Germantown Wedding Venues

A Private Estate

Historic Hudson River Estate with Stunning Views!
5 out of 5 stars and 16 reviews
·
Germantown, NY
Holds ceremonies and receptions

About this venue

Vendor
Ripley Hathaway
OWNER
Typically responds within 24h
Discover Your Dream Wedding at A Private Estate A Private Estate Events offers the perfect blend of romance, privacy, and natural beauty, making it the ideal place to say "I do." Nestled in a secluded 19th-century mansion in Germantown, NY (just a 2-hour drive from NYC and 3 hours from Boston), this exclusive venue invites couples to celebrate their love from May to November in the heart of the Hudson Valley. Surrounded by lush riverside grounds and historic charm, your wedding will feel like it’s straight out of a fairytale. Picture saying your vows with the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains as your backdrop, or celebrating in a rustic-chic barn, all while having the freedom to make the weekend uniquely yours. Why You'll Love A Private Estate Secluded + Scenic: The estate is a true hidden gem with over half a mile of riverside frontage, 300-year-old oak trees, and a serene lake reached from a private half mile driveway. From the manicured gardens to the sweeping views, every corner of this place is picture-perfect. Flexibility & Style: Whether you're dreaming of a dreamy riverside ceremony, a rustic barn reception, or an elegant outdoor soirée, the venue offers multiple spaces to bring your vision to life. The venue can host up to 300 guests—perfect for large celebrations, but intimate enough for smaller, more personal events. Rustic Meets Modern: The newly built riverside tent offers a stunning spot for receptions and includes everything you need to host a seamless event: gorgeous river views, and space for up to 300 guests. The historic barn adds a rustic touch with wooden beams and a cozy, romantic vibe for up to 275 guests. Weekend Vibes: Spend the entire weekend in your own private estate! Kick off your celebration with a tailored private yoga session on one of our lawns or relax with a post-wedding brunch the next morning. Plus, the property has WiFi, air conditioned housing, bespoke fire pits for evening celebrations, and Adirondack chairs for laid-back hangs with your crew. Facilities & Capacity Max Capacity: 300 guests Main Ceremony & Reception Areas: Riverside tent site with panoramic views of the Hudson River & Catskill Mountains, historic barn complex surrounded by forest, and beautifully manicured grounds. On-Site Amenities: Indoor bathrooms, caterer prep kitchen, a romantic stone patio for dancing, and bespoke fire pit for those cozy moments under the stars at both the riverside tent site and at the barn complex. Micro Weddings & Elopements For couples who prefer a more intimate experience, we offer Micro Wedding Packages for up to 30 guests, giving you the chance to celebrate without the stress. Whether you’re here for a few hours or the entire weekend, we’ll make it magical.
Woman-owned Business
16+ years in business
Speaks English
Small team (2-10 members)
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony
Second Wedding
Vow Renewal Ceremony
Settings
Barn
Beach
Waterfront
Estate
Garden
Historic Venue
Mountain
Tented
Trees
Venue Service Offerings
Rentals & Equipment
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Meet the team
  • Vendor
    Ripley Hathaway
    Owner
    Owner of this historic 300 acre estate for over 30 years . Ripley brings to the wedding business her past career in Special Events, Landscape Architecture and her love of meeting new people. She is involved in every couple's wedding from your personalized tour to the final vendor pickup. Service is the most important thing to her. She wants every couple, guest and family member to leave with a smile on their face and happy memories of a magical wedding weekend.
Reviews
5.0
out of 5.0
16 reviews
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Review Summary

