Find Drama, Peace, and Natural Beauty at a Waterfront Wedding

New England > All New England > Weddings > Waterfront Wedding Venues

In New England, “waterfront” can range from waves fizzing through tidal pools off the Maine coast, to the sandy beaches of Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard, to parks dotting the scattered islands and villages on Lake Champlain. Waterfront locations bring every sensation: glamour, the restfulness of nature, and – getting practical here – a place for the wedding party, family, and guests to play. Waterfront inns and resorts have all the resources you need to lodge guests, hold a ceremony, and host a party suited to the occasion, whether that requires a gala ballroom near the ocean or a rustic lodge or flower-decked gazebo next to a mountain lake. Experts stand by to offer advice and services for transportation, catering, and offering your guests an unforgettable experience.

Spruce Point Inn

88 Grandview Avenue Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538 Phone: 207-633-4152 Toll-Free: 800-553-0289

Classic coastal resort a picturesque location for your waterfront wedding

A classic resort on Maine’s dramatic coastline, the Spruce Point Inn is the location you’ve been looking for to host your destination seaside wedding. Start your wedding weekend with a lobster bake, then arrive at your ceremony site in an historic wooden sailing sloop. Exchange your vows on the Oceanfront Deck, with a backdrop of blue sky and peaceful sea. The deck is also a lovely venue for evening cocktails, before you head to the Pemaquid, a private post-and-beam ballroom with soaring ceilings and cast-iron chandeliers made to reflect fixtures from the inn’s lighthouse. The ballroom is perfect for dining and dancing into the night.

Ocean House Resort

1 Bluff Avenue Watch Hill, RI, 02891 Phone: Toll-Free: 877-346-9442

Spectacular seaside venues will make your waterfront wedding picturesque and memorable

Set on 13 perfectly landscaped oceanfront acres, the Ocean House is an exceptional location for your waterfront wedding. Have your ceremony on the South Lawn overlooking the ocean, then move to the sophisticated Seaside Terrace and Ballroom for your reception. Or, exchange your vows under a floral arbor on the white sand of a private beach before dancing into the evening in a luminous tent on the East Lawn. Arrange a white tent on the beach for a small rehearsal dinner under the stars. Indoors, the Seaside Ballroom has floor-to-ceiling windows and a private terrace with sea views. An expert culinary and event staff will help you customize the menus, decorations and every other detail of your idyllic wedding by the sea. Ocean House was recently named to Forbes Magazine's list of "Most Luxurious Hotels & Spas", and is one of the top 100 hotels in the world among Travel + Leisure readers.

Visit our sister properties - Weekapaug Inn - Watch Hill Inn

Attean Lake Lodge

On Birch Island in Attean Lake Jackman, ME, 04945 Phone: 207-668-3792

Your photos will tell the story of your wedding by the water at this lovely resort

A shimmering lake, mountains in the distance: It’s quite the beautiful backdrop for your wedding day at the Attean Lake Lodge. Wedding guests (the resort can accommodate up to 100) will love getting to your celebration by boat (a 10-minute ride), then seeing you exchange vows on a beach, dock, in a flower garden or a shaded woodland spot. You can exchange vows on the main lodge’s wraparound porch with its stunning views, and have your elegant plated or buffet dinner served inside. You can rent the entire lodge, or arrange for a smaller event. The lodge can also make arrangements for everything from your rehearsal dinner, fresh flowers on the table, champagne and cake to overnight accommodations for up to 70 people.

Inn at Ellis River

17 Harriman Road Jackson, NH, 03846 Phone: 800-233-8309

Riverside inn, picturesque village a romantic location for your wedding by the water

It’s only natural that the Inn at Ellis River would be the ideal setting for a waterfront wedding. Celebrate your big day with a ceremony by the river at this elegant inn, having your reception under a tent in the garden area. Or, get married at one of the many scenic locations in this classic New England village – including by the covered “Honeymoon Bridge” or a cascading waterfall – and adjourn to the inn for your reception for up to 45 people. A variety of packages include accommodations in the romantic Bridal Veil Falls room with a fireplace and jetted tub for two. Or, the staff can design a wedding package just for you. Consider combining it with the inn’s honeymoon package!

Boothbay Harbor Inn

31 Atlantic Avenue Boothbay Harbor, ME, 04538 Phone: 207-633-6302

Weddings by the water a specialty at this delightful inn on Boothbay Harbor

If you are envisioning that classic New England wedding by the water, you will want to talk to the experienced event planners at the Boothbay Harbor Inn, one of Maine’s only harborside wedding venues. Your ceremony, cocktail hour and reception can all happen within feet of the Atlantic at this charming inn, just steps from downtown Boothbay Harbor. The inn hosts weddings from May through October at a variety of venues, including under an archway by the water, in the harborside dining room, on the manicured front and side lawns and, in the evening, by the fire pits. You can also have your big day under a harborside tent. Reception menus feature reinvented coastal cuisine, from casual lobster bakes to elegant plated dinners.

