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Weddings

About

The Connecticut River Museum offers a beautiful waterfront venue for your wedding in the heart of Essex Village, Connecticut. The museum’s historic buildings and waterfront campus offer charming, rustic spaces for your wedding ceremony and reception. The Museum's Event Director is more than happy to arrange a time for you to visit and assist in the event planning process.

Facilities and Capacity
The Connecticut River Museum offers spaces for indoor and outdoor weddings. Overlooking the Essex Harbor, the 18th century Samuel Lay House lawn on the hill can accommodate roughly 150 guests for an outdoor tented wedding and offers wonderful vista views of the river. It is set-back a bit from the river which offers a little more privacy without missing a waterfront experience. This beautiful antique home has a parlor room for the bride to retreat to before/after the ceremony.

The Museum's River Front lawn, outlined with a boardwalk, is often used for larger tented events of roughly 150 guests. Directly on the Connecticut River, guests will enjoy river breezes, watch colorful sailboats and remember the fun they had at a very special place.

The Boathouse Room located at the rear of the Museum building has a guest capacity of 30 max for a seated dinner and 55 for a cocktail style service. It adjoins the North Deck, which offers a stunning waterfront space right on the Connecticut River. The North Deck manages roughly 150 guests in a cocktail party.

Services Offered
The Connecticut River Museum offers the following services for your wedding day!

  • Preferred Vendors list
  • Limited Parking
  • Day-of onsite parking lot attendant
  • Day-of venue cooridinator who will work hand-in-hand with vendors througout the palnnig process.
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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

5,000.00

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

5,000.00

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

No

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Parking

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$25

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

House Liquor
House Wine

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

20

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

3

Describe your venue:

Boat/Yacht
Historic Building
Museum

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party

What event services do you offer?

Event Planner

What transportation and access is available?

Parking

Reviews of Connecticut River Museum

We're all about trust. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
4.9 out of 5 rating
4.9 out of 5 rating
5 reviews
98% recommend it
  • Quality of service
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.9 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    5 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.6 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.9 out of 5 rating
C
Cristina Sent on 10/16/2014
5 out of 5 rating
From start to finish, everyone at the CT River Museum was tremendous! Kara Beth was very responsive, professional and by far the easiest of all vendors I worked with during wedding planning. She immediately put me at ease and was flawless at coordinating and executing day of events. In addition, this venue is just the most gorgeous and charming! I had the best wedding and could not have asked for anything better from the staff at CT River!
D
Diana Sent on 10/05/2014
5 out of 5 rating
To All Brides,
Kara Beth made our wedding a marvelous success! I hadn't even realized how much I needed her expert guidance and super meticulous attention to detail. She generously offered her talents in so many different realms that just made the reception seem to flow effortlessly. Behind the scenes she did things like: decorate the lavender potted plants that were our favors and seating assignments; arrive early to ensure that the air conditioner was full blast to keep the wedding cake pristine; personally take the artsy canvas to each table for the guests to sign; replace the sound speakers with her own because there was a connectivity glitch; gently herd the guests to the dock as we prepared to leave in our canoe; and manage a willful caterer with graceful authority.
I give Kara Beth the absolute highest praise and gratitude for truly making our wedding the beautiful day that it was!
K
Kate Sent on 07/13/2015
4.8 out of 5 rating
I got married here in June of 2015. It is such a beautiful location and Kara Beth did a fantastic job coordinating the ceremony and reception for us. She carefully went through a detailed timeline with us and the caterer and made the day go so smoothly. The venue worked with us on our details and requests. Kara Beth proactively reached out to the other vendors and ensured that everything was on target for day-of.

For future couples: Be advised that this venue is fully outdoors and a tent is a necessity (trailer bathrooms also required). Had it rained the backup plan was to have the ceremony and cocktail hour under the tent on the upper lawn as there are limited backup options. It was a risk but it was worth it! Additionally, there is a row of available parking to the back of front lawn that may show up in some "walking down the aisle" pictures.

Professional Network & Endorsements

Preferred Vendors
David Alan Hospitality Group
4.8 out of 5 rating , 124 reviews
· Wedding Caterers
Connecticut Rental Center
4.9 out of 5 rating , 19 reviews
· Wedding Rentals
Culinary Concerts, Inc.
4.7 out of 5 rating , 59 reviews
· Wedding Caterers
La Cuisine Cafe Market and Catering
5.0 out of 5 rating , 36 reviews
· Wedding Caterers

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