This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
A Private Estate is raved about for hosting breathtaking weddings with stunning views of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains. The property's spaciousness and privacy allowed for a seamless event flow, and the staff, particularly owner Ripley and property manager Jack, received high praise for their professionalism and attention to detail. Reviewers appreciated the value and customization options, though some noted challenges with sun exposure during ceremonies. The venue's beauty, thoughtful service, and accommodating facilities, like the Carriage House and nearby estate rentals, contributed to creating unforgettable wedding experiences for couples and guests.
Review photos
AvatarL
12/15/2025
The grounds of A Private Estate are beautiful beyond description. We could not have been happier. Ripley (owner) and Jack (property manager) worked with us throughout the planning ...
process and the event itself to help make our daughter’s wedding perfect. It allowed us to focus on enjoying the wedding, our guests, and on our daughter’s happiness. We are from nearby Rhinebeck and looked at a number of wedding venues along the river. We chose A Private Estate because of the setting but got so much more. The lawn allows for sweeping views of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains. Ripley’s recommendations of the various vendors during the planning was invaluable. On the weekend of the wedding, Jack worked with the vendors to make the everything flow seamlessly from the time things were being setup through the wedding itself. Due to the small number of weddings they host every year, the attention to our daughter’s wedding was extraordinary. The large size of the property provided complete privacy. We highly recommend the venue! We also rented the Carriage House and it definitely added to the overall experience for the bridal party.
AvatarR
1/18/2025
My husband and I got married at A Private Estate last Memorial Day weekend and can't recommend it enough. I wanted an outdoor ceremony and a more casual reception in a barn, and th...
is venue was the perfect choice. The views are majestic; photos hardly do them justice. Our guests were wowed by the property. We had a 140-person wedding in the typical ceremony spot, a cocktail reception up on the hill, and dinner/dancing in the barn (which looked great with minimal decor). I felt confident leaving all the details to Jack, the property manager, who was kind, responsive and incredibly experienced. Like any venue that's not full-service, planning a wedding at a Private Estate requires a lot of vendors and moving parts (which is more work, but allows you to customize), and Jack and his staff handled the deliveries / setup deftly. The week before the wedding was low stress, and the event went without a hitch. My bridesmaids stayed in the carriage house, which was convenient, and my and my husband's families stayed at Holcroft next door, another gorgeous 19th century estate. I highly recommend that setup. One thing to note is that, at least in May, the late afternoon sun shines right above the ceremony spot, blinding the guests. I recommend getting them fans, visors, something. It was weirdly hot on our wedding day; I would have had water readily available and more fans in the barn loft. But in terms of choosing a Private Estate, I wouldn't do anything differently. It's great value / location for what you get: a stunning, memorable wedding.
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AvatarM
11/30/2024
We got married in Sept 2024 and are still talking about how perfect a day at A Private Estate. Ripley and Jack are fantastic and any couple is lucky to work with them. Ripley cares...
deeply about the property and vendors on site - she will help you curate the perfect weekend with trusted partners who will throw you the perfect wedding. Jack knows and runs the property like the back of his hand - he is calm, cool, and has all the answers. Bonus is the cottage on site - we used the space for young cousins/kids during the reception so that a babysitter could be onsite and parents nearby. We truly had the most perfect wedding day. It was so beautiful. We have so much appreciation and respect for Ripley and Jack and the way they care for the estate. Thank you, thank you, thank you Ripley and Jack!
AvatarB
11/01/2024
A Private Estate was a beautiful venue for our June 2024 wedding. We did the ceremony on the front lawn, and our reception was tented near the stone promenade. We were blessed with...
terrific weather, and it made it even more perfect. The view is incredible, with the Catskills backing the Hudson River. We stayed in the carriage house one of the nights (relatives stayed there the rest of the weekend), and it was a nice rental with good space. We appreciated that Ripley gave us a tour and then offered to give the mother of the bride one a few weeks later because she was unable to come when we went. Ripley answers questions quickly and made sure the property was pristine for our weekend. Massive, massive shoutout to property manager Jack – he was incredible and works his butt off. As for the area, there isn’t too much in the immediate vicinity, but Hudson NY is only 10-15 minutes away. Highly recommend looking into that town if you choose this venue, we loved the combo. A Private Estate is pricey, but it’s an incredible venue location, and we were extremely happy with everything. You cannot beat the Hudson River backdrop here.
AvatarI
10/01/2023
I got married three weeks ago at A Private Estate and it truly was the wedding of my dreams! For starters the view is so insanely beautiful. I couldn't get over how stunning it was...
to get married with the river & mountains behind me and the incredible garden/estate. But beyond the spectacular venue Jack & Ripley were amazing to work with. From my very first visit, Jack told me he treats every wedding like it's his daughters and I knew we'd be in good hands. And that's exactly what happened. 2 hours before the ceremony we changed our rain plan because of the sun and Jack and his team moved the ceremony outside of the tent. It meant so much to me to be able to have the ceremony that I had envisioned. The carriage house where me and my bridesmaids got ready was also great! Plenty of room for all the glam and had AC. We got great photos there too. The property is also so big which also made it nice to spread out our different events throughout. HIGHLY recommend getting married here!
Response from A Private Estate on 10/02/2023
Izzy, Thank you so much for this wonderful review. Please feel free to come back anytime. ...
