John Joseph Inn, Groton NY

In only a few words - the John Joseph Inn is an incredible venue and was the perfect spot for our wedding, and we would recommend to anyone!

The venue itself is absolutely gorgeous, and John is continually making additions and improvements year after year it seems. We were able to use the property for the entire wedding weekend, from:
- having the entire wedding party staying onsite
- the Rehearsal Dinner in the restaurant
- Welcome Drinks on the porch and in the atrium of the Inn
- Getting Ready onsite (girls in the Inn, guys in the Cook's Cottage)
- Ceremony in the garden, Cocktail Hour in the orchard, Reception in the Tent
- Afterparty in the Inn
This not only made logistics easy for us, but meant we were able to explore and use every lovely inch of the property!   Also cannot overstate how much we loved that we got to stay on site - it removed so much of the potential hassle for us on our wedding day! The well-maintained gardens and tent were just a stunning location for our day. The ceremony site is a dreamy garden escape, and the reception tent has several wonderful touches not common of other tented venues we toured, including stunning chandeliers, a stone floor, and farmhouse tables.

John himself was a pleasure to work with in the year leading up to the event, and his relaxed and calm demeanor was a valuable asset to counter our own wedding stresses. He is a consummate pro at this, having done it for decades now and especially with Lauren's help for the day-of coordination everything went off without a hitch! In addition, the whole way he runs his business was such a breath of fresh air compared to other venues we had toured that gave off more of a "wedding factory" vibe. With John, there were no concerns about hidden fees or upcharges or that we were just another name in his ledgers, and on top of that the value at the JJI is better than any other venue we toured. For example - many things were simply included as part of the package whereas they would've been upcharges at many other venues (champagne toasts, wine service at tables, passed cocktails at happy hour, etc.)

Finally, I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't mention the food. From the rehearsal dinner BBQ, to the cocktail hour bites, to the main courses - everything was so so good and we got many compliments from the guests on how delicious everything was. On top of that, any concerns we had about guests going hungry were completely wrong as the portions were incredibly generous.

Overall - an absolutely incredible venue that truly made our whole experience!

Attended a large wedding there this weekend and was VERY impressed with the event and especially the staff. It's a beautiful venue for an outdoor wedding, and the staff served drinks and appetizers in the garden and a seated dinner in the tent like PROs and on top of that, were very kind. Didn't stay there, know nothing about Inn part, but an incredible event resource.

Wow wow wow
just attended a spectacular wedding here.outstanding service staff.amazing food from cocktail hour to dinner to next day brunch.great experience.

Getting married at the John Joseph Inn was incredible from start to finish. John is organized, personable, and an extremely talented chef which made our wedding day absolutely perfect. He made sure we were taken care of and put so much personal care into making sure our wedding vision came to life. The food throughout was the best wedding food we’ve ever had! We are still having guests reach out to us telling us how delicious it was. John’s staff at the Inn were attentive and helpful throughout the weekend. The rooms were beautiful, luxurious, and comfortable. Our families and friends absolutely loved staying on the grounds for the weekend. We couldn’t recommend the John Joseph Inn enough. We are so happy to have chosen this venue and would do it again in a heartbeat. You won’t find a more elegant, beautiful, perfect place to get married.

John’s tasting last night was incredible. He accommodated both vegan and vegetarian restrictions and everything was delicious. Thank you so much John!

Stayed there for our anniversary in May. Beautiful room and Inn. Host was nice. We had the place to ourselves so it was very quiet. Would highly recommend for a romantic getaway.

I had my wedding at John Joseph Inn in May 2022. Everything was perfect. If you are wanting to get married in Central NY, don’t even hesitate or look anywhere else.

Beautiful, peaceful Inn! Chef tasting was last night and the food was exceptional with John providing ingredient details for each course. Service was amazing and the restaurant was beautiful!

I attended a wedding at this venue. Absolutely stunning. It was a flawless 2-day event. I would recommend this venue to anyone in the area.

My fiancé and I went to one of John’s public tasting events last night and we had the best experience! The restaurant was so cozy and clean. The food was INCREDIBLE and so much thought was put into the courses and wine pairings. We left full, and very happy with our night! I wish more people knew about this hidden gem (but not too many, so we can easily get reservations again) Thanks again John, you’re the best!

We spent the weekend in the Finger Lakes region and chose the John Joseph Inn to stay at. It was a beautiful place to stay, and the hospitality was great. The Thatcher David Suite was a great room with a jacuzzi and fireplace and my girlfriend and I enjoyed our nights there. I would definitely stay with them again when I am up in the area again.

Hosted our daughters wedding reception and ceremony in the beautiful gardens of the Inn. It was definitely a 5 star experience! The food was the star of the event.

Our daughter's wedding on October 8,2022 was at the John Joseph Inn. This venue is phenomenal! All of our guests described the wedding as amazing. The owner and his staff went above and beyond to ensure the day, and the entire weekend, was perfect for the bride and the groom and all the guests. The vendors were in awe of kindness of the entire staff and beauty of the venue. The food was superb and we had several guests who stated they had never before had such excellent food at any wedding they had ever been to. Truly every last detail was attended to. The owner of this venue is very personable and this venue deserves a higher rating than 10 out of 10 if it were possible. Thank you, John Hamilton, for ensuring our daughter had the wedding of her dreams. It was a pleasure to work with you.

We had our wedding at the John Joseph Inn in July 2022, and the day could not have been more perfect! The venue is as gorgeous as it gets – the Inn, decked out in Mackenzie Childs décor, is wonderfully charming. The shaded ceremony area is romantic and comfortable even on a sunny summer afternoon, and the cocktail area is reminiscent of the most luscious English countryside garden. I had initially considered going off-site for pre-ceremony pictures, but I’m so glad we didn’t – the Inn and its gardens are the perfect backdrop. Our guests also loved wandering the property and taking pictures on the porch, in front of a stunning sunset. All our vendors made the day easy for us. John and his staff are laid back, yet totally on-top of the day-of details – we felt we were able to relax, enjoy the day and be confident that everything would be handled well. The cocktails and food are top-notch – our guests raved about both specialty cocktails (limoncello Collins and tart cherry mint julep – both made with fresh ingredients), the elegant Jar Bar and passed hors d'oeuvres, all of our entrée selections and of course, the delicious summer strawberry cake. We appreciated how candid John was in the planning process, offering his opinion on what is necessary and what is not, which helped us stick to our budget. You really don’t need to add much to have a wonderful event at this venue. We would certainly recommend the John Joseph Inn to anyone looking for an elegant, yet laid-back experience in Upstate NY.