Unique Wedding Venues Create an Unforgettable Day
Museum of Science / Photo courtesy of Allegro Photography
Here is the church. Here is the steeple. Open the door and see all the people.
Or…here is a world-famous museum. Here is the winding marble staircase. Open the door to an expanse of Old Master paintings against a background of rich damask and tapestry pilasters, and see all the people, sipping champagne and wandering through its majesty as they await your grand entrance as husband and wife.
There. That’s better.
From the hushed awe of an opulent opera house to the roar of a baseball crowd, here are a few of Boston’s more unique wedding venues that offer unexpected moments in surprise places.
Let’s hear it for chemistry, and biology, and physics. This venue is located right on the Charles, so it’s no wonder the Museum of Science is stirring up the city as one of Boston’s best reception venues. You can sip champagne and dance under the stars both indoors and out, with spectacular views of the Boston and Cambridge skylines with delicious catering from Wolfgang Puck. Exchange vows in the topmost Skyline Room, the open-air Washburn Pavilion, or the d’Arbeloff Suite for the best of both worlds—views of the Bunker Hill Monument and Zakim Bridge on one side and a private balcony overlooking the Charles on the other. Who knew science could be this chic?
Fact: Book nerds are hot. So have your nuptials a la Sex and the City at one of the city’s most architecturally distinctive buildings—the BPL. Stroll down the aisle in a lush courtyard with an arcaded promenade, fountain, and bronze-cast statue. Have your sit-down dinner in the Reading Room or in Bates Hall, where you’ll dine under a barrel-arched ceiling and among the busts of famous authors and Bostonians. Smaller areas like the Map Room are perfect for more intimate gatherings, and let your first dance shine in the Abbey Room during after-dinner festivities. Shhh…we know you’re excited, but keep your voice down.
Honey, remember the time we got married in the same place the Red Sox won the World Series? Amid the historic bricks and echoes of generations of loyal fans, America’s most beloved ballpark is the perfect place to wed your beloved. Formal or sporty, they can do both. Check out the EMC Club and its sweeping views of the field, or toast your future among the Red Sox’s history within the State Street Pavilion. There’s also the Right Field Roof Deck, which boasts spectacular views of the city’s skyline and overlooks the retired numbers in right field. Looks like you hit a home run with this one.
Your gown is a work of art, so go ahead, put it in a museum. Literally. Boston’s art mecca the MFA ups the ante when it comes to elegant weddings. The Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Rotunda and Colonnade boasts the famous John Singer Sargent Rotunda, as well as several of his murals and bas-reliefs. Your guests could also stroll among 16th- and 17th-century European masterpieces hung on the striking red damask-covered walls of the William I. Koch Gallery or more contemporary pieces within the Linde Family Wing. The glass-enclosed Shapiro Family Courtyard also provides a dramatic setting for year-round entertaining.
If you want to be the only showstopper, then move on. Nothing to see here. But if you want to share your breathtaking majesty with Carrera marble columns, 100 percent silk adorned walls, original 1928 chandeliers, and gold leafing, then the Boston Opera House is the place for you. The floor-to-ceiling details create a magnificent nuptial backdrop. Large groups celebrate in the Grand Lobby, while smaller cocktail receptions are held in the Fireplace Lounge, complete with a sterling silver chandelier, grand fireplace and gold leaf details, or in the Versailles Room, modeled after the original “Hall of Mirrors” in the Palace of Versailles. Let your love take actual center stage by having your event on the proscenium-style theatrical stage. The Boston Ballet has nothing on you.
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