Locust Grove Estate Reviews

I was so excited to be able to book Locust Grove for our wedding. I attended a wedding there as a guest and have visited many times. It’s a beautiful estate! We worked with Janna and she was fantastic. She was responsive and accommodating. Between our wedding coordinators, caterer and the seamless flow of the venue, I didn’t have to worry about a thing the day of the wedding. I got ready in the cottage with the mothers and bridesmaids. It was so fun!
We had the ceremony outside but it was a relief to have an indoor option that could be determined day of. The grounds are flat and one level, which was perfect for some of our guests’ needs.
We had a beautiful ceremony and reception at Locust Grove. I highly recommend it!
Photos by Richard Krutik Photography

Booking Locust Grove Estate was the best decision I made during wedding planning. The venue is stunning and yet so affordable. Locust Grove provides the space, the arch, and the chairs, but does not require you to book with their preferred vendors. Because of this, you can design your day exactly as you want it to be and within your own budget. We got so many compliments on the location, which is a Hudson Valley oasis nestled in Poughkeepsie, with beautiful gardens and views of the Hudson River. You get the best of both worlds with Locust Grove because your ceremony can be outside, but the reception space is indoors and has AC. There is a Courtyard Marriott next door, and a walking path connects the two properties, which was super convenient for our guests and saved us the expense of providing transportation. Also, I'd highly recommend booking the Greystone House to get ready in, it is beautiful and spacious and provides a great backdrop for photos. I could not recommend Locust Grove Estate enough!

Ken was amazingly kind during the whole process!! It was a beautiful place to get married (we got to experience it in both rain and shine and it was magical in both settings). We cannot wait to go back and visit on our anniversary! All of our guest remarked about how beautiful the space was! We also rented out Greystone House which was magnificent! Highly recommend doing that too for brides!

We loved working with Ken and the team at Locust Grove for our wedding. They were so helpful with planning and coordinating the day that we didn’t have to worry about a thing. Ken was so friendly and knowledgeable and made everyone feel welcome. The Greystone house is stunning to get ready in!

Locust Grove Estate is absolutely beautiful. The gallery, grounds, garden, and property are gorgeous. We had our wedding there recently and it was the perfect venue! The foliage looked wonderful, the hall was spacious. Choosing this venue was very budget-friendly and Ken is so helpful and communicative. We highly recommend. Thank you, Locust Grove!

Locust Grove is an incredibly beautiful venue. It couldn’t have been more perfect for our 90-person wedding in late August. The ceremony space was a garden that was so full of life - it was exactly what we wanted as we took such an important step forward together. After the ceremony, the cocktail hour happened on the patio, which was a perfect space to enjoy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and the beautiful weather with our loved ones! The reception space is also excellent, and had a fantastic dance floor and great HVAC to keep the guests cool, calm, and collected. We love Locust Grove and are so excited to have it be a part of our relationship. We look forward to coming back to visit in the future! Also, no review of Locust Grove would be complete without the mention of Kenneth Snodgrass, the director - he is an absolute champion and was always willing to help us with whatever we needed to make sure our wedding went perfectly!

Locust Grove was the most unique and beautiful wedding venue! We looked at over 20 venues and the second we found locust grove we knew it was the one. Ken is an absolute pleasure to work with! Each of our guests was so surprised by how beautiful the venue was. We plan on coming back every year to celebrate our anniversary and walk along the trails!

Locust grove is an insanely beautiful place to have a wedding. Ken the contact is amazing and always there to answer questions. The added benefit is that besides weddings they do such great work for the community that it is so nice knowing that's where our money is going. The greystone house that the ladies used to get ready is STUNNING.

I was very specifically looking for an outdoor venue with a good indoor backup space for bad weather. This place was so gorgeous. On the most perfect day, my guests were blown away by the natural beauty of this place. And it required MINIMAL decor, just a little to personalize the space a bit. So happy I found this place, the day would not be the same anywhere else!!

Ken and the staff at Locust Grove are absolutely amazing, and so responsive! The grounds and the main event space are breathtaking, and provided the perfect backdrop to our special day. Keep in mind you will have to bring in all your vendors (food, cake, DJ, etc.), as they just provide the venue, but it's SO worth it.

