Race Brook Lodge Micro-Wedding in the Berkshires | Andrea Van Orsouw Photography
An Eclectic, Fantasy-Filled Micro Wedding
As a Massachusetts and New England micro-wedding photographer, the Berkshires is one of my favorite regions to work in. There are some places that feel like they were built with blueprints and then there are places that feel like they grew naturally over time.
Race Brook Lodge in the Berkshires was one of those places. This was the last micro-wedding (and wedding!_ that took place at this venue before it closed and I will forever feel lucky to have been the one to photograph it.
Eclectic. Fantasy-filled. Inspiring. Serene in that quiet, slightly wild way. This was a place that creativity grows on trees.
It felt exactly like Sasha and Daneen.
An Eclectic Berkshires Micro Wedding in the Woods
This wasn’t a manicured venue. It wasn’t polished or pristine or overly styled. Race Brook Lodge was textured, gritty, and layered with history.
It had cabins with front porches, hammocks tucked between trees. Fire pits. Swings. Hiking trails.
Wood stacked from the land itself. It felt carved out of nature itself. It felt like it had been built slowly over decades by people who loved it. Like every beam and pathway had a story. It was messy in the most inspiring way. The kind of messy that makes you feel creative instead of constrained.
And in mid-October, with the leaves fully on fire and an impending storm rolling in, it felt almost spiritual. The air was electric. Leaves swirled around us. The energy was calm but charged… like the quiet before something powerful.
I felt so creatively alive here.
The Kind of Couple Who Chooses a Place Like This
Sasha and Daneen are the kind of couple who don’t ask for permission to be themselves. They are artsy, nerdy, musical, and above all: deeply sentimental.
They love Dungeons & Dragons. Board games. Art retreats. In fact, they chose Race Brook Lodge because Daneen had actually attended creative retreats at this venue before.
This place truly meant something to them
Their wedding was intimate, about 30 people, but every single guest loved them loudly and fully. The speeches were overflowing with pride and affection. There wasn’t a single person there who wasn’t deeply connected to them.
They cared most about giving their family and friends a relaxed, beautiful experience. There wasn’t a hint of stress. There was no pressure to perform.
And you could feel it all day.
A Fantasy-Inspired Fall Wedding Look
Sasha wore a suit with orange flowers while Daneen wore an iridescent orange dress with a red cape made by her friend, complete with with chainmail shoulders. Yeah, CHAINMAIL. Daneen and Saha wore exactly what they wanted, ate what they wanted, spent their time how they wanted. And they felt completely at home doing it.
They spent the day chatting, laughing, wandering through the trees. Not even a hint of overstimulation or timeline restrictions.
It was one of the most relaxed wedding days I’ve ever photographed.
Why I Felt So Creative Here
There was something about this place: the swirling leaves, the storm clouds building, the wood cabins and wild trees. I had a sense that every corner held a secret.
It felt magical. Slightly decaying in that late-fall way where everything is soft and lived-in and golden around the edges. Not in a dying kinda way…like a transformative kinda way.
The Berkshires landscape adds something you can’t fake. The trees are endless. The air feels heavier in a way that lifts you. You feel connected to the earth you’re standing on.
I would go back in a heartbeat. Honestly, I would live there if I could.
For the Couples Who Feel Most at Home in the Woods
If you’re fantasizing:
- An eclectic wedding venue in the Berkshires
- A micro wedding in Western Massachusetts
- A campground or retreat-style wedding weekend
- A place that feels artistic and a little weird
- A wedding day that feels like you’re hosting your favorite people at your favorite place
This is your sign to do it your way.
Venues like Race Brook Lodge may be rare, but the energy, the vibe, and the intention behind it exists everywhere. And I will happily chase it with you.
Whether it’s in the Berkshires or tucked into the woods somewhere else entirely, I will tell the story of it. Let’s get in touch!
Vendors
Venue: Race Brook Lodge
Florist: Country Gardeners Florist
Cape: Lindsey Look
Rentals: Mahaiwe Tent
Cake: Harvard Sweet Boutique
DJ: Spindler the Crate Digger
Frequently Asked Questions About Micro-Weddings in the Berkshires
What made Race Brook Lodge special as a wedding venue? Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield, Massachusetts was one of the most unique wedding venues in the Berkshires; a rustic, eclectic lodge with hiking trails, fire pits, cabins, and sweeping fall foliage. It felt less like a venue and more like a living, breathing place with decades of stories baked into it. Sadly, it closed its doors to events, but the couples who celebrated there carry something rare with them.
Are there other eclectic or nontraditional wedding venues in the Berkshires? Yes, the Berkshires is full of retreat-style spaces, historic inns, and outdoor properties that lend themselves to intimate, creative celebrations. If you’re drawn to the Race Brook Lodge vibe, wooded, artistic, unhurried, there are other lodge and campground-style venues in Western Massachusetts worth exploring. I’d love to help you find the right fit.
What is a micro-wedding? A micro-wedding is typically an intimate celebration of 30 guests or fewer. It prioritizes depth over scale. Fewer people means more presence, more meaningful conversations, and a day that actually feels like you. Sasha and Daneen had about 30 guests, and every single one of them was deeply connected to the couple. That energy is hard to replicate in a ballroom of 200.
What should I wear to an eclectic or nontraditional wedding? Whatever actually reflects who you are. Sasha wore a suit with orange flowers. Daneen wore an iridescent orange dress with a red cape and chainmail shoulders, handmade by a friend. Nobody batted an eye. The best wedding looks are the ones where you feel completely at home in your own skin.
Do you photograph micro-weddings in the Berkshires? Absolutely! Western Massachusetts is one of my favorite places to work. The landscape, the light, the kind of couples drawn to the area… it’s a perfect match for the documentary, emotionally driven style I shoot in. Let’s talk about your vision.
This wedding was one of many I’ve photographed across New England! Check out my complete list of New England wedding venues I’ve shot at for more ideas.
Wanna check out more Massachusetts venues? Here’s a blog post featuring a bunch that I’ve worked at!
