BEST VENUES

Venues. • 1.1 l mer1ca

WE TALKED TO 1,697 RECENT BRIDES TO FIND THE MOST SPECTACULAR RECEPTION SITES FROM COAS T TO COAS T OFFERING STELLAR VIEWS,

CREATIVE CUISINE, AND ABOVE -AND -BEYOND SERVICE

Discover your venue on tne shore . in the city. or out n tne country

The Mayflower Grace Wt.SJ INGTON. CO'\NECT CvT e • Buy oul th,s charming 30-room escape for great sights and even beucr service. Photo ops are endless ,n the Shakespeare Garden. where you'll exchange vows. as wel as ,ns,dc the resort's all-white spa. (I tcllo, bri dal portraits.) grocehotels.com

The Barn at Flanagan Farm SUX ON.MA ,e e Take a 20-minute drive outside Portland to th ,s meticulously restored 19th-century barn. wh,ch s open year-round. -rhere·s also a cozy farmhouse perfec t for unwinding wito your wed ding oarty pre- and post­nupt1a s thewcddmgborns o/moine.com

Bos ton Public library aoSTON Charm guests w, th d inner 1n book-1,ned Bates Hall, then head to thc Abbey Room 'or a dance sesh overloo<ing the courtyard Bonus, The caterer will ensure you ca t too. than,<s to good:e bags r, c-d with fresh entrccs . min, desserts. and bubbly for two. bpl.org.

KEY PAR-Y CAN GO PAS- v10,1G-iT

• l'- OJSt CA l:Rrn e o,.s TF /,CCOMV.0'.),\TIONS

Chatham Bars Inn Ct,ATl1A"1 M,\SSAC IUSEl S • • Te the knot on the private beach before mov,ng to a sailcloth tent or one of the oceanfront din,,..g rooms for a lobster dinner and dancing. Then you're just st~ps from the bars on Ma,n Street ,f you want lo continue the party chathombars1nn.com

"T he staff took care of everyt hing from ordering pizza for the after party to del iver ing the vendor tips. They let me enjoy our day." -MEGA N M .• ON

BO NNET ISLAND ESTATE

Bonnet Island Estat e "-1ANA..JAWK, :\[W Jf,l<;fy

• Want your own pr•vate sland? You ca" have that. as well as an opcn·a1r chape and a ruslic ballroom (that ooks lil..e the inside of a ship!) over ooking Manahawk1n Bay. bonnet 1s(andestate.com .

Jardin do Buis POr E.RSV _LE. ,Ew JE.RSE.Y Give yo ur guests free rein o' the cstate·s grounds . which feature a barn. two greenhouses. a top,ary-linco pool, and an orange ry. ojfdesign.com.

Oheka Casile -1u, Tll,G-oN. ,[w YORK •

You may recognize 1t from r Swift's "Bl<1nk Space" video. out lh1s mega mansion has even more to offer. lii<e 23 acres of onvacy. ohek.acom.

Gram ercy Park Hot e l :s..EWYO~K e II you're dreoming of o gor­den oas,s 1n the city. loo k no lurther tnJn th ,s 18th·lloor

terrace It comes with a cvstomizable Danny "'!eyer menu and a ,etrnctable roo:. gramercyparkhotel.com.

Rainbow Room N[W VCR,< Take over the 65th f oor of famed Rockefeller Center. You 'I be hard pressed to find another spot w,th such epic views or a ro tating dance floor. rambowroom.com

Bluo Hill at St ono Borns POCN\TICO 11 S. t-;=WYORK

Head to thi~ upscale 'arm an hour·s onvc outside NYC 'or the freshest rare. mpcccable ~erv ce. and a bucol c back­drop. bluehdlfarm.com.

Philadelphia Muse um of Art P..JILAD L "..-11.; Th,s top-notch destination is finally hosting weddings. Choose from the sculpture garden. art-deco Perelman Bllllding. or Rodin Mvsevm. where yov c<Jn wed in front of The Thinker. philomuseum.org

Castle Hill Inn NEWPOR- . RI !ODE $_AND e Br,des rave about the night y camof re at this naut1ca· landmark. saying it's chc spot for a n,gh tcap by Narraganse tt Bay. castlchillinn.com. -Gabr io/la Ro/lo

KEY PI\RTY CA~ GO PAST MID GHT IN 1-0USI CAI f RI R

e or... SITE ACCO"'MOOAIIONS

PLAI\-L l<E A PRO VENUE SCOUT Cortnie Puroy . a former wedding p anncr. fovnded the Venvc Report. a site that helps yov 1ind (and boo"') the coo est party p aces on the planet. She shares what you need to ,mow go ng ,n.

