Ultimate Catskills Elopement Guide:
Table of Contents
Why you should elope in The Catskills
Getting to The Catskills
When to elope in The Catskills
Where to elope in The Catskills
Where to stay for your Catskills elopement
Catskills elopement day activities
What to pack for your Catskills elopement
How to legally get married in The Catskills
What to see in The Catskills?
How to include family + friends in your elopement?
How much does it cost to elope in The Catskills?
Catskills elopement photography packages
Why you should elope in The Catskills
The Catskills of New York offer gorgeous backdrops for elopement couples! Mossy forests, mountains, peaceful lakes, roaring waterfalls, historic buildings, antique shops, you name it and The Catskills have it! This guide will walk you through everything, from where to elope in The Catskills to how to include your family and friends in your elopement day!
Getting to The Catskills
Depending where you are coming from, driving to The Catskills is a very easy and beautiful drive! Here are some examples of how far of a drive The Catskills are from NYC, Albany, and Boston.
From NYC, it’s about 2-3 hours depending what part of The Catskills you are staying in.
From Albany, it’s about 2-3 hours depending what part of The Catskills you are staying in.
From Boston, it’s about 4 hours, depending what part of The Catskills you are staying in.
Here are the airports closest to The Catskills:
I recommend avoiding NYC airports if you can due to congestion and traffic.
Albany International Airport (ALB): The closest option for the Northern region. About 1-1.5 hours
Stewart International Airport (SWF): The most convenient if you’re traveling to the Southern region. About 1 hour
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR): This airport can be busy like NYC airports, however it provides great prices and more flight times which you might consider. About a 2-3 hour drive
When to elope in The Catskills
In my personal opinion, September through October is the best time to elope in The Catskills.
Spring (March,April, May)
Once April comes around, things really start to blossom and weather begins to warm up! With that comes a lot of bugs and unpredictable weather. The bugs are typically worst from mid-May through late June. However, Spring is quite beautiful, especially if you love flowers! I personally find the rain beautiful as well (crazy, I know)!
Summer (June, July, August)
Once the Summer truly begins, it can get pretty hot! This is an amazing time of year for the couples who love to do outdoor activities like swimming, kayaking, outdoor concerts, etc! This is the perfect time of year for a lake elopement!
Fall (September, October, November)
This is my favorite time of year in The Catskills! The Summer heat and bugs are starting to lessen, and the Fall foliage is beginning to show! It’s a very busy time in The Catskills though once it is peak foliage, so it’s important to keep in mind. The Fall foliage can vary year to year, but it is typically around early to mid October.
Winter (December, January, February)
If you want a Catskills Winter elopement, it’s honestly quite beautiful. In December, many inns and towns are decorated with magical Christmas lights and there’s so much to do! However, in the later Winter months, like January and February, there is much more snow typically. There’s many ski resorts so if you love Winter Sports, you will love The Catskills in the Winter!
Where to elope in The Catskills
Picking where you want to elope in The Catskills can be daunting as The Catskills have so much to offer! From the waterfalls, to the mountains, to the forests, to the lakes, there is something to offer for everyone!
I always location scout for my elopement couples to make sure that they have secluded and quiet spots in their locations!
My top 5 favorite spots in The Catskills:
- Minnewaska State Park – Kerhonkson, NY
- Little Stony Point Park – Cold Spring, NY
- Bear Mountain – Tompkins Cove, NY
- Plattekill Falls – Hunter, NY
- Black Creek Preserve – Esopus, NY
Where to stay for your Catskills elopement
Deer Mountain Inn: A cozy lodge with charming interior set in the mountains!
AutoCamp Catskills: If you love to camp or “glamp”, you will love AutoCamp!
Urban Cowboy: If you love all things western, this is the stay for you!
Foxfire Mountain House: If you love a boho and serene vibe, Foxfire has the right ambience for you!
The Book Village Inn: Book lovers, this one is for you! Located in a town known as “Book Village”, it’s sure to make your dreams come true!
Hotel Lilien: A gorgeous boutique hotel with a modern European feel!
Saugerties Lighthouse: Staying inside a lighthouse would be so cool, especially if you love history!
Postcard Cabins: Tiny cabins surrounded by nature with gorgeous windows!
The Roxbury: Calling fantasy lovers, this hotel has themed rooms that are a wonderful escape from reality!
Cabin in Saugerties: The perfect A-Frame cabin if you want to be secluded and have your own personal hot tub and sauna!
Catskills elopement day activities
-Hiking
-Go on a picnic
-Write your vows together
-Stargazing
-Relax + take naps
-Bonfire + make s’mores
-Pop some champagne
-Horseback riding
-Kayaking
-Walk on the beach/lake
-Cut a small cake
-Go swimming
-Go to a brewery/cidery/vineyard
-Fly kites
-Ride bikes
-Get ice cream
-Go to a food truck
-Hire a private chef
-Relax in a hot tub
-Chase waterfalls
-Get tattoos
-Go antique shopping
-Farmer’s markets
-Play board games
-Read letters from friends + family
What to pack for your Catskills elopement
You want to make sure to pack all of the essentials on your elopement day so that you can have a stress free day! This is just a few of the essentials, but I always provide my elopement couples with a complete packing list of what to bring so they don’t have to stress or worry about forgetting anything important!