My husband and I both met at Marist College, so getting married at Locust Grove had always been a dream of mine. From the beginning, Ken, was so great to work with! Covid hit us mid wedding planning, and Ken was always available to answer any questions we had. In the end we ended up going forth with a 50 person wedding and I would not change a single thing. The space was perfect- people had plenty of place to roam around and although we only had 6 tables at dinner, the space felt full and lively the entire night. The grounds are absolutely stunning and we were able to get some really amazing photos. For the brides- I also highly recommend renting Greystone House for your "getting ready photos," you will NOT be disappointed. Locust Grove is perfect for the couple who doesn't want a traditional banquet/hotel wedding, still wants that "outdoors" feel, but wants something a bit more sophisticated than a barn.

Ken was so helpful and gave great recommendations for caterers. He was so kind and great to work with. The facilities are. Beautiful and clean.

Had our wedding at Locust Grove in April of 2018 and it was perfect. The process was very smooth and everything was easy, taking one part of the stress away from our wedding.

The grounds were amazing for photos and our guests were able to explore the gardens and trails before the ceremony started. The cherry blossoms were out for our photos so couldn't have been more perfect!

We loved having our wedding here! It met all our needs - outdoor garden ceremony space (with indoor space as a backup if it rains), beautiful terrace for cocktail hour, and air conditioned reception space with tables/chairs provided. It was super convenient since the catering staff had access to the kitchen and there was ample parking and nice bathrooms for guests. We got a hotel block at the courtyard Marriott next door and our guests were able to walk from the reception back to the hotel, eliminating the need for shuttles/Uber/designated drivers. Ken was extremely responsive and helpful as we planned our wedding.

We had our wedding at The Locust Grove in late May, and couldn't be happier with our decision. Ken was a pleasure to work with, and was great with communication. The gardens were a bit delayed due to the winter, but still were gorgeous and provided ample background to our ceremony. We fell in love with the outdoor patio where we had our cocktail hour, and the backyard area overlooking the hudson river where the ceremony was held. Absolutely loved it!

Locust Grove was the perfect wedding venue! Similar to other reviewers, we didn't look anywhere else. We had our wedding ceremony and reception here October 20, 2018 and absolutely loved it. Everything about the space is beautiful. Ken was a pleasure to work with and answered all of our questions quickly. The venue fee goes towards maintaining the grounds and educational programs. The best part was being able to decide whether we wanted an indoor or outdoor ceremony the day of, weather dependent. Would definitely recommend for future weddings any time of year!

Very simply, Locust Grove was the absolute perfect place to get married. My wife and I literally didn't look anywhere else, and decided we wanted to have our wedding there about 30 seconds into seeing the space. They have multiple spots to choose from for the ceremony; we got lucky with the weather and did ours outdoors, but would have been fine holding it in either of the beautiful galleries if we had to. The cocktail hour spot was perfect - we had a live jazz trio and it worked so well in the covered outdoor space, and the reception room was absolutely beautiful. There are beautiful gardens all over the property, and the entire place is just gorgeous. Our guests were blown away. Ken, Jay and Sean were all great to work with. We really hope to do another event there one day. HIGHLY recommend!!

What a beautiful site! I knew this was the venue when we first walked in. The price is affordable compared to other "barn" or "garden" type weddings because Locust Grove provides all of the tables and chairs that we needed! We didn't need to rent them! Ken was so helpful from start to finish. We had our ceremony on site as well. We are so happy with our decision to be married at Locust Grove! It was perfect!

Very happy with this beautiful venue. Loved the grounds of the property and very happy leaves were still on the trees for this time of year. This venue definitely met our expectations for a rustic serene look and feel. The space we had for our reception was comfortable and spacious for our 120 guests. Happy we were able to use the separate room for our food setup which allowed more space for dancing. We recommend having your wedding here or any special event.

Martin & Justin

Ken was absolutely wonderful! He was attentive and professional and things went off without a hitch. Locust Grove is beautiful and the gardens are absolutely gorgeous. The venue where we had all the tables and chairs (these are included in the rental fee) fit all of our guests and vendors perfectly.

Overall, our wedding in Locust Grove was everything I asked for and more. There's nothing more beautiful than an outside ceremy here. If you pick this place as your venue, don't forget to take a stroll along the gardens before getting married. Trust me!

Locust Grove was the perfect location for my July 2017 wedding of 120 people. There were so many gorgeous spots for photos on the grounds. It was so convenient to have the tables and chairs and not have to pay to bring that in. The venue is so beautiful on its own and needed very few decorations. Our Locust Grove wedding felt intimate and low-key; our guests said they felt like it was out of a story book. Highly recommend this perfect venue!

