements of any wedding is the food.
Whether you're dreaming of an elegant plated dinner, a vibrant family-style feast, or globally inspired flavors that wow your guests, finding the perfect caterer is key. At The Maples Estate, we’ve had the pleasure of working with some truly incredible culinary artists who bring passion, creativity, and unforgettable flavors to every wedding they cater. Here are some of our absolute favorites:
Lil Deb's Oasis – Vibrant, Eclectic, and Playful
Lil Deb’s Oasis has earned a cult-like following of food lovers who travel from near and far to experience their bold, flavor-packed dishes and electrifying ambiance. It’s no surprise they were nominated for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Hospitality, a testament to their warm, inclusive, and high-energy dining experience. For couples who want their wedding menu to be as vibrant, joyful, and full of personality as their love story, Lil Deb’s Oasis is the perfect fit. Known for their artful, tropical-inspired cuisine, they create dishes bursting with bold flavors and playful presentations—turning every plate into a celebration. But what truly sets them apart is their incredible and diverse staff. The team at Lil Deb’s Oasis is made up of passionate, creative individuals who bring warmth, inclusivity, and a spirit of hospitality that makes every event feel extra special.
Their dedication to fostering a welcoming, love-filled atmosphere ensures that your wedding day is not only delicious but also deeply memorable. If you’re looking for a caterer that brings energy, artistry, and unforgettable flavors to your celebration, Lil Deb’s Oasis is the one.
The Swell Party – Elevated Catering with Open Fire Magic
If you’re looking for a caterer that effortlessly blends sophistication with seasonality, The Swell Party is a dream come true. Their menus showcase fresh, locally sourced ingredients, crafted into dishes that are as stunning as they are delicious. Whether you're envisioning an elegant plated dinner or a relaxed, family-style feast, their team brings an experience that feels both elevated and deeply welcoming.
But what truly sets The Swell Party apart is their open-fire cooking experience—a breathtaking culinary spectacle that turns your wedding meal into an immersive event. Their team expertly grills, smokes, and fire-roasts dishes over an open flame, infusing every bite with rich, wood-kissed flavors and a sense of rustic elegance. This interactive style of cooking adds warmth, excitement, and a touch of drama to your wedding day, making it a one-of-a-kind dining experience your guests won’t stop talking about.
For couples who love beautifully crafted food with an element of live-fire artistry, The Swell Party delivers in every way.
Golden Child – The Little Viking Co. (Private Chef Matt Olley) – Rich Vegan Flavors
Chef Matt Olley of Golden Child creates menus that feel both deeply personal and wildly inventive. With a focus on hyper-local, farm-to-table ingredients, he crafts dishes that not only highlight the season but also tell a story—making every meal an experience. Whether you’re envisioning a vibrant vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free menu, or you need a custom approach to accommodate dietary needs, Chef Matt ensures that every guest feels considered and indulged. Beyond traditional catering, he also offers a private chef experience, perfect for intimate weddings, rehearsal dinners, or a farewell breakfast feast. If you’re dreaming of a menu that feels fresh, seasonal, and completely unique to you, Golden Child will not disappoint.
The Grand Cook NYC – Bringing the Flavors of the City Upstate
For couples who want to wow their guests with bold, creative flavors, The Grand Cook NYC is an outstanding choice. Led by Chef Jake Missen, whose decade of experience includes working in James Beard award-winning kitchens and serving as Executive Sous Chef for Dan Barber at Blue Hill New York, this team brings an exceptional level of culinary artistry and sustainability to every event.
Chef Jake and his team are passionate about cooking locally and sustainably, drawing inspiration from the abundance and quality of the Northeast. Their menus blend classic techniques with inventive pairings, resulting in dishes that are as thoughtfully crafted as they are delicious. Whether you’re envisioning an elevated farm-to-table feast, modern comfort food, or globally inspired flavors, The Grand Cook NYC will design a menu that reflects your tastes and values.
