MA Wedding Venue: Harrington Farm

Harrington Farm is a nice venue located in west central MA, at the base of Mt. Wachusett. The farm is actually an old inn with a updated barn attached. It isn't very rustic feeling but does have the exposed beams and a large stone fireplace which does give it a little more "barn" credibility. The FI and I visited this venue on a cold December day and the tour was pleasing. The coordinator Tracy was very nice and explained all of our options regarding wedding packages, ceremony and reception. They have a great outside space for ceremonies and cocktail hour is held under a new Sperry tent. The bridal suite is in upstairs in old inn and is very well decorated and overlooks the front of the inn. The groom's suite is similar with a modern/rustic mix, using black and gold tones for the decor. The barn itself is nice, with a built in bar, spacious layout and an amazing two story stone fireplace. The things that made Harrington Farm a no for us was the guest minimum of 150 on a Saturday night, the fact they hold two weddings on a Saturday and my lack of feeling that it was a good fit for our wedding.We wanted something a little more elegant. That being said they do offer a lot of options in their packages which makes them pretty inclusive for the price. I think that this venue would be good for a bride looking for a semi-rustic venue with decent views and quiet surroundings. Details below!

Information		Comments
The Venue: Harrington Farm		Not a real farm, but an old inn and a sort of update barn/function hall.
Location: Princeton, MA		Very close to Mt. Wachusett, nice and peaceful.
Rental Season: Prime season: May 1 - Oct 31		Discounts offered in packages from Nov 1 - Apr 30
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, outdoors or inside.		Four total locations onsite, 3 outside 1 inside.
Capacity: up to 220.		This is for the "barn".
Guest Min Required? Range from 60-150 ppl depending on the day and time.		Sat night min is 150.
Bridal/Groom Rooms? They have rooms to use as bridal suites.		Rooms are upstairs in the old inn.
Function Rental Fee: Prime season $900. Off season $450.		The rental is for 5 hours with receptions ending 11:30 pm or at 4:25 pm depending on which slot you choose.
Overtime Fee: Not specified		$100/hr before the ceremony to arrive early.
Ceremony Fee: $850 in prime season.		$450 in off season.
Catering: Food done by farm. Packages range from $$84.03-$186.57 pp.		Price changes with plated, buffet or station and what type of package.
Alcohol: Open bar ranges from $26-$41. $26 is beer and wine, $41 liquor.		14% Service charge, 4% admin fee and 6.25% sales tax add to bar charges.
Food/Beverage Min? None because of the guest mins.
Bar Fee: None
Extra Fees: 6.25% MA Sales Tax, 18% admin fee.		$2 per person fee for split entrée option.
Accommodations: None
Venue Contact: Traci Swenson		traci@harringtonfarm.com

  

VT Wedding Venue: The Middlebury Inn

The Middlebury Inn is an inn located in northern VT. It is a rustic old inn that has a very 1800's feel to it. My MIL visited the inn for us and took the pictures below. I didn't get the feeling that it was modern enough for what we were looking for. People who like the true Vermont old inn style will like the Middlebury Inn and it can hold a lot more people than most traditional inns. It has too building for people to stay in, the main inn and a building across the parking lot. Many people choose to get married in a church across the street which is very cute as well. The price for the packages is reasonably priced especially for large parties. I would suggest this venue for brides who want a cross between a ballroom wedding and a traditional VT inn experience. Details below!

Information					Comments
The Venue: The Middlebury Inn					A very typical Vermont Inn.
Location: Middlebury, VT					Middlebury is located in northern VT, near Lake Champlain.
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, indoors or outdoors.					Indoor is mostly for rain alternatives.
Capacity: 170 is the max for the inside which is spread over the three rooms.					Founder's Room: 110, Founder's Room, Stewart Library and the Willard Room: 170
Guest Min Required? 50 people min.
Bridal/Groom Rooms? Yes. A room at the inn.					The bride and groom accommodation is included in the packages.
Function Rental Fee (no prime/off season): Included in packages/not specified.					5-6 hour rental, must end by 11 pm.
Overtime Fee: Not specified.
Ceremony Fee: None listed
Catering: All food provided by inn. They list per person prices to be $75-$95.					They have a restaurant on site so you can go a try out some of the food :)
Food & Beverage Min Required? No
Alcohol: Some open bar included in packages to varying degrees.					No additional pricing information is given for beyond the packages.
Bar Fee: Not listed
Extra Fees: 20% service charge and 10% tax for room rentals.
Accommodations: They have 71 guest rooms.
Venue Contact: Erin O'Shaughnessy					erin@middleburyinn.com

