Foreland Catskill, whose stunning historic facade has overlooked Catskill Creek since the mid-1800s, recently opened the doors to a new Hudson Valley wedding venue space: Book House. The 10,000 sq. ft. addition to the Foreland campus wowed attendees with its rustic-chic architecture and thoughtful design. Guests enjoyed delicious food and refreshing cocktails as they soaked in Book House’s interior and exterior beauty.
We sat down with Jules Miller, Owner/Founder of The Revelry Cooperative, to find out more about the charming inaugural happy hour for Book House.
1. Tell us how this event came to be. What was the inspiration and overall goal and who were the attendees, etc.?
With Book House being the last building of the 85,000 square foot campus at Foreland, we thought its opening was the perfect opportunity to showcase this beautiful space and get PartySlate on the radar for Hudson Valley wedding vendors. Unlike in NYC, vendors in the Hudson Valley are more spread out, so I really wanted to focus on local vendors and bring the community together. Typically when I am launching a venue, we focus on planners, designers, and media for the guest list, but in this case we opened it up to other venues, photographers, caterers, calligraphers, staffing and rental companies—really anyone who is part of making an event successful!
2. Who were your key partners and their roles in making this a successful gathering?
PartySlate’s Betsy Nemzin helped curate the vendor list and also added some key VIPs to the guest list; having the PartySlate team at an event always livens things up and adds an extra air of excitement.
Brandon and Fernando from Promises Kept were immediately on board to provide bites. A planner friend had introduced Brandon and me a while ago and we had been trying to find a way to put on an event together, and the stars finally aligned with this one. Everyone LOVED the food – in fact, a week later, guests are still talking about it!
Betsy helped bring on RentQuest for furniture, and they so perfectly matched the vibe of the space with the pieces they selected, and Kelli from Hops Petunia made all the furniture and our custom bar pop with her beautifully wild arrangements. Topnotch is our exclusive bar partner at Foreland, and they kept the party going with rosé and fun canned cocktails, which were perfect for this ideal summer night.
And the incomparable Andre Maier captured it all, from drone footage of our beautiful property along Catskill Creek to the finest details and interactions amongst our guests. Since Foreland’s mission is to be a community for artists, I think it can be especially inspiring for creatives to work within the space and I think that came through in Andre’s images.
3. What’s one moment/experience that stood out to you about the Bookhouse gathering?
Personally, it was fun to see so many of my current and past venue clients in one space together. But mostly, it’s seeing new friendships being formed and vendors meeting face to face for the first time after months or sometimes years of only communicating by phone or email. This has been a rough couple of years for our industry, and you could feel a sense of joy and relief from everyone just being in the same room together and sharing experiences. Hosting these events is one of my favorite parts of what I do and I think we need them from time to time so we know that we are all in this together!
People Also Ask…
What’s the key to planning a successful cocktail hour?
Cocktails are not one-size-fits-all, so ditch the pre-set drink menu. Instead, leave a lasting impression on guests with your own custom cocktail! Once you’ve got a theme or aesthetic in mind for your event, search for bar caterers who can help you create unique drinks that reflect your style. From fresh and fruity to strong and smoky, a bespoke flavor palette can be the perfect way to make your happy hour unforgettable.
featured venue
Foreland Catskill
Scenic Catskill Creek provides the perfect backdrop to this historic venue. Foreland’s venues seamlessly blend rustic and modern design to create the ideal, adaptable space for any event. photographer: Kylee Yee