The Venue at Winding Hills: Best Hudson Valley Wedding Venue

History of The Venue at Winding Hills

Less than an hour from Poughkeepsie and close to Stewart State Forest, Winding Hills Golf Club is a public golf course. The course opened in 1997, sitting on 85 acres of land. In addition to golf outings, events were commonplace.

The modern Venue at Winding Hills wedding era, however, began in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic. It was then that the event spaces of the property underwent extensive renovations.

Since then, The Venue at Winding Hills has become one of the premier wedding venues in the Hudson Valley. It’s a simple, efficient venue that does the important things super well.

Venue Vibe and Features

Winding Hills Golf Club is just that: a golf course. Naturally then, the venue at Winding Hills is a wedding facility in a golf course setting. The Hudson Valley locale makes it all the more special though.

The Clubhouse

For a typical wedding at The Venue at Winding Hills, inside the clubhouse is where cocktail hour will take place. Other amenities like restrooms and a nice bar are present, too.

A word on getting ready: the clubhouse at Winding Hills doesn’t have full-blown getting ready suites. So, you’ll want to plan accordingly and see the list of hotels towards the end of this post.

The Patio

Upon entering the property, the first thing you and your guests will see is the Winding Hills Golf Club patio.

Like many garden-themed venues in Connecticut, this area has wonderful water features, plant life, and a fire pit. This space is great for gathering outside during your wedding, especially on a cool spring or summer night.

The Winding Hills Golf Club Grounds

My favorite part of a wedding at The Venue at Winding Hills is probably getting out on the grounds for portraits.

Winding Hills Golf Club, hence the name, has gently twisting hills all over the place. The land is absolutely stunning, especially in the summer when the greenery of the grass and trees compliment each other.

One of my biggest compliments of The Venue at Winding Hills is how accommodating the staff were during my time there. Specifically, the use of a couple of golf carts to find picture perfect portrait locations was no problem at all.

The Tent

One of the standout features of this beautiful Hudson Valley wedding venue is the brand new structured tent, which enhances the outdoor offerings and provides a perfect spot for larger gatherings.

This tent is ideal for those who want to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors without worrying about the weather. It seamlessly integrates with the surrounding landscape, offering a versatile space for various events.

Another plus to having a Hudson Valley wedding venue with a tent is this: easy rain plans. If you don’t have perfect weather on your wedding day, the tent affords you an alternate location for your ceremony.

(To see how the Winding Hills tent compares, be sure to check out some Connecticut wedding venues with this feature.)

Capacity and Guest Accommodations

Based on my observation, the indoor space at the Venue at Winding Hills comfortably holds probably 50+ people for cocktail hour.

Taking into account the full space, including the tent for your reception, The Venue at Winding Hills can accommodate a wedding of up to 200 people.

For outdoor ceremonies on the golf course, bench-style seating is provided for your guests.

Venue at Winding Hills Wedding Costs

Here are some cost details for a wedding at The Venue at Winding Hills:

The Basics

All packages for a Venue at Winding Hills wedding include the following basics:

• Five hours of event time
  • Additional time can be discussed and possibly paid for, though you should note that your ceremony takes place on the Winding Hills golf course, so nonstandard timing could be tricky depending on your plans.
• Golf cart access for moving around the property
• Furniture (8-10 people per round table), flatware, linens, etc.
• Soft drink service and champagne for toasting

Venue at Winding Hills standard fees are as follows:

• A security deposit of $1000 (for damage) as well as a nonrefundable 10% retainer
• The remaining balance is broken up into four payments
• Upon signing, you’ll pay a 22% administrative fee and then New York sales tax (around 8%)
• The ceremony fee is $1000
• As with most wedding venues, there are guest count minimums (50 for Sundays, 100 for Fridays, and 150 for Saturday weddings)

Cocktail Hour

During cocktail hour in the clubhouse, standard fare is a grazing table (like a huge charcuterie board) and passed hors d’oeuvres.

There are a couple of bar package options which get different levels of alcohol. You can also opt for craft beer options and/or signature drinks for an additional charge.

Reception Options and Pricing

Your wedding reception service at The Venue at Winding Hills starts at about $110/person. They offer full catering services; outside caterers aren’t allowed. For an extra fee, however, you can book a desert food truck.

Things here are what you’re used to as you delve into wedding planning: standard choices for protein, salads, desserts, etc.

What’s nice, however, is that The Venue at Winding Hills provides you with tons of food options for each category and/or station. For example, they have at least five plated chicken dish options for dinner.

Hotels Near Winding Hills

Convenient accommodations are crucial for any wedding plan, ensuring that your guests can relax and enjoy the celebration without worrying too much about travel logistics. Winding Hills Golf Course has several nearby options:

1. Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Montgomery, just three miles from the Venue at Winding Hills, is an excellent option.
2. Courtyard Newburgh Stewart Airport in Newburgh is further east, right next to the region’s international airport, New York Stewart International Airport. Hampton Inn & Suites Newburgh is very close to airport, too.
3. West of the venue, away from the airport, is Residence Inn Middletown and .
4. A few B&Bs and inns are near The Venue at Winding Hills as well, including The Borland and Hudson Valley Rose.

Other Hudson Valley, NY Wedding Venues

While The Venue at Winding Hills may be one of the best options, there are also several other Hudson Valley wedding venues for you to consider while wedding planning:

Thompson Ridge View Farm

A beautiful, privately-owned farm wedding venue, Thompson Ridge View Farm is a low-key venue sitting on a humongous 130 acres of land in Pine Bush, NY. It has a barn and a scenic, outdoor ceremony space which sits on a hill.

The Barn at Villa Venezia

Located in Middletown, NY, The Barn at Villa Venezia is a huge venue on six acres of land. It even has onsite lodging, making it a great choice for a destination Hudson Valley wedding venue.

Mountainville Manor

Perfect for everything from intimate affairs to huge Hudson Valley weddings, Mountainville Manor in Cornwall, NY is just picturesque. It’s like Stonington, CT wedding venue Stone Acres Farm in that the house is the iconic focal point of this Hudson Valley wedding venue.