From Boston to Brooklyn, everything about Amanda Vaught and Keith Pepler’s courtship had to do with a city. But when it came time to take that ultimate step, “rural” was the name of the game. “We looked at approximately five other places, but once we visited Shadow Lawn it felt like the perfect place for us to have our wedding,” says Vaught, who was instantly drawn to the verdant grounds, the 18th-century Dutch stone house, and the 19th-century English-style barn that once housed livestock, farming equipment, and eight-plus tons of hay.
To kick off the festivities, Vaught’s sister performed a civil marriage ceremony on the lawn, which is situated near a waterfall. An outdoor cocktail reception followed, with music from a local bluegrass band. The guests then moved towards the barn—with its exposed oak-pegged beams and original hand-wrought hardware—for dinner, dancing, and an end-of-the-night bonfire.
“I would enthusiastically recommend the location, as long as the bride and groom are willing to put in the extra time to select the individual vendors,” says Vaught. “The owners really made a difference in the end—professional, great to work with, and seemed to really care about helping us put our wedding together and make it a great celebration.”
Weddings are held May through October. The barn holds 120 people for dinner and dancing, and parties up to 150 may host a tented event on lawn. The site fee, about $6,400, includes a six-person team to help with the wedding day, access to the grounds and barn in the days preceding the wedding, a late-evening bonfire, and assisted parking.
Top photos by Dennis Nutley; Bottom photo by Keith Ferris Photo