Handsome Hollow can only be described as idyllic. The wedding venue includes a three-bedroom house, a 4,000-square-foot barn and 93 acres of fields, meadows, forests and mountain views situated in Long Eddy, NY. Whether you imagine an intimate, casual day, or something more formal and grand, Handsome Hollow was created to be your dream wedding come true.
Husband-and-wife owners Huck Botko and Kate Murphy transformed their weekend home into a wedding venue, basically from the ground up. They came to the area from New York City 15 years ago and remodeled the 19th-century farmhouse on the property, which had been dormant for a while and needed a lot of work. After years of renovation, they had a charming country home. They left the original details and added modern updates. Soon they began to rent it out on Airbnb, and many guests started asking about holding events there. That’s how they got the idea to create Handsome Hollow.
The venue opened in August 2015 and had a successful season of weddings. This coming summer, the owners already have 23 weddings booked. It is available from May to October (check the website for dates and rates). The rate includes the entire weekend, and guests can make use of the house, the grounds or the barn, with the ceremony and reception held where you wish. Kate and Huck are the point-people during the weekend; they also have a list of their preferred recommendations for caterers, florists and the like. Location options for the ceremony include a fallen stone wall from the original barn foundation, an open field with mountain views, or an ancient apple grove.
The Handsome Hollow wedding barn has soaring ceilings, original post-and-beam construction and elegant details. Originally built 240 years ago near Albany, NY, the structure was a working dairy barn until the spring of 2014, when it was dismantled and cleaned for relocation. In October 2014, the timbers were delivered and the frame assembled on-site in 10 days. Over the following eight months, local craftsman worked on the barn and the grounds until completion in July 2015.
The barn comfortably seats 150 people. There are two bathrooms, each uniquely designed, and a kitchen and catering area. The siding is an antique silver-grey barn wood with a standing-seam roof and cupola. On the side is a bluestone cocktail patio with an overhang in case of rain.
Kate and Huck didn’t have any previous wedding business experience, but they do love to entertain. Kate is a creative director in advertising, and Huck is in the film and television business, so they have a flair for organizing and designing, as well as putting their personal touch on things. They are happy to work with local businesses, and appreciate their relationships.
The house, the barn and the grounds are beautifully designed, bringing the old Catskills country together with new modern and sleek décor. It all makes for an unforgettable rustic chic wedding destination.