I think I mentioned a few posts ago that we’re getting married this summer.  I’ve never been one of those girls who dreamed and fantasized about my wedding.  I’ve been to some good ones, but I seriously didn’t think it would ever happen and I was OK with that.  So when we decided last summer to tie the knot, it seemed so far away in the future that we kind of put off the whole planning thing for a little while.  It wasn’t until this winter that it kind of dawned on us that we had better get started with the planning.    In the spirit of sharing, I was hoping this could be a sort of ‘open thread’ on ideas about Catskill weddings: what you’ve experienced, what you did when you got married up here, what went right and what went wrong, or if you’re planning a wedding yourself, what your plans are.

Here’s what we’ve got so far:

We’re having the ceremony at the church up the road, and the reception/BBQ in our barn with a big tent, which is great in one way – we don’t have to find and pay for a wedding, but daunting in another – we’re doing all of the clean-up and decorating.  We found someone to perform the ceremony.  We’ve booked the BBQ – Hickory BBQ  in Kingston, and the tent (and the port-o-potty) from Big Top Tent Rentals  in Cairo.  We’ve started buying the wine we like and we’ve got a plan for beer from Keegan Ales in Kingston.  We reserved the Catskill Seasons Inn for our guests.  We’ve got some great music lined up – a local band The Tremperskill Boys, and a western swing band from Brooklyn, Brain Cloud.  We’ve got the invitations sent and my dress is in the closet (though Mr. Sticks is still trying to figure out what he’s going to wear).  In general, it’s going to be a low-key country wedding where hopefully our friends and family will have a great time.

Some things we haven’t figured out yet:

Table settings: trying to be simple and hopefully DIY with this.  Though I’m a big fan of Mason  jars  as both functional and aesthetically pleasing items, and I have a lot of them,  I’m feeling like they are a little overdone at this point.  But, it’s a country wedding, so our guests may end up drinking wine from half-pint jam jars and all of the flowers might be in jars as well.

Flowers:  I’ve heard stories of people spending lots of bucks on flowers.  I’m hoping I will be able to use what’s local in my garden and again, DIY.  Anybody have any good recommendations for florists in case inspiration doesn’t come and all those Zinnias and Dahlias don’t bloom at the right time?

Drivers:  We’d like to provide a van service too and from the Inn so we don’t have to worry about people drinking and driving.  We got one outlandish quote from a place in Kingston, so we’re looking into hiring a driver and renting a van, even if it means several trips back and forth.

Photos:  I’m not a big fan of the staged group photos, so we haven’t planned to have a real photographer.  Several of our friends are good picture takers, and we’re planning on setting up a photo booth so people can take photos of themselves.  Has anyone not had an official photographer at their wedding and regretted it?  Any recommendations for Catskill photographers?

I’d love to hear anyone and everyone’s ideas and recommendations for wedding stuff in the Catskills.  Even if it’s something that we’ve decided on already – food, venue, music, lodging -  other readers might find it useful.

We’ll have a light day on Friday and Monday, and return to full coverage on Tuesday. Hope y’all have fun. We’ll be relaxing in Roxbury for the weekend if you want to say hi.

Here’s a taste of delicious upstate New York from our Flickr Pool (thanks for the image, Kandy). If you’re taking pics this weekend, add them to our pool and we’ll put them on Upstater!

If you’re considering making The Big Move to the country to farmhouse or old barn (see above) that needs renovating, we highly recommend the book Country Matters by Michael Korda. We’ve been gobbling up this book about the author’s relocation to an old farm in Pleasant Valley, Dutchess County with abandon, and it certainly engenders a healthy fear of making the decision to do what he’s done. Our minds immediately went to the book when we took a look at this old 3,000 square foot barn located in Ghent, Columbia County. If you’ve got the appropriate constitution, patience, and funds, you could turn this barn into something spectacular.

more after the jump…

Square Feet: 3,000

Lot Size: 3.6 acres

459 Old Post Road, Ghent (Karen Williams) GMAP

We love an old house with tons of interesting little spaces and unusual nooks and crannies. This circa-1902 farmhouse certainly has its fair share, both inside and out, not to mention tons of windows and a great use of color. As far as the exterior goes, we like the stone retaining walls, garden beds, and the stream on the property. It’s located in a fairly unpopulated area, which spells “privacy”, which is good for some, bad for others. Long story short, THIS is how you do an interior.

more after the jump…

Beds: 2

Baths: 2

Square Feet: 3,165

Lot Size: 2.59 acres

Taxes: $9,344

392 County Route 7, Pine Plains (Houlihan Lawrence) GMAP

Lake Huntington Summer Community

The obsession started when we first read about Lake Huntington Summer Community, one of the few upstate new york bungalow colonies that offers short-term rentals (we’re hoping to go this summer, but haven’t decided yet which one best suits us). 17+ acres, 50+ families, it promises “benign neglect” for parents wanting their children to go out the door and play — something city kids can’t do.