My husband and I married on May 20, 2017 at the beautiful Locust Grove Estate. We both fell for the natural beauty of the estate with the lovely gardens, the opportunities for exploration of the grounds, Samuel Morse's home, the many gorgeous trees, the display of local artists' work, and the incredible West Gallery. Swoon! Family and friends were equally enamored by the space and grounds and continue to let us know. The director of the estate, Ken, was wonderful to work with, informative, and so helpful with any questions we had. Thank you, Ken!

Our daughter & son-in-law chose Locust Grove Estate for their wedding for its beauty and location and their love of art & nature. Ken Snodgrass was friendly, professional, and helpfully in so many ways. I can't thank him enough. The grounds are so beautiful and our guests enjoyed roaming, taking in their splendor and exploring the art gallery. Locust Grove Estate made our daughter's wedding a truly wondrous event!

I wont lie, what first caught my eye with this place was the affordable price. We paid for our wedding ourselves and we're shocked at how much people wanted to charge to rent a space! When we went to look at the place we were sold. It was beautiful on its own, and I realized it would only take a small amount of decorating on our part. Ken was extremely helpful the whole time. He even let us store stuff there a day early. We received so many compliments on how beautiful the location was!! I highly recommend Locust Grove.

This past October my husband and I had gotten married at Locust Grove Estate in Poughkeepsie, NY. We wanted to keep our wedding on the smaller side, about 65 guests, and Locust Grove provided us with a number of great options to choose from. The best part about choosing Locust Grove was Ken, who was always helpful, clear, and answered any questions we had within an hour or so. He was extremely flexible in allowing us to see all the options that the venue offered and guided to ultimately decide on the room that worked best for us. Initially, it was really difficult for us to select a venue because so many local places required certain headcounts and did not work with smaller events. Locust Grove has many options in rooms that work for small intimate weddings all the way to large weddings.
Hands down, Locust Grove is one of the most beautiful locations in the Hudson Valley area. We were not only given access to a beautiful room for our reception but also had a lovely ceremony out on the lawn by the flower gardens, a cocktail hour outdoors, and access to all of the grounds for photography and cocktail hour. We were lucky enough to have a beautiful fall day that gave us some of the most stunning wedding photos.
Locust Grove and Ken took care of almost everything for us – we were actually surprised by how little we had to do for our big day! Ken knows a number of local vendors (we chose Lola’s Café for our caterer and DJ Domenic for our DJ) and they worked seamlessly together. Another really important feature for us was that Locust Grove does not double book events, so it is only your wedding party who has access to the venue and grounds for the evening. As a recommendation, we would suggest you plan ahead at least a year or two before booking because spots for Locust Grove fill up fast and you don’t want to miss out. Locust Grove and Ken far exceeded our expectations of what we wanted to our wedding day!

We loved having our wedding at Locust Grove and received compliments from all of our guests on how beautiful the venue was. It rained on our day and it was stress-free knowing we had an indoor ceremony option! The building is nice and new (with big, clean, new bathrooms for those of you considering barn weddings!) Ken is responsive and helpful. Everything went perfectly (besides the rain!) and we couldn't be more pleased. The grounds provided an amazing and convenient setting for all of our photos.

This gorgeous, historic estate was not only the perfect venue for our 140 person wedding, but also a pleasure to visit and reserve. It was important to us to have a venue that had both indoor and outdoor spaces, historical architecture details, and enveloped our guests. We booked our June 2016 wedding in April 2015 (we’d recommend booking over a year in advance for this venue during popular months). Ken was absolutely wonderful to work with and was helpful, cheerful, and super responsive. The day of, the grounds were in full bloom and guests loved being able to walk through the gardens.

The best decision we ever made was having our wedding at Locust Grove. The venue is absolutely beautiful and relaxing. The kitchen is top notch and highly liked by caterers. Working with Ken is a breeze, he is such a sweet and caring person who really wants your special day to go smoothly and he is there for you every step of the way. Your guests will be delighted by the beautiful gardens (especially during the fall) and the beauty of the building itself. It is a gem and it is absolutely amazing.

My husband and I celebrated our wedding reception at the Locust Grove Historic Estate on Sunday, May 15th, 2016. We cannot thank Kenneth Snodgrass and the rest of the staff for their unbelievable work. It was such a pleasure working with them! We could not have chosen a better venue. Everyone raved about the beauty of the property and everything was just seamless. We will definitely return for a mansion tour. During our initial conversation, Kenneth was so kind, energetic and knowledgeable. His guidance and support along the way with regards to vendor recommendations was accurate and greatly appreciated. He was always so professional and timely in his responses. Kenneth and the Locust Grove staff helped make our day as perfect as it was.