For NYC-based couples, their Manhattan-based culinary team makes wedding planning seamless. With tastings and planning available close to home, you can experience the best of NYC’s dining scene while bringing that same innovative, high-end approach to your upstate wedding. If you're looking for a seasonally inspired, restaurant-quality dining experience in the countryside, The Grand Cook NYC is the perfect fit.
Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen – Heartfelt, Locally Sourced, and Community-Driven
If you’re drawn to fresh, farm-inspired flavors with a cultural twist, Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen will bring something truly special to your wedding. Their Korean-inspired menu highlights bold flavors, wholesome ingredients, and a deep connection to the land, creating dishes that feel both meaningful and satisfying. What makes Sunhee’s truly stand out is their commitment to community and sustainability.
In addition to their beloved restaurant, they operate Sunhee’s Farm, where they grow fresh produce used in their dishes, reinforcing their farm-to-table approach. Beyond incredible food, Sunhee’s is dedicated to empowering immigrants and refugees through language programs, job training, and initiatives that create sustainable opportunities. Choosing Sunhee’s Farm & Kitchen for your wedding not only means treating your guests to an unforgettable meal but also supporting a business that gives back in a meaningful way.
For couples who value authenticity, cultural heritage, and social impact, Sunhee’s Farm and Kitchen is the perfect choice to bring both flavor and purpose to your celebration.
Dave the Butcher
For couples who want an unforgettable culinary experience that feels both refined and full of soul, Dave the Butcher brings heat, creativity, and genuine hospitality to every wedding feast. Based in Beacon, NY, this team specializes in upscale live‑fire and barbecue‑inspired catering that transforms fresh, locally sourced ingredients into bold, flavorful menus for celebrations big and small. Whether you’re dreaming of a wood‑fired steak course, elevated BBQ stations, or family‑style dishes with flair, Dave the Butcher blends traditional techniques with modern presentation for a meal your guests won’t soon forget. Their passion for thoughtful food and exceptional service makes them a standout choice for any couple seeking culinary distinction at The Maples Estate.
The Dumpling Wagon
For couples who crave playful, flavorful bites with true street‑food spirit, The Dumpling Wagon serves up handcrafted dumplings inspired by family recipes and Asian culinary traditions. From Shanghai‑style pork dumplings to inventive vegetable bites, every dish bursts with authentic flavor and a sense of fun — perfect for cocktail hours, late‑night bites, a welcome party or interactive food stations during your celebration. Based in upstate New York but rooted in the vibrant dumpling cultures of Shanghai, Hong Kong, and beyond, The Dumpling Wagon brings heart and excitement to your wedding weekend menu. Their food truck makes every stop feel like a neighborhood festivity, giving your guests a delicious, memorable experience that’s as relaxed and joyful as your ceremony itself.
Mazzone’s Catering
For couples seeking a truly elevated wedding dining experience — complete with exceptional service, custom menu design, and flawless execution — Mazzone’s Catering delivers on every level. Based in the Capital Region and serving the Hudson Valley and beyond, Mazzone Hospitality brings deep expertise in weddings, social events, and bespoke culinary storytelling. Their team helps couples craft menus that reflect personal style, dietary needs, and celebration tone, with attentive service that makes your day feel effortless. Whether your vision leans timeless and refined or bold and contemporary, Mazzone’s commitment to delicious food and polished presentation ensures your guests feel welcomed and delighted from hors d’oeuvres through dessert.
Chef Deanna – A Culinary Artist Creating One-of-a-Kind Wedding Menus
For couples who crave a wedding menu as creative and unique as they are, Chef Deanna is the perfect match. With a background in improvisational cooking, she thrives on artistic freedom, crafting dishes inspired by the freshest seasonal ingredients and the individual personalities of her couples. Her approach to catering is deeply collaborative and intuitive. Having worked extensively with artists, creatives, and makers, she understands the importance of storytelling through food. Her partnerships with local farmers often result in “mystery boxes” of ingredients, allowing her to craft spontaneous, inspired menus that are completely unique to each event. Instead of sticking to traditional catering formulas, Chef Deanna creates dishes that feel organic, personal, and full of soul.
