Our Story
A family.
A dream.
125 acres.
"We are the Boustanis — raised in New York City, rooted in the Catskills. We bring the energy and polish of the city, and the warmth and soul of the country."
Founders, Gilbertsville Farmhouse · Est. 2013
Sharon & Aldo Boustani
What started as one family's dream of wide open spaces became something far bigger — a place where hundreds of couples have celebrated the most important weekend of their lives. This is how it happened.
Our Story
A family.
A dream.
125 acres.
How It Started
From Cuba,
to Queens,
to the Catskills.
It all started with Aldo. Born in the Cuban countryside, he traded coconut trees for city fire escapes when he moved to the heart of Queens at the age of seven. He carried that love of open land with him his entire life.
After tying the knot with Sharon, they spent 21 years putting down roots — raising a family of six in New York City, building careers, building a life. But they never stopped dreaming about wide, open spaces to make memories together.
In 2013, that dream took root. They found 125 acres of former dairy farmland in South New Berlin, NY — and got to work. What they built wasn't just a venue. It was a place with as much soul as the couples who come to celebrate here.
2013
Founded
125
Acres
6
Family Members
500+
Weddings Hosted
Read our impact statement →
The Journey
How a former dairy farm
became New York's most personal
wedding destination.
Harvest 336 In-House Culinary
Harvest 336, the in-house farm-to-table culinary team, launches to bring the same family-led quality to every meal of the weekend.
2021
The Chandelier Room Renovation & The Victoria Cabins
The show-stopping Chandelier Barn expands — a fully renovated historic barn with soaring ceilings and crystal chandeliers adding 1300 sqft of extra reception space. Ten new all-season luxury cabins open, expanding on-site capacity and adding year-round accommodation options.
2025
The Glamping Village Opens
Gilbertsville Farmhouse becomes New York State's first-ever glamping wedding venue, launching the iconic Glamping Village with luxury safari-style tents and private bathrooms. Couples begin staying on-site for the full weekend — and the "weekend wedding" experience is born.
2015
The Boustani Country Home
Sharon, Aldo, and their [then] three children purchase 125 acres of a former dairy farm in South New Berlin, NY as a weekend home. The property hosted many family weekends, birthdays, and holidays before any vision of what Gilbertsville could be. They begin the extensive renovation of the barns and grounds, building their vision by hand alongside their team.
2005
The Doors Open
Sharon, Aldo, and their four children leave New York City and take the leap — purchasing 125 acres of a former dairy farm in South New Berlin, NY. They begin the extensive renovation of the barns and grounds, building their vision by hand alongside their team.
2013
Meet the Team
This isn't
a business.
It's a family.
The Boustanis run Gilbertsville Farmhouse as a true family operation — and that isn't marketing language. When you book here, you are working with the people whose names are on the door. Sharon knows your name before your first tour. Aldo built the barns you're getting married in. The team that shows up on your wedding day has worked hundreds of events together in sync.
Between the family and core team, there are nearly two decades of customer service and event experience. But the real differentiator isn't experience — it's that every single person here actually cares. That's not something you can train. It's just who they are.
Co-Founder
Sharon Boustani
The heart of Gilbertsville. Sharon designs every inch of the property, leads every couple relationship, and is the reason couples say they booked the venue site-unseen after one Zoom call.
Co-Founder
Aldo Boustani
Born in Cuba, raised in Queens, rooted in the Catskills. Aldo's dream of reconnecting with his roots became the farm that hundreds of couples now call their most special place.
Our Incredible Team
The Extended Family
Brandon, Katie, Lydia, our culinary team, and the full crew — people our couples call out by name in their reviews, and who show up every weekend like it's the most important one of the year. Because to them, it is.
Operations & Strategy
Peter Boustani
Brandon, Katie, Lydia, our culinary team, and the full crew — people our couples call out by name in their reviews, and who show up every weekend like it's the most important one of the year. Because to them, it is.
Marketing & Relationships
Victoria Boustani
The next generation. Victoria brings city-sharp marketing instincts and a deep love for the property to her role — ensuring every couple's experience is as personal as it was on day one.
Construction & Maintenance
Aldo Boustani Jr.
The next generation. Victoria brings city-sharp marketing instincts and a deep love for the property to her role — ensuring every couple's experience is as personal as it was on day one.
As Seen In
Recognized by
the people who know
the industry.
"#4 Best Glamping Spot in the World"
The Venue Report
"One of the Best Places to Go Glamping in the US"
The Points Guy
Featured as a destination wellness and retreat destination
The Dr. Oz Show
Consistently rated 5 stars across hundreds of reviews
WeddingWire & The Knot
What Couples Say
In their
own words.
"We felt that other venues gave off a 'wedding factory' vibe — a rotating door where one wedding was pushed out to make way for the next. Gilbertsville was the exact opposite. We felt special, cared for, and 100% like part of their family."
— Samantha · The Knot
"Sharon Boustani is so excellent with her execution of details and so powerfully loving and warm as a person. We booked the venue site-unseen after one Zoom call with her, because of who she is and the truth she conveys."
— WeddingWire Review
"I don't even want to call them staff — I felt like we were friends the entire planning duration. Every person treated us as if they truly wanted to interact with us. There truly are no façades here."
— Alex · WeddingWire
"Sharon, Aldo, and their team are so incredibly hard working and they genuinely care about every couple that they meet. I don't think words can do this venue and their staff justice."
— Samantha · The Knot
"Gilbertsville Farmhouse doesn't just host weddings — they create unforgettable weekend experiences that blend luxury, nature, and heartfelt hospitality. It's like a sleepaway camp all grown up."
— Samantha · The Knot
"The amount of people that have reached out to say our wedding was the best they've ever been to should be a testament to how hard the GF team works and how much they care about every step."
— Samantha · The Knot
What We Stand For
The things we
refuse to compromise on.
We host 27–28 weddings a year. We will never be a wedding factory. Your weekend is the only one happening, and every person on our team knows it.
One Wedding at a Time
01
Exceptional hospitality is about how people feel. From your first inquiry to the final farewell brunch, you are supported by people who genuinely care about you.
Real Hospitality
02
What you see is what you get — and then some. No hidden fees, no restrictive rules, no pressure to fit your celebration into our mold. The property adapts to you, not the other way around.
No Façades
03
Come meet
the family.
The best way to understand Gilbertsville Farmhouse is to walk the property with us. Schedule a tour — and see for yourself why so many couples book on the spot.
