Your First Look Among the Mountain Views of North Jersey's Born to Run Farm
- Born To Run Farm
- Dec 26, 2025
- 6 min read
When you picture your first look, what do you see? Most couples imagine a quiet doorway, a hotel hallway, maybe a garden path. We think you deserve something better. At Born to Run Farm, your first look happens on top of Point Mountain, with North Jersey stretching out below you and the farm's pastures rolling into the distance.
The moment your partner turns around, there's nothing between you and the view. No ballroom chandeliers overhead, no manicured hedges boxing you in. Just open sky, mountain air, and a working farm where cows graze and sheep wander while you're getting ready for the biggest day of your life.
Why the Mountain Views at Born to Run Farm Make Your First Look Unforgettable
First looks work best when the setting disappears from your mind and only the moment matters. That's harder to achieve when you're standing in a generic hotel corridor or a parking lot behind the reception hall. Here in Glen Gardner, the geography does something different. The elevation opens sightlines that carry for miles. The working farm gives you textures and depth that flat, landscaped venues can't match. And because we're a family owned property that's been here since 1978, the land feels lived in, not staged. Your first look photos won't just capture you and your partner. They'll capture a place with history, animals, and views that change with every season.
The Setting You Can Only Get on Top of Point Mountain
We're at 129 Mountain Top Road in Glen Gardner, and the elevation matters. When you step out of the bridal suite or walk toward your ceremony site, you're standing where Jay and Joan Gerish stood in 1978 when they first saw this land. They chose it for the views. Decades later, couples choose it for the same reason.
The farm operates as it always has. About 30 cows, a dozen sheep, 2 donkeys, and chickens live here full time. None of them leaves for the market. They're part of the landscape your photographer will capture, part of the atmosphere your guests will remember. When your first look photos show a donkey in soft focus behind you or a red barn framing the shot, that's not staging. That's just Tuesday on the farm.
How We Set the Stage Without Blocking the View
Our packages are built around what's already here. The Daisy gives you a 40' x 100' tent with Edison bulb lighting and a chandelier, but we position it so the mountain views stay visible. The ceremony site includes an arbor, chairs, and benches arranged to face the best sightlines. Cocktail hour happens near the wine barrel bar, where your guests can see the same pastures you saw during your first look.
If you choose Dorothy, the bridal suite opens five hours before your ceremony. That's enough time to get ready without rushing, to take a breath on the porch and look out over the farm before you walk toward your partner. We include golf cart services in every package, so your photographer can move you between the bridal suite, the ceremony site, and the best overlooks without burning daylight or energy.
Working With Your Photographer on a Farm
The light here changes constantly. Morning fog lifts off the pastures. Late afternoon sun turns the fields gold. Your photographer will notice. We work with Janine Collette, MZ, BTR, and Wildflower regularly, and they know which spots deliver at which times. The vintage horse trailer bar, the arbor at the ceremony site, the outdoor lounge furniture, and the fire pit area. Each location gives a different backdrop.
Your first look might happen near the bridal suite with the mountain view behind you, or by the ceremony arbor before guests arrive, or along the pasture fence where the light hits cleanest. We help you time it based on your ceremony schedule and your photographer's recommendation. The engagement photo session included in The Dorothy package lets you scout these spots ahead of time, so you're not guessing on the day.
How Your Guests Experience the Views
After your first look, your guests arrive and see what you saw. We arrange the ceremony seating to frame the view, not block it. Cocktail hour flows from the wine barrel bar to the outdoor lounge furniture, giving people reasons to walk around and take in different angles of the property. The 20' x 40' tent and the larger reception tent work together to create shaded gathering spots that still feel open to the landscape.
The fire pit becomes a gathering point after dark. People migrate there between dinner and dancing, and the mountain views trade places with the stars. We've hosted intimate gatherings and grand celebrations, and the geography handles both. Seventy five guests feel surrounded by space. Two hundred guests still find quiet corners.
Planning Your Day Around the Scenery
We walk you through the timeline so the views work for you, not against you. First looks usually happen 90 minutes before the ceremony, giving your photographer time to capture you both in multiple settings without making your guests wait. We coordinate golf cart transport so you're never too far from the bridal suite or the next location.
The ceremony site sits where the views open widest. Cocktail hour transitions naturally from ceremony to reception, with the wine barrel bar anchoring the space. The dance floor in the main tent faces outward when the side walls roll up, so even during dinner, you're connected to the farm. Our staff guides the flow without over directing it. You'll feel it happening smoothly because we've mapped it dozens of times.
What Makes This Different From Other North Jersey Venues
Glen Gardner sits in Hunterdon County, far enough from highways that you lose the traffic hum. Point Mountain gives you the elevation that other farm venues can't match. The working farm aspect means the animals and pastures aren't props. They're here whether you book us or not.
We transformed this venue in 2016, but the land has been in the Gerish family since 1978. It started as a family getaway and horse training space. That history shows in how the property breathes. Nothing feels manufactured. The arbor, the barns, the pasture fencing, they all existed before weddings happened here. We built around them, not over them.
Making It Yours
Every wedding here looks different because couples customize within the packages. The Daisy gives you the structure: tent, tables, chairs, ceremony setup, and dance floor. The Elouise adds 20 farm tables and the vintage horse trailer bar. The Dorothy layers in the bridal suite access, outdoor lounge furniture, and the engagement session.
From there, you bring in your preferred vendors or choose from ours. We work with caterers like WillowSage, Bex, and Qcrew. Florists like Bespoke, Solstice, and Dutch Valley know how to design for outdoor settings without competing with the views. Our team helps coordinate it all, but the decisions stay yours. Your vision shapes the day. The mountain views just make it better.
Ready to see what your first look could be? Contact us at 973-349-0129 or Joseph@borntorunfarm.com to schedule a visit. A reservation is necessary to tour the property, and once you're here, the views do the rest of the convincing.
FAQs
Do I need to book the bridal suite to do a first look at the farm?
No. First looks can happen anywhere on the property, and all packages include golf cart services to move you between locations. The bridal suite in The Dorothy package gives you five hours of private prep space before the ceremony, which many couples use for getting ready and for taking first look photos nearby. But if you're getting ready off site, we'll coordinate timing so you arrive when the light is best for your photographer.
Can our photographer scout the property before the wedding day?
Yes. When you book The Dorothy package, an engagement photo session is included, which gives both you and your photographer time to explore the farm and identify your favorite spots. If you book The Daisy or The Elouise, your photographer can visit during your venue tour. We just ask that you schedule it in advance since a reservation is necessary to view the property.
What happens if the weather affects our first look plans?
We position the tents and the bridal suite to give you covered options if conditions change. The 40' x 100' tent includes side walls, and the smaller 20' x 40' tent can serve as a backup location. Our team monitors the weather leading up to your day and will suggest adjustments to your timeline if needed. Many couples choose to do first looks under the arbor or near the vintage horse trailer bar, both of which work in light rain. We'll help you and your photographer adapt without losing the moment.
Are the animals always visible during first looks and ceremonies?
The farm operates year round, and the animals roam their usual pastures. You'll typically see cows, sheep, donkeys, and chickens during your event. They stay in their designated areas and won't interrupt your ceremony or photos, but they're part of the landscape. If having animals in the background is important to your vision, let us know and we can coordinate timing and locations. If you'd prefer more distance, we have spots on the property where the views dominate and the animals stay in softer focus.