- Good Quality Footwear
- Clothing Layers
- Marriage License/Pens
- Permit (if needed)
- Travel IDs
- Vow Books
- Rings
- Bug Spray/Sunscreen
- First Aid Kit
- Water/Snacks
- Blanket
- Decorations/Props
How to legally get married in The Catskills
Marriage License:
In The Catskills, it is required to have the presence of an authorized public official or authorized member of the clergy and at least one other witness that each takes the other as his or her spouse. There is no minimum age for a witness.
New York Residents & Out of State Couples: If you intend to be married in New York State, you must apply in person for a marriage license to any town or city clerk in the state. The application for the license must be signed by both applicants in the presence of a town or city clerk. The marriage license can only be used in the state of New York.
Make sure to check with the town or city clerk to see what identification they will need you to bring (driver’s license, passport, state ID, etc).
Fees: If the marriage license is issued by a town or city clerk in New York State outside of New York City, it costs $40. This fee includes the issuance of a Certificate of Marriage Registration.
Waiting Period:
The marriage ceremony cannot take place within 24 hours from the exact time that the license was issued. The 24-hour waiting period may be waived by a judge or justice of the Supreme Court of New York State or the county judge of the county in which either party to be married resides.
Signed Marriage License:
To make your marriage official, you will need to submit your signed marriage license after your elopement! Make sure to return your signed marriage license to the town or country clerk office that you issued the marriage license at, whether that be in person or by mail. From there, the town or county clerk office will process and register your marriage!
Permits:
A permit will depend on the location of your elopement. You will need to check with the specific park or land where you plan to elope.
For further information regarding the legal aspect of eloping in The Catskills, check out my blog below:
What to see in The Catskills
- Awosting Falls
- Kaaterskill Falls
- North-South Lake
- Minnewaska State Park
- Mohonk Preserve
- Woodstock
- Hudson River Skywalk
- Kelder’s Farm
- Hunter Mountain
- Windham Mountain
- Olana State Historic Site
- Stonecrop Gardens
- Mountain Top Arboretum
- Overlook Mountain
- Bannerman Castle
- Walkway over the Hudson
- Opus 40
- Vanderbilt Mansion
- Lyndhurst Mansion
- Little Stony Point Park
How to include family + friends in your elopement
If you want to include your family and friends in your elopement, there are a few ways that you can do that! Here are a few of the ways that you can include those near and dear people in your life:
- If friends and family cannot make it or if you want to elope just the two of you, you can have them all write you a letter and you can open and read them together on your elopement day.
- Have a private vow reading and spend some of your elopement day just the two of you, but later on have a ceremony with your friends and family present.
- Spend a whole day just the two of you and then include your friends and family on the second day.
How much does it cost to elope in The Catskills?
An elopement in The Catskills could range from about $7,000 to $10,000.
Let’s take a look at a generalized breakdown.
Multi-Day Elopement Experience:
- $40 – Marriage License
- $200 – Permit Cost
- $6,200 – Photographer
- $1,000 – 3 night Stay
- $200 – Dinner and drinks for two
- $250 – Bouquet and boutonnière
- $500 – Hair and makeup
- $1,000 – Wedding Dress
- $250 – Suit Rental
Full and Half Day (AVERAGE) Elopement Experience:
- $40 – Marriage License
- $200 – Permit Cost
- $3,200 – Photographer
- $1,000 – 3 night Stay
- $200 – Dinner and drinks for two
- $250 – Bouquet and boutonnière
- $500 – Hair and makeup
- $1,000 – Wedding dress
- $250 – Suit Rental
Prices will vary based on location, permits, where you stay, activities you do, and many other factors. However, this can give you a general idea of what an average elopement can cost in The Catskills.
Catskills photography elopement packages
I know this can be very overwhelming and a lot to take in! This is where I come in! Not only will I photograph your elopement, but I will plan your Catskills elopement so that you can have a completely stress-free experience!
Elopement Planning:
- Custom Location Recommendations: I will send you a questionnaire that will give me insight into the locations that you are interested in and I will send you custom location recommendations based on what I think would fit you best!
- Permit Research
- Timeline Creation: I’ll help plan a general guideline of how the day should go so that you can have a stress-free experience while being able to do all of the things you want to!
- Vendor Recommendations
- Custom Elopement Planning Guide
- Packing List: I’ll send you a detailed packing list so that you don’t have to fret over forgetting the important things!
- Planning Portal: This is where we keep all of our documents and planning information so everything is easily accessible!
But most importantly I will create unforgettable moments throughout your elopement day so that it is everything that you dreamed of!
My goal is to make sure that you never have to turn to Google to do endless research and planning for your elopement! Let me guide you through every step of the process and let the stress melt away!
