Beardslee Castle — Little Falls, NY

About this venue

Beardslee Castle in Little Falls is exactly what it sounds like, an actual castle. Built in 1860 as a limestone replica of an Irish castle, it sits on 8 acres in the Mohawk Valley and has been hosting weddings since its full restoration in 1994. It’s one of those venues that has real history behind it, and you can feel that the moment you walk onto the grounds.

The outdoor ceremony spaces are where it really shines. Think lush garden spaces, a gorgeous fountain, and towering mature trees that give you beautiful natural shade. And if you hold your ceremony in the front yard, the castle literally sits behind you in photos. The venue also handles in-house catering through Chef Randall Brown, with a seasonally inspired menu that pulls from local farms.

Why we love it

The fountain and garden backdrop is something we genuinely get excited to photograph. It’s lush, it’s timeless, and it photographs beautifully in almost any season. The large mature trees on the grounds are a bonus, especially for summer weddings when harsh midday light can make outdoor portraits tricky. That natural canopy acts like nature’s softbox, and your photos will thank you for it.

But the real showstopper? If you do an outdoor ceremony in the front yard, the castle is right behind you in the ceremony photos. There are not many venues in CNY where your backdrop is an actual 165-year-old castle, and that alone makes for images couples hang on their walls forever. It’s one of those venues where you don’t have to work hard to make it look amazing, because it already does.