If you’re looking for a caterer who can take your vision, personality, and love story and translate it into an unforgettable meal, Chef Deanna will deliver a wedding dining experience that is both deeply personal and wildly inventive.
It’s a Pizza Truck
For couples dreaming of a casual‑chic culinary moment that still feels elevated, It’s a Pizza Truck brings wood‑fired, sourdough‑based pizzas straight to your wedding party — perfect for cocktail hours, late‑night bites, or a crowd‑pleasing rehearsal dinner setup on the cocktail lawn. Using a two‑day wild‑fermented sourdough starter and seasonal local ingredients from Hudson Valley farms, their personal‑sized pizzas are crisp, flavorful, and crafted with artisanal care. Serving weddings and private events throughout the Hudson Valley and beyond, It’s a Pizza Truck turns a crowd favorite into a memorable, interactive food experience that keeps the celebration lively and delicious.
Curated Catering for Your Weekend Wedding in Upstate NY
At The Maples Estate, food is never just a detail—it’s one of the most meaningful ways to express who you are, how you gather, and what kind of experience you want to share with your guests. Whether you're dreaming of an alfresco welcome dinner with wood-fired pizza, a full wedding feast centered around live-fire cooking, or a leisurely farewell brunch with locally sourced pastries and pour-over coffee, we’ll help you craft a menu that feels deeply personal and completely unforgettable.
As a full-service wedding planner and venue team, we don’t just hand you a list of preferred vendors—we get to know you, understand your priorities and values, and match you with culinary partners who align with your vision, personality, and desired investment level. From your first tasting to your final toast, we’re here to guide the experience and make sure every meal feels like an extension of your story.
Unlike many venues, we don’t lock you into one caterer. You have the freedom to work with one team for the whole weekend or mix and match vendors across your events—a cocktail-forward rehearsal dinner, a refined wedding reception, a fun and casual brunch. Whatever your vibe, we’ll help you bring it to life with intention and ease.
Because at The Maples, we believe your wedding weekend should feel like you—and that includes what’s on the menu.
Let’s make it delicious.
Let’s make it joyful.
Let’s make it yours.
Sustainable Wedding Ideas: An Eco-Conscious Wedding Guide
Sustainable Wedding Ideas for Eco-Conscious Couples
Planning a sustainable wedding doesn’t have to mean sacrificing the experience you want to have. In fact, I think the opposite can be true.
One of the things I talk about often with our couples is that every decision is an opportunity to shape how your wedding feels. The food you serve, the flowers on the table, what you wear, where your guests stay, and the vendors you choose all say something about what matters to you. If sustainability is one of those things, it deserves a place in your wedding too.
At The Maples Estate, our approach to sustainable wedding planning is less about achieving a perfectly “green” wedding and more about making thoughtful choices wherever they make sense. Reuse what already exists. Support local businesses. Reduce unnecessary waste. Choose people and products that align with your values.
Here are some of the ways we help couples create an eco-conscious wedding weekend in Upstate New York.
Start with a Sustainable Wedding Venue
Choosing an eco-friendly wedding venue can influence the footprint of your entire celebration.
At The Maples Estate, your wedding unfolds in one place over four days and three nights. Your ceremony, rehearsal dinner, welcome gathering, reception, farewell brunch, and farmhouse accommodations can all happen onsite, reducing the need to move guests from one venue to another throughout the weekend.
Our 12.5-acre estate is surrounded by meadows, trees, gardens, and natural habitat that we actively care for. Deer move through the property. Eagles fly overhead. Turtles make their way across the grounds. We want the landscape to remain part of the experience rather than something we build over.
We also make sustainability part of our day-to-day operations. We use environmentally conscious household products, provide reusable tables, chairs, furniture, and décor, and work with local and eco-conscious wedding vendors whenever possible.
Louis and I even live onsite during wedding season in our off-grid converted Blue Bird school bus, powered largely by solar energy. Our luxury restroom facilities also use solar power and gravity-fed systems.
