Spillian — Attraction in Town of Middletown

If I could give Spillian six stars out of five I would. I got married here in October and no amount of praise would be too much to heap on this venue, the lovely owners, or the wonderful staff. To start off, this is an absolutely gorgeous and unique gem of a space. Spillian is nestled on the beautiful and secluded side of a mountain that is covered in evergreens and overlooks the Catskills that blaze in reds, oranges and yellows in early October. The venue itself, a 100+ year old summer retreat for the yeast baron who is the town's namesake, has been lovingly and meticulously restored to its original Victorian glory. I didn't find a single piece of sheetrock anywhere in the house. The place teems with history and the owners have an unparalleled respect for that. Spending any bit of time in one of the eight amazingly-decorated and charmingly-themed bedrooms on the second floor, the cozy and regal main space on the ground floor, or the absolutely lovely wrap around porch will have you feeling like you've been invited out to the country by a Gilded Age robber baron and you don't want to go home! Guests staying the night will be treated to incredible bucolic murals found throughout the second floor, and guests who are not spending the night will be jealous of those that do. A beautiful stone alter that reminds me of Roman ruins in England has recently been built in the forest clearing a few steps away, and although our ceremony did not happen there due to rain, we really loved the bonfire that was set up for us in the space the night before. As wonderfully historic as the venue is, it is also fully equipped with a great sound system, wifi, and easy to use AV jacks that we used for slideshows and a dance party. The owners, Mark and Leigh, are warm and delightful people who helped us figure out the logistics of our mostly DIY wedding, connected us to vendors, and helped us before, during and after the wedding. They have a background in theatrical art direction, which they put to great use when designing and decorating Spillian. Simply put, they are lovely lovely people and we are looking for an excuse to visit them again. The staff were all so attentive, friendly, and helpful. During the reception, they never missed a beat to bring out a new plate of food, clean up a small mess, or offer an aspirin to a guest who looked like he needed it. Everything was done on time and with great presentation. And the chef, Chris, was simply brilliant! Our wedding was a whole weekend affair and the dining was non-plated and non-seated, which allowed the guests to mingle and find their own nooks and crannies to occupy. We asked for a bbq on Friday evening, hors d'oeuvres and dinner on Saturday, and a brunch on Sunday. The price per head was very reasonable and we were pleased to know that the venue has a network of local farmers to call on for fresh ingredients. We gave Chris minimal instruction and let him do whatever inspired him. We couldn't be happier with our decision. Every single dish that was brought out knocked the socks off our guests, which in tern made me and my now wife rest easy knowing everyone was happy and full of good food. In the end, I can tell you simply that our experience with Spillian was worry free. All our guests were left happy and impressed. And we left feeling absolutely giddy and pleased with every moment of it. Do not miss your chance to...

Spillian is a magical place. You see it the very first time you turn onto the grounds and drive down a long, lush road that climbs to reveal a moody Victorian estate at the top. You feel the magic in the ferns, flowers, and trees that surround the area - creating the feeling of mystical protection from the rest of the world. You know this place is magic when you meet the owners, who ooze creativity and kindness with their every word of excitement for what they do. The building is unlike any other, rich with artwork and collected items from around the world. The meadow, where people meet around the fire, get married, and dance under the stars, is clearly crafted with thoughtfulness and rarity that leaves an impression on anyone who's lucky enough to experience it.

The food by Spillian's Chef was impossibly flawless meal after meal - and after being diagnosed with an autoimmune and food allergies a year before the wedding, I didn't really make it easy on him. We had a divine welcome party taco bar, a Mediterranean rehearsal dinner, a special request burrata bar at cocktail hour, fresh, local summer dishes for the wedding dinner, and a to-die-for goodbye brunch.

Not only are the owners creative and kind, but they are also keen on logistics, communication, and collaboration to keep the stress down. It was forecasted to storm terribly off-an-on all weekend, but we had gone all-in on a fully outdoor wedding. They watched the weather and stayed in contact with our vendors in case we had to restructure the wedding inside, but the day of everyone felt we should make the attempt outside - and we got very lucky the weather held up! They are creative problem solvers and will go above and beyond to help make the day go smoothly. Our Wedding cake vendor fell through days before the wedding, and when I asked if they could make a watermelon wedding cake so we could still have that wedding cake moment, they made it happen - and it ended up being an incredibly memorable part of the day.

Pro tips: -Definitely book it for the weekend and give yourself an extra day to walk the grounds, and sit on the porch. -It is a historic building and operates as such, including no A/C, so be aware/prepare for that. Climate change is real and it was much hotter the weekend of our wedding than was typical/expected. Sign up for their newsletter to get updates on creative workshops, dinner parties, etc. that the owners host throughout the year. We attended a dinner party before we got married and it was so fun to meet locals and other couples who had been married there previously. It's a wonderful community that shares a deep love for Spillian and all it...

I had my wedding at Spillian this past weekend, in May 2025, and it was by far the best choice my husband and I could have made for a venue. We first visited in October 2023 after inquiring with numerous other venues that didn't fit what we were looking for. Spillian had everything we wanted in a venue-- the owner responded to our inquiry immediately with clear and concise pricing and details, photos of the space and other weddings, and information on inclusions.

The house and grounds are beautiful, with a magical clearing in the woods to have the ceremony, trails to walk, a large wrap around porch for happy hour, and gorgeous, vintage indoor spaces. The owners and staff are wonderful, helpful, and accommodating, and the food is customized and just excellent. We were able to have free rein of the entire property Friday - Sunday and have family and friends stay with us as part of the cost, including the addition of meals throughout. Everyone, including picky eaters and those with allergies, were easily able to find food they could enjoy.

Spillian's team made planning easy and straightforward by providing ceremony and vow guides, recommendations, and calls whenever we needed, allowing us to change plans last minute, and offering examples and creative ideas as inspiration. They eagerly and perfectly executed our non-traditional ideas and ceremony, and also provided feedback and their own ideas when asked. They also helped brainstorm ideas to honor my late sister as part of the ceremony and reception. Spillian also provides a lot of the decor and odds and ends you may need, and the setting allows for minimal decor purchases due to the beauty of the woods and already-decorated house.

Their staff tracked thunderstorms by the minute to time our ceremony and dinner to be outside, and then to hold our bonfire a bit later than planned, after the storms cleared. They even helped us screen the werewolf comedy/horror movie that was filmed there after our rehearsal dinner and before bed. We also loved that they try to do everything as sustainably as possible by planting native plants, using local ingredients, composting and feeding leftovers to their chickens, and encouraging us to reuse items they already had on hand.

Their staff was lovely and helpful, allowing us to focus on the wedding itself instead of logistics once we arrived, helped me remain calm and confident in a situation that might otherwise have been very stressful, and regularly checked in to make sure I was ok and to ask whether I needed anything while waiting for the ceremony.

We couldn't recommend a venue more and we are so happy with our decision to go...