Ken is fantastic! So quick to respond to questions, very accommodating, and funny! Everyone we encountered there, though, was great. It is a beautiful place and we feel we could not have picked a better spot for our wedding. Recommend very highly.

The grounds are exquisite and the reception hall is divine. Ken, the events manager is a pleasure to work with and very interested in making sure you event is perfect. We held our wedding on a Monday and they were so helpful with set up and breakdown. It rained midday but Ken was more than happy to wipe down the chairs to have our ceremony in the afternoon when it cleared up. I am so happy to have picked this venue!

We had our reception here. We love Locust Grove. One of the best things about Locust Grove is working with Ken. He is super responsive and very helpful. He was truly excellent to work with!

We had our wedding reception at Locust Grove in July, and the venue was exquisite. Every part of the property was immaculate, and the gardens were fully in bloom. The outdoor space was perfect for our cocktail hour, and the West Gallery was perfect for dinner and dancing. The views were wonderful for our wedding pictures! It was the perfect balance of indoor/outdoor. The comfort of air conditioning with all the beauty of the Hudson Valley surrounding. Ken was a delight to work with as well! We could not have chosen a more beautiful or perfect venue for our celebration!

We held our ceremony at Locust Grove. It was difficult to find a venue that had both indoor and outdoor options. We wanted outdoor but the option for indoor if the weather would not allow for it, which this venue offered without having to commit to in/out until the day prior. Ken was amazing! He was so helpful, responsive and professional throughout the planning process, which was complicated by the fact that we live in FL but he made everything so smooth. He was running around helping make everything perfect that day. He anticipated our needs and went out of his way to accommodate us and our guests. We cannot thank him enough. I cannot recommend this beautiful venue or Ken more highly. Thank you for making our day amazing!

Such a beautiful venue! It was absolutely perfect in every way! The grounds are breath-taking. I love this place! All my guests were very surprised at how beautiful the venue turned out.

We were thoroughly impressed by Locust Grove throughout the entire process of having our wedding there. We had about 150 people with a DJ and the space worked great. The grounds are beautiful and the setup worked really well with a buffet dinner that we had set up on the covered porch. Can't think of a single complaint! I would say that 150 people is probably close to the max though for the size of the room.

We recently had our wedding at Locust Grove in May 2015. The proximity to NYC and the beautiful outdoor scenery helped make our day unforgettable! We had looked all over for an outdoor venue with views of the Hudson River that still had an intimate feel despite our large guest list. Locust Grove gave us all of that! Our wedding day was a warm, sunny day when their huge magnolia tree was in bloom and spectacular! We had our ceremony by the riverfront and were rewarded with an amazing sunset. It was a family friendly event and the kids had a great time running around the gardens and fields and the staff allowed us to bring in our own lawn games for additional entertainment. We were concerned that the dining area was too small for our number of guests, so we rented a tent for additional space. We placed the tent next to the dining hall to house the band and dance floor. It worked perfectly! It felt like the music and dining areas were as one and offered us the extra room we needed for 150 people to boogie. It really is a great venue that allows for so many opportunities to make it your own.
We worked closely with Ken and it is easy to say that he is the heart of Locust Grove! His warm and calming nature helped ease the stresses of wedding planning. He was willing to meet with us on multiple occasions to walk through the estate and discuss the different possibilities. He also meet with our other vendors to coordinate any additional details. His experience and knowledge of what will and won’t work for the ceremony and reception were priceless. We can’t thank him enough!
The combination of the natural beauty and warm staff made Locust Grove an amazing wedding venue that we highly recommend!

A wonderful and beautiful venue. Locust Grove was the only place I wanted to get married. The gardens and grounds are perfect for pictures. Our ceremony was outside and the setting was perfect. The room inside is simple and can be made to look anyway you want. Ken is very responsive to questions and helpful with all of your needs.

Locust grove is a beautiful location for any event. Ken was so easy to work with. The day of my wedding I didn't even know he was there until the end of the evening. It is a great place for pictures and the ground hog was an extra bonus. The critter stayed out of the way and was a humorous addition to the ceremony. The west hall was the right size for my 85 guests to dance the night away.