Sustainability isn’t something we added to the venue because it sounded good.
It reflects the way we already try to live.
Work With Local and Eco-Conscious Wedding Vendors
One of the easiest ways to create a more sustainable wedding is to think about where everything is coming from.
Local caterers, flower farmers, rental companies, bakeries, breweries, and other Hudson Valley and Upstate New York wedding vendors can reduce transportation while putting more of your wedding investment back into the surrounding community.
As your wedding planner and creative director, I help build a vendor team around who you are and what matters to you.
If sustainability is a priority, we can look for local sourcing, seasonal menus, reusable materials, lower-waste production, and vendors whose practices align with your values.
Choose Sustainable Wedding Invitations and Stationery
Stationery is one of my favorite places to infuse personality into a wedding, and there are plenty of ways to approach it more sustainably.
Consider recycled paper, FSC-certified paper, plantable stationery, digital save-the-dates, or working with an independent artist to create pieces you’ll want to keep rather than throw away.
You can also reduce the number of printed pieces you need. Instead of individual menus, perhaps one beautifully designed menu sits at each table. A single seating display can replace dozens of escort cards.
For printed elements, choose companies like Paper Culture, which offset their carbon footprint. And for a truly unique touch, consider using pre-loved or repurposed stationery.
The goal isn’t to eliminate paper, it’s to use it thoughtfully.
Consider Vintage, Pre-Loved, or Rented Wedding Attire
Your wedding attire doesn’t have to be new to feel special. Vintage wedding dresses, pre-owned gowns, rented suits, heirloom jewelry, and secondhand accessories can all reduce the environmental impact of producing something new while bringing even more story into what you wear. You might wear your grandmother’s veil, alter a vintage dress, borrow jewelry from someone you love or choose a designer working with natural, recycled, or responsibly sourced materials. Maybe you make your own attire and choose eco-conscious fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, or recycled materials.
There isn’t one right way to do it. The best choice is the one that feels like you.
Make Your Wedding Meal Part of the Experience
One of the first questions I ask every couple is: “What do you love to eat?” Because the answer tells me something about who you are.
If sustainability matters to you, food is a wonderful place to reflect that. Work with your caterer to incorporate local, seasonal ingredients. Consider plant-forward dishes, locally raised proteins, farm-to-table menus, or chefs who source directly from nearby farms. Your meal might be cooked over an open fire in front of your guests, passed family style around the table, served by a favorite local food truck, or built around a cuisine that connects to your family or culture.
You can also ask your caterer about composting, recycling, reusable serviceware, and plans for minimizing food waste. The meal shouldn’t simply feed your guests. It should become part of the experience.
Rent, Reuse, and Let Materials Tell a Story
A sustainable wedding doesn’t need more things, often, it needs fewer things chosen well. Rent linens, tabletop pieces, glassware, furniture, and décor rather than purchasing items that will only be used once. Source vintage tablecloths from antique stores and use the tables and chairs already available at your venue. Bring in vintage candlesticks, trays, frames, or vessels that can be used again.
At The Maples Estate, we maintain an inventory of furniture, props, tables, chairs, and décor specifically so couples don’t have to purchase everything from scratch. Pre-loved pieces also tend to make a wedding feel less generic and they already have a life behind them.
Choose Local and Seasonal Wedding Flowers
Flowers can have a surprisingly large footprint depending on where they’re grown and how far they travel. For a more sustainable floral design, consider working with a florist who sources from local flower farms and prioritizes seasonal blooms. You can also ask your floral designer to repurpose arrangements throughout the weekend. Ceremony florals might become reception décor. Welcome dinner arrangements might reappear at brunch.
Afterward, flowers can be donated, dried, composted, or sent home with guests. At The Maples Estate, we can compost many floral materials onsite rather than sending everything directly to the landfill.
Rethink Traditional Wedding Favors
One of the easiest ways to reduce wedding waste is simply not to give guests something they don’t need. If you love the idea of favors, choose something useful, edible, local, or meaningful. A favorite local treat, seeds or a small plant, something made by a nearby artist, or make a charitable donation in honor of your guests.
