Winthrop Estate Fountain, photo by Kevin Sprague

The weather in Lenox has been glorious this week.  The summer-like days bring warming sun to the daffodils and trees and they are blooming everywhere.  We uncovered our fountain, taking off the heavy winter tent, and we are into spring cleaning on the grounds, and getting tan too. We are looking forward to the families who will be coming for their vacations or special occasions this season and have been busy on email, being in touch with the guests to answer questions, and make plans and reservations.  Spring time brings a flurry of activity from everyone thinking about the summer.    Happy Spring!

Dining Room, set for a reception dinner, wedding weekend

The Dining Room is set here for a reception dinner. Guests were enjoying the cocktail hour when we took this picture. This room can hold 4 tables of 8 people each at the most.  These table centerpieces were created by the estate florist, Crocus Hale.  The table settings, linens and chairs were rented from Classical Tents.

Verandah with Mist, early morning

This picture was taken in 2004 and continues to evoke the morning magic of being at a country estate. When you see the mist rising from the ground in the morning, and rising up from the valley to the west, you can hear many birds singing.

Stunning New England Fall Foliage

You don’t have to go driving to see the trees turning. You can sit on the verandah and look west to see this vista. This picture was taken in late October, 2008. Each year we try to guess the peak of foliage in New England and each year no one can quite agree which week it is when you are in it. It’s only in hindsight that we know the “peak”. It depends on water and warmth and sun, and I love watching the trees change for many weeks during the fall in Lenox. The estate has a tree map noting the many types of trees on the property. We have some specimen plantings from about 80 years ago, including some rare Ginko Biloba trees.

For a city wedding, you rent a function space for about five hours, invites guests for a meal and dancing, and the bride and groom and family spend time with their guests and celebrate for about five hours.  But when you plan a destination wedding, you plan a whole weekend, and everyone has a totally different experience. Most importantly, the bride and groom get to spend time with family and friends on Friday night, Saturday morning, afternoon and night, and Sunday morning. You can even plan for it to be longer than a week.

Destination weddings are all  about the people- your relationships.  A destination wedding gives everyone a vacation and more time to spend with each other. Isn’t that the purpose of having a wedding celebration after all? I think the most important and meaningful aspect of a wedding is being with friends and family and celebrating together.  The food and music are nice, and we couldn’t do without them, but the memories and the moments are created by and with the people, your friends and family.

A Whole New Experience
When you rent a private estate for a weekend, you get a large home to welcome and host your guests.  Friends stop by “your home” on Friday night as they get into town.  They enjoy a light meal (maybe a buffet), a drink and some time to catch up.  On Saturday, you might invite your guests for lemonade and Frisbee on “your lawn”, or a card game in your living room.  You might treat your bridal party to massages in “your massage room” or just spend time with friends on the couch.  Saturday afternoon you would enjoy a lovely ceremony (set up by the estate staff, you don’t have to lift a finger) and a delicious meal and dancing.  Unlike a function hall, you do not have to leave after the dancing.  Those who like to stay up late and talk can continue with the wedding energy and enjoy more social time in “your library or conservatory” with midnight sliders and milkshakes, or whatever you enjoy.  On Sunday, you have another opportunity to make memories and have meaningful conversations with your guests as you host a farewell brunch and again welcome guests into “your dining room” to enjoy your favorite foods.

The Advantages of choosing the Winthrop Estate

• You do not pay bar prices for your drinks.  You basically get to pay for all your alcohol at retail prices.
• You can choose your caterer, so it’s up to you whether  you want to make the menu simple or elaborate. Unlike fancy hotels, there are no food and beverage minimum fees at the Winthrop Estate.
• When you rent the Winthrop Estate, you get exclusive use of the estate (think privacy), use of 11 bedrooms for two nights, a venue to  can host the rehearsal dinner,  Saturday afternoon activities, a ceremony, a reception, and an after-party and farewell brunch without any extra fees.  The estate staff takes care of the event coordination, set up and the clean up. You don’t have to worry about a thing, and can focus all your attention to having a good time.
• You will not have a cookie-cutter wedding.  Each weekend wedding reflects the bride and groom’s personality and choices.  You can arrange for a wedding planner to do everything after consulting with you, or  you yourself can make decisions about all the details and tailor everything to suit your style and taste.

By choosing a destination wedding, you’ll find your self spending almost the same as a hotel wedding. But you’re guaranteed a special, incredible wedding experience.  You get a lot more time with your friends and family, and an incredible weekend full of memories to cherish forever. Who wouldn’t want that?