I recently had my wedding at Locust Grove. It was an amazing experience. Ken really did a great job handling all of the questions and planning leading up to the event, and made it really easy for us to understand exactly what the venue could and could not accommodate. He also worked with my caterer to make sure we were well taken care of. And on the day, our event manager was really great, and handled any issues that came up, so I didn't have to worry about a thing! The gardens and the museum were both extremely well kept and beautiful. I would highly recommend this event space to anyone looking to really use the space to create a beautiful wedding.

Locust Grove is the location to have a wedding if you are looking for a picturesque Hudson Valley setting with historic beauty and ambiance. From the first time we sat down with Ken to plan out our wedding reception we were greeted with professionalism and courtesy. Locust Grove was the perfect size for an intimate wedding setting, and the grounds and gardens were so perfectly maintained that our guests enjoyed strolling the estate during cocktail hour, and dancing the night away in the West Gallery. The venue will forever be a special place for us, and one we will gladly return to with fond memories because of how perfectly our wedding day went.

Locust Grove was perfect. The director, Ken Snodgrass, was far and away the most responsive person I worked with...he's incredible on email! The venue is gorgeous and the pictures are going to be stunning. It rained on our wedding day so we had to use the rain location inside the reception venue but it was still lovely. Also, all of our guests came in from out of town, so having it located so close to the Marriott Courtyard, Holiday Inn, and Rt. 9 was perfect. We loved the look of Locust Grove, and we loved that our money was going to support such a wonderful place even more.

We booked Locust Grove for our wedding and were absolutely thrilled with them as a venue. They are super easy to get to from NYC (which is where we live). Take the Metro North to the Poughkeepsie station and then it's a five minute taxi to their location. We really wanted a space that was beautiful in its own right without being over powering, and this fit that to a t. Our guests and photographer couldn't get over how beautiful the grounds were. We had our wedding ceremony overlooking the Hudson river. Ken (who was our contact person) was such a pleasure to work with - prompt, accurate and so incredibly nice. Such

We were lucky to have amazing weather in April - 75 degrees and sunny. The ceremony was outside with the sun setting in the background. The bar and photo booth were outside in the courtyard area and it was perfect. People kept commenting in the beauty of the West Gallery with its vaulted ceiling. This was a perfect spot for my wedding.

Locust Grove is a beautiful venue and a great value. Ken is responsive and helpful. We really enjoyed having our wedding there.

Locust Grove was the perfect setting for my wedding of 115 guests. The grounds are beautiful, the atmosphere is romantic, and the people are great. We wanted an elegant space, not a typical banquet hall. We got compliments all night on our venue choice. We were able to do everything we wanted there and the experience was unforgettable.

My husband and I were looking for a venue that wasn't your typical wedding venue - and Locust Grove was it!! (even though they do many weddings there). Ken and the other staff members of the estate were friendly and easy to talk to. It was perfect to have our ceremony on the back lawn, our cocktail hour on the covered terrace and the reception in the west galley. The property is beautiful and great for pictures!

Gorgeous, air conditioned, perfectly manicured lawns, grounds that can occupy the guests for hours....the worlds happiest bride and groom

We were so incredibly lucky to get this venue for our July 13th Wedding, and it was everything we ever hoped for that day

For anyone looking for a venue outside of the typical wedding factory, this is absolutely perfect!

I had a wonderful wedding at Locust Grove in June. The space was perfect for my party. The gardens are amazing and the gallery was beautiful.

I would highly recommend Locust Grove for your wedding venue. We really wanted a country wedding and at first I had my heart set on a barn. After looking at them I was worried a barn wedding could be ruined due to rain. We decide to go with Locust Grove because it is the best of both worlds. It has a historic/country feel with an indoor space for the reception (and ceremony if necessary). I am so happy we picked it instead of the barn! It ended up being 95 degrees on my May 31st wedding! Who would have thought! While we did have the ceremony and cocktail hour outside I am so glad my guests (especially the older ones) were able to escape the heat inside (with air-conditioning). My mom actually told me one of her co-workers had attended a barn wedding that same weekend and everyone was melting! Besides that locust grove is absolutely beautiful. All of my guests loved how unique the venue is. Kenneth is so easy to work with and was very quick to respond to my emails/questions. Locust Grove provides a really lovely backdrop to your wedding and there is so much space to work with. I brought in a lot of my own decor and details which looked fantastic. Also, as a photographer myself I loved that there are so many amazing places around the property for photographs. It really is nice to have all aspects of your wedding take place in one space. Again, we just LOVED everything about Locust Grove!

I've attended, catered, and organized many events (my own wedding included) at Locust Grove over the last several years. The attentive and incredibly helpful staff are a perfect complement to a space that is perfectly designed for any occasion.