Visit our sister properties - Tugboat Inn - Fisherman's Wharf Inn

Lake Morey Resort

1 Clubhouse Road Fairlee, VT, 05045 Phone: 802-333-4311 Toll-Free: 800-423-1211

Scenic gardens, terraces and ballrooms idyllic sites for waterfront wedding ceremonies, receptions

With its grand location by a stunning lake, the Lake Morey Resort offers wedding couples a number of idyllic sites for their ceremony, reception, rehearsal dinner, cocktail party or farewell breakfast. Say your “I do’s” in a garden in bloom, complete with fountain and reflecting pool, have a welcoming cocktail party on a lake-view terrace, and dance into the night at your reception in a ballroom with picture windows looking out over the lake. Have your rehearsal dinner on a patio or by a fire pit with lawn games to follow. And say goodbye to guests at your farewell breakfast by the lake or in the lakeside dining room. Guests at your destination wedding can enjoy lake activities including kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding and boating.

Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club

2907 Main Street (Route 6A) Brewster, MA, 02631 Phone: 508-896-9000 Toll-Free: 800-343-6074

At this quintessential Cape Cod resort, weddings by the water are naturally beautiful

At the Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club, on Cape Cod Bay, waterfront weddings are a natural. Say “I do” right on private, sandy Bay Pines Beach, then have cocktails on the Ocean Terrace with dramatic panoramic views of the bay, followed by dining and dancing in a poolside pavilion or mansion ballroom. For smaller weddings, the charming private rooms of the Nickerson Mansion have walk-out terraces that overlook the bay so guests can stroll in the ocean air. Wedding and catering staffs also have experience planning private beach fires and clambakes for pre- and post-wedding events. And, of course, many guest rooms and villas in this extraordinary resort have water views and beach access, among its many amenities.

The Wolfeboro Inn

90 North Main Street Wolfeboro, NH, 03894 Phone: 603-569-3016 Toll-Free: 800-451-2389

Get married by the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee or on a boat cruising the lake

At the historic Wolfeboro Inn on Lake Winnipesaukee, you can get married by the water, exchanging your vows in a gazebo or enchanting lower garden with views of the lake and the Belknap Mountains, then dining and dancing into the night under a Sperry tent on a lakeside lawn. Or, you can have your ceremony and/or reception on the lake, on board the inn’s Winnipesaukee Belle, a replica turn-of-the-century paddle-wheeled boat. Indoor venues include an elegant ballroom and a room with a deck overlooking the lake and gardens. Customize your menu, based on the inn’s classic New England-style cuisine with contemporary flair. Weddings include an on-site coordinator, and the inn can recommend great vendor partners for photography and other services.

Winnetu Oceanside Resort

At South Beach on Martha's Vineyard -- 31 Dunes Road Edgartown, MA, 02539 Phone: 508-310-1733 Toll-Free: 866-335-1133

Make your destination wedding memorable at this elegant resort by the ocean

Celebrate your wedding Vineyard-style at the picturesque Winnetu Oceanside Resort, the island’s only hotel on scenic South Beach. You can say your vows on the beach, or on the resort’s magnificent West Lawn with an adjacent cottage perfect for getting ready in style. Take your photos by the water or on the resort’s antique fire engine or wood-paneled 1931 bus. Have cocktails and canapés on the lawn or ocean-view deck. Then dine and dance at the Dunes Restaurant, with ocean views and a private path to the beach. Culinary pros will help you customize your reception menu, and an event staff will attend to every detail so you can dance into night without a single worry. A discount for room blocks is available for guests.

Wedding Couple - Mountain Top Inn & Resort - Chittenden, VT

Mountain Top Resort

195 Mountain Top Road Chittenden, VT, 05737 Phone: 802-483-2311

Get married by a pristine lake, or at other romantic venues with breathtaking water views

You can have the waterfront wedding of your dreams – even in the mountains of Vermont. At the Mountain Top Resort, say your “I do’s” on the golden sands of a beach right on a pristine 740-acre lake, surrounded by woods and mountains. Then dine and dance into the night in the Lakefront Beach Pavilion on a manicured lawn just yards away, with wooden flooring, lake views, a vaulted ceiling, fire pit, patio and deck. Almost every venue at the four-season resort has lake views, from a terrace and a rustic-luxe barn to The Knoll, perched on a meadow with handcrafted “barn doors” at the aisle’s beginning allowing for a dramatic entrance. The resort has an on-site spa, culinary team, wedding and design coordinators.

