Three Island Wedding Destinations for New Englanders

Photo by Rebecca Love Photography

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Nantucket Hotel & Resort
Nantucket, Massachusetts

When it comes to getting everything couples need for a wedding on Nantucket, the Nantucket Hotel & Resort does not disappoint.

Conveniently situated downtown and walkable to area attractions, this venue provides several spots where brides and grooms can say “I do” and celebrate in style year round. For outdoor ceremonies, there’s the gorgeous Shell Garden. For cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvre pre-reception, the Breeze Bar and Lounge and Breeze Terrace are ideal for sipping and socializing. For receptions, the elegant Grand Ballroom is grand indeed, not only in size to accommodate dinner and dancing but also in stylish décor with its wide-plank, traditional New England wood flooring, expansive bar and stage, and vast ceilings.

While standard chairs, glassware, linens, and tables are all part of the rental fee, the food and beverage team will work with couples to custom-tailor menus to meet their specific tastes. Three additional wedding perks to take advantage of here? First, brides, grooms, and their crew can ride in style with the option of renting antique vehicles for photo ops or excursions around town. Second, out-of-town guests are offered reduced rates to stay in the luxurious accommodations on-site. Third, by booking a Nantucket wedding at this hotel, newlyweds can also enjoy a complimentary honeymoon or first anniversary at Lovango Resort & Beach Club, a sister property located on a beautiful slice of island paradise off St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Photo by Rebecca Love Photography

A SINGULAR SENSATION

As the only venue in town with seating for up to 220 people and the ability to host events until 1 a.m., the Nantucket Hotel’s Grand Ballroom also boasts a dance floor, a raised stage, and direct access to its Breeze Bar and Breezeway. Design elements include high ceilings and antique, wide-board oak flooring. There’s also a spacious, private bar available for exclusive use. Open for events all year long, central air conditioning keeps things cool for summer soirees, while heating guarantees to keep chilly weather at bay during colder temps.

Photo by Jessica Feiden

SOUTH BEACHY CELEBRATIONS

Winnetu Oceanside Resort
Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts

If Vineyard vibes are what couples crave for their big day, then the Winnetu Oceanside Resort delivers. Voted New England’s number one resort by Travel + Leisure (World’s Best Awards 2024), this is the only resort on Martha’s Vineyard located in South Beach in Edgartown’s Katama neighborhood. It also provides brides and grooms with everything they need for the occasion—including lavishly appointed accommodations.

Those who host the event exclusively at the Dunes restaurant on-site will be treated to an upper-level venue with impressive views of Winnetu’s lawns and pond, the Atlantic Ocean, South Beach, and beyond. For larger celebrations, the space can accommodate 145 guests and a dance floor; for more intimate occasions, it can be partitioned into a private dining area for 20 to 60 guests. A suggested order of events includes an outdoor ceremony on the West Lawn, followed by a cocktail hour there (or on the ocean-view deck), and dinner, dancing, and entertainment back at the enclosed restaurant, which features fire pits on the deck.

For those who choose to combine the Dunes with a tented dinner on the West Lawn, the expansive green is a tranquil spot for a ceremony, followed by a cocktail hour there or on Winnetu’s ocean-view deck. A clambake, à la carte dining, or plated dinner are options for tented dining while dancing, dessert, and entertainment are held at the Dunes in its cocktail lounge–style setting with fire pits on the deck. To top it all off, newlyweds can rent antique vehicles for a trip into Edgartown; they can also enjoy a complimentary Caribbean honeymoon or first anniversary at sister property Lovango Resort & Beach Club on St. John.

ONE AND ONLY

Because Winnetu is the only commercial venue on Martha’s Vineyard’s south coast, outdoor ceremonies and tented dining are popular options for brides and grooms and can include acoustic music, up until 9 p.m. For those who want to keep the party going and turn up the tunes a bit, dancing and speeches can take place after or during dinner inside the Dunes restaurant until 10:30 p.m. Also ideal to mark the occasion? Rehearsal dinners and Sunday brunches are additional wedding-related events couples can include as part of the festivities.

Photo by Sarah Swan Photography

TROPICAL BLISS

Lovango Resort & Beach Club
U.S. Virgin Islands

When it comes to dreamy, scenic Caribbean landscapes designed for a destination wedding, St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) is renowned for its pristine beauty and world-class beaches. As the smallest of the three USVI, it’s also celebrated as (arguably) the most stunning, with natural surroundings that are simply awe-inspiring. The private island Lovango Resort & Beach Club is an exquisite example of what couples can expect to see and experience there.

For weddings with up to 25 guests, ceremonies get under way on Lovango Point, which is located at the tip of Lovango’s beach club. It showcases sweeping views of St. John and the surrounding area (including the British Virgin Islands). For celebrations with up to 100 guests, ceremonies take place at the Sandpit, a casual-dining spot nestled in between the beach club and the more-formal waterfront restaurant. It features beautiful blue Caribbean waters as a backdrop. For occasions with more than 100 guests, the resort requires a full beach-club buyout. Cocktail hours and dancing are held in the pergola, while dinners are hosted at the waterfront restaurant under shimmering dockside string lights. An additional highlight? Couples can enjoy a complimentary New England honeymoon or first anniversary at sister properties Nantucket Hotel & Resort or Winnetu Oceanside Resort back on the mainland.

UNCOMMON ACCOMMODATIONS

Glamping tents, luxury treehouses, and villas…oh my! For couples and their guests who want to experience accommodations that really immerse them in the Caribbean, Lovango has it covered—literally. With amenities such as enclosed sunrooms, outdoor showers, covered decks, and spacious bedrooms provided in some lodging options, all offer air conditioning—plus views you won’t find anywhere else of coral reefs and turquoise waters that would make any postcard picture-perfect. The best part? Passports are not required.

First published in the print issue of Boston Weddings 2025 with the headline, “Ports of Call.”

Previously

• Three Barn Wedding Venues in Massachusetts