Sustainable wedding favors don’t have to be another object. Sometimes the best gift is simply creating an incredible experience for the people you love.
Make Transportation Part of Your Sustainable Wedding Plan
Transportation can become a significant part of a destination wedding’s environmental impact. Hosting multiple events in one location is one way to reduce unnecessary driving. Shuttles can also help consolidate transportation between hotels and the venue, while carpooling and nearby accommodations can further reduce the number of individual vehicles traveling throughout the weekend.
For couples planning a destination wedding in Upstate New York, keeping the weekend geographically centered can also make the guest experience easier and more relaxed. Less time driving. More time together.
Consider planting a tree or making a donation to help offset your event's carbon footprint.
Sustainability Is About Thoughtful Choices
I don’t believe your wedding needs to be perfectly zero-waste to reflect your environmental values. It simply needs to be considered.
Maybe you choose local flowers, rent instead of buy, serve seasonal food, use vintage décor, host everything in one place, skip the favors or choose vendors who care about the same things you do.
Each choice matters. And just like every other part of your wedding, those decisions become part of the story you’re telling.
At The Maples Estate, we believe your wedding should reflect who you are, including the values you carry into the rest of your life. If you're searching for a sustainable wedding venue in Upstate New York or the Hudson Valley and want to create an eco-conscious wedding weekend that still feels beautiful, personal, and fully lived, we'd love to meet you.
Together, we can create a celebration that feels good while you're experiencing it and one you can feel good about afterward.
Find more tips on planning your dream wedding below!
Cost of a Destination Wedding
One of the most common questions I hear from couples is whether their investment is “enough.”
The truth is, there isn’t one right number.
An $100,000 wedding can be exactly right for one couple. A $600,000 wedding can be exactly right for another. What matters is the experience you’re hoping to create, the people you’re gathering, and where you want to place your priorities.
If you’re searching for an honest, transparent guide to the cost of a destination wedding in Upstate New York, you’re in the right place.
At The Maples Estate, we create immersive, weekend-long weddings that give you the time and space to actually experience your celebration.
Our full-service planning and creative direction are built in from the beginning, so every decision reflects who you are and the weekend feels personal, grounded, and unmistakably yours.
What Does a Destination Wedding at The Maples Estate Cost?
When couples research the cost of a destination wedding, they’re often comparing numbers across cities and venues without clear context.
Recent industry data helps frame the conversation. According to Zola’s most recent wedding cost guide, a 150-guest wedding in New York City averages around $99,000. In Boston and Los Angeles, weddings often land between $80,000 and $100,000 for a single-day event. And that’s for one day.
Most of our couples are traveling from metropolitan areas like NYC, Boston, and LA — markets where elevated vendor teams, thoughtful design, and seamless guest experiences are already expected. Many of the vendors we collaborate with regularly also travel from New York City and other urban markets, bringing a higher level of artistry, service, and production.
At The Maples Estate, we are not designing a one-day ballroom event. We are curating a private, immersive weekend destination wedding experience in Upstate New York’s Hudson Valley.
Because of the way our wedding weekends are structured, celebrations at The Maples Estate typically begin around $100,000. From there, your overall investment is shaped by your guest count, the vendor team you assemble, and the experience you want to create. Some couples choose a beautifully simple celebration focused on incredible food and meaningful time together. Others invest in elaborate floral installations, live entertainment, custom stationery, larger multi-day events, or highly personalized guest experiences. There isn't a standard wedding at The Maples Estate because there isn't a standard couple. My role is to help you invest intentionally, so every dollar supports the experience that's most meaningful to you.
I take your wedding investment seriously because every dollar should support the experience you actually want to create. As your wedding planner and creative director, I help build a vendor team around your priorities, style, and values so your investment feels thoughtful rather than arbitrary.