Many more colonies on the jump. Got some to add? Email us!

Winding Brook Acres

Winding Brook Acres
New on our radar, the Hudson River-side community is coy about the details. We know this: it’s a great locale. It has a pool, lots of hiking in the Black Creek Preserve and access to the river. Word on the street is this one is not so much about community. More about being in nature. There’s a unit for rent for $1,150 a month, and we’ve had word that there’s one for sale as well.

Forest Lake Country Club, Hopewell Junction

Forest Lake County Club
In Hopewell Junction, a surprising find on the east side of the river. The $15,000 bungalow listed on Craigslist reveals little. Here’s what they say about the community: “About 110 Units on many many acres of land (about 100)
Ball courts — Very Large Lake Access for boating and swimming lifeguard on duty — Shows in our clubhouse. also a card room.”

Silbert’s Resort
We admittedly know nothing about this place, other than they’ve got a bungalow on the market for $10,000 and the NYTimes wrote them up in ’93. If you go, give us the skinny!

Pine Lake Park

Pine Lake Park
Call the conflict of interest division! Pine Lake is an advertiser here, and they have one unit listed in our real estate listings section. They tend to rent for the whole season, and the colony is located in Westchester County — definitely the closest one to the city that we’ve found.

Lansmans
This is one of the few colonies to successfully transform into a 21st century version of its 50s heyday self (they have a website for folks who want to reminisce about the mid-century colony). Per the website: “100 beautiful wooded acres off Murphy Road in Woodbourne, NY. The approximately 85 summer cottages are situated throughout the grounds. Lansman’s sports a grand in-ground heated pool, four tournament tennis courts, full court basketball and paddleball courts, baseball and sports fields, the premier summer day camp, a casino and restaurant, weekend shows, a card room, full time maintenance staff and much much more.” They have bungalows for rent or sale including a one-bedroom bungalow with deck–$4,500 for a full spring-through-fall rental, or $12,000 to buy.

Buffalo Colony
The Buffalo Colony, also in Woodburne, N.Y. has a swimming pool, basketball and volleyball courts and a communal building, and 30 units spread out over 103 acres. Many of these are larger homes, suitable for families or groups of friends, including an early 19th century schoolhouse – which looks very nice to us. They have bungalows for rent and for sale.

Fiume Bello
The name means “beautiful river,” so-called for the Mamaketing Brook that bisects it. Located in Spring Glen, N.Y., the colony is a co-op of 12 bungalows on eight acres, a common building called the Casino, and a pool. One bungalow is currently for sale, profiled last year on Upstater–the bungalow was then $26,500 and is now asking $18,000. They don’t officially rent here, or let you sublet, so the way in is buying. Taxes: $2,400/year. No train, but the Short Line bus goes to the Post Office on Old Route 209.

Rosmarins Colony

Rosmarins
Rosmarins has 100 cottages, a lake, pool (one for grownups and one for kiddies), tennis courts, playgrounds, a snack shop, a day camp for the kids and a Saturday night lounge act! It’s in Monroe, N.Y., 39 miles from the George Washington Bridge, and, if you tire of colony life, 10 minutes from Woodbury Commons.

Spring Glen Woods
One we haven’t visited ourselves but an owner there wrote us and told us about it. The skinny, according to their website: “a seasonal bungalow community in upstate New York, about 90 miles from NYC, comprised of 20 charming units built in the 1940s. Open from May until mid-October each year, we enjoy the beautiful Catskill mountain views, our spacious pool, community room (with a stage!), playground area, basketball court, laundry room, and good friends.”

Spring Glen Corners
Spring Glen Corners, also in Spring Glen, N.Y., has 22 bungalows, a children’s play area, pool, landscaped grounds, a garden, rec room, laundry room and communal canoes. They do allow rentals and suggest that’s a good way to get in with the community. Currently a unit for sale for $59,000, with annual taxes and fees of $3,600. Here’s more from the owner: “It’s a double bungalow in Spring Glen Corners with more than twice the usual space of a typical bungalow because we also have two sleeping lofts and a huge yard that no one else uses. We’ve completely modernized the electric system and put on a new roof. We’re selling equipped and furnished (except for the kitchen table and my daugher’s bedroom set) so it’s completely turn-key.” Contact the owner if interested. The NY Times wrote up the colony in 2005.

Yes, please.

If we attempted to innumerate all of the Memorial Day weekend events starting on Friday, we’d be here until next Memorial Day. Instead, we decided to pick three fun happenings we think you will enjoy as you officially kick off the unofficial start of summer.

