Beautiful. Unique. Memorable.
A special place for your special event.
What could be more memorable than gathering in a private nature sanctuary…on an island…in the most unexpected of places in Central Connecticut?
Here at Old Mill Eco Island we love providing our beautiful, unique spaces for your small, private events. From elopements + micro weddings, private parties, retreats, meetings, to photo shoots and more- this special place makes for a very special day.
A special place for your special event
Our guests are always enchanted by the unique cocktail of nature, history, art, and beauty that is here at Old Mill Eco Island.
We welcome you to offer your own guests (or maybe just yourselves) this magical experience.
Surrounded by nature as the water flows by, the sounds of the bird song fills the air, and the butterflies float among the flowers…
A private nature sanctuary of woodlands and water. A literal island where a mill once stood. Historical bridges over a brook. A unique, designer home surrounded by stone patios, native gardens, and mini meadow overlooking the water. A grove beneath the Sycamore tree with the calm, fairy pool. And a cozy, vintage guest cottage should you be resting (or dressing) your head on site.
A truly one-of-a-kind place just outside of Hartford in Central CT. In the middle of everything…yet a world away.
Packages | Starting at $1000Elopements &
Micro Weddings
A most intimate wedding experience.
We love working with our wedding couples. If you’re looking for a non-traditional, small, intimate wedding experience, we host elopements, micro weddings, and even simply provide magical, romantic spaces for a private photo shoot for your wedding or engagement photos.
I’ve worked in the wedding industry most of my life and am honored as ordained minister to offer officiant services as an option for couples who are looking for one-stop shop experiences.
With our guest cottage on site sitting just above the bridge, our couples have the option to stay on site for their event or after for their minimoons.
Our micro weddings offer a quiet, unique, nature-based location to celebrate with your closest loved ones. We offer collaborations with local photographers and caterers or site-only rentals in our packages.
We only reserve a limited number of dates each year for private events at the site. Site rentals for wedding or engagement photo shoots only start at $350; elopement options start at $1000; and micro weddings start at $2500. Please fill out the form to inquire about your event needs.
Memorable. Unique. Beautiful. Intimate.
Here at Old Mill Eco Island, visitors find themselves in the most enchanting, and surprising of places. Pulling down the unassuming driveway off a main road, one may think ‘this can’t be the right place’…until they descend and are suddenly transported into a surprising oasis- a little hidden slice of paradise. The trees welcome them into the private nature sanctuary- a cozy, vintage guest cottage greeting should you be staying on site…and the historic covered bridge waiting to transport you onto The Island.
Stepping onto the historical, covered bridge to cross over the first branch of the brook- a sign reads ‘The Old Mill 1760-1870’. The water may be still or flowing- usually emerald, reflecting the tree branches reaching over the water’s edges as a Great Blue Heron swoops overhead, landing gracefully in the shale rapids.
Approaching the other side, they step onto The Island and catch a view of the old, stone home with its artistic interior beckoning them to continue along the path where the old millstone stands welcoming guests- reminding them of the history of this place.
They round the curve, and suddenly it feels as if the world opens up- the sky and the tree line giving a sense of awe and peace, a feeling as if you’re truly in a bubble. Walking through the gardens, native flowers and the vibrant green of plant life are alive with its own little party of nature- thriving. A special and serene sense of life. That is where guests usually realize there is a second bridge…and as they hear the sound of the waterfall beneath it- realize they’re truly on an island. Wow.
Before them is the rest of the island- the lush greenery and colors, the steps leading them down to the stone patios atop tall stone walls overlooking the waterfall where they’ll gather for the joyful day, enjoy meals and cocktails, or take beautiful pictures.
The stairs down to the waterside beneath the big yew tree, the micro meadow of milkweed and wildflowers, the 'fairy pool’ with the fallen logs and quieter water- all possibilities for the most stunning backdrops as they celebrate, connect with nature, say their vows, take their photos. The light providing an ethereal nature, the green reflections of summer with fireflies lighting up on the sky on choicest of nights; the golden glow of autumn as leaves softly fall like a natural confetti. This special place
The Event Space
The Island offers a variety of spaces that come together to create beautiful, memorable events.
Walk through the upper garden pathway to the private patio- the approximately 650 sf stone patio offers 2 distinct but connected areas. The first half overlooks the waterfall and bridge, with the second half looking out over the micro meadow and lower brook where the water reconnects it’s circle around the island.