   

MA Wedding Venue: The Dane Estate

The Dane Estate at Pine Manor College was best described to me (by the wedding coordinator) as the house from Clue. It is truly an original house right down the 19th century light switches. There is amazing, intricate woodwork all through out the house and especially in the ballroom. The outside of the house could use a little bit of touch up but it does have character. The ballroom will only hold 100 with a dance floor but larger parties can opt for a tented wedding on the lawn. When we visited the wedding coordinator (Michelle) was super nice and showed us the cool secret doors in the walls of the ballroom that lead to the bathrooms and kitchen. The packages that she showed included a ton of stuff and we well priced. The downsides and some of the reasons why we chose to go somewhere else was that we wanted 100 guests and felt it would be a little tight, the bathrooms were not very appealing (it's weird, I know but I have a thing about the bathrooms being pristine) and things were just a little too run down for my taste. The things I didn't like were nit-picky and the real reason we probably didn't choose The Dane Estate was because we had already visited our future venue and were in love. I would recommend this venue to any brides who are looking for the estate feel and have small wedding parties. It is a great deal and a charming venue. Details below!

Information		Comments
The Venue: The Dane Estate		This house is located on the Pine Minor College Campus
Location: Chestnut Hill, MA		Close to Boston.
Rental Season: No prime season specified.
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, outdoors or inside.		Outdoor location is on the lawn and the most popular option.
Capacity: up to 350.		300 is a tented event on the lawn. Inside the estate is 100 w/dance floor.
Guest Min Required? No
Bridal/Groom Rooms? They have rooms to use as bridal suites but one is a office.
Function Rental Fee: Included in the wedding packages. Tents are extra.		The rental is for 5 hours with events ending by 11 pm.
Overtime Fee: Depends on what space is rented.
Ceremony Fee: $500		Standard
Catering: Food done by estate. Packages range from $120-$145 pp		A lot is included in this price. Ex: open bar, cake, function room fee, toast, etc
Alcohol: Open bar included in various degrees for all of the packages.		This is awesome!
Food/Beverage Min? Up to $7,000		Using a min # of guests and a package you will hit this no problem.
Bar Fee: None
Extra Fees: 7% meals tax, 18% administrative fee
Accommodations: None
Venue Contact: Michelle Freedman		mfreedman@pmc.edu

  

ME Wedding Venue: York Harbor Inn

The York Harbor Inn is a conundrum to me. When I was starting to look at venues I had great hopes that this would be the answer to my prayers. I was feeling a little desperate at the time because we had recently visited a bunch of places that weren't in my budget so I was searching for an option I could afford and image having my wedding at; enter York Harbor. One big thing going for York Harbor is the price. The packages are all inclusive and then some. They have a good value when everything is all said and done. They also get high marks on their food even though we didn't personally try it when we visited but I have seen a bunch of good reviews. Other than that when I visited I was disappointed. Sure it has the charm of an old inn on the seacoast but once you leave the common spaces the charm ends. The seaside ceremony is run by a preservation company in York Harbor and they only allow something like 25 chairs, while the inn requires at least 100 guests for a Sat wedding. Granted most ceremonies aren't long but I didn't like the idea of making everyone stand for the half hour, I feel like they would get distracted and uncomfortable. Inside, the ballroom is nice but dated and to fit 100 people in with dance floor you have to seat people behind some half walls. I though the decor was a little dated, not in a 1800's good way but like 1960's bad way. We visited some of the guest rooms right near the ballroom and they were tiny and smelled heavily of chlorine. On top of that they charge $200-$250 a night during May-Oct! Overall I was unimpressed. The staff were super nice so I don't want to take away from that but I guess I would suggest this to a bride who is focused on cost and can do a lot of extra decorating to spruce the place up. Details below.

