Where to start. As locals (I'm from Shandaken and my husband is from Woodstock), my husband and I are intimately familiar with the Catskills and are very fortunate to have grown up... there. We know the Mountains like the backs of our hands, and wanted a venue that reflected our love of the area and also showcased and supported the local people and other local vendors. Many of the kind folks working at the Mountain House were old friends and/or acquaintances, and working with them was so comfortable and enjoyable.
Jeremy (the Manager/Wedding coordinator/provider of all things) is AMAZING. He is supremely organized, calm, and respectful. He works with you to make sure every detail is accommodated, even if it's not included and is something additional. If you have add-on catering requests he goes out and does the shopping himself. You work with him throughout the entire planning process, and you never feel like there is anything left out or forgotten. Your day is constructed and built up around you, your personality, and your preferences, and on the day, it's truly magical to watch it all come together. On the day of our Wedding, every person on staff was helpful, respectful, sweet, and patient. You can tell they put up with a lot, given the high demands of brides and grooms these days, and they still treated our Wedding like it was something extremely special that they were thrilled to be a part of.
The actual day was just a joy to experience. Being on site at the Mountain House is an amazing, no-words type of beauty. Even having lived in those Mountains my whole life, the views took my breath away. We were lucky enough to have had a beautiful clear day, but even misty/rainy days are gorgeous at the Mountain House and they are clearly very prepared for any type of bad weather. The rooms (we got ready and stayed in the Cottage, the Overlook room), are luxurious and beautiful with all of the amenities of a 4-star B&B. Breakfast in the morning was provided by Jeremy himself and was fantastic.
Onteora works with the local Blue Mountain Bistro for catering and the food was incredible, from the cocktail hour appetizers to the dessert (they also provide the Wedding cake). The bartender perfectly crafted our Drink of the Day and it was a huge hit. The food tasting was several months before, and our parents attended in our place since we couldn't be there, but Bistro hosted a private tasting especially for us when we came in to visit our families a few months later. Since I didn't get to eat much at the actual Wedding I felt lucky to have tasted everything previously.
In Summary, the Mountain House truly showcases how hard-working and kind the local people of the area are, the pride they take in their work, and how they will go above and beyond for you. Show them the respect they deserve and you will not be disappointed in this choice of Wedding venue.