50 states

150 venu es
Just because you don’t want to stray too far from home for your
big day doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy all the perks of a far-flung
affair. Here we unveil loads of wedding sites with scenery,
personality and a true sense of place — all in the U.S. of A.
 portland head lighthouse, maine valley of fire state park, Nevada

These picks boast coastal

charm and a long-standing
seafaring tradition.
CONNECTICUT The white-clapboard
Connecticut River Museum, in Essex,
has a boathouse, a harborfront lawn and
a private schooner available for charter.
New Haven’s Lighthouse Point Park has
a beach, a circa-1847 lighthouse and a work-
ing carousel. ¶ MAINE Arrive by boat to the
membership-only Bar Harbor Club, built
by J.P. Morgan in 1930. Down East caterers
like Finest Kind, in Yarmouth, and Sam’s
Great Northern, in Portland, can bring a
traditional lobster bake to the rocky beach
of your choosing. ¶ MARYLAND In St.
Michaels, on the Eastern Shore, venues
include the Chesapeake Bay Maritime

desert
Museum, set in a lighthouse on the Miles
River. Historic Inns of Annapolis offers
three hotels dating from the 17th and 18th
centuries, all within walking distance of
the charming harbor. ¶ RHODE ISLAND go Outdoors with these arid picks — and you don’t have to worry about rain.
Centrally located in the downtown harbor, ARIZONA Marry in a literal work of art at Sedona’s Chapel of the Holy Cross; designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, this
the Newport Yachting Center has hosted Catholic church seems to literally rise out of the surrounding rocks. In Tucson, embrace the scenery at a traditional guest
names like Chris Isaak and B.B. King at its ranch like Hacienda del Sol, in the foothills of the Santa Catalinas. ¶ NEVADA Vegas is known for bright lights and big
Sunset Music Series — and hosts weddings shows, but just outside the city limits is some of the prettiest desertscape around. Drive to outdoor do’s at Valley of Fire

nautical
as well. Or opt for a Gilded Age mansion State Park, then return to the Strip to celebrate. Or check into a resort at Lake Las Vegas to exchange vows on the shore,
overlooking the ocean, such as OceanCliff, with arid high desert all around you. ¶ NEW MEXICO Wed with a backdrop of the remnants of a 17th-century Spanish
Castle Hill or The Chanler. mission at Ancient Ruins, 25 miles east of Santa Fe. Or celebrate in town in the garden of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum,
which was planted with many of the same flowers the namesake used as her subjects. ¶ UTAH Marry under a sandstone
arch in Canyonlands National Park. Farther south at Lake Powell, take your gang via tour boat to a secluded beach, or
DIY with some friends on a rented houseboat.

classic sun & surf

Clockwise from Top left: Steve Dunwell/getty images; Hazel Photographers; Photographer's Choice/

ages; Alicia Williams/Cordele Photography; Cliff Leight/getty images; James Randklev/getty Images;
naples, florida

Bottom Row from Left: Photographer's Choice/getty images; Ruth Tomlinson/getty images; Polara
Images; Steve Dunwell/getty images; Jaysun Spieth; Middle Row from Left: Chris Cheadle/getty im-
getty images; previous page: Top row from left: Lauren Brown Photography; Paul E. Tessier/getty
Outdoor bashes are de rigueur in these beloved beach towns
boasting balmy temps and a laid-back, sunshiny vibe.
CALIFORNIA San Diego strands like La Jolla’s Windansea Beach are surf meccas, and
iconic Hotel del Coronado, on Coronado Island, is perfect for an Old Hollywood feel.
Make it official on the movie-set-worthy Malibu coastline at Leo Carrillo State Park,
and follow with a reception at Paradise Cove, an A-list gathering spot for more than
100 years. ¶ FLORIDA Keep it simple with a sandside ceremony at Smathers Beach,
Key West’s longest strand, then take your party into town for a restaurant reception at
Mangoes or Kelly’s Caribbean Bar, Grill & Brewery. In southwest Florida, find calm-
ing white-sand strands and sweet Gulf-facing gazebos in Naples or on sleepy barrier
islands like Captiva, Marco and Sanibel. ¶ HAWAII Have a lei exchange, a luau and
a ceremonial blowing of the conch on Maui’s Kaanapali Beach; all along the 42-mile-
long boardwalk, resorts cater to weddings with pavilions, gardens and ballrooms looking
Studio; Tetra Images/Corbis out to the sea. Stellar backdrops on the Big Island include Anaehoomalu Bay and the
black sand of Punaluu Beach Park. ¶ PUERTO RICO In the sleepy west-coast town
of Rincon, you can marry in front of Punta Higuero Lighthouse or along one of the
surfing beaches like Pools Beach or Sandy Beach. The resorts along the San Juan
districts of Isla Verde and Condado Beach offer expected palm trees and beach fun
just a short cab ride from historic Old San Juan.