Information		Comments
The Venue: York Harbor Inn		The main inn is ok but the rooms are small and dated.
Location: York Harbor, ME		A cute seaside town
Rental Season: No prime season specified.		May-Oct is the "busy" season but prices don't change.
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, outdoors or inside.		Outdoor location is by the sea and only a limited number of guests can be seated (25 max?)
Capacity: up to 150.		This is for the ballroom which is the most popular.
Guest Min Required? Range from 25-100 ppl depending on the room
Bridal/Groom Rooms? They have rooms to rent and use as bridal suites.
Function Rental Fee: Up to $3,750. This is included in the wedding packages.		The rental is for 5 hours with receptions ending at 9:30 unless you rent out the 14 rooms around the ballroom.
Overtime Fee: $250/ .5 hr
Ceremony Fee: $1500 for seaside, $500 inside the inn		Seaside ceremony run by a preservation group, not the inn.
Catering: Food done by inn. Packages range from $115-$175 pp		A lot is included in this price. Ex: tax and gratuity, cake, function room fee, toast, etc
Alcohol: Open bar $29 pp (all night), beer and wine (all night) $22 pp, does down from there.		Pretty cheap.
Food/Beverage Min? Up to $7,000		Using a min # of guests and a package you will hit this no problem.
Bar Fee: $100. Included in packages
Extra Fees: 7% ME Sales Tax, 16.5% gratuity and 3.5% facility charge for alcohol.
Accommodations: 64 rooms spread over multiple buildings.		The room charges are crazy for the size and quality. Some rooms (near the ballroom) smell like chlorine.
Venue Contact: Casey Syvertsen		casey@yorkharborinn.com

  

NH Wedding Venue: Alyson's Orchard

Alyson's Orchard is a fully functioning apple orchard in Walpole, NH. They offer a unique wedding package, in the fact that you can rent the whole facility for the weekend during the peak season. The rental starts Friday at noon, to decorate and have rehearsal dinner that night. Then starting after 10 am on Saturday you have any 6 hours for your reception and ceremony. They hold Sunday afternoon weddings so your party would have to be out by noon but for $6,000 all that time is a great deal. In addition to having the facility all to yourself you can do fun activities on site like fishing (no permit required), horseshoes, swimming, boating and bocce. In the fall you can also offer your guests the option to pick apples in the orchard or provide fresh apple wine at your reception. The rental fee doesn't include food or alcohol. The alcohol is done by Alyson's but the food is done by one of their exclusive caterers. We found our dream venue before touring Alyson's but I think if we had gone we would have loved it. I would recommend this venue for brides looking for a rustic, country feel and those that have have medium to large parties. Happy hunting and details below!

Information		Comments
The Venue: Alyson's Orchard Conference Center and Lodge		It is a real functioning orchard, even though it says conference center.
Location: Walpole, NH		A little remote but beautiful.
Rental Season: Prime Season (May-Oct)		Off season is all other times of the year.
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, outdoors or inside.		There are four outdoor locations.
Capacity: up to 250.		Anything over 175 guests is extra ($10/pp), but max capacity of 250.
Guest Min Required? No
Bridal/Groom Rooms? They have rooms to rent and use as bridal suites.
Function Rental Fee (prime season): Fri-Sun: $6,000, Sun night: $3,500		The rental gets you the facility from Friday noon, 6 hour reception on Sat and through Sunday morning.
Overtime Fee: Not specified.		Events must by midnight.
Ceremony Fee: None
Catering: Choose from an exclusive list.
Alcohol: Based on consumption for open bar.
Food/Beverage Min? No
Bar Fee: Outdoor bar set up fees starting at $500 and going down based on what type of bar you have.
Extra Fees: 9% NH Meals and Rentals Tax included in rental tax. $150 kitchen fee is required.		The service charge and tax is insane.
Accommodations: 38 rooms in three different lodges.		Min 2 night stay.
Venue Contact: Fran Imhoff		info@alysonsorchard.com

                     

MA Wedding Venue: The Mansion at Turner Hill

The Mansion at Turner Hill is a very cool mansion on a golf resort. We visited this venue and my fiance loved it. It was on our top five list because of the cool architecture and period decorations. The ceremony space is really gorgeous too. There is a stone arbor covered in vines which is in front of permanent garden benches. The bridal and groom suites are also very cool. My fiance loved the grooms room which is an old smoking library, all dark wood and big furniture. The downside for us was that to have all 100 guests in one room with a dance floor would have been a bit cramped. We also wanted a Saturday wedding which would have put the rental fee at $8,000. This was a little expensive which ultimately knocked it down on the list. I think this venue would work for brides who want an estate feel and have small to moderate sized parties for an indoor reception. Larger parties would work with the tent. Details below!

