A Tuscan Escape: Your Destination WEDDING at Folino Estate
There’s something undeniably romantic about planning a destination wedding, especially when that destination feels like rare gold—hidden in plain sight, editorial in all the right ways, and just far enough from your everyday to feel like a true getaway.
For couples traveling from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Long Island, Folino Estate in Kutztown, Pennsylvania offers that exact kind of escape: a Tuscan vineyard mood without the transatlantic logistics. It’s Italian villa elegance set against rolling Pennsylvania hills, where cobblestone piazzas meet working vines and bronzed chandeliers warm the room with a glow that reads intimate, not overdone.
We’ve had the privilege of documenting destination weddings at Folino Estate for over fifteen years, and each time we pass through those vineyard gates, we’re reminded why this place lands so powerfully with out-of-state couples. It’s not only beautiful. It’s a sophisticated hidden gem that makes guests feel like they’ve been let in on something special—an elevated weekend away that feels rare, curated, and worth the journey.
Why Destination Couples Choose Folino Estate
The appeal is immediate and visceral.
Folino Estate spans fifty-four acres of meticulously maintained vineyard and gardens, all designed to evoke the warmth and elegance of an Italian country estate. For couples who want their wedding to feel like a mini-vacation for their guests, a true destination experience, this venue delivers without the logistical complexity of international travel.
The estate accommodates up to 220 guests across versatile indoor and outdoor spaces. The ballroom itself offers over 4,000 square feet crowned by seventeen-foot ceilings, magnificent bronzed chandeliers, and a striking vintage wine barrel accent wall that photographs beautifully in both natural and ambient light. The outdoor ceremony spaces overlook the vineyards with the kind of sweeping vistas that make every angle a photographer’s dream.
For guests arriving from urban centers—Manhattan, Brooklyn, Hoboken, Stamford—the shift is immediate. No subway math. No city pace. Instead: estate wines on a cobblestone piazza, soft air off the vines, and a sunset that makes everyone slow down.
And there’s a practical kind of luxury here, too: couples often find their wedding investment stretches further in Pennsylvania than it does in the city. You can host a weekend that feels high-end and intentional—while sidestepping many of the big-city premiums that tend to inflate budgets before the first toast is poured.
The Ease of Planning From Out of State
We understand that coordinating a destination wedding while living hours away presents unique challenges.
Over fifteen years, we’ve worked with countless couples who chose Pennsylvania as their wedding destination precisely because it offered beauty and sophistication without the stress of international coordination. Our role extends beyond photography and videography, we become your local allies, your eyes on the ground, your calm presence throughout the planning process.
Folino Estate provides a dedicated venue planner who handles the logistical details, but having a creative team who truly knows the property, who understands how light moves through the ballroom at different times of day, where the best ceremony backdrop sits, which vineyard rows photograph most beautifully, gives you an additional layer of confidence and ease.
We’ve guided couples through timeline planning via video calls, scouted locations during venue visits when they couldn’t be present, and coordinated seamlessly with Folino’s team to ensure every element flows naturally. Our multi-generational family team brings not just technical expertise but genuine care to every interaction. By your wedding day, we don’t feel like vendors. We feel like family who happens to be exceptionally good at capturing your story.
A Seamless Creative Team
Here’s what sets our approach apart for destination couples: we offer photography, videography, and content creation as a single, integrated team—built for weekends like this, where every hour matters and nothing can feel chaotic.
You’re not coordinating between three separate vendors who’ve never worked together. You’re working with one family-led creative team that moves through your day with practiced synchronicity, capturing every angle without ever feeling intrusive or overwhelming. After fifteen years of weddings (and destination logistics), we know how to keep things smooth, efficient, and quietly elevated.
Our content creator documents the day in a way that’s ready to share quickly, while our photographers and videographers focus on the artistry and emotional depth that becomes your lasting legacy. This seamless coordination means fewer vendors to manage, clearer communication, and a unified creative vision that honors your story from every perspective.
For out-of-state couples especially, this simplicity matters. One point of contact. One creative philosophy. One team that understands your vision and executes it with precision and heart.
The Folino Estate Experience
The venue itself provides endless opportunities for authentic, beautiful imagery.
Your ceremony might unfold beneath a draped arch flanked by wine barrels overflowing with seasonal florals, the vineyard stretching behind you as your backdrop. Cocktail hour flows naturally onto the cobblestone piazza where your guests mingle beneath string lights as the golden hour bathes everything in that perfect, warm glow we live for as photographers.
Inside, the Italian-inspired ballroom creates an atmosphere that feels both rustic and refined, exposed beams and vintage wine details balanced by elegant table settings and sophisticated lighting. The bridal suite offers privacy and comfort for getting ready, complete with its own restroom, while the estate’s grounds provide countless locations for portraits that feel both timeless and distinctly of this place.
