Linden Place
500 Hope Street, Bristol, RI
401 253-0390
www.lindenplace.org

My own wedding reception was held here last summer, so I’m a little bit partial. Funny thing is, I didn’t even know it existed until we started looking for wedding venues, but as soon as we saw it we were smitten. It includes all the little historical touches that we love, and the gardens are gorgeous. Guided tours of the 1810 mansion are offered during your reception, but the actual event takes place in a brick ballroom adjacent to the house. A tented courtyard is perfect for cocktails and dancing, and the kids loved playing on the grounds. We had about 130 guests, and that’s probably the amount that will comfortably fit.

Mount Hope Farm
250 Metacom Avenue, Bristol, RI
401 254 1745
www.mounthopefarm.com
This was our number two choice. With rolling lawns, wildflowers, stone walls, and grazing cows, it features a pastoral scenery that is truly transporting. Wedding receptions take place in a few different places on the grounds but we only looked at the barn, which was really magical, but probably too small for us. (Maximum capacity is 140) Besides the chickens and cows that roam free, my favorite detail about this place is the old wooden mermaid that hangs over the barn’s main door, probably a relic from some great historic schooner. It is also an incredibly historic site where Wampanoag Indians and early English settlers once roamed. Lodging is available at the Governor Bradford House, a lovely colonial home that dates from 1745, but the wedding party is not allowed to stay here.

The Glen Manor House
3 Frank Coelho Drive, Portsmouth, RI
401 683 4177
www.glenmanorhouse.com
My earliest memories include dancing at my aunt Susie’s wedding as a three-year-old here in this elegant, French style chateau. It was also the setting for my senior prom, as well as the US location for my friend’s Scott and Maya’s wedding (they also had a wedding in Venezuela), and my godmother Lark’s wedding. It is a gorgeous locale. But, the rooms are rather small, and it works best for weddings of about 100 people or less. Overlooking the Sakonnet River, the grounds are stunning, and early summer features gorgeous blue hydrangeas.

Ballroom at Easton’s Beach
175 Memorial Boulevard, Newport, RI
401 845 5489
www.cityofnewport.com
When my friends Susan and Lee got married here five years ago it was called the Easton’s Beach Rotunda, apparently they kicked off a new marketing campaign. Susan and Lee exchanged vows on the concrete patio overlooking the dramatic Atlantic shoreline, then took a ride on the colorful carousel (which we all grew up riding), before heading into the reception space next door. The spacious, circular room accommodates large groups of up to 225 people, and wrap-around decks offer dazzling views of the ocean.

Newport Yachting Center
America’s Cup Avenue, Newport, RI
401 846 2610
www.newportyachtingcenter.com
I’ve never been to an event here, but wouldn’t it be lovely to dine, and dance, and celebrate your nuptials overlooking Newport harbour? They have a tented “Sunset Terrace” for 125 guests, and a tented “Harborview Veranda” for up to 225.

Greenvale Vineyards
582 Wapping Road, Portsmouth, RI
401 847 3777
www.greenvale.com
We had a little “bachelorette party” type thing for my friend Susan here, which included a wine tasting and very nice stroll through the grounds, and lovely they were. Picturesque grape vines growing upon a hill overlooking the Sakonnet River provide an enchanting backdrop to wedding receptions held within the vineyard’s stable. But only tiny parties of 50 dinner guests can be accommodated. Tents for 60 are a possibility from May through October.

Herreshoff Marine Museum
One Burnside Street, Bristol, RI
401 253 5000
www.herreshoff.org
This is a museum of the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, founded by four-time America’s Cup winner, Halsey Herreshoff, grandson of yacht designer Nathanael Herreshoff. The site includes a tent for up to 400 people, a gallery filled with model boats and historic photographs for very intimate weddings, and a “Hall of Boats” which accommodates up to 100 guests. It seems very nautical and exclusive.