THE WEDDING SERIES: The McKenzie Wilderness Estate
Welcome to the wedding series, where I interview brides, vendors, and venues to dive into the intricate world of wedding planning, vendor selection, and everything in between. The series continues with an interview with my friend Jessi—a smart, funny, driven, nature-loving nurse who sought to spend more of her time outside than within the walls of a hospital. In that pursuit, she and her husband Sean packed their bags and moved on up to Lake Placid, NY where they bought 190-acres of undeveloped forest land with big dreams of turning it into a nature-inspired wedding venue of their dreams. Read on to learn about their adventures in creating The McKenzie Wilderness Estate, a breathtaking wedding venue tucked beautifully into the forests of Lake Placid.
Taking The Leap
Jessi and Sean's journey from the bustling streets of Boston to the serene wilderness of Lake Placid was fueled by a desire for change and a passion for the great outdoors. “We were living in Boston and we knew we wanted to make some sort of change. We weren't totally happy with our careers and we love to ski and hike and be outside so we really wanted to move somewhere. I'm from an hour away from Lake Placid so we were like that seems like a good spot.” While their love for adventure and the outdoors may have brought them to wilderness, it was their own engagement that spurred the inspiration to develop a wedding venue: “We were engaged, looking for wedding venues and really couldn't find anything that really spoke to us. There were a couple of things that we liked at one venue and a few others at another, but nowhere had it all. We were like okay, we can't be the only ones feeling like this.”
Unexpected Surprises
While Jessi endorses that this venture has been more fun than she and Sean could have imagined, it has not been without its challenges. When asked about how they started to develop the 190-acre property that was previously owned by a local golf course, Jessi stated “It was actually their junkyard. We were digging one day and we just dug up a car. A full car.” But despite these types of minor surprises and setbacks, she gushes that the whole process has been a wonderful experience. “Honestly everything is fun. Starting your own business is fun. I mean it's also really hard and there have been some challenges but at the same time, working with Sean every day, being able to create our own schedule, and just really making it a family thing has been so exciting. And learning something new. I thought I would always be in the medical world and my life would just be, not mundane but just you know normal, so this just feels like such a cool opportunity.”
Leading By Example
If you remember, Jessi and Sean were engaged when they purchased this beautiful land with dreams of turning it into a wedding venue. So, of course, they had to get married there! Jessi talked about how it was a race to the finish line getting the site ready before their big day, made possible only by the helping hands of their closest family. “It was a time crunch and a total family effort. Shout out to my parents and Sean's parents. They really put in some labor, manual labor, which they weren't really expecting. Thank God for them. It was a scramble but Sean really crushed it, I have to give it to him.” And even though it rained a seemingly record-breaking 5-inches on their big day, Jessi reports that their wedding was flawless. What’s more is that the experience gave them firsthand knowledge as to what else soon-to-be-married couples will need out of the venue to enhance their special day. “We knew that we needed to build a floor after that. We're like okay we really want flooring now, so we learned from that and we're building flooring starting this spring.” And next is a plan to build some readying and lodging accommodations for bridal parties and families. “We’re making a bridal readying suite which will have a room so it'll also serve as a honeymoon suite for the bride and groom after the wedding. That's in the near future. And then eventually we want to do cabins throughout the property for guests and families.”
A Truly Unique Space
What sets this venue apart is its seamless integration of natural beauty, adventure, and modern convenience. “The reason why we're calling it The McKenzie Wilderness Estate is because our property backs up to the McKenzie Wilderness which is a preserve of like 30,000 acres so no one could ever build around us which is a really cool feeling. And that's what you feel when you're there. You feel like you're immersed in nature. It is so unique because it feels like you're 20 miles away from any kind of civilization even though that's really not the case because we're five minutes away from downtown. But when you're there it just feels magical and special.”
Whether you're planning your dream wedding or simply seeking refuge from the chaos of everyday life, McKenzie Wilderness Estate beckons with open arms. “Just come see it for yourself. It is just so cool and special. Lake Placid is such a unique place. If you really like a ski town vibe but don’t want the prices of somewhere really fancy out west it does resemble those places. And we have flights from Boston that are so easy, it's like an hour and a half flight and it also comes from New York. So even just a small little getaway to Lake Placid is awesome. Come on our trails and check out the space because it really is a cool place.”
Jessi and Sean are already hosting weddings at their gorgeous venue this fall, and are readily taking on 2025 booking. To learn more about McKenzie Wilderness Estate and start planning your unforgettable event, visit their website www.mckenziewildernessestate.com and follow them on Instagram @mckenziewildernessestate. To watch my full interview with Jessi, visit my YouTube channel or click this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-2vkEF_WBY&t=21s.
*Blog cover photo by Mary Dougherty Photography https://marydougherty.com