We cant wait to see more photos! Lots of love!
AvatarJ
8/16/2023
My daughter was married last weekend at A Private Estate. The venue is magical. It is what wedding dreams are made of. The setting is a stately home over looking the Hudson River. ...
The view is phenomenal. Upon meeting the owner Ripley Hathaway and the property manager Jack Lester, I knew that we were in good hands. The weather forecast for our day was fluctuating between thunder storms and sunshine. They were patient and professional while we were trying to figure out where to have ceremony and cocktail hour. We watched the hourly forecast. Jack offered the barn for the cocktail hour, the service was held outside overlooking the river and the sunset. Buses and golf carts shuttled guests from the ceremony to the cocktails and then the tent. Everything ran smoothly. They both take pride in the venue and in making the day memorable for the Bride and Groom, their families and guests. It was a wonderful experience.
Response from A Private Estate on 08/18/2023
Thank you so so much for this review. We are so glad everything worked out for everyone. W...
ishing your newly enlarged family all the best. Ripley. PS. I will be sending my snaps to you soon.
AvatarJ
6/20/2022
I don't think words can adequately describe how magical of a day our wedding was! The whole weekend felt like an absolute dream. Ripley and Jack go above and beyond to make sure ev...
ery couple feels special and the day goes perfectly. From the ceremony to the reception everything went seamlessly and we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful location. The grounds in June are incredible and there is something about being nestled in the mountains on the river that makes everything feel a bit more magical! A bald eagle even made a guest appearance during our ceremony!! Our guests raved about how beautiful everything was and our stay in the carriage house was the cherry on top!
AvatarS
6/19/2022
Despite seeing this location for the first time in the depths of winter with thick snow on the ground it didn't detract from the spectacular view which is stunning. From the moment...
we met Ripley and her Estate Manager Jack I knew we were in good hands. Alix and Ben wanted an elegant rustic style wedding and that's certainly what they got. We had several meetings on site (including accommodating us on a Sunday as I live in the south) and nothing was too much trouble. Ripley gave us a list of recommended vendors, all excellent. Don't be deterred by the fact there are several moving parts getting guests from the ceremony and cocktail location on the river and up to the barn for dinner. Jack's organization and coordination on the day of the wedding was first class and everything went like clock work. As the mother of the bride I couldn't have wished for a better day and thrilled that my daughter had the wedding she dreamed of. I highly recommend this venue.
AvatarA
6/16/2022
Our wedding was at A Private Estate in late May and it was even more spectacular than we could have ever imagined. Ripley was extremely accommodating in showing us the venue, arra...
nging a couple of site visits, and answering all of our questions. Jack is the estate manager and was an absolute superstar behind the scenes ensuring everything ran smoothly on the day. We had our ceremony on the house lawn, the cocktail hour on the tent site, and the reception at the barn so there were a lot of moving pieces but everything worked out great due to the support we received leading up to and on the day. The setting in full greenery is absolutely stunning, we had more than a few guests tell us there were audible gasps as the shuttle bus turned the corner and the view of the Hudson became visible. Would highly recommend having your wedding here if you want a wow factor!!
AvatarS
11/07/2021
This place is absolutely magical and my husband and I fell in love with the property on our first visit (Fred the cat helped seal the deal as well!) The view of the Hudson is unb...
elievable and the privacy and intimacy is unmatched. The most asked question from our guests has been "How did you find this place?!" When my husband and I first saw the property we were astounded at how many options you could have for your whole weekend. There is a stunning historic barn complex on the property where we held our rehearsal dinner and a beautiful tent site, which overlooks the Hudson, which is where we held our reception. It's truly such a unique property to have both of those options available. There is also an option to rent out the carriage house (on the property) and creekside cabin (right off the property) which we decided to do. The convenience of this was so helpful throughout the weekend. Our *only* comment is that there did happen to be a lot of flies in the carriage house, but this is expected to some degree when in the woods. Ripley and Jack (the property manager) could not have been more lovely and friendly to work with and truly went above and beyond for us to make the day special. Jack is truly amazing and so very attentive in making sure that everything is taken care of. You can really tell how much he loves the property and takes such pride in all that he does. We absolutely loved our wedding and this place will always hold a special place in our hearts. Ripley kindly told us that she'd be happy to have us back again and we hope to visit our special spot for years to come. Also noting - for those looking at venues! The photo's here do not do justice to how breathtaking this whole property is. If you're able, go see it for yourself. Meet Fred the cat and fall in love with this magical venue like we did. It was truly perfect.
AvatarJ
11/06/2019
A totally professional and pleasurable experience from start to finish! From the moment we discovered and viewed A Private Estate, we had no doubt that the spectacular venue was t...
