Three Standout Wedding Venues on the Upper Cape
Low-key vibe, high-impact scenery: Cape Cod’s westernmost towns make it easy to take the plunge.
Popponesset Inn / Photograph by Shore Shotz
On paper, Cape Cod seems like the perfect place for a seaside wedding. That is, until you’re reminded of the bridge traffic coupled with the seemingly endless journey along Route 6. Have no fear: Just a hop, skip, and a jump over the canal, the Upper Cape offers the same stunning beaches, salt marshes, and small-town charm as other areas farther down the peninsula’s curved arm—without the hefty drive time. “It’s very easily accessible from off-Cape,” says planner Jennifer Chagnon, of Falmouth’s the Pink Polka Dot, “but you still have that quaint Cape Cod feel.”
That’s precisely the vibe you’ll get at the beachy Popponesset Inn, set right at ocean’s edge in Mashpee’s New Seabury community. With sun, sand, and sparkling water vistas all around, the venue’s permanent tent needs very little in the way of décor to make a splash.
And where else but the Cape would you be able to tie the knot overlooking a working cranberry bog? At the private club Willowbend—which also offers an elegant ballroom with views of the golf course and luxe guest villas for your bridal party to crash at evening’s end—it’s a reality.
If your wedding style in more country-chic than country-club cool, West Falmouth’s Bourne Farm just may be for you. Set on more than 49 acres overlooking Crocker Pond, the historical nature sanctuary is the perfect place to pitch a tent and celebrate with your loved ones as the sun sinks into the horizon, creating that signature Cape light you won’t find anywhere else.
THE POPPONESSET INN
Head Count: Up to 200 seated
Price: Starting at $4,000, plus food and drink
WILLOWBEND
Head Count: Up to 285 seated
Price: Starting at $125 per person
BOURNE FARM
Head Count: Unlimited
Price: Starting at $4,300, plus food and drink
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“The venues here are a little more rustic and much less resort-y, and we have so many beautiful beaches.”
—Jennifer Chagnon, the Pink Polka Dot
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Sea Crest Beach Hotel / Courtesy photo
GUEST DIGS
Situated directly along the white sands of Old Silver Beach, the Sea Crest Beach Hotel offers yoga, kayaking, and arts and crafts to keep the brood busy.
PREWEDDING ADVENTURE
Ride off into the sunset with your bridal party aboard Cape Cod Central Railroad’s dinner train, which serves up a five-course meal (including a cup of chowder, naturally) as you glide by the area’s marshes, dunes, and cranberry bogs.
Cape Cod Central Railroad / Photograph by John Kittredge
REHEARSAL DINNER
You can’t get any closer to the water than at Landfall, which boasts its own 16-foot dock in Woods Hole Harbor. With menus showcasing lobster, steamers, and other New England favorites, the semiprivate function room is the perfect place to kick off a coastal wedding weekend.
UNIQUE VENDOR
Make prewedding pampering even more relaxing with help from the Cape Cod Nail Company, a mobile salon that’ll bring mani-pedis directly to your bridal suite on the big day.
LOCAL FLAVOR
White chocolate with maple whiskey. Dark chocolate with cherry brandy. Personalized to match your wedding theme or initials, Elixir Confections’ boozy bonbons are the perfect complement to a signature cocktail.
Shining Sea Bikeway/ Photograph by Mattia Panciroli/Flickr
CONSIDER THE MINI-MOON
You’ve spent the whole weekend celebrating with friends and family—now’s the time to take it easy. Get away from it all at Falmouth’s historical Coonamessett Inn, which will be fresh off a facelift from its new owner, Lark Hotels, in spring 2018.
The retreat is within walking distance of Corner Cycle, where you can snag wheels for a journey along the scenic Shining Sea Bikeway, a nearly 11-mile trail that runs along the Vineyard Sound shoreline.
Cool off in the warm waters of Falmouth’s Chapoquoit Beach before tucking into local oysters and creative seafood dishes (think grilled octopus with pear-kimchi purée) at Fishermen’s View, a new “boat-to-table” Sandwich restaurant and market run by two local anglers. The best part? The expansive panoramas of the Cape Cod Canal, of course.
Photograph by Michele Snow
For more venue inspiration, take a peek at our guide to New England’s top celebration spots.
