Bear Ridge Destination Reviews

Bear Ridge Destination is the absolute dream venue for so many reasons-- its beauty, the team, and the location. This venue is absolutely gorgeous— it looks amazing in pictures, of course, but you really have to see the space to understand the magnitude of its beauty. The barndominium (the 8 rooms under the venue) were perfect for the bridal party and the bridal suite down there was perfect for getting ready on the morning of the wedding. The other large cabins on site were perfect for our families, too, because it allowed everyone to stay on site the night of the wedding.

Laikin, the venue coordinator, was so, so, so helpful and attentive— she really made the day so perfect by being detail-oriented and experienced with weddings. She answered all of my many, many questions and she was flexible to some day-of changes. I received so many compliments about the space and how efficient Laikin’s team was— the guests were all very, very impressed.

I would recommend this venue to absolutely everyone, whether the couple is local or looking for destination spots. The venue is enormous and can accommodate a large guest list, and Laikin also has options for renting some additional decor, which was super helpful. Again, I have nothing but praise for Laikin, her team, and the venue itself. My wedding would not have been as perfect as it was without her and her space!!

This is the MUST have place if you are looking for the most beautiful, jaw dropping place to have your wedding. We were the first winter wedding at Bear Ridge, and let me just tell you, it was AMAZING. The team at Bear Ridge did absolutely everything they could to make sure our day went smoothly.... this included moving tons and tons of snow where they hold the ceremonies, just a few short steps away from the reception building. The outdoor ceremony spot has plenty of room for a big wedding, and has a beautiful backdrop. The downstairs of the lodge has a super nice bridal suite, and plenty of room for the rest of your party to get ready. They offer all the amenities that you'd need whether you're staying just for the day, or for the entire weekend (Like we did). All of the bedrooms are super cute and offer the luxury you'd see from places that are far more expensive. As you make your way upstairs to the main reception area you'll find beautiful wood work, and lighting that really sets the mood once the sun goes down. Theres also a loft that overlooks the main floor that can serve many purposes... We used it for our DJ, and to setup a photo booth that was a blast!! We used, the.event.full on Instagram... it was a great compliment to Bear Ridge. The loft also has a deck that you can walk out onto and get some fresh air or snap a pic of the scenery. We took some of our wedding party photos out there and they turned out AWESOME!!!
The parking lot is large, we had about 200 people and there was plenty of room for everyone. The barn also is very spacious... we were worried because of the way the world is now that people would not have enough room for social distancing... but once everyone was in the building we saw just how big the place really is. The bar area is built really well and has tons of space for all of your liquor and wine, and they also have a four tap system that you can bring your kegs in for draft beer.
The owners, Sheldon and Laikin, did an absolute killer job on this place... and Laikin was super helpful with every question we had as a couple of first time wedding planners. I can't recommend this place enough, I've literally told EVERYONE we know that if they're not getting married at Bear Ridge Destination, they're making a mistake!! If you're looking for the BEST place to get married in Western NY, look no further. 5 Stars 10/10

Our wedding day was absolute perfection thanks to Bear Ridge. Everything was truly magnificent and more than we could have ever dreamed of. Family and friends continue to talk about the venue and sing their praises for the authentic, chic, rustic, and unique style Bear Ridge has to offer. The team at Bear Ridge made everything seamless and worked with us throughout the entire process. They were helpful in every way they could be and made our day that much more meaningful. There is truly no other venue like Bear Ridge. The venue space itself along with the ceremony space and the homes on the property make for a one of a kind, ideal wedding retreat for any couple. We would highly recommend this space to anyone, you won't regret it!

We were SO thrilled with our decision to have our intimate wedding at Bear Ridge Destination! Our family and bridal party all stayed multiple nights with us in the beautiful houses on location and it was magical! From nights in the tipi to the tented dinner and perfect little barn reception, we couldn't have picked a better place! We loved working with them! Recently went back to celebrate our one year anniversary and babymoon in the cabin by the pond and we had so much fun reminiscing about our big day and seeing all the new improvements to the grounds!

I signed a wedding contract with Laikin while this barn was just a slab of concrete, knowing it would be beautiful but MAN did they go above and beyond. This venue is amazing, and in my opinion- it blows the other venues near Erie out of the water. The ambiance, lighting, and energy here is amazing. A beautiful building is great and all, but if the management is poor then it really doesn’t come full circle. This brings me to one of the best things about this property- Laikin and Sheldon. Laikin is the property manager who helps make all of Sheldon’s crazy big ideas come to life. They are such down to earth people who are so pleasant to work with. You talk to them and just feel like you’re old friends. Very trustworthy, they don’t make things complicated or difficult for your big day, and they genuinely care. They were very helpful and helped minimize my stress. They are go-getters and absolutely nothing they do is half assed. They roll with any situation and I never once doubted whether they would make things work for me. They have been very busy with opening this new venue, so if they don’t get back to you immediately, be patient and know that they will! They really are awesome people.

My wedding here had around 260 guests. We sat 3 round tables on the upper balcony to leave space on the main level for a dance floor. In my own personal opinion I wouldn’t want more people than that because you’d either have to fill the dance floor area with tables or place more tables on the balcony where people couldn’t see below. You certainly could have more people and just move the tables away from the dance floor later though. They have a bar with 4 taps, an ice machine, and lots of refrigerator space for drinks. There is high quality surround sound, making the ambiance that much nicer. The multi levels and multiple balconies allowed people to walk around and really enjoy themselves. There is a pond on the property but it’s far enough away I don’t think you need to worry much with children. This venue doesn’t even require much decor as it is so beautiful on its own. All 8 beds in the downstairs are comfy memory foam mattresses. The AC works wonderfully, keeping it nice and cool on all 3 levels. The bathrooms are beautiful. Having all of those bedrooms there made it so relaxed for my wedding party. This place is top notch.

Note: We rented out the entire property, so we had the 8 barn bedrooms, the couples cabin, tipi, and the 2 large guest houses. This allowed us to sleep around 50 people, making it so stress free for our close family and friends. For additional lodging needs there is a hotel as well as the Peak nearby, making things convenient by giving guests nearby options even though this venue is in the middle of the countryside.

Laikin and Sheldon: thank you so much for all of the blood, sweat, and tears you put into bringing this masterpiece together. You two are the definition of a power team. You helped bring together the best day of my life like it was just another day. Thank you for being so kind, trustworthy, hard working, down to earth, and for just being YOU. The world needs more people like y’all 💓

The most beautiful ceremony and reception I could have hoped for! The vision of my dream wedding came together at Bear Ridge! The bartenders were fabulous as well!