It sounds cliche only because it's true. Locust Grove is a space whose functionality exceeds far beyond just weddings as I've used and seen it used for conferences, board meetings, public concerts, community picnics, and much much more. It's a truly beautiful site whose resources (like restrooms, parking, rental & catering company relationships, access to electricity and water, etc) are unrivaled in the area.

My son's wedding was a wonderful and memorable affair that the Director of Locust Grove Historic Estate in Poughkeepsie helped bring about. Ken Snodgrass is professional, caring and flexible (to the extent possible) with the wishes of the wedding family. My son and daughter-in-law married on the grounds of this glorious estate on a beautiful fall day, and the memories live on till this day. Thank you Locust Grove.

Our reception at Locust Grove was absolutely beautiful. Ken and the staff were really helpful. We chose to get married offsite because their "in event of rain" space was too small for our guests. The Gallery was the perfect size for our group (just over 100) and it was great to have access to the patio and grounds during cocktail hour and throughout the evening. Since our wedding was at the end of September, we rented a few patio heaters for outside - it was well worth it! The rental fee for the space was reasonable, especially considering the money goes toward keeping the estate open and free to the public.

Very professional. The Estate was beautiful. I didn't have any problems. They were very helpful, letting me bring friends and family to the site ahead of time to see the local. Working with my caterers one on one. I was more than happy to make sure it stayed in the great condition we received it in. My only regret was that we didn't take more pictures of the family and wedding party there. The view at sunset was something straight out of a dream. It made the day truly special.

Ken and his team of professionals made our wedding memorable at Locust Grove, Samuel Morse Estate in Poughkeepsie, NY! From family and friends, to all our guest, they were so impressed with the gardens, facilities and shear beauty of LG. I highly recommend going to see Ken at LG to schedule a consultation. The grounds are open daily. Take a look for yourself. I guarantee once you step foot on the grounds of LG and you'll sign on the dotted line.

-Brad and Gary

PS When you rent LG you also get all the tables and chairs along with use of the grounds and reception area. HUGE SAVING!

Locust Grove was the most amazing place to have our wedding ceremony and reception. My husband and I fell in love with Locust Grove. We loved using the indoor space and the outdoor space, especially the traditional English garden where our wedding ceremony was held. Our guests enjoyed walking the grounds of Locust Grove! Highly recommend and we could not have imagined a more perfect place to have our wedding ceremony and reception!

Locust Grove Estate is a wonderful location to host any wedding ceremony/reception. We were thrilled to have both our ceremony and reception on the grounds. The scenery and location are just spectacular. Executive Director Ken Snodgrass was wonderful to deal with. He helped with all the detais which made our day even more special. I would recommend Locust Grove Estate for any wedding celebration. You will certainly be happy that you did. It is definitely worth more than 5 stars!!!!

Locust Grove is a perfect venue for those couples looking for whimsical outdoor wedding with the luxury of AC, indoor seating, bathrooms and a huge kitchen for caterers. It was the perfect canvas for our day, the only place we even looked for a venue! Ken was so professional and prompt answering all of our questions. Because it is a nature preserve, there are restrictions on some things, but that is okay and totally understandable, we were happy to work with them. I would recommend this venue to anyone :)!

Locust Grove was the best place for my husband and I to get married. We loved the outdoor areas, took beautiful photos there! Our guests had an amazing time and we couldn't have wished for anything better.

The venue is conveniently located to many hotels, but it still feels secluded.
Best.Day.Ever.

Ken was amazing at organizing and helping us with our questions.

Locust Grove was a gorgeous setting for our wedding this summer. The gardens and grounds provided many beautiful spots for photos, along with a place for our guests to walk around and explore. The reception hall is very pretty and elegant, and there is a nice outdoor patio as well. We had many small children at our event, and there was ample space for them to run around and play right outside the reception hall. One of my favorite memories is my friend's four-year-old handing me a firefly that he caught! There was such a nice blend of a indoor and outdoor spaces. Ken was very friendly and responsive to all of our questions, and we had zero problems with the venue the day of the wedding (or the days before for that matter). We were overall very happy.

Locust Grove was the perfect venue for my daughter's wedding. It combined a lovely historic location with the opportunity to have an outdoor ceremony and an air-conditioned reception.

Their catering kitchen and convenient hotel access makes this venue especially attractive.

