Welcome LGBTQ+ and BIPOC communities! The Shackteau is a 2022 construction which mixes French-Country design with modern technology. The vibe is cozy despite the wide-open floor plan, and luxurious without getting too precious about it. The house was designed for real living and serious entertaining - not as a delicate show-piece. The Shackteau features a beautiful kitchen, commandeered by your hosts, who strive to provide your group with a perfect food day! Like what you see in the photos? Nearly every event is a custom offer, so please don't get too bogged down by "add-on" pricing because you may overcharge yourself. If you message us, we'll get you on the right path quickly and efficiently, including live or digital tours. Feeling overwhelmed as the organizer? You're not alone. The measure of The Shackteau's success is your sense of peace and calm that everything will be taken care of so you can relax, interact with your guests, end enjoy yourself. The best part is that you get to take all the credit for a smoothly-run event. Looking for a place to stay during your event? There is also lodging at The Shackteau, bookable via AirBNB. Overnight lodging automatically includes many of the items listed here as "add-ons". Please inquire. The Shackteau works great for: Corporate off-sites Holistic Healers Healing Retreats Bonfire Gatherings Photography and artist workshops Musician gatherings & practice (Yamaha baby grand avail) Small Weddings & Elopements Same-sex / LGBTQ unions & gatherings welcome! Receptions Rehearsal dinners Bachelorette weekends Girls Weekends Birthday celebrations Anniversaries Family Reunions Milestone events Design Thinking Cooking classes Family portrait & senior portrait venue w/ pet and child sitting help Board Gaming weekends Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) venue Poker & Chess tournaments Knitting circles Dog training We offer a multitude of dining, entertaining and tech Add-ons to support our guests. If you need something, please ask! Meander Enjoy beautiful rooms: The Shackteau Great Room, Green Room, Reception & Balcony Bar Overlook, Music Room & Social Hall. Wander the grounds to discover the Bevvy Garden, Lottie's Lodge, the Glamping Tent & the Chicken Coop. Create your own unique space by dressing up the front pasture with one or more tents overlooking the lake. Enjoy Nature Take a different kind of bio-break: Swim, kayak, paddleboard. Nibble fresh blueberries from the bushes lining the 100 ft dock in July. Walk right off the dock and hike the lake in snowshoes in February. Snooze in a hammock surrounded by trees, collect eggs, cavort with miniature rescue horses & free range chickens. Family Activities & Self Care Take a sauna. Meditate to the beautifully tuned windchimes on the dock or take a pillow out to the swim raft for a nap. Work out in the gym, play lawn games or have an outdoor ping-pong tournament. Gather by the firepit for a singalong - or move your singalone indoors to the baby grand piano or karaoke machine. Eat & drink well. Always. The Shackteau features a beautiful french kitchen, and a back-of-house kitchen. Have your own caterer in mind? Completely fine! Or, work with us to provide healthful nourishing food to your taste, dietary needs and timeline to create your perfect food day - including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and reception dishes. (The Shackteau cannot directly sell alcohol, but it can be served. Please inquire for details.) Gather for Dinner - The Shackteau Great room features a dining table that seats 14, extensible with extra tables to seat 35 indoors. - The covered front porch can also be used as outdoor dining space accommodating two 6-foot tables as add-ons. - Various other add-ons such as larger tents and tables for larger outdoor dining and gatherings are available. Après Dinner Take an evening stroll. The entire shackteau grounds are lit by solar pathways, including the stairs down to the dock, the hammock station and the dock itself - creating a peaceful, intimate atmosphere. A word about your hosts: "Mr. and Mrs. B." Mr. B was an IT director in the newspaper industry in Boston for over 20 years. Mrs. B was a customer-experience research director in financial services for over 20 years. After an early retirement from their respective industries, Mrs. B followed her dream by pivoting to apply those same principles to the hospitality sector. We look forward to making sure your meeting, offsite or event is unique and delightful to its attendees and organizers. Specs INTERIOR 1st LEVEL - Southern facing. Oversized, french paned, crank-case windows - Cathedral ceiling with oversized windows at peak - Interior balcony overlooking living room, cathedral windows, forest, & lake - Rustic Iron chandeliers - French Gourmet Kitchen - Dining Table (Expandable, seating 4 to 14) - Central 360 Fireplace - Leather furniture, hide rugs - Ceiling mounted wi-fi projector with 100" ceiling mounted retractable screen - 2 1st-level baths with interior and exterior access, 1 is wheelchair accessible - Back of house separated from main house by gothic dutch door. This is where hosts support short-term day-rentals with coffee, food prep, laundry, last minute ironing and dishwashing. Includes a commercial dishwasher. INTERIOR 2ND LEVEL Bridal "Ready-Room" suite - Changing room (south & west facing windows, plants, hanging chair & water feature) - Kitchenette - Luxurious marble master-bath w/ fireplace - Balcony bar INTERIOR Lower LEVEL "Dance Hall" - Long hallway that can be outfitted with seating or used for dancing - Disco ball Music room - Baby grand piano (Yamaha) - Karaoke Machine (Singtrix) - Speakeasy Armoire bar EXTERIOR - Sauna (Add-On) - Beer Garden, wine-barrel bar, side pasture & conversation pit (Add-On) - Miniature horses (Add-On for photography) - Fire pit, Hammock station, Dock, 4 kayaks, 2 paddleboards, 1 row boat, swim raft (Add-On) - Cabin w/ dedicated wi-fi (Add-On) - Canvas bell tent outfitted with oriental rugs on the floor. 