58 destination weddings & honeymoons november/december 2010 59

rustic Nothing sets the mood for a vintage-inspired
wedding like weathered wood, rugged scenery
and a touch of history.
Fenske Lake, minnesota

iOWA Festhalle Barn, in the Amana Colonies, is a classic re-

Clockwise from top left: Paul E. Tessier/getty Images; James Randklev/getty images; Jaysun Spieth; Robert McNary Photography
stored dairy barn with weathered boards and high beamed ceilings;
Schwab Round Barn, in Solon, is an architectural stunner built
specifically for celebrations. Or go for authenticity at Living
History Farms, outside Des Moines, where the wood-paneled
Great Hall overlooks the circa-1875 town of Walnut Creek. ¶
NEW HAMPSHIRE Onsite coordinators at Mount Washington
Valley’s Brass Heart Inn can arrange smaller events in the inn’s
dining room or parties for up to 150 in the restored 19th-century
barn. Set on a 1746 colonial-era farm, Wilton’s Curtis Farm spe-
cializes in tented affairs, with the historic buildings providing Serene au naturel nuptials can
great photo ops. Now owned and operated by Marriott, New be set alongside (or over) any
Castle grande dame Wentworth by the Sea has been a land- one of these watery escapes.
mark since 1874. ¶ NORTH DAKOTA Convenient to Fargo but ARKANSAS Wed with views of the Ozarks
in neighboring Moorhead, Minnesota, A Friend’s House has a at Table Rock Lake or Beaver Lake, just
bridal-prep area set in an 1880s railroad-ticket office. It’s almost outside historic Eureka Springs. The area is
as cool as the event space: the wood-paneled Loft Ballroom, part loaded with cottage-style accommodations;
of a once-working barn. Also in Moorhead, the red-walled barn at Beaver Lake Log Cabins, you can even
at Rustic Oaks is actually a new venue, which means it has ex- wed aboard the property’s pontoon boat

lakefront
tras like heated floors and a handicap-accessible lift. ¶ WEST (holds up to 13). ¶ MICHICAN Resorts like
VIRGINIA Turn your event into a family reunion at Country Bluefin Bay, on Lake Superior, specialize
Road Cabins, in Hico, or Opossum Creek Retreat, in Lansing, in lawn weddings, or wed on the sand in
where your multigenerational gang can spread out in cabins Lake Michigan’s top beach town, Traverse
babcock
state park, with easy access to hiking, river rafting and state parks. City. At Lake Huron’s Mackinac Island,
west virginia accessible only by plane or boat, gather the
group at the circa-1887 Grand Hotel, where

epicurean
the wide veranda boasts views of Mackinac
cave b estate, washington Bridge. ¶ MINNESOTA Head straight for
the pebble-stone beaches that line the north
shore of Lake Superior, or say I do in a ga-
Foodies satisfy cravings at these culinary locales zebo at Spirit Mountain Recreation Area,
with artisanal produce and farm-to-table cuisine. with views of Duluth and Lake Superior. For
NEW YORK Take over the private dining room or, for bigger groups, something more remote, exchange vows
the HayLoft at Blue Hill at Stone Barn, a working farm and critically on a floating platform at Ludlow’s Island
acclaimed restaurant in the Hudson Valley. Many of New York City’s Resort, a private-island property on sce-
most noted restaurants, including Danny Meyer’s Eleven Madison Park, nic Lake Vermillion. ¶ MISSOURI At the
Charlie Palmer’s Metrazur, Cipriani and The Russian Tea Room, boast Lake of the Ozarks, wed with water vistas
private party rooms ideal for smaller receptions. ¶ OREGON Portland’s alongside the pools, bridges and water-
Lucier is the big news in party venues, combining a sleek, contemporary falls of the Japanese Gardens at the Lodge
event space with great food and river views. Willamette Valley is home of Four Seasons. The nearby Tan-Tar-A
to multiple wedding-worthy vineyards, including Ponzi and Vista Hills. Resort keeps everything convenient with
¶ VERMONT Pittsfield’s Riverside Farm partners with neighboring 420 acres of family-fun options, includ-
organic Amee Farm for sustainable meals in a charming barn setting. ¶ ing a golf course, water park and onsite
WASHINGTON Chef-about-town Tom Douglas brings stations like an wedding chapel. ¶ OHIO Hold a lakeside
Iron Chef salmon battle and a grilled-cheese bar to events at Seattle’s Pal- ceremony at a Lake Erie winery, such as the
ace Ballroom. The Columbia Valley region boasts gorgeous wineries, like historic Mon Ami Restaurant & Historic
Cave B Estate, overlooking the Columbia Gorge, and Arbor Crest Wine Winery or the Lakehouse Inn & Winery.
Cellars, whose Cliff House is included on the National Register of His- In Sandusky, make a dramatic entrance
toric Places. ¶ WISCONSIN Hold your event in the lobby of Madison’s with a Cinderella-style carriage at the
vaudeville-era Orpheum Theatre, with catering from the acclaimed on- Lyman Harbor; the waterfront venue
site restaurant. Milwaukee’s Lakefront Brewery boasts award-winning boasts both indoor and outdoor spaces and
brews, red-brick charm and a patio overlooking the river. views of Cedar Point and Sandusky Bay.

