This article was originally featured in Wedding Lovely!
Hello lovelies! Today we’re taking a wedding venue walk through of FEAST at Round Hill, a stunning wedding venue in the Hudson Valley, Washingtonville, NY and our tour guide will be owner Peter Kupersmith. Enjoy:
Tell us a bit about your venue:
Round Hill, an 1800’s restored Greek revival Manor, is set on 12 private acres in the beautiful Hudson Valley, only a short distance from Manhattan. Intimate, romantic, enveloped by lush gardens, fountains and lawns, Round Hill has been designed to stand apart and appeal to those who want something different for their celebration.
What makes your business unique?
With over 20 years of catering experience, our palette includes a wide variety of selections to satisfy the most discerning taste. We cater only one event a day at Round Hill so couples are never on the heels of another event. We do not proceed in cookie-cutter fashion. Planning starts with the couple’s concept and vision and implemented by their menu choices, format, layout, colors and style, which is discussed and designed with our team of event specialists. We are also all-inclusive; we believe in a straightforward price without unexpected and unwanted surcharges and additional fees.
Do you target any particular niche?
Couples who want the casual elegance of a country estate with the sophistication and quality of Manhattan. Round Hill is a unique alternative to a typical banquet hall and is a perfect choice for couples who are looking for an intimate space surrounded by the beauty of the Hudson Valley.
What’s your favorite part of the job?
Helping couples realize their unique and personal vision for their event. No two weddings are ever the same; each is a representation of the couple’s unique personalities, customs, history and love for one another. It’s amazing to see that come to life.
How do you help couples customize their weddings?
Our event specialists guide couple’s through the entire planning process—from the first day through the final detail. They are given the opportunity to attend tastings held throughout the year so they will know what to expect on the day of their event.
Do you have any funny stories about a past wedding or event?
FEAST catered a wedding around 20 years ago at a former summer camp in Pine Bush. The camp could accommodate about 40 or 50 couples sleeping there through the weekend, so we wound up doing the Rehearsal dinner Friday night, the wedding reception Saturday, and a big brunch on Sunday in the main house. The bride and groom were a great looking couple, the type you could put on the top of a wedding cake. Sunday brunch arrives and all of the guests were in the house milling around waiting for the appearance of the bride and groom from their “honeymoon” night. The bride came down the staircase first in her “morning-after” dress; followed by the groom — in the bride’s wedding dress she had worn the day before! And, with a few obvious adjustments, he looked great! The dress fit him perfectly. He kept the dress on through the whole brunch; all the guests were hysterical laughing. Hey, it’s your wedding — you can do whatever you want!
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned?
We did a wedding once for a local couple; the groom was a techie “nerd” and the bride was a gorgeous Latina woman. On the surface of it, they appeared to be a “mis-match”. But the groom seemed head over heels in love with this beautiful woman and took the lead in planning the wedding, which took place in the backyard of his home. He totally re-landscaped his property, built an elaborate gazebo to stand under for the ceremony; commissioned an artist to make a painting of the ceremony area and used this as his invitation; flew in a 12 piece band from Jamaica for the reception in addition to a DJ; created a digitalized cartoon character who acted as the “Master of Ceremonies” on a big screen under the reception tent; and had more food served than could be eaten by a Russian army. Watching the guests’ reaction to all of this, they did not seem to be that impressed by the groom’s efforts to put all of this together. I asked the groom whether he thought that the guests had an appreciation for what he had done. His response was that he didn’t really care what they thought; that the joy he derived was in the process of doing all of this for the woman he loved. So this taught me a lesson about weddings (and life in general) — whatever effort and time you put into the wedding process, do it for the JOY of doing it, not for any “reward” or expectation of appreciation by others.
Any tips for brides on the hunt for a venue?
Weather can be a big factor, especially if you’re planning to have part of your event outdoors. We offer a lovely ceremony space outdoors surrounded by our lush gardens, but also have an alternative indoor ceremony space during inclement weather or chilly winter months.
Thank you, Peter, for this wedding venue walk through!