THINK ABOUT LOCATION Decide wne ther you want to marry dose to home or 1f you want a des t na lion affair that irwo ves more complic<Jted logistics SET YOUR BUDGET FIRST i<nowing wnal you have to speno helps narrow your in,t1al search. LOCK IN YOUR HE.AO COUMT Do not fall 1n love w th a place that cun't f1t yovr gvests his is one thing a venve can't bvdge on. no molter how k ndly you asK. PICK A TI ME OF Y£AR Select a season and a lew dates that work for you w1th1n 1L I ,me of year affects whether you can have an ndoor or outdoor event. as well as your b II. (Some venves o'fer discoun·ed rates n the w,nter and charge more 1n tne summer.) VISIT IN

PERSON It's of ten the energy of a place tha t str kes a chord You can't get that in photos. MEET THE STAFF The team beh,nd the venve s as important <1s the site itself You want to work with people you l,ke! GET RECS Trust your gvt. aosolutely. but read online rev•ews and ask your. fne_nds what they know abo ut the places yov're considering loo. If someone has he.:ird b<1d things chances are they're true. ASK QUESTIONS Does tne venu~ have bathrooms? Does t al ow open names? Discuss whJt's ,mport<int to you in the beginning bec<lvse ,f you don't, 1t will bother you later on . PUT EVERYTH ING IN WRIT l~ G When you·re ready lo boo--.. wor,, up a contract thJt inc udes .ii the tiny deta1 s. Ike permits. the r.:i n plan. sel·uf? rees. et cetera. Nothing shovld be le't up to nterpretnt1on -As told to Yolanda Crow

''Tepees, cabins. tree house~. and p lace · with a ~ummcr -cam p ,·ibc arc <TOin<1 to be h . ,, P<l o o ot m 20 17, sa\'S ur v.

BEST VENUES

Be the belle or ~he ba I ·r"l a stur"lr"l 1"19 loca1e below the IV'.ason D,xon

The Hay-Adams W.ASf- ~G ON . DC e Give your guesls the ult mate District expe(ence at thE.> lop of the Hoy. where they con sip chomps and snap aselries w ,th the White House. hoyadoms.com.

Perez: Art Museum Miami "",\"'11 If you want somc th ng unexpected, this ,s it 1hink nanging gardens, views of Biscayn e Bay and the c1ty

0

s skyl,ne. and a mode rn open-air portico. pamm.org

Tho Broakor s Palm Boach P,\LM 8(AC I -LORtDA e Everyor"le , aves about the Gatsby-csque b.:>llrooms (they are stu nning 1). out t's the resort's attentive staff frorn the pastry che f to th E.> i<nowledgeaole valet-that brides can\ stop gushing abou t. thebreokers com.

Tho Biltmore Bollroom s t.T.l,NT,\ In the he-art of Midtown. you'll find th s historic land­mark. wh ich features an 1vy­l ncd garden and two g11ded ballrooms that arc over the top in tho best Wlly possible novorccvcnts.com

THE HAY-ADAMS WASHINGTON, DC .

The Cloister at Sea Island Ste A IS AND. GFORGI,\ e ChoosE.> betweer"l a quaint chapel and oak-filled garder"IS for the vows. then head over to the lawn for an oceanfror"lt recept on. seo1s/ond.com

Raco & Religious NE\', O~ EANS e After poolside cockto ,ls, let your 91.1est:; explore th s historic home and courtyard Bonus: You c.>n book it overn,ght for the aft er-party rocc-andrcl1g1ous.com.

Fo.iirrington Villogo P SBORO. \.OR r l CMlOL '" • e Even 11 cows (with cowbells 1)

aren 't your thing. you'I fal for ,he grazing oastures ano barn at th is onetime d.:>,ry form turned Rela,s & Chateaux property. /eomn91on.com.

Southwlnd Hill s GOL OSBY. OKLAf-01"' :.. W th a honeymoon cottage and chandel,er-f1 lled barn on 130 acres . th is all nclusive ver"lue has il all. ncluding ,ts owr"l photo booth. southwind /uUscom.

Cannon Greon Cl IIRLEYON SOIJ"'l CMlOLIN/\e At th,~ downtown restour,int .

the staff creates an original menu for every coup le. But no motter how you customize . d on't skip the rose s.:ingri.:i cannongreen chorleston.com

RT Lodgo '-1ARV\· l . L NN SSl e Tell your squad to pack for a full weekend because this Smoi(y Mount.'.l1n esc.:ipe hos everything you need for a for"lcy summer c.:imp exper ence . rclod9e.com.

Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek :>AL-AS e r he service .it th,s histo, ic mansion deserves naming sho rt of f,ve stars. Brides r.ive thn t the staff does its rcscorch on you: they even know your cockta,I o! choice and hove 1l read,ly av.-i ,lable rosewoodho rels.com.

Tho White Splllrrow Blllrn Ql.,,NLA\J. TEXAS A beau tifu l white barn with bu,lt- ,n spe.:ikers .:ind vin tage ren tals? Nadine Ramos Huerta . a wedd 1"19 photographer. created th s spo t in 201.d (v,•1th space for endless photo ops. ob,-i!) thewhHespouowbarn com.

"The,· handle the me1iu, flower -, decorat ions, floor plan, and even the cake. ft \\'a so nice to ha\'C one point person instead of 10!"

-JESS ICA R .. ON FEARRINGTO N VILLAGE

Hot e l Emma SAi\. ANTO~ 0. Ex.AS e Th is now boutique hotel is the talk of the town ,,nd for good reason. Brides love the ook of the restored 19th-cent ury brewery almost as much as its entertaining chef. 1heho1elemma .com.

Pippin Hill Farm & Vinoy.irds ,o~ GARo:-, V RGNIA • This beauty ,s a standout in wine count ry, than-<s to its ruslic meets -chic barn . mountain views. and getting-ready suites for the br de and groom pippin hi I/farm.com. -Anna Price Olson

KEY PART't CAN C-0 J:'AST '-"10'.\IG IT

e I\ HOUSt C.'l,11 RER e o~ S 1tA CCOM'-10DA110NS

BEST VENUES

Revel in the heartland at a luxe lodge. city hote l. or modern muscuM

Chicago Athletic Association Hotel C IICACO e This lvlag M,le hot spo · ,s oerfecl for the couple who wants to exp ore lvl1llenn um Pork before p.>rtyang an a 19th century ba room . ch1co9ooth/erichore/.com.

Chicago Cultural Center C IICACO No additional decor is ne<:;es­sary ell th,s Windy City land­mark. thanks to a 41-foot glass dome and mother of pearl mosaics . ci tyo/ch,cago .org.

Th e Langham, Chicago C~ICAGO e This modern hote executes the ba llroom wedding to oerFect1on and udds perks kc persona zed rooes

,n the honeymoon suite. longhamho rels.com.

Zingerman's Cornman Farms DfXl[R."" C~ GA:si It's all about the food on th is

42-ucre working farm. 1-rom th e famous mac and cheese to puled pork that spen t 14 hours smoking . the true farm to-table fare ,s sure to w n over the crowd. zmgermans cornmonfa,ms.com.

Grand Hotol :-1.\Co<IN~C S~AND. :'-IIC IIGAM e J his resort s known for its front porch. which spans the leng th of nearly two footoall r,e ds and overlooks Lake Huron grandhotel.com.

Planterra Conservatory W"'.ST B OO1'-'~IC' 0. I"' Cl- GAN

Al lhis palm-filled ousis. the star staff w,11 happily tackle yo ur en t re to-do list. han-d ,ng everything from cus tom cock ta ils to upgradeo rentals. p(onterraevenls.com.

Ar ia '-11:'I.N APO S e W,th a 'lcxiblc open floor p an and four V IP lounges

"The dow ntown location mad e it easv for gue ts to explo re the city and sm·ed u, on tran. portat ion since c, ·c1Yone could walk or cab there."

-SHA NNON H., ON ARIA

(he 10, atte r-oan y!), this theater Is ready for an A-list ce ebrat1on. ariampls.com.

Milwaukee Art Museum v SNEAPOLIS 0ook the Ouadracc1 Pav, I0n. dcs'9ncd by architect Sam1-ago Calatrava. for a setting that looks as coo on the 1ns1de as It docs ou t mam.org

Big Cedar Lodge 4 .)G C>.\L V SSOvRI e Take your p,ck of four wed­ding chape s, then move on to a c.-:ib,n wit h 360 degree v,ews of Table Rock Lake or to ·he lake itself, where there's a yacht ready to host ,15. b,gcedarwedd,ngs.com.

Four Seasons Hot el St. Louis ST LOUIS • • Get h tched on the roo!top terrace. which has un nter­ruptcd views of the city's IconIc Gatoway Arch. You can't ~c t more St Louis than that. /ourscosons.com.