60 destination weddings & honeymoons november/december 2010 61

 inn at warner
hall, virginia

Aurora Borealis, alaska

Go big or go home — these spots

are about showing off Mother
Nature in all her splendor,
from rugged landscapes to
extraordinary views.
ALASKA Few ceremony settings are as
dramatic as the icy Kenai Fjords, view-
able from on board one of Kenai Fjords
Tours’ vessels, which depart from Seward.
For something even more extreme, fly
via helicopter to tie the knot at the top
of Mendenhall Glacier; Juneau-based
Alaska Weddings can arrange every-

southern
thing. To catch the aurora borealis, hold
your do between December and March. Gracious culture, down-home cuisine and
¶ COLORADO Ski resorts here have per- antebellum architecture define weddings

hospitality
fected the mountain-wedding backdrop. south of the Mason-Dixon line.
Pick from two wedding decks, one in Vail GEORGIA Located in a circa-1859 cotton warehouse,
and one in Aspen, or the San Sophia Over- Vic’s on the River restaurant serves up prime views of
look, in Telluride. All three are accessed via the Savannah River, plus Southern specialties like craw-
gondola and are above 10,000 feet, with a fish penne, wild Georgia shrimp and fried green tomatoes.

cowboy
prime vista of jagged peaks. ¶ IDAHO Soak Farther west in Pine Mountain, Callaway Gardens’ 2,500
in views of snowcapped summits from both acres include an azalea garden and a butterfly center. ¶
outside and inside the log-hewn Sawtooth MISSISSIPPI The Southern Cultural Heritage Foun-
Valley Meditation Chapel, in Stanley. Sev- dation, in downtown Vicksburg, preserves the legacy of the
eral spots along the Snake River, popular American South — and holds receptions in its circa-1885
with white-water rafters, make for stun- Auditorium, complete with wood floors and a stage. Or wed
ning wedding venues, including the public under cedar, oak and magnolia trees at The Cedars, Jack-
beach at Lewiston’s Hells Gate State Park. son’s oldest surviving residential structure. ¶ SOUTH
¶ MONTANA The open-air Apgar Am- CAROLINA Choose from any number of Charleston
phitheater, inside Glacier National Park, city parks; White Point Gardens provides views of Fort
overlooks Lake McDonald, the largest lake Sumter and Charleston Harbor. On nearby John’s Island,
within park borders. Another great scene: Angel Oak Park is home to the oldest living tree east
towering firs, gentle slopes, a grassy glen and of the Mississippi River. In Hilton Head, say I do among
the big blue sky at Bozeman’s top wedding moss-draped oaks at the circa-1858 Rose Hill Mansion.
venue, The Woodlands at Cottonwood ¶ VIRGINIA Throw your Blue Ridge Mountains bash at

Clockwise from left: Johnny Johnson/getty images; Brooke Mayo; Tetra Images/Corbis
Canyon. ¶ SOUTH DAKOTA Surrounded Roanoke’s Overhome Plantation, which has a ballroom
by striking rock formations and ponderosa and dedicated catering. Or wed in Gloucester at the Inn
pines, Sylvan Lake is one of the most pic- at Warner Hall, an antique-filled waterfront estate with
turesque ceremony spots in the Black Hills’ a restored 19th-century manor house.
Custer State Park. Or head to Spearfish to
tie the knot in a meadow near Roughlock
Falls, an unforgettable photo op. Wide-open grasslands and grand mountain ranges set the scene for a modern western do.
KANSAS Gather the gang at the Lone Summit Ranch, just outside of Kansas City, for a backyard bash under a gazebo overlooking a
private lake. In nearby Lawrence, wed in the prairie garden of Circle S Ranch & Country Inn, and follow with a tractor-pulled hayride
for the bridal party. ¶ NEBRASKA In the quiet town of Papillion, get hitched at Bellevue Berry Farm & Pumpkin Ranch; the adults wyoming
can party while the kiddies enjoy horseshoe games and hayrides. In North Platte, tie the knot in the footsteps of the Wild West’s greatest
showman at the 16-acre Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park. ¶ OKLAHOMA In Sperry, a small town just north of Tulsa, make

epic
your entrance down a log staircase at the Lodge and Outlaw Cabins at Bridle Creek Horse Ranch & Resort. Or at Tatanka Ranch,
located less than an hour from Oklahoma City in the state’s grape and wine capital of Stroud, say I do outside of the rustic barn. Then
have a photo op on historic Route 66, just a 15-minute drive away. ¶ WYOMING Enjoy stellar views of the Tetons at one of Jackson
Hole’s ranches, such as Lost Creek or Spring Creek. Farther east in Cheyenne, have your party at The Cheyenne Depot; now a
museum that houses events, it was considered the Union Pacific’s prettiest rail stop when it was built in 1886. Continued on page 121