Locust Grove is an incredible place to have a wedding, and I highly recommend it to anyone considering the Hudson Valley area. The views and grounds are beautiful, and the room used for the reception (inside the local museum on the grounds) is tasteful and hardly needed any decoration beyond the centerpieces. Ken was incredibly helpful throughout the process and was happy to answer any and all questions we had. The only thing to note is that, while you can have chairs at an outdoor ceremony in the gardens behind the museum (a very nice location), you cannot have a full set-up of chairs for a ceremony at the spot on the grounds that overlooks the Hudson River (the most beautiful view available). We chose to have our ceremony overlooking the river; the majority of our guests stood for the ceremony, but Locust Grove had no problem with us setting up a handful of chairs for elderly or disabled relatives. No one minded the standing ceremony, and everyone agreed that it was worth it for the view. For the reception, in addition to the beautiful space, which comfortably fit our wedding party of 120, Locust Grove also has a full kitchen for your caterer - so the food can be prepared on site without the need for chafing dishes, etc. A wonderful place that was perfect for our summer wedding.

Locust Grove was very helpful getting our wedding set up. They have space for an outdoor and indoor ceremony as backup and a beautiful reception hall. We got married in September and we had gorgeous weather, our guests made great use of the patio and the sunset photos we took on the grounds were beautiful.

Locust Grove is a beautiful venue! The gardens are great for wedding photos, for guests to take a stroll, and for children to play. We loved how the ballroom had heigh ceilings and plenty of windows and it didn't feel stuffy. It is a convenient location near many Poughkeepsie hotels and there are plenty of bathrooms and a small bridal suite as well!

This is a stunning place to get married, and we had the most memorable wedding. When looking for a venue, I didn't want a typical NJ catering hall, and I wanted something that was outside and in nature. The NYC metro area is expensive, and also caters to wealthy large weddings, so a lot of research was conducted to find our ideal place within our budget. Locust Grove was perfect because the site fee INCLUDES tables and chairs (which is a rarity), there is large kitchen for caterers to use (aka, FREE, so you don't have a pay for a tented kitchen), there's a great rain back-up option (Reese Gallery), it's walking distance to a really nice Marriott (aka, no buses needed) and there is a train station in town (our Manhattan guests don't have to rent cars). The grounds are beautiful and there are endless backdrops for photos. The reception hall is also perfect b/c of the vaulted ceilings with historic lanterns and beautiful wood floors (no cheesy casino carpeting). Our guests raved about not only the grounds, but the layout of the wedding, too, as it was really simple, yet elegant. There are hiking trails, and it was cool to run them in the morning, and many of our guests took advantage of this all weekend. In addition, we worked with Ken Snodgrass from Locust Grove, and he was a pleasure to do business with - professional, polite, responsive and also really spirited and fun! My husband and I can't wait to return to the grounds at Locust Grove for perhaps a Sunset Sensation event or to simply walk the trails. Thank you, Ken and Locust Grove!

We had our ceremony and reception at Locust Grove. Ken was a pleasure to work with! He was accommodating, professional, and very helpful. We had to add a tent last minute (day before the wedding) because of rain and Ken was very flexible to make the changes.The venue was gorgeous and offers beautiful space both inside and out. Also, the venue fee goes toward grounds maintenance and continuing community programs; good causes. We absolutely loved having our wedding here and I'd recommend it to any bride!

Locust Grove is beyond beautiful! They have a large estate that gives you plenty of room for pictures and wedding functions. We had our wedding outside on the grass in front of the large oak tree, cocktail hour on the covered patio and surrounding outdoor section and the reception was indoors in the large reception room. The venue is gorgeous and Ken Snodgrass was great to work with. You do have to book early in order to secure your date, especially if you want a Saturday. We booked 13 months in advance for a October Saturday wedding. Another great thing about Locust Grove is that they only book one event per day. So you will never have to share the space with another wedding party. One thing that could be an issue for some people is that all events must start after 5pm. This could be an issue for anyone wanting to get married on the property on the afternoon. However, our October 20th wedding still had lots of light at 5:15pm when the wedding started. Also, if you book the property there is a nice indoor space to get married if the weather is not ideal.