For seated dinners, the teak dining table offers seating for 12 while the second space offers a seating area with sectional and chairs that seats 8. We have converted this space to an additional table and chairs for seated dinners. Seated events are comfortable for up to 20 guests. For up to 30 guests, standing or more informal set ups work best (passed apps or self-serve food table). String lights illuminate the patio after sunset although when left to the darkness, fireflies will light up the space end of June/early July.
Inside our home, a comfortable living room space extends from the patio with a restroom for guest use located inside. The kitchen is well-outfitted for private chefs and caterers use. A baby grand piano is on site available only for professional, hired musicians. Non-amplified, acoustic music or background music through our provided speaker is welcome. (We are not a good space for DJ/dancing space for safety as the patios are lined with stones and lofted above a stone wall and as we are a nature sanctuary first, loud noise is disruptive to our wildlife residents). Events must finish at 9pm and depending on your rental package, renters may be required to clean up unless they have selected a janitorial service in their rental.
First & Foremost, a Nature Sanctuary
Hosting your special event with us means you too are a nature lover! We are of course on a mission to provide folks with a wonderful, special space and excellent hospitality. But all of our other missions really come second to our main mission- which is providing a safe, sanctuary space to the ecosystem we steward here. Before hosting your event with us, please make sure you understand what that may mean with some special rules we have here that are meant to protect our wildlife as well as our human guests.
1) While we have native plants that bloom throughout all of our seasons here and year-round aesthetic interest, bloom times, wildlife, and water flow are all dependent on nature. Weather, temperatures, and seasonal cues will change which flora is in bloom or which fauna is buzzing about throughout the year as well as how much water is flowing through the brook. The waterfall may be very full and rushing or it may be dry during a drought. The nature here is always stunning, but it is variable.
2) If you are deathly allergic to bee stings or insect bites or terrified of our pollinator friends (or have a guest that is), we are not the best fit for you. Our gardens are not sterile- they are pollinator gardens and they’re here for our buzzing friends (who keep us alive). We ask renters to stay on paths or marked areas and refrain from swatting at insects/birds/wildlife or from picking any plants/flowers. Feeding wildlife is not allowed. Guests/renters should apply insect repellent inside or prior to arrival- never outside- so it does not drift onto plants. Our bees, butterflies, birds, and hummingbirds are present on the flowers May/June through late fall. They are very satiated and generally uninterested in human food throughout the year until some species experience nest die-off in September. This is when folks are usually aware of yellow-jackets being aggressive. We do our best to distract any aggressive insects away from event areas, but unfortunately their nature in September is that they may be interested in food and can be aggressive about it. The interior of the home is available but we like our guests to know that this is a known issue in any outdoor space with food that time of year so please plan accordingly. They are only responding to food/drink/possibly sweet smelling perfume- simply being outside for ceremony or to take pictures, they won’t be a bother.
3) No Smoking - at all. We do not allow any smoking on the property- neither outside nor inside. This is a strict policy.
4) Decor- Our hope here is our renters will luxuriate in all the natural beauty the property has to offer. We do not allow confetti (unless it is leaf confetti) or balloons of any kind and we ask that renters consider sustainability and waste when making selections for their events. We do not allow open flames/candles but LED/battery operated candles/lights are acceptable. The patio has solar string lights we turn on at night. We offer plates/silverware/cloth napkins/glassware as a rental add on or we suggest biodegradable, compostable plates/napkins and wooden utensils that can be placed in our compost at the end of the event to reduce waste. We are happy to make recommendations for more sustainable choices as you are planning your event.
5) Anything you bring on-site, you bring back off-site. We provide a bin for recyclables and a bin for trash. Renters may generate 3 bags of trash per event. Hartford does not have its own trash plant anymore so waste is an issue locally- we ask our renters to be conscientious about reducing waste at their event. More than 3 bags, renters may pay an additional fee for us to bring to dump or take with them off site to dispose of.
6) Be considerate about noise levels- we do not allow amplified music but we do provide speakers for ambient music. Noise disrupts signaling amongst wildlife and we have neighbors and want to be respectful of our noise levels and impacts to our surroundings.
7) Events at The Island are best for adults only. Our spaces are not child-safe and not appropriate for kiddos at events.