Harbor Light Inn

58 Washington Street Marblehead, MA, 01945 Phone: 781-631-2186

Throw a wedding with a certain coastal flair at this inn tucked into Marblehead’s harbor district

With its location in Marblehead’s quaint harbor district, the Harbor Light Inn is ideal for couples seeking intimate weddings with a coastal atmosphere. A private room can be arranged to host your ceremony and reception or just reception: It can comfortably accommodate 25 people for a sit-down dinner or 50 for a cocktail reception. The concierge can help with arrangements for a florist, photographer, caterer – even a yacht to charter for a spectacular ceremony! Overnight guests will find accommodations at the inn serene and memorable, from rooms with high ceilings and exposed original beams to rooms with fireplaces or jetted tubs. A perfect wedding-night room features an expansive private rooftop deck with views of the historic district. Individual breakfast trays are provided for all inn guests.

The Nantucket Hotel & Resort

77 Easton Street Nantucket, MA, 02554 Phone: 508-228-4747 Toll-Free: 866-807-6011

Have your waterfront wedding on one of the country’s most romantic islands

If you want a waterfront wedding, then of course you want it on a romantic island! At the Nantucket Hotel & Resort, the island’s only year-round hotel, an experienced event staff will help coordinate a beachside ceremony (there are so many lovely beaches to choose from!), and even get you and your wedding party there in an antique vehicle. Afterward, have cocktails and hors d’oeuvres on the terrace, followed by dining and dancing in the elegant Grand Ballroom, with wide-plank wood floors, a stage and bar, along with dramatic high ceilings. In-house catering means delightful customized options, and the resort will help you with outside vendors for other services as well as provide reduced rates for your guests. It will be a destination wedding no one will forget.

Margate Resort on Winnipesaukee

76 Lake Streeet Laconia, NH, 03246 Phone: 603-524-5210 Toll-Free: 800-627-4283

Dreaming of a wedding by the water? This resort can make that a spectacular reality.

A wonderful wedding by the water: If that’s been your dream, let the staff and wedding coordinators at Margate on Winnipeaukee turn it into a reality for you and your guests. Exchange your vows right on the private sandy beach of lovely Paugus Bay, or in a beautiful Lake Pavilion at water’s edge. Have your catered reception under a tent on the landscaped West Lawn, in the Mariah Room with a granite bar, fieldstone fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on the lake, or in the mirrored Main Ballroom, with room for dancing for up to 300 people. End your day with a fireworks show over the water or a bonfire on the beach (s’mores are up to you!).

Wedding Couple at Harbor Lights Marina - Warwick, RI

Warwick Office of Tourism

3275 Post Road Warwick, RI, 02886 Phone:

Several scenic sites for waterfront weddings, from mansions to lush lawns and ballrooms

Are you dreaming of a wedding by the water? Warwick has several picturesque places for wedding couples to consider! There’s the Aldrich Mansion, a French chateau set on 70 acres overlooking Narragansett Bay. Or Harbor Lights, where you can say your “I do’s” under an arch as sailboats pass by in the distance. The Warwick Country Club boasts panoramic views of the bay and can host up to 250 guests. Chelo’s Waterfront Catering Services, on scenic Greenwich Bay, offers a lush lawn area as well as two waterview rooms, ideal for your reception. Several area hotels have every amenity and accommodation, from ballrooms to more intimate gathering-places, for weddings of all sizes and for every season of the year.

Waterfront Wedding - Inn at Diamond Cove - Portland, ME

Diamond's Edge Restaurant & Marina

22 McKinley Court Portland, ME, 04109 Phone: 207-805-9836

Make your destination wedding an island affair with a classic waterfront tented venue

If you’ve imagined getting married on an island, let the Inn at Diamond Cove make your dream come true. Have your ceremony overlooking Diamond Cove on one of Maine’s most picturesque islands, just a short ferry trip from Portland. The McKinley Grove tent site is a classic waterfront venue, allowing for outdoor ceremonies on a lush, expansive lawn with a charming white gazebo and beautiful mirror pond at the center of it all. The classic Sperry tent, perfect for receptions and cocktail parties, can host up to 220 guests. More intimate gatherings can be held in the rustic Art Gallery with 50-foot vaulted ceilings and the Board Room, next door to the inn. Catering and coordination are both on-site.

Basin Harbor

4800 Basin Harbor Road Vergennes, VT, 05491 Phone: 802-475-2311 Toll-Free: 800-622-4000

Venues at this picturesque resort take full advantage of its lakeside location

On the shore of Lake Champlain, at the end of a winding country road, stands the Basin Harbor resort, the ideal location for your waterfront wedding. Ceremony and reception venues include the Lodge Lawn, sitting high above the bay; the Homestead Lawn, steps from the lakefront and perfect for a billowing tent; the North Dock with lake breezes and fabulous sunset views; Ardelia’s restaurant, which overlooks the harbor and lake; and The EScape is perfect for a cocktail cruise! For over a century, personal service has been a hallmark for weddings at the resort, where they strive to make your planning easy – and joyful. Overnight guests will enjoy unique cottage and lodge accommodations and activities from water tubing and kayaking to tennis, golf and lawn games.

