Your wedding day is supposed to be the most magical day of your life. For many people, it’s also one of the most stressful. According to Forbes, the average cost of a wedding in 2024 is $33,000 and, no surprise, the venue is often the most expensive feature associated with it. Add to that the juggling of vendors – the average is 10 – and that celebratory affair can easily turn into a headache-inducing nightmare.
That’s not so with The Wedding Foundry.
Headquartered at Liberty View Farm in Highland, The Wedding Foundry is a special experiential offering that aims to take all the stress out of the big day so couples can focus on what matters most: each other. Launched earlier this spring, it represents a special partnership among some of the Hudson Valley’s top wedding professionals.
Leading the team are Billiam van Roestenberg, the owner of Liberty View Farm, and Erica Beckman, the owner of Hudson-Valley based photography company Clean Plate Pictures. They’re joined by Cathy Penny Lentz, a.k.a. “Magic Cathy,” Billiam’s right-hand coordinator for the past 17 years, and a number of longtime staff members who help keep Liberty View Farm looking beautiful all year.
Inside The Wedding Foundry
So, what is it that makes The Wedding Foundry so special?
To start, the organization is all about the micro-wedding experience. Unlike larger ceremonies that include extensive guest lists, catering, and day-of coordination, The Wedding Foundry aims to make the day a breeze. It specializes in four-hour packages, held at the farm’s Enchanted Orchard or Honeysuckle Grove based on availability, with a limit of up to 50 guests. (There is an option to add 25-50 more guests for an additional fee.) During this time, couples get access to four hours of professional photography by Clean Plate Pictures, an ordained officiant with a custom ceremony (led by Michele Zipp or one of her other ritualists), and a day-of coordinator with dedicated staff.
And that’s just the start. On top of the ceremony essentials, The Wedding Foundry also takes care of floral arrangements, providing a bouquet and boutonniere for the couple, along with flowerscapes for the table and a ceremony floral arch. After the “I dos” conclude, van Roestenberg and his team handle catering as well, dishing up a delectable grazing table with artisanal wood-fired pizza and organic mixed green salads, with a one-tier wedding cake and dessert to follow.
“Weddings can be so expensive,” Beckman observes, adding that they often “take hundreds of hours to plan.” With The Wedding Foundry, “we’re finding folks who want to experience the meaning and celebration of the day without being overwhelmed by decision-making or the budget.”
While the convenience of The Wedding Foundry makes it an attractive solution for many couples who want to stay away from coordinating with multiple vendors and juggling a large-scale affair, it’s far from the only appeal. In fact, the Foundry’s location at Liberty View Farm is quite the delight in itself. With a convenient location two hours north of Manhattan and just across the bridge from the Poughkeepsie train station, which services Amtrak and Metro-North passengers, the farm is nothing short of idyllic. For van Roestenberg, who’s owned the property for more than 20 years, the space is a celebration of the beauty of the Hudson Valley in one central location.
Upon stepping foot onto the farm’s 20 acres, visitors can swoon over the curated gardens and apple orchards. On a spring day, soft petals from the apple trees cascade down onto the orchard floor like a scene from a movie. From certain points on the farm, couples can spy the Catskill Mountains and ‘Gunks in the distance while savoring the immediate landscape that van Roestenberg and his team work hard to care for throughout the year. During the ceremony, couples can say their vows in the heart of the orchard or revel with guests inside the property’s converted barn. No matter where the wedding party goes, they’re bound to find beauty in all corners.
“It keeps my farm and other farms alive,” van Roestenberg shares when asked about his love of hosting weddings on the property. “It makes me expand the farm and the gardens and lets me employ people. That I get to be part of one of the most beautiful parts of [couples’] lives is a big deal.”
A Sweet History
While van Roestenberg has been hosting weddings for 17 years, he certainly didn’t start out in the industry. In fact, he originally studied architecture and worked as an artist before launching a dog fashion company after his DIY design of a Burberry coat into a custom dog jacket for his pug in 1990 attracted attention at just the right moment. Nine years later, when the stock market crashed, he sold the company, moved upstate, and dove headfirst into food and farming.
It wasn’t until 17 years ago, when van Roestenberg hosted his first wedding for friends who were enchanted with the property, that he first met Lentz, who was working as a catering manager for a high-end catering company at the time. He was taken by her talent, and the two quickly became collaborators for what were often (and still sometimes are) large-scale weddings on the grounds.
“We’ve become best friends,” van Roestenberg says of Lentz. “We talk every day. I couldn’t have done this without her.”
As the duo continued to work together over the years, they collected the wedding essentials that help to make onsite experiences more affordable, such as china, silverware, and linens. They also established relationships with neighbors and area vendors to make everything from booking nearby accommodations to adding custom offerings a piece of cake for couples.
In September 2013, van Roestenberg met Beckman while she was photographing a wedding on the farm. Beckman loved the space for its natural beauty so much that she suggested hosting elopements via Hudson Valley Elope on the grounds. Happy to share the property’s charm with others, van Roestenberg acquiesced.
Over the years, van Roestenberg and Lentz got into the swing of things and often carried out eight to 11 large weddings per year. Beckman had mentioned the idea of hosting micro-weddings on the farm in the past, but it wasn’t until recently that van Roestenberg seriously began to consider it. After brainstorming and working out the details over the winter, they were ready to launch The Wedding Foundry in spring 2024.
What to Expect
While Liberty View Farm still hosts larger ceremonies, the new micro-wedding experience is all about intimate celebrations. The four-hour package offers all the essentials – location, officiant, photographer, and food – without the need for couples to organize a thing. Instead, all they need to do is send out their invites, show up at their allotted time, and lean back and relax as The Wedding Foundry team takes care of the details.
“With Billiam and Cathy, there is no drama, no stress,” Beckman notes, sharing that “everything runs smoothly with good vibes. That means relaxed, happy couples and memorably fun weddings.”
“We all work so hard, harder now in the 21st century than we ever did before,” van Roestenberg adds. “We have to take some time and celebrate these special moments together with family and friends.”
In regard to the aesthetic of weddings at Liberty View Farm, it’s all about the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley.
“Billiam’s eye for design and style is spot on – the man has excellent taste!” Beckman enthuses. “Combined with the stunning natural surroundings, that means every view is picturesque.”
Currently, The Wedding Foundry aims to book three weddings per day without overlaps to make operations manageable and effective for the team. They work with At Your Service by Christine to ensure there’s enough staff onsite and often team up with local vendors such as Catering by Anthony Mario, NARCISO Atelier (the Foundry’s in-house florist), and Hickory BBQ and Smokehouse, among others.
Looking ahead, the team has a busy schedule for 2024 and 2025 – and they’re more than a little excited about it. They’re in the industry for the joy of it, and they love seeing the meaningful moments that come from their events.
“I’ve made incredible friends with people [through hosting weddings],” van Roestenberg says. “It’s been a nice journey.”
Want to learn more? The Wedding Foundry is hosting an open house on June 22 from 3-7 p.m. and June 23 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. RSVP here.