Clovoland Musoum of Art Cl VE LAr-.D e Pose for photos inside closed galleries f1 ed w,th works by P'c.isso, then meetyourgang,nthe g lass-enclosed utn um for dinner and cane ng unoer the stars. develondortorg. - Alexandr a Leshner

KEY

PARTY CAN CO PAST ""10"G•I I e i\ t-O-. 'it CA tRtR e O:-.; S ll -.CrOM'1OC>.\llON$

BEST VENUES

Go w,ld for mountain resorts. desert escapes. and big-city charmers

Arizona Biltmor• , a Waldorf Astoria Resort Pl l()LMX e Al this historic andmork. you can lounge in what was Ma, ilyn !v!onroe·s Favorite poo .. then watcn as guests arc stunned by the hands­on serv,ce c>nd stunning architecture. co-des,gned by f"rank Lloyd Wright. ar1.lonabiltmore .com.

Korakio Pon siono PALM SPR I\GS. CA FOR'\ A e You·II fee transported to another world at t"lis Moroccan-mects-Med1terrc>· nean sanctuary featuring <> str ct no-kids oolicy ond a nighlly cand le light ng that creates an uber-roma nt c glow. korokia.com.

Tho Miss ion Inn Hoto l & Spa q VFq5 D:. Cfl ~ORNIA e The proper ty·s gi lded chape ls and ornate ball rooms attract coup les a'ter o d-world charm 1n SoCal. Not to mention. this place has been hos t ing weddir,gs for inore than a century. miss,oninn.com.

M•adowood Napa Valloy ST :_EN1\ C,\L FOR\/ A e Foodies. ta-<e note With a three star M1chel1n restaurant ano persona re at1onsh1os with Napa·s g reatest vintners. there·s some thing here to p case the most discerning of palates. mcodowoodcom.

Four Season s Resort , tho Biltmor• Santa Barbara SANTA i3Aq0ARA. CA FO~NIA e After vows in front of the Santo Yne.l Moun tains. he.:id to the Le> Pc>ci'1c.J Terrace for sunset coc-<tails with views of the Pacific-and pods of leap ing oolph ns. /ourseosons.com.

The Littl e Nell AS:>fl'.. CO OR.~0O e You'll be on top o ' the world, literally. as you wed. dine. and ta"c in panoramic sights of Elk 1'1ount a1ns from the Sundcck. which sits at 11.000 feet. 1hc/1ctlcncll.com.

Dunton Hot Springs 001 ORrS. COi ORA0O e lvla-<e this restored 1800s ghost town. with 13 cabins. a spa, and hot spr ings. yours for a weekend of outdoor aoven tu res and epic summit scen­ery. duntonhorspnngs.com.

Hyatt Rogoncy Lake Tahoo Rosort, Spa , ond Casino '.'>;CL NEV IIGE '\EV,'\'.).,\ e Get the oest of the snore

ofld th e mountains at th is lakeside property. where coordinators exec at even the smallest of details . li;ce surprise mid ceremony mimosas. hyatr.com.

Mandarin Oriontol Los Vogos ~AS VEGAS e rind a moment o' zen on the Str ip at this elega<1t m,n,mal­ist proper ly that hosts part·cs of all sizes. from 25 guesls in a luxe top floor suite lo ..:80 in tho or·ental Ba room. mandarinoriencal.com.

Cost away Portland ;?QR I\ "ID. OREC.O1'. • Ma"e this raw space what ever you like-from an indus tr a chic fcte 1n the restored

STEI N ERIKSEN LO DGE DEER VALLEY

VTAH

''Buying out the property's 26 g11c t rooms made our wedding guest feel do er, wh ich i what we wanted ." - MARIE v .• ON KOR.AKI.A PENSIONE

warehouse to a roman tic affair in the garden. costowaypo, ti and.com.

Stein Eriksen Lodg e Door Vall•y )EE~ 1/1\LLE~ l, TA e Come for the sl..1-in/sk,-out access and stay 'or th e lodgc·s ability to host an indoor-outdoor event. which brides call a necessity with Utah·s unprcdictab,o weather. srem/odge.com.

Sodo Park S t.. TU You'll feel a l home in this rnass,ve ndustr al space. thc>nks to ,ts award-winrung catering and a des,gn stud o thot mc>slers ghting. herbonf easl.com

Brush Cre-ek Ranch SARATOG,\, WYOMlt-.G e Shoot clays n the morning or relax in the spa before you say ·1 do- mountainside. Later. party 1n a wooden barn or out n the open on the .S0,000 acres of untouched terrain. br1Jshcrcckranch.com. -Ja imie Scho e n Mack ey

KEY PAR""\' CAN GO PAS- ""10'\:IGill

e ~ ,-.0-JSE- CA-~RlR

• o:-s S rt ACC0~'-10DATl0NS