Information					Comments
The Venue: The Mansion on Turner Hill					This is part of an exclusive golf resort and condo complex.
Location: Ipswich, MA					There is a super cute downtown only a few miles down the road.
Off Season: Nov 1st-April 30th
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, indoors or outdoors.					Most people only have indoor weddings in the case of rain. The outdoor space is really pretty with permanent garden benches for seating.
Capacity: The reception capacity ranges from 110-350 people.					350 is using the tent, if you have it inside the mansion in one room it is closer to 110.
Guest Min Required? The mins range from 75-100 people in the high season.
Bridal/Groom Rooms? Yes. They have rooms to get ready in for both the bride and groom.					The men's room is a very cool old smoking room. My FI loved it!
Function Rental Fee (high season): Ranges from $1,500-$8,000					All events have to end by 12 am but can start any time after 10 am. With ceremony you have 5 1/2 hrs.
Overtime Fee: $500 per 1/2 hr
Ceremony Fee: $500
Catering: All food provided by the resort. Entrees range from $64-$77 pp. Passed apps extra $12/pp plus stationary apps.					They have a bunch of extras for late night snacks or kid's meals. They also offer two entree options for an additional $2/entree.
Alcohol: Full bar, 4.5 hours $35 pp and goes down from there.
Food/Beverage Min? None listed because there is a guest minimum for reception.
Bar Fee: None
Extra Fees: 18% service charge and 6.25% tax on food and alcohol.
Accommodations: None
Venue Contact: Carol Travers					ctravers@turnerhill.com

  

VT Wedding Venue: The Equinox Resort

The Equinox Resort is a very luxurious VT resort, nestled in the hub of Manchester, VT. Manchester is a touristy town for people who want a more chic VT experience. It has a very cute but upscale hotels, boutiques and restaurants. I love the area because it is close to where my fiance grew up so it was my first introduction to VT. The Equinox is the crown jewel of elegance for Manchester. It is a very beautiful and upscale place to get married but carries the subsequent price tag. The most common space at the Equinox is the Colonnade which to me doesn't strike me as very Vermont. It is a very typical ballroom which seems a shame because I think if you were to get married in VT you would want to take full advantage of the beautiful surroundings. We did not choose this as our venue because of the price. They have very high admin fees and taxes which really brings up the price on everything. We got a quote for 100 people with average options and after taxes it came out to around $27,000. I would recommend this venue for brides with a big budget.

Information		Comments
The Venue: The Equinox Resort
Location: Manchester, VT		A very pretty town that is the hub of that area.
Rental Season: Prime Season (Mid-May-Oct)		Off season is all other times of the year.
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, outdoors or inside.		There are two outdoor locations.
Capacity: 10-250 depending on the reception location.		There are five reception locations to choose from.
Guest Min Required? No
Bridal/Groom Rooms? 1 night included if you spend at least $10,000. Two night min required.		They have very nice accommodations.
Function Rental Fee (prime season): Sat: $3,000-$10,000, Fri/Sun: $5,000 (for main ballroom only)		The rental gets you 6 hours include the ceremony.
Overtime Fee: Not specified.		Events must by 2 AM.
Ceremony Fee: None
Catering: Done by the resort. Apps are priced by piece, min of 25. Plated meals $48-76 pp.		Includes salad/soup, entrée and dessert.
Alcohol: Prices start at $60 for 5 hrs of open bar and go down from there.		I thought this was expensive.
Food/Beverage Min? No		They make up for it with room and alcohol charges.
Bar Fee: None
Extra Fees: 24% service charge and 10% tax on food and alcohol, 10% tax on room rental		The service charge and tax is insane.
Accommodations: 195 rooms. They offer 9 room blocks.		2 night stay is required. Prices are pretty expensive.
Venue Contact: Lauren Hartwyk		lhartwyk@heihotels.com

    

NH Wedding Venue: The Mountain View Grand Hotel

The Mountain View Grand Hotel was my mom's choice for my wedding venue for a long time. This historic old hotel is the height of New Hampshire elegance. It has a distinctive yellow color that makes it stand out in it's already impressive surroundings. The most picturesque time to be married at the Grand is in the Fall. The foliage is to die for and it only adds to the amazing outdoor spaces for ceremonies. The beauty doesn't end outside but continues into the guest rooms, spa and ballrooms. There are a multiple indoor reception spaces, all with their own personalities and capacities. The reason that we chose not to have our reception at the Grand (initially to my mother's dismay) was mostly due to the cost. The Grand is gorgeous but comes at a premium for you and your guests. I think that this would be a wonderful place for a large wedding with a flexible budget. Details below!

