Beautiful Outdoor Wedding at Hartrich Chateau

Updated: Jun 27, 2023

Western New York is a stunning place to have an outdoor wedding. Hartrich Chateau takes it to the next level with endless spots for your ceremony, reception, and photos. It was the ideal venue for Kate and Chris, a couple who loves to connect by disconnecting outdoors. Their deeply intentional and detail-oriented wedding was unforgettable.

A bride and groom stand in front of a floral arch with their wedding party standing on either side for a Hartrich Chateau wedding.

Hartrich Chateau: A Buffalo Wedding Venue

Hartrich Chateau is a huge estate-style Buffalo wedding venue. It encompasses 139 acres and offers three unique locations for ceremonies and receptions. If you want a venue that shows off all the natural beauty of Western New York, Hartrich Chateau is perfect. You can get married in The Garden, Arbor Row, or Meadow View. Each is large enough to accommodate high guest counts without losing the charm of the outdoor experience.

A wedding invitation is arranged around white wedding flowers and a diamond wedding ring.

A bride and her bridesmaids wear silk pajamas and laugh on a bed in a getting ready suite.

A groom's father pins a row of photos to his suit pocket.

Part of what makes Hartrich Chateau such a dreamy venue is that it has so many photo locations in addition to the spaces mentioned above. The pond is especially cool. You and your partner can climb in the gorgeous red row boat for whimsical portraits on the water. There’s also a swing for some more playful moments.

A woman in a silver dress looks on as a bride has a first look with her father.

A bride smiles as she walks toward a groom for a first look at Hartrich Chateau.

At a first book, a groom looks through a boudoir book that he received as a wedding day gift.

Even though Hartrich Chateau is a great Buffalo wedding venue, it’s not actually in the city. It’s a thirty-minute drive away in Corfu, NY. There are a few hotels in town, but Buffalo has more unique options for out-of-town guests’ post-celebration stays. Being outside the city does mean there’s plenty of parking, though.

A bride holds a groom's hand while she reads private vows in the shade at Hartrich Chateau.

A bride's father walks her up the aisle for an outdoor wedding at Hartrich Chateau.

Three bridesmaids watch a bride and groom exchange vows at a Buffalo wedding.

Unlike some wedding venues, Hartrich Chateau includes all-day access in your rental fee. That means your vendors can show up as early as 9:00 a.m, and your guests don’t have to break up the dance party until 10:00 p.m. Just make sure you or your planner coordinate setup and breakdown with your vendors.

A bride and groom plant a tree for their unity ceremony at their Hartrich Chateau wedding.

A bride and groom share a first kiss beside a floral installation at their Hartrich Chateau wedding.

A bride and groom stop for a kiss as they walk their recessional at their outdoor wedding.

A Beautiful Outdoor Wedding Tent

Hartrich Chateau is all about the outdoor wedding experience. That means you’re going to want a tent. This wedding took place on a hot August day with full sun. Whether you’re catching shade from the sun or reprieve from a summer rain storm, you want to be prepared.

A bride and groom pose with their family members under a tree.

A bride and groom enter a wedding tent decorated with greenery and long reception tables.

A bride and groom share their first dance under a wedding tent decorated with floral installations.

Kate and Chris had a stunning sailcloth wedding tent. Their florist, Beck&Forth Co., put so much care and attention into the decor that it felt like an extension of the woods all around us. Sometimes tents feel a little thrown together, but they created a whole environment with a complete aesthetic. It was really amazing to experience - and photograph! It helped that they placed the tent in a spot with the best lighting ever at sunset.

A bride and groom cut a cookie wedding cake.

The father of the bride gives a speech to a seated crowd of wedding guests.

A bride and groom kiss at their wedding reception table in a candid wedding photo at Hartrich Chateau.

A Day Focused on Connection

Hartrich Chateau is an ideal Buffalo wedding venue for people who want to escape the city and create a world of their own for their wedding day. That describes Kate and Chris pretty well. They told me that their dream date would be a hike through the Adirondacks with a picnic on a peak where they can sip wine and watch the sunset. Chris and Kate lead such busy lives that they value being able to disconnect and just enjoy being together. Chris said, “For us, it’s the little moments that add up to mean a lot.”

A bride laughs during the father daughter dance at an outdoor wedding in Buffalo.

A groom laughs and twirls his mother during a mother son dance at a summer wedding in Buffalo.

A bride and groom dance surrounded by clapping wedding guests in their white wedding tent.

Those little moments added up on their wedding day too! Kate did all the first looks, including with her father, wedding party, and Chris. Chris was hesitant to do a first look, but everyone was so glad he agreed to it. He was able to connect with Kate before the ceremony and enjoy exchanging gifts (a boudoir book for him and a bracelet for her).

A bride laughs and dances with a family member.

A bride and groom pose for golden hour portraits at their Western New York wedding.

A bride and groom hold hands and walk away from a white wedding tent towards a meadow at Hartrich Chateau.

After family photos and cocktail hour, Chris, Kate, and I snuck away to take golden hour portraits all over Hartrich Chateau. These photos show how the whole day blended big moments with carefree intimacy.

A bride sits on a groom's lap in a red canoe in a pond at a Hartrich Chateau wedding.

A groom lifts a bride for a kiss with their white wedding tent illuminated in the distance.

Candles and flowers decorate a wedding reception table beside a dance floor where wedding guests slow dance at an outdoor wedding.

The reception was full of tearful speeches and dance floor fun. The dance floor was popping with Chris and Kate taking center stage most of the time. Eventually, Jeremiah of Toy Bros jumped in too. He knew how to throw it down!

A bride and groom dance surrounded by wedding guests wearing sunglasses at Hartrich Chateau.

Wedding guests stand in two rows with their arms raised above a bride and groom for their wedding exit at a Buffalo wedding venue.

Are you interested in having me photograph your Western New York wedding? I’m a Buffalo wedding photographer, and I’m ready to document your day with images that will last lifetimes. Inquire with me here!

Thank you to all the incredible wedding vendors who made Chris and Kate’s day possible:

Photographer: Kelly Kaz Photography

Second photographer: Morgan Catherine Photo and Film

Dress Brand and Boutique: Made with Love from Lovely Bride Rochester

DJ: Jeremiah from Toy Bros Entertainment

Florist: Sara Spoth from Beck&Forth Co.

Makeup: Paul Mariani Beauty

Caterer: Salvatores

Videographer: Lenscape Films

Venue: Hartrich Chateau