An incredible hidden gem in Brooklyn/Queens! We rented the Onderdonk House and grounds as our venue for our wedding and it was an absolute treat. We lucked out on having great weather, and this spot is perfect for an outdoor celebration. The house is a small historical museum and the grounds have picnic tables, a 40’ x 50’ tent, lush green lawns, and a small garden. We had a 150-person DIY wedding on the grounds and it was the perfect setting to have a big, warm gathering of all our loved ones. We did both our ceremony and reception, and had plenty of space for guests to find quiet areas to sit. Virginia, the Director, was great to work with. She is measured, clear, and communicated all the clear rules of the venue.

A few great things I want to call out:

(1) The staff was really lovely! They helped answer all of our questions, assisted people in navigating to restrooms, and chatted with our guests about the museum.

(2) The venue has a very reasonable set of established rules, that easily accommodated the needs of our wedding. They had a hard sound curfew at 10pm and a hard property exit for everybody at 11pm. We had access to the grounds for both Saturday and Sunday to allow one day for partying and one day to clean up. They were clear what areas and hours we had available to us, and as long as we were respectful of it, there wasn’t an issue.

(3) The space is really special, open, and green. We were able to hang our own lanterns and string lights in the trees to create a nice grove, while the venue’s tent fit the dining tables, bar, live band, and dance floor.

(4) Speaking of the band, we had no issue with sound! We were worried because we had both a live band and DJ. Virginia mentioned that she would be stern about the volume if she felt that it was too loud for the space and their neighbors, but we never received a warning, never felt that the music was too soft, and everybody seemed to have a great time!

My husband and I got married here and it was the perfect venue for us. We weren't even considering having our wedding in NYC until we realized there was this perfect gem of a venue right in our own neighborhood of Ridgewood! It's a beautiful piece of land surrounded by industrial buildings on one side and a residential neighborhood on the other - and it's just steps from the some of the hippest parts of Brooklyn. The location worked out really well for us because it's a beautiful and fun spot where we could have the outdoor garden-style wedding we wanted - equipped with a huge tent, picnic tables, a fire pit, and plenty of lawn space. You can even see the Manhattan skyline from a few places, which makes for a beautiful sunset. The house itself is also very charming and made for excellent photos.
We loved that we could take a walk with our photographer to take really cool magazine-ready photos with the murals and industrial backdrop nearby. There aren't a lot of nice hotels in the area, but most of our out-of-town guests did just fine with airbnbs and some of our family members just took ubers from other hotels in the city.
Best of all, we could afford this idyllic spot - which again, we did not expect! It's definitely DIY because they don't have much beyond some chairs, tables, and a few staff for general maintenance - but that meant we had all of the flexibility for our vendors, and we could bring our own everything. It was also incredible to have the place reserved for two days, which allowed us time to set up, break down, and have folks hang out the day after with a little picnic.
We love, love, love the Onderdonk House and all of its charm - and our guests did, too. It has made us fall in love with Ridgewood even harder!

Amazing outdoor venue on the Brooklyn-Queens border. What a gem! This place is very DIY - you literally have to bring everything yourself except the tables, chairs and tent, but if you're looking for a farmhouse, backyard wedding, it can't be beat! The rental price includes two full days, so you have plenty of time to set up on Saturday and then worry about the breakdown on Sunday. The tent is massive and can easily fit over a hundred guests. There is a hard-out at 11pm, which means that we were heading out around 10:30pm, so the only thing I would have changed is to have an earlier start because it felt a little rushed. If you're in NYC and outdoor receptions are your thing - go check out the Onderdonk!