Breakwater Stroll - Hotel 1620 - Plymouth, MA

Hotel 1620 at Plymouth Harbor

180 Water Street Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-747-4900 Toll-Free: 866-719-8185

Exchange your vows in a venue overlooking the ocean at this hotel by the waterfront

Nestled between the Cape and Boston, directly across from a picturesque waterfront, the Hotel 1620 Plymouth Harbor specializes in providing extraordinary experiences for couples seeking the classic waterfront wedding. Have your ceremony in a charming outdoor space overlooking the Atlantic. Receptions are elegant in the Atlantic Room, with floor-to-ceiling windows, for up to 80 guests, and the Regency Ballroom, with crystal chandeliers, for up to 250 people. An experienced catering and event staff will provide ideas and assistance for creative menus and decor as well as other services. Overnight guests will love being walking distance to waterfront activities including cruises and whale watches, plus being able to board the Mayflower II. Many of the hotel’s spacious accommodations have harbor views from private balconies.

Migis Lodge on Sebago Lake

30 Migis Lodge Road South Casco, ME, 04077 Phone: 207-655-4524

Waterfront weddings at this resort on the shores of Sebago Lake don’t just mean distant views

Some resorts offer weddings with water views, but at Migis Lodge on Sebago Lake, waterfront means right by the water. Exchange your vows under a rustic arch by the shores of shimmering Sebago Lake. (Wedding couples have even been known to arrive by boat!) Have your photos taken on a sandy beach, along a picturesque dock or surrounded by pines. Then adjourn to the rustic lodge for your cocktail party and reception. The catering team will help customize your meal, whether it’s a buffet, family-style or elegant plated dinner. Dance into the night, then celebrate with a bonfire off the lakeside terrace. You’ll have exclusive use of the resort, with guests staying in lodge rooms and charming cottages with fireplaces and lake views.

Click here to see more Migis Hotel Group properties.

Boston Harbor Hotel

70 Rowes Wharf Boston, MA, 02119 Phone: 617-439-7000 Toll-Free: 800-752-7077

Harborfront hotel combines stunning water views with a sophisticated urban ambiance

You want a wedding by the water but you also want the sophisticated surroundings of a chic urban hotel? You want the Boston Harbor Hotel, a waterfront sanctuary that is proud to host exclusive weddings, big and small, in its luxurious surroundings. The hotel’s much-sought-after space, the domed Foster’s Pavilion, is a fairy tale in the making, right on the harbor, with 360-degree windows and striking architecture. The Wharf Room, for up to 250 guests, has sweeping harbor views, a private terrace and glittering chandeliers. More intimate spaces for smaller weddings and elopements are equally memorable. The culinary team will help you plan your perfect menu, from butler-passed canapés and elegant dinners to late-night snacks by the water.

Seven Birches Winery

River Walk at Loon - 22 South Mountain Drive Lincoln, NH, 03251 Phone: 603-745-7550

Weddings at Seven Birches Winery

Located in the grand new RiverWalk Resort at Loon Mountain, Seven Birches Winery is a perfectly majestic venue for a wedding. Imagine sharing your vows outside in the vineyard on the banks of the Pemigewasset River with mountain views in all directions, then moving inside to the Atrium Events Venue for your reception and celebration. Your guests will be delighted with the atmosphere and the locally handcrafted wines that come along with it. With our turnkey and custom wine wedding packages, your big day will be easy to plan, and never forgotten. Start planning your forever, today at sevenbircheswinery.com.

Dock Wedding Kiss - Saybrook Point Inn & Spa - Old Saybrook, CT

Saybrook Point Resort & Marina

Two Bridge Street Old Saybrook, CT, 06475 Phone: 860-395-2000 Toll-Free: 800-243-0212

Where the sound meets the river, this resort specializes in spectacular waterfront weddings

It would be hard to imagine a more breathtaking backdrop than the picturesque shores of Old Saybrook, where Long Island Sound meets the Connecticut River, and the Saybrook Point Resort & Marina takes full advantage of the scenery when it comes to weddings. Whether you want an intimate exchange of vows on a terrace overlooking the marina at sunset or a formal ceremony in the elegant Lighthouse Gallery, with expansive windows, you are guaranteed a gorgeous waterfront affair. Experienced wedding professionals will bring your one-of-a-kind vision to life, and award-winning chefs will create the perfect farm-to-reception-table menu. Overnight guests will appreciate the water views from their spacious room or suite and resort amenities, including an on-site spa, indoor and year-round heated outdoor pools.