he place we wanted to spend our special day. That initial decisions was based on purely aesthetic first impressions, but the journey from that day to our actual wedding day, and the assistance and help given by the estate owner and the staff who work there, matched that same high standard. Ripley Hathaway, the owner, was consistently responsive and helpful wherever she could be along the initial viewing and into the booking process. It was a pleasure to get to know her and she had great guidance on vendors and all aspects of the wedding day experience, plenty of which we did not think of when we first started planning. As the day approached, Jack, the property manager, along with his team took as much of the potential stress away as they possibly could! Their positive and gracious attitude and damn hard work was both calming and just amazing. On a more practical side, much of the equipment required for the day was included in the overall price (i.e. ceremony & reception chairs). The ability to rent The Carriage House and the Cabin was incredibly useful and very reasonably priced. Our guests who stayed at these venues had only great things to say about them. The ceremony setting and cocktail hours on the banks of the Hudson is just unbeatable. The Barn for the reception was perfect and the 'al fresco' dance floor for the band and then all-night dancing was exactly what we wanted, envisioned, and A Private Estate delivered. I cannot recommend this venue and the people who run it highly enough. Our experience was beyond what we had hoped for - and we have high expectations :)
AvatarL
9/21/2018
I recently had the pleasure of shooting at this beautiful property and to say I'm impressed is an understatement. From the barn to the carriage house to the ceremony location on th...
e front lawn, this is an absolute dream venue (and as a wedding photographer, it's truly perfect for photos. The photo spots for portraits and ceremony and even getting ready is incredible!) It's not easy to find a venue that combines gorgeous mountain views overlooking the river, sprawling property, and stunning architecture all in one place! If I could go back in time and pick my wedding venue, this would hands down be it :)
AvatarA
7/28/2018
We had our wedding here in July 2018. We loved this venue from the minute we stepped on the property. The view from the front lawn is breathtaking and a perfect backdrop for our w...
edding. Even though we had some rain during our ceremony, Ripley and Jack handled everything like total pros. Also our guests loved the venue and have not stopped talking about it; the blend of nature, the historic estate, and the barn complex really provides you with an amazing day and experience. Also, Ripley truly loves the property and sharing it for weddings - you don't feel like you're in a venue trying to get couple in and out. You have no other properties in sight and you get the entire weekend to enjoy it. We highly recommend this venue - even the locals says it's the best view in the area!
AvatarL
6/23/2018
We had our wedding at A Private Estate in June 2018 and couldn't have been happier with our choice. It's an absolutely stunning location -- sweeping lawns, a stately home, incredib...
le view of the Hudson, and a grand, but cozy barn and patio up on the hill. The owner, Ripley, is wonderful and clearly has such a love for the property and enjoyment of sharing it with others. Jack, the manager, gets so much done behind the scenes, and is a very nice person to work with. The layout creates a really nice flow for your guests. We held our ceremony down by the river on the lower lawn, then had cocktail hour on the upper lawn in front of the house. (We had a large tent nearby for the possibility of rain, which would have also been fine, as you still get the view). Then, we had golf carts take our guests up the hill to the Barn Complex, where we had a tent over the back deck and patio. We held first dances and speeches there, then opened the doors to the barn, which had our beautifully decorated tables and created a great reveal for guests. Then we danced the night away on the back patio. Another bonus of the location is the option to say on-site, which I would highly recommend. Being at the venue is not only relaxing and beautiful, but eliminates a stressful logistical component of your wedding day. The Carriage House is well-cared for, comfortable, and a lovely place for getting ready photos. A Private Estate is a magical place, and I'm so happy we had the chance to get married there.
AvatarJ
6/09/2017
From the moment we first saw the venue, we knew it was where we needed to get married. From the first tour of the site with Jack to the ongoing interactions with Ripley to the ben...
ding over backwards Jack did for us on wedding weekend, everything was A++. It was incredible to have the carriage house and cabin rented as well and we highly recommend utilizing both if you're considering this venue. The setting for the ceremony by the pond and the barn/patio for the reception were perfect and was so convenient to have them in one location. Jack is the absolute best and it truly wouldn't have been as special without him there taking care of everything and making sure we didn't have anything to worry about.
AvatarJ
11/29/2016
We recently got married at A Private Estate and it was the best decision we ever made. Aside from the venue being absolutely beautiful and unique, Ripley and Jack were super knowle...
dgeable on all things wedding and extremely accommodating. I had no idea what I was doing, Ripley recommended a caterer, wedding planner, baker and florist that turned out to all be amazing. The cottage house that was included in the package was stunning, comfortable and really romantic. It was very convenient for me and my bridesmaids to get ready and walk a few steps to the isle, believe me that is worth a lot when there are so many moving parts. We had our ceremony right on the waterfront, my guests continue to rave about the property and the mesmerizing view from the lawn. We held our reception in the barn on the property which is very elegant and spacious, we even got to enjoy a bonfire on the back patio. The best part about A Private Estate is the ability to have any type of wedding from rustic to elegant, this venue can pull anything off and is affordable. Wedding planning can be very complicated and stressful but Ripley made it seamless with her list of preferred vendors and understanding demeanor. The photos on their site and Facebook page do it no justice, give the place a visit because you cannot capture the beauty of A Private Estate in a photo. I can continue to go on and on about my experience at A Private Estate and I'm probably leaving out a million more details about how Ripley and Jack made the most important day of my life perfect. I would recommend A Private Estate to any couple wanting to have a stress free and memorable wedding. Thank you Ripley and Jack! Chris & Joy Dominique

Service area & Contact info

930 Woods Road, Germantown, NY
930 Woods Road, Germantown, NY
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A Private Estate
Ripley Hathaway
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Typically responds within 24h
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A Private Estate
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