New England Wedding Venues For Each Season

I am so thrilled to have a guest blogger today and introduce all of you to Christine Mitchell. Christine is the creator of N’East Style, a blog celebrating Northeast fashion past and present. She is located in Boston and works at a prominent e-commerce site and in her spare time, she is also a freelance illustrator and writer. Since Christine is in the active phase of planning her own New England Wedding I thought it would be great to have her give us some updates and ideas along the way! In this first post Christine gives us some ideas about venues for each season in the wonderful New England region.

I’ve been a longtime fan of Whispering Pines Catalog and of the Rustic Wedding Chic blog and had been chatting with writer Maggie Lord over the past year about doing some guest posts. When I became engaged this Easter I figured there was no better time. My fiance and I are both New Englanders (I hail from Vermont, he from Maine, and we currently live in Cambridge) and my personal blog is all about New England style and culture so I decided to do a series of posts about planning a wedding in the Northeast. Each post in the series will offer seasonal suggestions for your New England wedding – from venue, gown, food, to flowers. First up, we have ideas for the idyllic New England venue. Whether your wedding will be in the dead of winter or on the warmest day of summer, one of these locations will guarantee a memorable setting for your special day.

FALL:
If you hope to have a wedding surrounded by beautiful foliage and views, then having your wedding in Vermont is a no brainer. There are many stunning locations throughout the state that offer incredible Autumn views, one of which being Hildene in Manchester, VT. The historical Georgian Revival home of Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln’s only son Todd was built in 1905 and remained in the family until 1975. The grounds boast some of the most beautiful gardens in the area, carefully restored and preserved over the years. The house is set on a promontory which offers spectacular views of the valley below and surrounding mountains. With fall foliage, it’s a breathtaking site.

WINTER:
If you’re planning on a winter wedding in New England, you have plenty of locations to choose from that offer some winter fun for you and your guests. Since it’s a less popular season for weddings, you’ll also likely have your first pick of date, venue, and vendors. They key is to make the travel and stay as easy as possible for your quests so they don’t find themselves driving long distances in inclement weather. A wedding in the White Mountains of New Hampshire at the Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa offers a magical setting for your winter wedding. Surrounded by a breathtaking mountain scenery, your guests can take in the views sitting near a warm fireplace with a cup of hot coco, or head outdoors for some cross country skiing, sledding, snowmobiling, or a sleigh ride.

SPRING:
April showers bring May flowers, and if you plan on having a wedding in New England during the spring, you run the risk having a wet wedding. That being said, a spring wedding in New England can be breathtaking and allows you to beat the rush of the more popular summer and fall wedding seasons. Best bet is to go for a venue that offers a spectacular indoor experience. The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston offers just that. Soaring ceilings, contemporary minimal design, incredible views of the Boston Harbor through glass walls, and surrounded with amazing art. It’s the perfect venue to create a memorable event, rain or shine.

SUMMER:

The idea of a summer wedding in New England probably brings visions of lobsters, blueberries, and the ocean to your head. So naturally, a wedding on the coast of Maine would be ideal. Why not make it a bit of a destination wedding by taking your vows on Monhegan Island. Ten miles out to sea and relatively easy to get to by boat (ferries depart from several locations along the Maine coast), the island boasts the spectacular rocky shores and blueberry fields immortalized in the artwork of Andrew Wyeth. The Monhegan House is a lovely rustic inn built in 1870 and carefully preserved. It also happens to have the island’s small chapel in it’s backyard. It’s the idyllic setting for an outdoor wedding followed by a delicious lobster bake reception.

Look for more wedding planning post from Christine coming soon!
Christine Mitchell is the creator of N’East Style, a blog celebrating Northeast fashion past and present. She is located in Boston and works at a prominent e-commerce site. In her spare time, she is also a freelance illustrator and writer.

Sources – photo one: The West Monitor Barn / photo two: Hildene photo courtesy of Emma Dodge Hanson Photography / photo three: Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa photo courtesy of Boston Magazine / photo four: The Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston photo courtesy of Allegro Photography / photo five: The Monhegan House photo courtesy of Melissa Mullen Photography