Information					Comments
The Venue: The Mountain View Grand Hotel
Location: Whitfield, NH					So pretty in the Fall!
Off Season: Nov-May
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, indoors or outdoors.					5 outdoor sites to choose from with capacities ranging from 35 to 215 people.
Capacity: The reception capacity ranges from 25-250 people.					They have four indoor reception sites to choose from.
Guest Min Required? The mins range from 25-100 people in the high season.
Bridal/Groom Rooms? Yes. They have deluxe suites that are included in your wedding package.					The rooms here are very luxurious!
Function Rental Fee (high season): Ranges from $500-$3,000					Subject to 9% NH tax. All events must end by 11 pm.
Overtime Fee: Unsure
Ceremony Fee: None!
Catering: All food provided by resort. Entrees range from $85-$100 pp. All packages include a wedding cake.					They have a bunch of extras for late night snacks or kid's meals. They also offer upgrades for a charge on food.
Alcohol: Full bar, 5 hours $75 pp and goes down from there.					There is a 50 person min for hosted bar services.
Food/Beverage Min? None listed because there is a guest minimum for reception and bar services.
Bar Fee: None
Extra Fees: 20% service charge and 9% tax on food and alcohol.
Accommodations: They have 144 guest rooms.					They offer you discounted blocks of rooms for your guests.
Venue Contact: Susannah Powell					spowell@mountainviewgrand.com

            

MA Wedding Venue: The Mount

The Mount is the famous novelist Edith Wharton's home in  Lenox, MA. It is a gorgeous old estate home set on 50 acres. Lenox has some of the most beautiful estates in MA. I loved this place but the price was out of our range. All of the pictures show an elegant and stylish place to hold a wedding for up to 200 people. Part of the price is tax deductible (up to $2,500) which helps but you are looking at a $10,500 site fee if you have a party 150-200 people. The site fee does not include food or alcohol. I think that this would be a great option for people who have a very large budget and are looking for a very sophisticated estate wedding. Details below and happy hunting!

Information		Comments
The Venue: The Mount		So gorgeous.
Location: Lenox, MA		So many great places to get married out there!
Off Season: None.		Prices stay the same all year.
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, indoors or outdoors.		Indoor ceremony is for rain dates.
Capacity: Up to 200 with seating all through the house on the first floor.		They use 10-12 person rounds and can fit about 13 tables in the house. Any more require special accommodations.
Bridal/Groom Rooms? Not sure but I assume yes.		I think there is space but nothing was outlined in the packet.
Function Rental Fee (no prime/off season): $8,500-$10,500		$2,500 of it is a tax deductible donation.
Overtime Fee: $1000/hr		All events must end by 11 pm. Normal reception time is 5pm-10pm
Ceremony Fee: None		I should hope not considering the rental fee.
Catering: Outside vendor
Alcohol: No information provided.		I assume it is BYOB.
Bar Fee:
Extra Fees: $1,000 damage deposit.		It is refundable 30 days after the event.
Accommodations: None
Venue Contact: Ross Jolly		rjolly@edithwharton.org

MA Wedding Venue: The Henderson House

The Henderson House is a cool old stone house out in Weston, MA. It is owned by Northeastern University so if you are an alum (like me!) then you get 10% off your wedding packages. The FI and I went to visit and we liked the outside look of the house. It has great stone work with a great patio where you can have your ceremony and cocktail hour. There is plenty of parking and it would look really nice in the warmer months. The inside has as great grand staircase that would good for pictures. The rest of the house has exposed wood beams and a mix of stone and wallpapered walls. It was an old feeling house with some cool features but there were a few downsides for me. The first was that for our party of 100 the dinner would have to be split up into two dining rooms with the bar in another room and the dance floor in yet another room. I didn't like the flow of space. They were lacking enough bathroom space and I felt that besides one or two places there weren't many opportunities for good pictures. I think this would be good for a smaller wedding party of about 80 or less where you can all eat in one room and have dancing in the other. I think it is really well priced so it would be a good option for people on a budget. Details are below!