Here’s a breakdown to help you build a budget with confidence:
Venue, Planning & Lodging: $53,000
The Maples Estate is the heart of your wedding weekend and includes:
Exclusive Use of the Estate | $24,000 Value
From Thursday to Sunday, the entire 12.5-acre estate is yours. No sharing the space, no interruptions, no rush.
Everything included here exists for one reason: to give you the freedom to fully live inside the weekend.
Your ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, late-night moments, rehearsal dinner, welcome party and slow mornings all unfold naturally across the grounds. Because everything happens in one place, your weekend feels cohesive, calm, and deeply intentional. Lawn games, campfires, golf cart transportation, venue and planning staff, and all taxes are included, so you’re free to be present while we handle the logistics.
Private Farmhouse Lodging for 17 Guests | $9,000 Value
This isn’t simply where you stay. For four days, it becomes home.
For three nights, your closest people live the weekend with you: morning coffee in pajamas, shared meals in the kitchen, laughter on the porch, quiet moments before the ceremony, and late nights unwinding together. By keeping the farmhouse intimate, the space becomes a grounding home base. A place where nerves settle, connections deepen, and memories are made in the in-between moments that guests remember long after the wedding ends.
Full-Service Wedding Planning & Creative Direction | $20,000 Value
Planning isn’t about creating more structure. It’s about creating enough structure that you’re free to let go of it.
I’m with you from the very beginning , guiding every decision with clarity, care, and intention. From shaping your design vision and building a cohesive vendor team to managing timelines, logistics, and the full weekend flow, everything is handled. On your wedding weekend, my team and I are onsite ensuring things run smoothly so you can relax, stay present, and actually enjoy the experience you’ve spent so long dreaming about.
Food, Drinks & Service: $10,000 - $80,000+
One of the first questions I ask couples is, “What do you love to eat?” Because the answer tells me something about who you are.
Food and drink are at the heart of any great celebration. Depending on your guest count and culinary goals, your catering package might include:
Welcome drinks, cocktail apps
Plated dinner, family style, buffet or even food trucks
Full bar or curated beverage menus
Late night snacks, dessert stations
Welcome party or farewell brunch, etc.
We’ll help you prioritize where it matters most (a fun taco truck? A seated farm-to-table dinner? Wood fired food? An ice-cream and pizza social?) and connect you with trusted pros who understand the Maples experience.
Caterers will range from $50 - $500 per person though our clients most often spend $250-300 per person for a full service caterer on their wedding day (food, beverages, staffing). Keep in mind, this may or may not include the cost for linens, cutlery, table and barware, alcohol or even service staff, so we will review your contract thoroughly to confirm all that’s included in the price before booking. Service charges, taxes and gratuity are often billed separately.
Design, Florals & Décor: $5,000 - $50,000+
Every decision is an opportunity to shape how your wedding feels. Florals, rentals, lighting, stationery, tabletop pieces, and furniture all contribute to that feeling. Some couples want a restrained design, others want something layered and immersive. There isn’t one right level of investment. The goal is to make the design feel like you.
Many of our clients spend between $10,000 and $25,000 on these elements, though a minimal design may be closer to $5,000 and a lux client may spend $100,000+.
Photography, Videography & Social Content: $6,000 - $40,000+
Photography and video aren’t just about remembering what your wedding looked like, it’s about remembering how it felt. Whether you're drawn to romantic, dark and moody, light and bright or a candid, documentary style photographer, we’ll help you find the perfect fit for limited or full weekend coverage.
Most of our couples spend $6,000–$20,000+ for photography, depending on hours of coverage, days of coverage and style.
Adding videography typically doubles that investment.
Some also opt for a social media content creator to capture behind-the-scenes or real-time moments.
Your visual team should be one that you trust completely as they will be with you through the most intimate and celebratory parts of your weekend.
Entertainment: $4,000 - $50,000+
Whether you’re envisioning a DJ, string musicians or a live band, entertainment sets the tone for your entire celebration.
DJ Services: Typically priced between $4,000 and $10,000, a DJ can provide the versatility to curate your favorite songs and keep the energy high throughout your celebration. Many DJs offer add-ons like photo booths, lighting or props, which can increase the total cost.