Opening Day of the Saugerties Farmers Market, May 25, Main Street next to the Kiersted House (GMAP)

The Saugerties Farmers Market is always a good time, even if you don’t buy anything (and you will, believe us). And the folks who run it sure know how to start things off with a bang every year. This time around, the Farmers Market will have live music, chef’s demos, a kids’ arts and crafts table, and free soil testing by Cornell Cooperative Extension. And we all know that nothing says summer fun like free soil testing! Check out the list of upcoming events and the full roster of vendors on the Saugerties Farmers Market website.

Hudson Berkshire Food and Wine Festival, May 25-26, Columbia County Fairgrounds (GMAP)

If the Farmers Market just isn’t enough delicious, locally grown food for you, head up to Columbia County to the Food and Wine Festival. Whether you’re hankering for a hunk of spicy cheese from Worldling’s Pleasure or a bubbly glass of Blanc de Blanc from the Hudson-Chatham Winery, you’re going to find something yummy. Tons of chef’s demos are scheduled for the day. You can take a look here on the festival website.

Rhinebeck Antiques Fair, May 25-26, Dutchess County Fairgrounds (GMAP)

Had enough to eat? Now spend what’s left of your money on cool, old stuff. With more antiquities dealers than you can shake a stick at, the Rhinebeck Antiques Fair is a popular event around these parts. Parking is free for this event, but leave your pup at home since the fairgrounds are a pet-free zone. Find out everything that’s going on those two days on the antiques fair website.

If these selections don’t quite tickle your fancy, take a gander at Chronogram’s massive Memorial Day weekend events calendar. Oh, and make sure you just ignore the weather forecast. Trust us on that one.

From the Rhinebeck Antiques Show website

According to the listing, this circa-1790 Greek Revival at Pulver’s Corners in Pine Plains was featured in the magazine House Beautiful. We can see why. It’s quite a creampuff: So bright and light-filled, with two of the cutest little outbuilding on its half-acre lot. The stained glass window is a nice touch, as is the plank flooring. Our only beef? It’s on Route 199, which appears to be a fairly well-traveled road, but perhaps it’s set far enough back from the road itself that it’s no biggie. Taxes seems surprisingly low.

more after the jump…

Beds: 2

Baths: 1.5

Square Feet: 1,200

Lot Size: .46 acre

Taxes: $2,521

3817 Route 199, Pine Plains (Gary DiMauro) GMAP

Photo from nyc.gov

That’s what the Catskills-based non-profit Riverkeeper is asserting after a multi-year study looking at threats to (mostly NYC’s) water supply. “Although the quality of New York City’s drinking water remains high, the City violated standards for lead at the tap and turbidity in source waters and distribution systems in multiple years,” they write. (For those of you annoyed by the behavior of city people: maybe it’s the lead they’ve been drinking?)

More importantly, dangers are lurking, especially three bigs ones, according to their report:

“1) waterborne pathogens in Catskill source waters
2) potential health impacts from pharmaceuticals
3) the possibility of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas in close proximity to the Catskill and Delaware Watersheds, which could compromise the City’s drinking water supply infrastructure.

They call for continued testing for contaminants and replacing lead-soldered pipes, among other recommendations.

Don’t stick a fork in it just yet: There’s still some renovating going on with this Victorian, located in the town of Patterson, Putnam County. The exterior is looking good, though, and the interior seems to be shaping up nicely. According to the listing, the house was rebuilt from the ground up and includes $60,000 worth of windows…which sounds like a lot of windows. Convenient to stuff in Patterson, including the Patterson Metro-North station less than a mile away. Ignore the part in the listing where it says it’s walking distance to Pawling, which is five miles away. We’re pretty sure they meant Patterson.

more photos on the jump…

Beds: 4

Baths: 3

Square Feet: 4,500

Lot Size: .63 acre

Taxes: $5,714

11 North Street, Patterson (Prudential Serls Prime) GMAP

If a multitude of extra storage space and tons of built-in shelves make your heart go all a-flutter (like they do ours), then prepare to be impressed. Granted, there are a lot of other things to recommend this circa-1865 Colonial Saltbox, located right in Pine Plains, including lots of natural light, those oldie-but-goodie plank floors, a screened-in porch, and a kitchen space that allows plenty of room for serious cooking. But as borderline hoarders avid book collectors, we love the prospect of finally getting rid of our cheaply-made particle board shelves in favor of something a little more durable. Okay, enough about shelves. It’s a nifty property, no matter how you slice it.

more photos after the jump…

Beds: 3

Baths: 1.5

Square Feet: 1,900

Lot Size: .24 acre

Taxes: $3,046

7766 South Main Street, Pine Plains (Win Morrison) GMAP