Information		Comments
The Venue: The Henderson House		This venue is affiliated with Northeastern University.
Location: Weston, MA
Off Season: None.		Prices stay the same all year.
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, indoors or outdoors.		Indoor ceremony is for rain dates.
Capacity: Up to 200  with seating all through the house, including upstairs.		The main two rooms hold around 110 people for a seated dinner. I wouldn't recommend many more if you want dancing inside.
Bridal/Groom Rooms? Yes.		The rooms are small rooms upstairs. I would get ready elsewhere.
Function Rental Fee (no prime/off season): $1500		Fee is waived for parties over 75 people.
Overtime Fee: $500/hr		All events must end by midnight.
Ceremony Fee: $1000		Include set up, chairs and rehearsal.
Catering: All food provided by resort. Packages range from $99-$109 per person.		The packages include a wedding cake too.
Alcohol: Full bar, 5 hours $30 pp and goes down from there.		All other bar options available.
Bar Fee: Included in rental fee.
Extra Fees: 20% service charge and 6.25% tax on final bill.
Accommodations: None
Venue Contact: Lisa Giles		l.giles@neu.edu

VT Wedding Venue: Lake Morey Resort

The Lake Morey Resort is located in Fairlee, Vermont which is off I-91 on the VT, NH boarder. It is a golf resort that is on the Connecticut River. This is a resort in every sense of the word; it has golf, a spa, a hotel and a host of outdoor activities to take part in. When I e-mailed them I got a prompt response but had to wait for an actual mailing to arrive at my house before I got any pricing or packaging information. It looks like a nice place where you could hold a wedding for a large group on a budget. It offers some of the lowest prices I have seen for venues. I think this is due to one of two things, the first being location. VT is awesome in the respect that you are away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. You can relax and enjoy yourself, in a more remote area. As a result things are just cheaper. The second reason, and the one which made me decide not to even visit, was that it looked dated. The website and materials I received in the mail were decent but the pictures tell the story. The ballroom is generic white with a low, dropped ceiling, the hotel rooms have wallpaper (not in a good way) and it just wasn't the feel we were going for. That being said, I don't think that it is a total loss and I never visited so take my opinion with a grain of salt. I think for large weddings on a budget this would be a viable option. Details below.

Information					Comments
The Venue: The Lake Morey Resort
Location: Fairlee, VT					Right on the CT river, which is very nice.
Off Season: None listed.					VT doesn't have an off season, it's amazing year round!
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, indoors or outdoors.					Outdoor ceremonies require a $2/chair set-up fee + 6% tax.
Capacity: Up to 250 in either a ballroom or outside lawn.					They have room for smaller weddings too (60-75 ppl).
Bridal/Groom Rooms? Yes. They have deluxe suites that you rent for overnight.
Function Rental Fee (no prime/off season): Ranges from $150-$1000					Crazy cheap! A 250 person ballroom for $1000! Subject to 9% VT tax. All events must end by 11 pm.
Overtime Fee: $100					Again, crazy cheap.
Ceremony Fee: None listed
Catering: All food provided by resort. Entrees range from $26-$36 pp for salad, entrée and coffee, plated. Buffet is $30-$36 pp.					Apps for cocktail hour are priced separate $160-$190 per app but no limit on pieces.
Alcohol: Full bar, 5 hours $24 pp and goes down from there.					They give pricing for kegs. Sort of awesome.
Bar Fee: $150
Extra Fees: 19% service charge and 10% tax on food and alcohol.
Accomodations: They have 130 guest rooms. 2 night min required.					They offer you discounted blocks of rooms for your guests.
Venue Contact: Christine Cecchetti					christine@lakemoreyresort.com

