The Stone Mill at the New York Botanical Garden is one of the most distinctive intimate wedding venues in New York City. A National Historic Landmark built in 1840, sitting on the bank of the Bronx River inside 250 acres of botanical garden, with a ceremony terrace surrounded by evergreen trees and the sound of the river just below. Up to 120 guests. One of the most beautiful small venues in the city, and one that photographs extraordinarily well in every season.
About the Venue
The Stone Mill, officially the Lillian and Amy Goldman Stone Mill, was built in 1840 as the Lorillard Snuff Mill, making it one of the oldest buildings in the Bronx. It sits within the New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Boulevard in the Bronx, a National Historic Landmark that has been a New York City institution since 1891. Catering and events are managed by Constellation Culinary Group. Site fee ranges from $2,250 to $2,750 depending on the season. Peak season is May through October, with July and October booking earliest.
The Spaces
Ceremonies take place on the outdoor stone terrace overlooking the Bronx River, surrounded by majestic evergreen trees. The terrace is intimate and sheltered, with the sound of the river as a natural backdrop for the ceremony. It’s incredibly sweet and peaceful, which I find hard to get in the city! Indoor ceremonies are available in case of rain.
Cocktail hour flows naturally between the indoor lower level and the outdoor terrace, with glass doors connecting the two. The indoor/outdoor transition is seamless and well-designed.
The Dining Room on the upper level has exposed original brick walls and reclaimed wood floors. Warm, farm chic interiors that feel genuinely historic rather than designed to look that way. Up to 120 guests for dinner and dancing.
A getting-ready suite is available on site, beginning three hours before the event. Most wedding parties have hair and makeup done off-site and change at the venue – which is what I recommend. A golf cart is available for portraits throughout the botanical garden grounds.
Photography at the Stone Mill
There are SO MANY places that I love, love, love. The ceremony terrace with the Bronx River and evergreen trees as the backdrop. The stone exterior of the mill for portraits. The Dining Room features brick walls and reclaimed-wood floors. The garden grounds by golf cart for portraits in every direction, including the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden, the Native Plant Garden, the Rock Garden, the Azalea Garden, and the Thain Family Forest. The NYBG grounds in every season are extraordinary, from the rose garden in June to the foliage in fall to the snow-covered evergreens in winter.
Frequently Asked Questions: Stone Mill Weddings
Where is the Stone Mill located?
Inside the New York Botanical Garden at 2900 Southern Boulevard in the Bronx. A National Historic Landmark built in 1840, on the bank of the Bronx River.
What is the Stone Mill at the New York Botanical Garden?
An intimate wedding venue within the NYBG for up to 120 guests. Outdoor ceremony terrace on the Bronx River, indoor/outdoor cocktail hour, Dining Room with exposed brick and reclaimed wood floors. Catering by Constellation Culinary Group. Getting-ready suite and golf cart for garden portraits included. As of writing this, the fee is $2,250 to $2,750.
What makes the Stone Mill distinctive?
The combination of the 1840 historic mill, the Bronx River ceremony terrace, and access to the full 250-acre botanical garden for portraits is genuinely unusual. This venue feels like it is hours from the city while being fully within it. The intimacy of the 120-guest maximum gives it a character that larger venues cannot replicate. And the garden in every season provides portrait backdrops that are available at no other venue in New York City.
Is the Stone Mill appropriate for winter weddings?
OH YES. The Stone Mill photographs beautifully in winter. The evergreen trees on the ceremony terrace, the berried holly throughout the garden, the warm interior lighting against the brick and wood, and the possibility of snow make it one of the most atmospheric winter wedding venues in the city. Couples have held outdoor bistro-lit receptions on the terrace in December.
How do guests get to the Stone Mill?
The Stone Mill is within the New York Botanical Garden. During garden hours, guests arrive through the garden entrance. After hours, mandatory NYBG-operated trams run from the parking area to the Stone Mill. Factor shuttle timing into your logistics planning.
Do you photograph weddings at the Stone Mill?
Yes. If your wedding is here, I would love to hear about it.
The Stone Mill at the New York Botanical Garden is one of my favorite intimate venues in New York City. If yours is here, I would love to be there for it.
