A warm welcome back to Merci New York’s resident destinations expert, Christina Matteucci of david beahm destinations … As many of you know, Christina joins Merci the first {non-holiday!} Monday of every month to report on beautiful destination wedding locations you will l.o.v.e. Today, Christina didn’t need to wander too far from NYC. The beautiful Winvian is a david beahm destiantions property located only a stone’s throw away from Manhattan, making it the perfect locale for sweet city escapes and beautiful weddings, any time of the year. Take it away, Christina!
Bonjour Merci! Thanks so much for having me back again and Bonne Année to you and every one of your readers! I have a hunch that many of Merci’s newest followers this month were the recipient of a little ring box (blue and otherwise) over the holiday season and newly engaged couples are soon going to be venturing out in the snow and cold to begin the hunt for the elusive “perfect venue.” With all of the holiday traveling most of us have been doing over the past month, I thought I would take January’s blog post to share one of my very favorite nearby david beahm destinations. For those of us New Yorkers, it’s blessedly located only a two-hour, hop, skip, or car-ride away from the Metropolitan area in Litchfield, Connecticut. Messieurs et Mademoiselles please allow me to introduce to you to the jewel that is Winvian ! 
For the Merci regulars, by now you’ve noticed that I have more than a little love for intimate, thoughtfully designed and impeccably managed properties. Winvian is all of that, and then some. From the imagination of the Smith progeny was borne the fanciful and quirky property: a New England get-away nestled within 113 acres that was once family farmland. The Smith family selected fifteen master architects to each create their “dream” escape on a portion of the grounds. What resulted is a mosaic of style and design that is united by intuitive, lavish amenities, spectacular cuisine and a level of service expected from a world-class Relais & Châteaux property. The family’s historic Seth Bird House became the hotel reception, communal area, restaurants, and a guest suite, and the existing Gordon Brown House was refurbished as an event space. 
However, when I look at the property through my patented, professional “special event goggles” what I absolutely love about it and what makes it so unique is that there are a myriad of options for how and where your guests can experience your wedding – all of which give the distinct feeling that you are hosting your celebration on a fantastic New England family compound.
In the summer, I find the bucolic nature of the Winvian Meadow idyllic for the ceremony of an exceedingly romantic outdoorsy couple. For a winter wedding, the cozy warmth of the Seth Bird House’s formal dining rooms implore you and your guests to come in from the cold and sit down to a five-course dinner by firelight, lovingly prepared by Chef Eddy. As for summer and fall – well, there is nothing better suited to the party-minded couple than barn dances and libations in the Gordon Brown House and it’s adjacent open-air terrace.
However, the experiences at Winvian are not limited to the wedding day alone. Because each and every guest cottage on the property is so very different from the next, most of your guests will want to see where their fellow invitees are staying. We love the idea of a “cottage hop, cocktails & canapés” event as a welcome party for the weekend. Provide your guests with a map of the property with “stops” at each cottage for a different signature cocktail and corresponding appetizer. From the equestrian-themed “Stable” cottage, to the “Golf” cottage for a round of put-put, to the “Music” cottage where even the front porch can be played like a giant chime – your guests will revel in the property and get to know each other better along the way. 
Over the weekend, many of your guests will be sure to partake in the luxurious spa treatments available on-site, among a plethora of other activities like bocce, yoga, horseback riding, guided hikes and cooking classes. Furthermore, the Winvian Spa building is not to be overlooked for one of the weekend’s events. Filled with glorious natural sunlight spilling in through banks of floor to ceiling windows, it is the perfect location for a post wedding departure brunch.
David recently adorned the Spa with jaunty yellow sunflowers that seemed to effortlessly embody a celebration coming to the end. But no matter where you decide to throw your celebrations at Winvian, beginning, middle or end – your guests will be sure to have the experience of a lifetime. 
Editor’s Note: david beahm destinations is an exclusive resource of amazing destination wedding, honeymoon and celebration locales, all expertly curated by the renowned David Beahm team. To learn about Winivan or any other hand-picked david beahm destination, visit their site here and begin daydreaming. Pretty fabulous, no?
