Three Romantic Wedding Venues for a Grand Fete

Photo by Dreamlove Photography

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER

The Great House at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Head Count Up to 250
Price Starting at $30,000

If the goal is a Gatsby-esque fete with the ambiance to match, the Great House at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate fits the bill (the circa 1920s estate does host a roaring ’20s–themed party there every summer, after all). Say “I do” on the Grand Allée—the sprawling half-mile-long lawn, lined with white marble sculptures and backdropped with sweeping seaside views—or the Italian Gardens, where European elegance takes center stage with ivy-covered stone walls and perfectly manicured greenery. Head back to the Stuart-style Great House for cocktail hour on the Allée Terrace, flanked by stone-and-brick archways and decked out with a raw bar, charcuterie bar, or burrata bar courtesy of the in-house Fireside Catering team. Then finish the night with dinner under a chandelier-filled sailcloth tent and dancing under the stars.

GUEST DIGS

Just steps from the Great House sits the Inn at Castle Hill, a historical farm-turned-summerhouse that offers a full buyout for Crane Estate weddings. Each uniquely appointed room boasts classical details such as window seats overlooking the marshes, toile wallcoverings, and antique accents. With complimentary admission to Crane Beach, your guests will feel like they’re on a honeymoon of their own.

Courtesy photo

BELLE OF THE BALLROOM

Alden Castle
Brookline, Massachusetts
Head Count Up to 200 with dance floor
Price Starting at $15,000

Originally a 1920s speakeasy, the present-day Alden Castle is now a fairy-tale wedding venue filled with Old World beauty, intimate hideaways (see the private, floral-wallcovered “Lily” room hidden behind the library), and romance in spades. Have your ceremony in the Modern Club, where 18-foot-high ceilings decorated with an original gold-leafed fleur-de-lis design give your nuptials the royal treatment. Guests can mingle during cocktail hour on the Mezzanine while sipping on the classiest of drinks: French 75s and Old Fashioneds from dedicated champagne and bourbon-bar tables, respectively.

Downstairs in the 2,800-square-foot Vintage Ballroom, however, is where the soiree really gets started. Its candelabra-inspired chandeliers, Tudor-style architecture, and billowing silk drapery on the floor-to-ceiling windows are the perfect ambiance for twirling your Cinderella-esque night away on the dance floor.

PARTY FAVORS

Guest list full of sweet tooths? Call on Serenade Chocolatier for multi-colored truffles, caramels, nut clusters, and bars (everything from Key lime to Kahlúa to dulce de leche) housed in boxes sporting your initials, wedding date, or monogram. We all but guarantee they won’t even make it back to the hotel room.

Photo courtesy of Auberge Resorts Collection

ALL THAT GLITTERS

The Vanderbilt Hotel
Newport, Rhode Island
Head Count Up to 150
Price Starting at $7,500

Fully immerse yourself in the glamor of the Gilded Age at the Vanderbilt Hotel in downtown Newport. Recently updated but still full of every bit of 19th-century opulence from its heyday, it’s the little details like jewel-toned walls and the Doris Duke–inspired parlor with a hidden bar that really punctuate its grandeur. Opt for a full hotel buyout or take your pick of the hotel’s onsite venue options for a more intimate celebration. Try out the greenhouse-like Conservatory for your ceremony locale or cocktail hour. (May we suggest a turn-of-the-century mint julep for your signature drink?) For something a little more formal, choose the Dining Room for your reception. With moody black-and-gold accents and a roaring brick fireplace, it’s like the hottest social club walked straight out of the 1920s and into your post-nuptial celebration.

PRE-WEDDING ACTIVITY

Set the tone for your grand weekend with a ride through Newport’s storied destinations. Newport Travel Trolley Tours takes you past 18 television and movie filming sites, down winding Ocean Drive, and past Bellevue Avenue’s Gilded Age mansions, like the iconic Breakers. Finish with waterfront shopping along Bowen’s and Bannister’s wharves.

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