62 destination weddings & honeymoons november/december 2010 63

 50 states, 150 venues small town
Continued from page 63

new orleans, Louisiana

beach

fort morgan,
alabama
These FAMILY-FRIENDLY enclaves
along america’s diverse coastline

musical
recall a more innocent time.
ALABAMA Have your party overlooking the
powdery sands of the Gulf of Mexico at one of
tap into the long-standing musical traditions in these states. the stilted beach homes in Fort Morgan, Orange
ILLINOIS Enjoy Cajun food, live blues and a private party room at Buddy Guy’s Legends, Beach or Gulf Shores. For something even more
which recently moved into a brand-new space on Chicago’s South Loop. Bill Pollack Music, intimate, quaint inns along historic Mobile Bay
the preferred music vendor at Chicago’s Beaux Arts-style Union Station, can provide ev- beach are great spots for I do’s, followed by a sand-
erything from a Chicago-style blues band to Roaring ’20s musicians to a 14-piece contem- side party of “stewed and nude” oysters. ¶ NEW
porary dance band. ¶ KENTUCKY The antebellum mansion at My Old Kentucky Home JERSEY Step back in time in charming Cape
State Park was the inspiration for the state’s theme song by Stephen Foster. In Owensboro, May, where venues include the town’s Victorian
Clockwise from top Left: Adriano Fagundes; Heeb Photos/

home to the International Bluegrass Music Museum, hold your event at the nonprofit gazebo and turn-of-the-century bed-and-break-
RiverPark Center, with catering by world-famous Moonlite Bar-B-Q. ¶ LOUISIANA fasts like Hotel Macomber. Have the country’s
eStock Photo; Brand X Pictures/getty images

Have your party at one of New Orleans’ top music venues; Tipitina’s, Preservation second-tallest lighthouse as your backdrop at
Hall and House of Blues, all in the French Quarter, are available for private parties. ¶ Barnegat Lighthouse State Park, near Ocean
TENNESSEE Nashville Event Space has five glam party venues in the heart of downtown Grove. ¶ NORTH CAROLINA The Outer Banks
and the entertainment district. With its myriad wedding chapels, Gatlinburg is sometimes town of Corolla Beach has multiple venue options,
called the Vegas of the Great Smoky Mountains — and Dolly Parton’s Dollywood theme including the beach, the Currituck Beach Light-
park is just five minutes away in Pigeon Forge. ¶ TEXAS The capital city’s regal Austin house and the century-old Corolla Chapel. Or
Club began life as the Millett Opera House in 1878. Tie the knot on tiny Marriage Island, head to Hatteras Island for a wedding at the Love
on a curve of the San Antonio River, then stroll with your gang to one of the lively hotels or Boat — a soundproof event space with a pool,
restaurants lining the River Walk. cabana and deck perfect for nuptials.

Kick off your story in the steps of history; d.c. and the original
washington, D.c.
Colonies are home to some of our country’s oldest sites.
DELAWARE Henry Francis du Pont’s Winterthur Estate, near Wilmington, has
four different reception venues, but our favorite is the reflecting pool. Nearby, the
Brantwyn Estate offers reception rooms and a garden, while the lawn can be tented
at the Read House & Gardens. ¶ DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Built by Benjamin
Henry Latrobe in 1818, the Federalist Decatur House has long been one of Wash-
ington’s key gathering spots, due in part to its location a block from the White House.
Have the Tidal Basin as your backdrop when you marry on the west lawn of the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial, one of three National Mall sites available through
the National Park Service. ¶ MASSACHUSETTS Hold your party in America’s
oldest continuously operating restaurant, Boston’s Union Oyster House (opened
in 1826), then walk to the after-party at the circa-1654 Green Dragon Tavern. Red-
brick Hamilton Hall has been Salem society’s favored meeting spot since 1805. ¶
PENNSYLVANIA Just outside Philly, the circa-1850 Glen Foerd mansion oozes
romance, with a wrought-iron gazebo, Tiffany skylights and a prime setting over-
looking the Delaware River. The Victorian greenhouse at Phipps Conservatory

historic
is one of the nation’s oldest, dating to 1893.  ■
for more info, see the 411 on page 126.
november/december 2010 121