MA Wedding Venue: The MA Horticultural Society

The MA Horticultural Society Gardens at Elm Bank is located in Wellesley, MA.First of all Wellesley is the cutest but upscale little New England town. I love the downtown and the drive out to the Elm Bank was really cute. Everything is old stone walls and very idyllic MA. Anyway we went to visit the Elm Bank a couple of weeks ago after work so unfortunately it was dark and we couldn't see the grounds. We did look through pictures and all the gardens look amazing. They also have this old house on the property that you can get married in front of if you want, which was very stately and grand. You can go in the house but the outside and surrounding gardens looked amazing. The actual reception space is the old carriage house called the Hunnewell Building that the HS renovated a while back. It is a large open space with a built in bar and a tent covered patio off to one side. We were really interested in using this venue but I didn't like the warehouse feel of the reception space. The ceiling has blown insulation on the top with exposed metal beams and duct work, all painted white. On either end are two large (5'x3') air vents in the walls that really made the space seem more like a warehouse and less like a carriage house of old. This reception space would be good for large parties that are looking for that more modern look, with white exposed brick walls and industrial feel but still have the beauty of the gardens. All the details below.

Information		Comments
The Venue: Elm Bank		Beautiful grounds, I didn't love the reception space so much.
Location: Wellesley, MA		Wellesley is a super cute and chic NE town.
Off Season: Nov 1 - April 30. They have weddings any day of the week both off and on season.		Off season rental price is $3,500 for 9 hours any day of the week.
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, outdoors.		In the reception or tent for rain.
Capacity: 160 seated for Hunnewell only,  225 seat with tent.		Good for larger wedding parties, there is lots of space.
Bridal/Groom Rooms? Not really, might be space for touch ups in an office but not a suite.
Function Rental Fee: Sat: $5,800, Sun: $3,500, Weekday: $3,500		The rental gets you 9 hours. On weekdays you can do half days for $2,500. The 9 hrs includes set up and breakdown time.
Overtime Fee: None		Events have to end by 11:30 pm.
Ceremony Fee: None
Catering: Exclusive caterers. You have 7 options.
Alcohol: BYOB but have to use Gordon's Fine Wines and Liquors as a vendor.		A good way to save some money!
Bar Fee: None
Extra Fees: $85 membership fee, $300 staff fee and $600 refundable damage deposit.
Accommodations: None
Venue Contact: Jennifer Courtney		Functions@masshort.org

 

MA Wedding Venue: Misselwood at Endicott College

Misselwood is an old French chateau-style house on the Endicott College property in Beverly, MA. It has great water views and is set on its own 4.5 acres. We didn't visit this venue because it was out of our price range and they only really offer the semi-permanent tent as a reception space, the house only holds 50 ppl for a seated dinner. I must say for a tented reception it is one of the nicer tents I have seen. This wasn't the direction I wanted to go, but the tent is heated and cooled, comes with chandeliers, a poured sea glass floor and a wooden dance floor! I think that if this is the type of wedding style you are looking for then Misselwood is worth checking out. I got the impression from the literature that they have very nice, high-end receptions here. Below is a summery of the info I got in the mail, as always let me know if you want any of the documents. Happy hunting!

Information		Comments
The Venue: Misselwood at Endicott College
Location: Beverly, MA		The venue is located right on the ocean.
Rental Season: Memorial Day - Columbus Day		I'm not sure if the house is open in the winter. No off season pricing listed though.
Ceremony Onsite: Yes, outdoors.		In the chapel or tent only if rain delay.
Capacity: 200 for the tent. 50 seated for the house.		Pretty much everyone uses the tent.
Bridal/Groom Rooms? Not stated specifically. I don't think there is.		There are pictures of people in the house or walking out but none of getting ready. From the map of the house it doesn't look like there are dedicated rooms.
Function Rental Fee (no prime/off season): Sat: $7,500, Fri/Sun: $6,000, Holiday weekend: +$500		The rental gets you 5 1/2 hours if you have a ceremony there. Otherwise 5 hours.
Overtime Fee: Not specified.		Events on Fri and Sat end by 11 pm. Sun by 10 pm.
Ceremony Fee: $750		Get you an extra 1/2 hour of rental.
Catering: Exclusive caterers. You have three options.
Alcohol: Prices start at $18 for 1 hr open bar to $39 for 4 1/2 open bar. Other options available.		I don't like how all beverages are served in plastic glasses in the tent. Seems cheap. Champagne toast is extra as well.
Bar Fee: Included in venue fee.
Extra Fees: 16% service charge to non-cash bars.
Accommodations: None
Venue Contact: Claudine Mitchell		cmitchel@endicott.edu

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