20'(d), 15' (h) (Add-On) - T@b pull-trailer (Add-On) - 30 Amp hookup (Add-On) Tech - 2 high-speed wi-fi networks - 4 Google homes - 2 Google Max speakers - Ceiling mounted wi-fi enabled projector in great room - 100" pull down screen - 2 other portable projection screens which can be hung almost anywhere. - 3 Bang & Olufsen bluetooth speakers (Add-On) **Hosts can be on-call for technical support if requested.
Don't see an amenity you're looking for? Ask the host, Laura
This venue was everything we dreamed our wedding would be. It had every amenity we could have wanted, even down to farm-fresh eggs in the morning. The dock and lake made a stunning backdrop for our photos against the changing colors of the leaves and the campfire made for a perfect place to wind down for guests less interested in dancing. Laura herself was instrumental in helping our event go smoothly and was so incredibly helpful and responsive.
This venue was everything we dreamed our wedding would be. It had every amenity we could have wanted, even down to farm-fresh eggs in the morning. The dock and lake made a stunning backdrop for our photos against the changing colors of the leaves and the campfire made for a perfect place to wind down for guests less interested in dancing. Laura herself was instrumental in helping our event go smoothly and was so incredibly helpful and responsive.
Laura is a truly outstanding host! She went above and beyond to make our wedding weekend flawless. During planning, she was very communicative and thorough. The night before the wedding, we had a beautiful rehearsal dinner on her property which she had set up with tables, linens, glassware, a beautiful coffee bar, and more. After the wedding, we returned to her spectacular space for a bonfire. She had the fire all ready to go and had prepared a stunning gourmet s’mores bar for us. Laura has impeccable taste and a great eye for details! She is the perfect person to help make your event dreams come to life!!
Laura is a truly outstanding host! She went above and beyond to make our wedding weekend flawless. During planning, she was very communicative and thorough. The night before the wedding, we had a beautiful rehearsal dinner on her property which she had set up with tables, linens, glassware, a beautiful coffee bar, and more. After the wedding, we returned to her spectacular space for a bonfire. She had the fire all ready to go and had prepared a stunning gourmet s’mores bar for us. Laura has impeccable taste and a great eye for details! She is the perfect person to help make your event dreams come to life!!
My meditation students and I had a fabulous experience with Laura (the owner) and the space. Laura is fabulous to work with. Goes above and beyond to create a beautiful, comfortable, and supportive environment. We spent the whole day outside and enjoyed kayaking, the sauna, and relaxing during the break. I appreciated her eye for detail, in everything she does. We loved the miniature horses and chickens. My students are raving about the space.
My meditation students and I had a fabulous experience with Laura (the owner) and the space. Laura is fabulous to work with. Goes above and beyond to create a beautiful, comfortable, and supportive environment. We spent the whole day outside and enjoyed kayaking, the sauna, and relaxing during the break. I appreciated her eye for detail, in everything she does. We loved the miniature horses and chickens. My students are raving about the space.
Laura was an absolutely incredible host with amazing attention to detail. I felt so at ease working with her. Not only is her space SO beautiful, but it has such a wonderful , relaxed vibe. She even did the catering for our workshop which was beautifully laid out and fit for any dietary restrictions people may have had. The food was delicious and she was a true pleasure to work with. We will definitely come back in the future for all of our workshop needs!
Laura was an absolutely incredible host with amazing attention to detail. I felt so at ease working with her. Not only is her space SO beautiful, but it has such a wonderful , relaxed vibe. She even did the catering for our workshop which was beautifully laid out and fit for any dietary restrictions people may have had. The food was delicious and she was a true pleasure to work with. We will definitely come back in the future for all of our workshop needs!
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