Folino Estate also delivers on the culinary experience with classic and reimagined Italian fare, complimentary wine tastings, a gelato cart, s’mores bar, and café bar, details that elevate your celebration beyond the expected and give your traveling guests reasons to reminisce for years to come.
Making It Easy, Simple, Fun, and Creative
Our approach to destination weddings at Folino Estate centers on removing stress while maximizing creative possibility.
We typically recommend scheduling an engagement session at the venue itself, which serves multiple purposes. It familiarizes you with the property, allows us to scout together, builds comfort and trust between us, and provides beautiful imagery for save-the-dates or wedding websites. For couples traveling from out of state, we coordinate these sessions during a venue visit or tasting appointment, making efficient use of your trip.
Throughout the planning process, we maintain clear, responsive communication, answering questions, offering timeline guidance, connecting you with trusted vendors when needed. Our experience working with Folino Estate’s team means we anticipate needs before they become problems and integrate smoothly into the day’s flow.
On your wedding day itself, our calm, confident presence allows you to be fully present. You’re not worrying about whether moments are being captured or if the creative team is getting what they need. You’re trusting us to do what we’ve done hundreds of times before, while you experience the joy and emotion you’ve been anticipating.
The Birds Of A Feather Perspective
When couples travel from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Long Island to celebrate at Folino Estate, they’re making a statement about what matters to them.
They’re choosing a rare-gold kind of destination—close enough to be doable, polished enough to feel genuinely special. It’s a hidden-gem weekend where guests arrive expecting “Pennsylvania” and leave talking about vineyards, candlelight, and that quiet, European-feeling glow.
There’s also a smart, sophisticated advantage: many couples find they can create a more expansive experience here than they could in the city. More breathing room in the timeline. More intention in the details. Often, more value for the investment—without sacrificing the editorial finish or the guest experience.
We honor that choice by approaching your wedding with the same level of care and artistry we bring to every celebration. Our fifteen years of experience working with destination couples has taught us that what you need most is a creative team that understands both the practical challenges of planning from afar and the emotional weight of bringing everyone together in one extraordinary place.
Our multi-generational family team brings different perspectives and strengths to your day. Tassia leads with her photographer’s eye and calm, reassuring presence. Our videographers capture movement and emotion with cinematic artistry. Our content creator ensures the moments you want to share immediately are documented and delivered quickly. Together, we create a comprehensive visual legacy that honors the significance of what you’ve created.
By the end of your wedding day, you’ll understand why so many couples tell us we felt like family. It’s because we’ve invested in your story, celebrated your joy, and worked tirelessly to ensure nothing important goes undocumented. It’s because we believe deeply in the legacy we’re helping you create, images and films that will be treasured not just by you, but by generations to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should we book for a destination wedding at Folino Estate?
Most couples secure Folino Estate twelve to eighteen months in advance, especially for peak season dates (May through October). We recommend reaching out to us as soon as you’ve confirmed your venue to ensure our availability, as we limit the number of weddings we accept each year to provide exceptional service to every couple.
Can you help us coordinate with other vendors at Folino Estate?
Absolutely. Over fifteen years, we’ve built relationships with many preferred vendors at Folino Estate and throughout the Lehigh Valley. We’re happy to provide recommendations and facilitate connections. On your wedding day, we coordinate seamlessly with your other vendors to ensure optimal timing for portraits, ceremony, and reception coverage.
What if we can’t visit Folino Estate before the wedding?
We understand that multiple trips from out of state aren’t always feasible. We offer virtual consultations and can provide detailed guidance on the property, timeline recommendations, and photo location planning via video call. If you’re able to schedule even one visit, we suggest coordinating an engagement session during that trip to maximize your time and familiarity with the venue.
Do you offer full weekend coverage for destination weddings?
Yes. Many destination wedding couples choose to extend coverage to include rehearsal dinners, welcome parties, or morning-after brunches. We customize packages to fit your specific needs and ensure the entire weekend celebration is beautifully documented.
How quickly will we receive our photos and video after the wedding?
Your content creator delivers social-ready images within 48 hours. Your full wedding gallery typically arrives within six to eight weeks, and your wedding film within three to four months. We prioritize quality and artistry in our post-production process while maintaining reasonable timelines.
If you are newly engaged in the Lehigh Valley and are looking for vendors that you can trust- we would be honored to work with you! Our family team can only take on a limited number of weddings each year and we would love for yours to be one of them. Please reach out to me, Tassia- at Hello@birdsofafeatherphotography.com or visit our website at [www.birdsofafeatherphotography.com].
