fossilhiker

My fiance and I are looking to have our small wedding (about 20 people) in the New England area this October. We are considering either Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont. I understand that places to stay fill up early in these areas. What is considered early? (I'm wondering if it's already too late)
Also, any ideas where would be the most romantic mountain area? I'd be open to any ideas or suggestions.

z

This October? Accommodation for 20 people? It won't be easy but good luck. Stowe, Vermont

October....? What date? It could make a big difference

gc

Cathedral in the pines in south central NH, the Round Barn, Waitsfield, VT.

Austin

I don't know about New England, but when we got married (70 people) we had to book over a year in advance. We ended up having our wedding on a Sunday afternoon in order to have it sooner. Maybe something to keep in mind if you find that Saturdays are booked at the place you want.

kaudrey

Hi fossil -

First, congratulations! With 20 people, you may be able to find something, but it might be tough.

I have friends who are getting married in Vermont, but they live in Connecticut. In April, they looked for a place for this October, and were basically laughed at. This will be a bigger wedding, but since they really wanted to get married in VT in the fall, they are getting married in October 2005.

Good luck!

Dreamer2

To book a wedding during foliage season, you'd have to book over a year in advance. Late October, however, is still a possibility. I take it this is a destination wedding with the 20 people staying over 1-2 nights? Again, picking an odd-day, not a weekend, would probably help.

The Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods does wonderful weddings, and lots of them! It is just beautiful up there, although late fall is not the prettiest time of year. Still, it would probably be my first choice.

The Woodstock Inn is charming and located at a great destination (Woodstock, VT), although there are no mountain views from the hotel. The Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe would foot that bill, but it is so far away!

If you consider ocean instead of mountain, look into the Black Point Inn at Prout's Neck in Scarborough, Maine - or - the Stageneck Inn at York, Maine.

A less expensive, and still "romantic mountain" destination might be Mount Sunapee ski area in NH. They have renovated their "lodge" area and host many wedding and prom events.

Good Luck, and Congratulations!

fossilhiker

Thank you all for your advice and congratulations! Even though not all of this is the best of news it is all very helpful. We are wanting to be married in the mountains, and it looks like we are lucky in that we haven?t set our sites only on the New England area. We?re also looking into other possible locations such as Banff, Alberta (wondering if it?s too touristy), Whistler, British Columbia (wondering maybe too touristy and how the weather will be), or the California side of Lake Tahoe (again maybe too touristy). Any ideas on these areas?

After learning about Stowe, Vermont, I?m wondering if it would be too late for there. I?ve also been trying to find out cool places in New Hampshire and trying to figure out which will be prettier in October, Vermont, New Hampshire, or Maine. We?re wanting to have an outside wedding somewhere pretty. We really don?t want a formal setting just somewhere very scenic and romantic. Afterwards, we?ll all go to a nice place for a ?dinner reception?.


Dreamer2, yes it will be a destination wedding. Your ideas are very welcome! Our guests will be coming in for a day or two and we will be staying to honeymoon in the area. We are wanting to do it the second weekend (around the 10th) and are not limited to Saturday. We could easily have it another day.

Thank you all for your advice. Please feel free to send more?

z

How about Lake Placid, NY? It is just across the lake from Vermont. Mirror Lake Inn still have accommodations available but you would have to reserve very very soon like today or tomorrow. I just called them for our stay there in October and they have about 20 rooms available due to some cancelation but they will be booked within a day or so. It is a dream place for a wedding and people in Mirror lake Inn would accommdate your every wish. Try it. Yo won't be dissapointed with Lake Placid setting

fossilhiker

Thanks for the tip! I'll look into it.

BuzzyJ

Check out the Grand View Inn and Resort in Jaffrey, New Hampshire. It's at the foot of Mt. Monadnock. We attended a small wedding there last September, and it was lovely.

fossilhiker

Thanks so much for your help...

gc

fossilhiker

One more place. Check Loon Mountain in Lincoln, NH.

They have Sunday services on the summit, and ask to see if Reverend Skip will perform the ceremony.

shaz60

You might consider Purity Springs in Madison NH. They have a variety of buildings, a ski resort (king Pine), a lake, and island with a lovely bridge, lodgings for your guests, and a restaurant. The people are very friendly and accommodating. My sister got married there in June a few years ago. We had a cookout on Friday, played softball Sat. morning, she walked across the bridge with my parents to the island where she and her husband got married in the afternoon. After an hour long open bar set up on the island, the groom rowed her away to the reception in a decorated boat. The reception was fantastic in a nicely decorated building on the property. The food was great. The total excluding the Fri. night cookout ( which my sister paid for) was $6000 for approx. 150 people. All the guests paid for their own rooms (no TVS in any room) which included meals, canoes and kayaks, an indoor pool, tennis, croquet, shuffleboard, basketball, a beach, etc. I would highly recommend it.

fossilhiker

Thank you all for your ideas! They are very welcome!

In order to have our wedding day be on a date which is more special to us, we've decided to move our date. We've decided we want to do it the first week of January. Would this change (or add) any of these or more places to my list of places to check out?

Dreamer2

If you're sticking with New England mountains, be sure to go someplace where snow and horse-drawn carriages are assured!

From my experience, that means: Stowe, VT; Woodstock, VT; Bethel, Maine; or Mount Washington Inn at Bretton Woods, NH!

Unfortunately, most of the mountain places are more difficult to get to in bad weather. Are you sure you don't want to wait until June?

fossilhiker

Call me crazy but for right now at least I really have my heart set on dong this. My fiance being born in Chicago and partially raised in New York loves the idea. Currently I'm leaning towards Stowe, it's pretty close to the interstate so it looks easy to get to and it's beautiful. What do you think?

GoTravel

Being that I used to deal with about 75 destination weddings a season (I was the Director of Sales and Marketing for a resort/inn/plantation) I suggest you book whatever is available.

My plantation stayed booked solid 18 months out. May booked first then September, October, November, and then June and the leaves don't even change here.

I would hire a wedding planner who lives in the area you are looking. Since they work so closely with these places, the wedding planner may be able to get you into someplace you couldn't get into.

sam

Chapel:

http://www.stowe.com/services/mountain_chapel.php

5-year snowfall history:

http://www.stowe.com/mountain/snow_report.php

Weddings:

http://www.stowe.com/services/weddings.php

Sounds like a great idea!

fossilhiker

Thanks GoTravel and sam! I had been debating on getting a wedding planner, but your point convinces me that it's really a good idea. And sam, thanks for the links and the encouragement!

I'd be open and willing to hear and other advise which may be out there...