Locust Grove is a stunning venue. My husband and I fell in love the first time we visited, which was on a gloomy, rainy day in late March- it was beautiful even then! We got married in June 2017, so the venue was gorgeous with the blooming flowers and beautiful trees. We loved that there was ample outdoor space, as well as indoor space for the reception. We had 125 guests, and it was the perfect amount in our opinion. We were able to have our ceremony outside on the lawn, and our pictures are absolutely gorgeous. We also loved how the venue provided tables, chairs, and restrooms, so
you can personalize the wedding but it's not completely DIY. We really don't have many complaints, but here are a few "issues" we encountered: On Friday for our "rehearsal," there really weren't any staff members there to help guide us. It worked out totally fine, but just a head's up that you will be on your own. Also, while Ken was very responsive and a great point person leading up to the day, we didn't really have a "go-to" person at the venue itself with any questions or concerns on the day of the wedding. Again, you're on your own, OR your catering manager will basically be your venue coordinator. Lastly, the reception got a little warm toward the end of the night, so we don't know if the AC was on full blast, or if that room just gets warm after a night of dancing! But overall, we are so happy we chose Locust Grove!!! We received so many compliments from our guests! (Also, on a side note- just a head's up about the Marriott next door. While it's in a super-convenient location and it's a nice hotel, we ran into problems with them along the way. They would not expand our room block despite stating- in writing- that they would, and some of the staff were straight up nasty to us and our guests. Just be warned that they are not the most cooperative hotel. The Holiday Inn across the street was also a good option FYI.)

Locust Grove was a beautiful site for our May wedding. We were lucky enough to have perfect weather, so our ceremony was outdoors on the lawn with LG's arch as the only decoration needed (but we did have an indoor backup room, which also seemed lovely if we had to go to it). Our guests enjoyed wandering through some of the gardens to the hill overlooking the river before the ceremony and during cocktail hour. The terrace area was a perfect bar-spot both for cocktails and a breath of fresh air once our dance party got going later in the night! And the main West Gallery is simply beautiful on its own: we were happy to have a venue where we didn't have to do any decoration for it to look nice. Everything was so lovely that my very picky mother actually suggested my sister just get married there as well!

Locust Grove is an amazing wedding venue. Beautiful, open, easy to work with. The Gardens are AMAZING and serve as a stunning wedding back drop. there is a rain plan for your ceremony (HUGE!) and the facilities are new and lovely. They have the wedding thing down to a science but it's the antithesis of a cheesy wedding factory. It's the perfect venue for someone who wants a slightly natural/rustic feeling wedding without the headache of a barn or raw space. And tables and chairs are included. HUGE!!!

The only thing I will say is that they aren't the most flexible venue. You can't set up too early which does cause stress on the big day and they're a little finicky about decorations. but all in all, these are small concessions to make given how beautiful and easy the venue is!

This was a great location for our wedding. My husband and I were very happy with our wedding here. The layout and scenery was great. We were able to have our wedding next the the gardens, our cocktail our on the patio, and our reception in the west gallery. Luckily we had great weather otherwise they have a great backup room. I also liked that we choose all of our own vendors, and it was not some pre-packaged cookie cutter wedding. My only issues were that it was a little pricey, for simply the location, tables, and chairs. Also, since they showcase art, there is not a lot of options they will allow as far as decorating. Overall we would certainly recommend the location.

Locust Grove is truely a beautiful venue. We had our ceremony on the grounds behind the reception room, facing into the flower gardens with the vegetable garden behind us. The pictures came out wonderful. Ken Snodgrass was amazing to work with, absolutely a doll. He answered all my annoying questions with such professionalism and returned every phone call in a very timely manner. We booked for the end of May because it was 3k less then the oct wedding we preferred originally BUT it was still 3k, which only included the chairs/tables and venue. You have to book your own catering, florist ect and they do not even put out the tables/chairs for you. If you are looking for a all in one venue, this is not your place. Our wedding turned out beautiful but its definitely was not a 10 out of 10.

Locust Grove is absolutely beautiful and made for the perfect backdrop for my wedding reception. Ken was so easy to work with and was very quick to respond to any questions we had. You do have to bring in your own caterer and we had to rent a few extra tables because Locust Grove only provides certain sizes. Overall, I loved having my reception at Locust Grove and would do it all over again the same way!

We had a nice time but it was hard to get in contact with the venue. We also had some problems with them booking a wedding both Friday and Saturday which made it hard for us to rehearse.

Locust Grove is a truly lovely place. Working with Ken was easy.

But, they hire a cleaning crew for after each function. Their cleaning crew unfortunately threw away the remains of our perfectly wrapped wedding cake. As we were staying in the hotel next door, we thought we could pick up the remains of our cake the next morning. Instead, we sadly saw it attacked by bees in the dumpster. Locust Grove made no attempt to reconcile the situation.