Daily Crack - “Full Moon” in the Catskills
I recently attended a wedding upstate in the Catskills at a resort called the Full Moon. It’s located in Big Indian, NY. This ended up being a wonderful wedding option for a number of reasons. First of all it was affordable for the couple and we all know how expensive weddings can be, especially in New York and California. Secondly and more importantly it allowed both families and both sets of friends to truly commingle, get to know each other and bond. It also allotted old friends the time to reconnect. You see when you rent the Full Moon, you have the option to commit to renting the entire resort, and you can have it for one or two days and nights, or more depending upon the event you want to hold, but the entire place will be yours for that length of time!
In the case of the wedding I attended, we started out the first night with a giant BBQ for all the guests who arrived that first day and we ate our dinner in a big festive covered tent. I might note that a number of other guests were staying at other hotels/motels close by and not at the Full Moon, as I believe the Full Moon can only sleep 80 people. Don’t get me wrong this is not for everyone as both the setting and the place are a bit rustic, no AC, etc. My sister and her husband stayed at a place called The Alpine Inn which is about a 5 minute drive from the Full Moon and I have to say their accommodations were a bit more plush. But we made the decision to stay where everything was happening and were fine with our accommodations. Back to the food and the first evening. After a very satisfying dinner everyone gathered for a big bon fire where we roasted marshmallows and made s’mores. At that point we knew we had arrived at wedding camp and were happy to be there.
The property that the Full Moon is situated on is a beautiful piece of land and there are lots of places to hike close by and lots more activities on their own property including swimming, a pool table, and other outdoor games. Actually on the morning of the wedding the bride opted to take a yoga class in their big barn, and the groom lead a group of guests on a hike to a nearby giant ledge. Personally, I decided to take a drive in the area with my date and explore some of the little towns close by. While other guests including my sister drove to nearby Woodstock. Point being there was something for everyone.
The wedding took place the second evening we were there in a secluded area of the resort overlooking a creek, which you could hear running by as the ceremony commenced. After the nuptials there was an open bar, a lovely sit down dinner and dancing, and around 11pm those who wanted to party on went to another building on the property where there was another bar and dancing til about 2.
The Full Moon is a great place for a large group to take over so I want to help spread the word. I also know from their site that they rent out the resort to musicians who run their own music camps too. For example in August, Medeski, Martin & Wood took over the Full Moon for 5 days and Jorma Kaukonen seems to run a guitar camp out of the Full Moon for a couple of weeks in the summer as well. I’m pretty certain if you have the money their facilities could be rented for just about anything reasonable and legit. It’s also very homey and they do a good job running the place. I guess I’d have to say that the place breeds intimacy and good will. So if you have an occasion coming up, want to create an occasion, a friend or family member or you are planning a wedding and you’re looking for someplace fun, but reasonable (by Manhattan standards), check out the Full Moon Resort and consider it an option.
For more information:
Full Moon Resort
Valley View Road
Big Indian, New York 12410
Tel: (845) 254-5117
Web: http://www.fullmoonresort.com/