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About
Located in historic Downtown New Bedford, Massachusetts, Merrill's on the Waterfront is the ideal location to host your wedding. Boasting harbor views and a front row seat of the city’s commercial fishing industry allows for a unique and truly special atmosphere for any event. While we specialize in smaller, personal, and intimate events, we have the capacity to accommodate larger events up to 175 guests! With both buffet and plated menu options, the possibility are endless. Contact the sales team to today, we are eager to hear all about your wedding plans!
Services Offered
Catering and bartending for celebrations held at Merrill's on the Waterfront is provided by the on-site culinary team. Fresh, locally sourced seafood is a mainstay of the menu, matching the nearby harbor. You can choose from a number of serving styles, including buffet, family-style, plated, stations, and hors d'oeuvres. The events team here is ready to help out in whatever way they can, including with setup and cleanup. You can also call on their expertise for assistance with planning your milestone day. A number of event rental items are available to use from the restaurant, including tables, chairs, linens, glassware, and flatware.
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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?
$2,500
What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?
$1,250
Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?
Yes
What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?
$850
What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?
$850
Which of the following are included in starting site fee?
Chairs
Clean Up
Event Planning
Flatware
Glassware
Linens
Parking
Set Up
Tables
Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?
Cake Cutting
Server(s)
What is the starting price per person for bar service?
$18
Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?
House Beer
House Wine
How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?
4
Describe your venue:
Restaurant
Waterfront
What kind of settings are available?
Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?
Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner
What event services do you offer?
Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Event Planner
Event Rentals
Wifi
What catering services do you offer?
Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Family Style
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations
What bar services do you provide?
Bartender(s)
Cash Bar
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
What event items are available?
Chairs
Dance Floor
Furniture
Tables
What food and beverage items are available?
Barware
Flatware
Glassware
Linens
What transportation and access is available?
Parking
Wheelchair Access
What months are included in your peak season?
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
What months are included in your off-peak season?
January
February
March
November
December
Reviews of Merrill’s on the Waterfront
Andrea Sent on 09/05/2022
5 out of 5 rating
We had the best experience with merrils. From the staff to the food everything was perfect
This was a gorgeous venue with food and atmosphere that doesn't disappoint. What made our event perfect was our coordinator, Tyler and his staff. They were a absolute pleasure to work with and made us both feel very comfortable. We couldn't be happier with the way our wedding turned out!
Amie Sent on 11/02/2025
5 out of 5 rating
Wedding Celebration
We did not do a traditional wedding reception and they worked with us the whole time to make it exactly what we wanted. We booked with them from 12-4PM, we did appetizers, desserts and drinks, and we did a one hour open bar.
We are so grateful for the team at Merrill’s for everything they did to make our wedding celebration special. Everything looked perfect, and the food and service was amazing. Our guests were very happy and kept complimenting the food and the signature drink. It was such a pleasure to work with Victoria throughout this whole process. It was easy to work with her and the communication was always quick and easy.
We are so grateful for the team at Merrill’s for everything they did to make our wedding celebration special. Everything looked perfect, and the food and service was amazing. Our guests were very happy and kept complimenting the food and the signature drink. It was such a pleasure to work with Victoria throughout this whole process. It was easy to work with her and the communication was always quick and easy.
Samantha Sent on 08/21/2024
5 out of 5 rating
Amazing venue and coordinator
This venue was exactly what we were hoping for! The food and staff were incredible, and the venue offered a comfortable space for a large group of people. Many of our guests commented on how nice it was to not be "stuck" at their table since there was plenty of standing/seating room by the bar, upstairs with games, outside, and in cocktail hour space, yet you were never far from anything. Merrill's has everything you could possibly need for a wedding. Our coordinator RJ was awesome and made sure everything was perfect. Wish we could do it again!
RJ is amazing! A few months after the wedding we ran into a bit of a problem. Our photographer failed to tell us that our photos would be permanently deleted from the gallery after only 90 days, so we had no photos. I reach out to RJ to see if the staff took any pictures of the decorated venue and he sent back several of our professional photos that he saved. Such a life saver! If you're looking for a place that really takes care of you, it's Merrill's and RJ!
RJ is amazing! A few months after the wedding we ran into a bit of a problem. Our photographer failed to tell us that our photos would be permanently deleted from the gallery after only 90 days, so we had no photos. I reach out to RJ to see if the staff took any pictures of the decorated venue and he sent back several of our professional photos that he saved. Such a life saver! If you're looking for a place that really takes care of you, it's Merrill's and RJ!
Karissa Sent on 11/17/2022
5 out of 5 rating
Book you event here with complete confidence!
We had our evening wedding shower at Merrill's and it was the best experience ever! From the moment we scouted the venue, to the actual day of the event, it was such an easy and pleasant experience. These days, its difficult to find people in the industry who care and are eager to help, we feel so lucky to have found and worked with such an amazing staff! Things were straight forward and organized, responses were prompt, and the staff did everything in their power to execute to provide us a magical event! Shauna was so kind and had excellent attention to detail when we met with her in preparation for the event. Tyler was amazing day of event, he checked in throughout the entire night to make sure we were happy and things were going smooth. The staff working our event were also amazing. Coming from a type-A girl, you should absolutely trust these two! Thank you again Merrill's for providing us the event we always wanted, I will absolutely host events here in the future or recommend to others!
Katelyn Sent on 11/22/2020
5 out of 5 rating
The perfect venue for our rehearsal dinner!
Merrill's was the absolute perfect venue for our wedding rehearsal dinner!
We reserved the upper deck and had it all to ourselves with a personal bartender. The waterfront view was beautiful and peaceful. The rates were extremely competitive, and virtually no minimum charge. We had less than 25 people. So for a smaller group, it's hard to beat this place and the quality was amazing.
We worked directly with Krystol and she was incredible. Extremely responsive to emails and phone calls, and catered everything exactly to our specifications. The food was wonderful. Service at the restaurant was amazing. The appetizers never stopped, until the main course was served. We even had a few guests show up late, and they still made them a full course meal for no extra charge.
Would highly recommend this restaurant!
We reserved the upper deck and had it all to ourselves with a personal bartender. The waterfront view was beautiful and peaceful. The rates were extremely competitive, and virtually no minimum charge. We had less than 25 people. So for a smaller group, it's hard to beat this place and the quality was amazing.
We worked directly with Krystol and she was incredible. Extremely responsive to emails and phone calls, and catered everything exactly to our specifications. The food was wonderful. Service at the restaurant was amazing. The appetizers never stopped, until the main course was served. We even had a few guests show up late, and they still made them a full course meal for no extra charge.
Would highly recommend this restaurant!
Nicole Sent on 08/16/2020
5 out of 5 rating
Best day ever!
Not only are the event spaces beautiful but everyone there is absolutely wonderful, with all the uncertainty with covid (we booked with them last minute as a plan C cause everything else didnt work out) the manager always responded to my emails quickly and gave all the information I needed. They decorated beautifully, way better then we ever could of and were very understanding when we did want to change something. The food was delicious and the service was amazing.
Marjorie Sent on 07/24/2025
4 out of 5 rating
Nautical Oasis
I was able to celebrate my nautical themed wedding at Merrill’s and had a blast. I went over my number of guests from 100 to about 130. I would recommend sticking to 100 as the space would be tight when adding more people than that. The staff at Merrill’s were always welcoming proving support as needed throughout the entire process.
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