Live Band: For a more dynamic experience, a live band can bring the energy. Prices for a 10-piece band usually range from $7,500 to $30,000+. Keep in mind that if the band is traveling from outside the area, lodging expenses (usually starting around $250/night) may be an additional cost.
Extras: $5,000 - $100,000+
Capture the magic and set the tone with the right vendors:
Hair & makeup: $85 - $200 per attendant per service, bride $250-$800 + trial + travel
Transportation: $1,000 - $5,000
Stationery: wide range
Attire: wide range
Specialty rentals: wide range
Welcome Bags: wide range
These costs depend on how you want to celebrate—and we’ll help you find just the right fit.
Why a Destination Wedding Weekend Is a Different Investment
A destination wedding weekend is fundamentally different from a traditional single-day celebration.
You are hosting:
• Three nights of private estate access
• Multiple gatherings across the weekend
• Onsite lodging for your inner circle
• A curated vendor team
• Full-service planning and production
• A guest experience designed to feel unhurried and immersive
A weekend wedding isn’t simply longer. It creates more opportunities for connection, more moments for your guests to experience, and more time for the celebration to unfold naturally.
Couples and guests consistently leave our weddings understanding what was invested, because they felt it.
How to Stay on Target Without Sacrificing Your Vision
One of the most common questions we receive about the cost of a destination wedding is whether a budget is “enough.” The answer is rarely yes or no.
Sometimes expectations and investment need alignment.
Sometimes priorities need refinement.
And sometimes couples are already exactly where they need to be — they simply need context.
Once you become an official client, we provide a detailed and personalized investment guide based on your guest count, design direction, and must-haves so you can move forward with confidence. As you can see, there is a wide range of investments that we work with as each of our clients priorities are different.
Your goal isn’t to spend everywhere. It’s to spend intentionally.
Here’s what we recommend to stay on track with your preferred investment:
1. Start With Your Priorities: What do you want your guests to remember? What do you care about most? Incredible food? A live band? Florals? More time together? Let’s build the investment around those answers.
2. Let Us Help: Your wedding planner and creative director (me, Katie!) is included in your wedding venue package. One thing couples often find especially helpful is how transparent and structured our planning process is. From the start, we’ll create a working budget based on the experience you want to have, then make vendor and design decisions within that framework. We’ll adjust as we go so nothing ever feels out of control or overwhelming.
3. Be Honest With Your Vendors: We work with vendors who value transparency and service over ego. They’ll help you get the most out of your investment, not upsell you on things you don’t need.
The perks of celebrating with The Maples Estate
We host a limited number of weddings each year because care takes time.
We want to know our couples. We want to understand what matters to them. We want to be fully present in the planning process and in the weekend itself. Our couples walk away saying it was “the best weekend of our lives,” because it was personal. It was intentional. And it actually felt like them.
When you celebrate with The Maples Estate, you’re not simply renting a venue. You’re investing in:
space to slow down and be present
a private estate immersed in nature
three nights in the farmhouse with your inner circle
full-service wedding planning, design, and production
freedom to build a vendor team that reflects you
a four-day experience instead of a single event
We’re here to help you plan a wedding that reflects your values and vision, and guide you through it all with ease. Life is too short to rush through the moments that matter most. Our job is to create enough structure that you’re free to live inside them.
Ready to explore more?
Schedule an in-person tour or book a call with me to talk through the kind of Upstate New York wedding weekend you’re imagining. If you’re planning from across the country or abroad, we also offer virtual tours.
I’d love to hear what matters most to you and help you understand what your investment could look like.
Interested in viewing a sample wedding investment? Check out this budget template to help you get started.
Keep in mind that your wedding budget will be unique to your vision, but to help you get started, we’ve included a couple of sample budgets in the document linked below. Simply click File > Make a Copy to personalize it and begin crafting your budget.
More helpful tips and real wedding inspiration for planning your destination wedding with us at The Maples Estate!
