Belle Mer: A Longwood Venue Reviews
Reviews
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![Jakob]()
Jakob Sent on 08/23/2025Unbelievable
Everything was perfect, was an unforgettable day with a brilliant team! Everything ran extremely smoothly, will never be forgotten! -
![Samantha]()
Samantha Sent on 09/16/2024Best venue!
Belle Mer exceeded all expectations. Their staff is friendly & helpful!!!!! -
Kendall Sent on 10/20/2023
Dreamy destination for a Newport Wedding
From the moment we first visited Island House at Belle Mer, we were captivated by the space and the grounds - from the well-maintained gardens, the elegant architecture, and the pristine waterfront setting.
Sara Leonard, our incredible event specialist, played a pivotal role in making our day so perfect. Her attention to detail, professionalism, and unwavering support were truly exceptional. Her ability to handle all the intricate logistics and her willingness to go the extra mile made our experience stress-free and enjoyable.
The food at Belle Mer was exceptional, and our guests raved about the delicious cuisine served at our wedding, from the hors d'oeuvres to entrées and desserts. The culinary team truly impressed us with their creativity and commitment to excellence. They accommodated dietary preferences and allergies seamlessly, ensuring every guest was well taken care of.
Our wedding day at Island House at Belle Mer was everything we had ever envisioned, and more. The combination of the stunning venue and exceptional service created a day that will forever hold a special place in our hearts.
With love,
Kendall & Jose -
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![Jackie]()
Jackie Sent on 05/22/2023Beautiful Venue
My husband and I are so happy we chose Belle Mer as our wedding venue. Everyone there is incredibly professional and knowledgeable and they made sure our wedding was executed exactly as we wanted with ease. Meghan was a delight to work with, and was a huge part of making our vision a reality. Our guests came up to us all night raving about the food, ambiance and staff. Thank you Meghan and team for a magical night! -
![Kelly]()
Kelly Sent on 10/01/2022Dream venue and best wedding coordinator EVER!
My husband and I got married in June at the Belle Mer, Island House. We really wanted a unique venue with a classy, coastal, relaxed vibe and the Island House was perfect for us! We have the most amazing memories in this space--including a stunning sunset over the water with a view of the Pell Bridge. The best part of Belle Mer for us was our wedding coordinator, Allegra Micheletti. Allegra was the most organized, fun, kind-hearted person and the night wouldn't have gone the same without her. She was on top of every detail and made the night of the wedding go so smoothly. Allegra felt like part of our family. She is so talented and made the wedding planning process fun--I actually looked forward to our calls together because it was like talking to a friend! We love Allegra and can never thank her enough for taking such good care of us and making our wedding day so memorable and relaxing. -
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![Cara]()
Cara Sent on 10/28/2021Above & beyond!
Having our wedding at Belle Mer was easily the best decision we made for our wedding day. From start to finish, they were a dream to work with despite having to reschedule due to Covid. Carly Donovan and Sara Leonard were fantastic, organized and fun throughout the whole process - we felt lucky to have them on our team over the course of planning. Belle Mer is obviously stunning which was a huge reason we chose it, but there were so many moments throughout the day where they went above and beyond. From greeting our entire wedding party with champagne post ceremony, to working closely with us to maximize our dance floor time, to the food which our guests are still raving about, everything was amazing. No regrets. Also special shout out to Ivana, the day-of bridal assistant, who my family is still raving about. Everything we needed day-of, she was there and 10 steps ahead. Thank you Belle Mer for making our day so special! -
![Suma]()
Suma Sent on 09/21/2021Wedding on 8/13/2021
I was impressed by the beauty of this location as were my guests. I was equally impressed by the professionalism and meticulous attention to detail shown by the wedding planning assistant, Ivana who made sure our needs were met and answered all our questions. Overall, the Belle Mer staff made our event a memorable one! -
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![Heather]()
Heather Sent on 07/29/2021Absolutely stellar!
WOW we loved Belle Mer! My husband and I got married there 3 days ago and I couldn't wait to write a review! The experience was simply lovely from start to finish. The staff is kind and detail oriented, the food is incredibly delicious, and of course the view is stellar! We were so sad having to leave the venue after our reception ended. We were in the Island House and our guests could not stop raving about the service and location. Perfect place for a perfect day! Highly recommend! I would give 10 stars if I could! We worked with Sara as our event coordinator and she was amazing! Hoping someone we know will get married there so we can return to this beautiful venue! -
![Annaliese]()
Annaliese Sent on 09/15/2019Perfect Venue
Our wedding at Belle Mer on September 1st was absolutely amazing! From the beginning of our booking, the administration has been extremely helpful and patient with us. Stephanie, our event specialist, was absolutely amazing every step of the way. She was professional, responds quickly, and extremely helpful throughout the planning period and she helped to make the process as smooth as possible. I would recommend Belle Mer as a venue to anyone who wants to get married on the water - the view is truly unbeatable! -
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![Sarah]()
Sarah Sent on 08/28/2019Spectacular!
What an incredible experience. Belle Mer beyond exceeded our expectations. We had such a fun and beautiful wedding. I decided not to hire a wedding planner, and I was only able to pull it off thanks to Stephanie Kennedy and the Belle Mer team. Everyone was extremely quick to respond and incredibly helpful. I did not have a single stressful moment on my big day, even without a planner, because they truly took care of everything. My vendors have all complimented Stephanie as well, and said that she was delightful to work with. The whole planning process was extremely well organized. The food was outstanding! My guests agree that this was the best wedding meal of all time. Our attendant Ivana was great too – she was always one step ahead of us. Thank you for the memories Belle Mer, we will cherish them forever! -
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![serena]()
Serena Sent on 06/27/2019The Perfect Day
I had my wedding at Belle Mer on June 23, 2019. This was the first choice I made in moving through the Wedding process and I am so happy that I did! It was simply above and beyond!! Stephanie, our wedding coordinator, could not have been more fantastic. She was always quick to respond to any questions, extremely helpful and accomodating, incredibly efficient and always made things as easy as possible for me and for my mom. She was kind, patient and just overall did a phenomenal job assisting us in making this the most special, amazing day we have ever experienced. The day of, Chelsea, our day of attendant, and Stephanie were on top of everything. We had hors d'oeuvres brought over to the bridal party through photo shoots, there was always a drink in mine and Albert's hand, every moment was well coordinated and perfectly executed. The staff was fantastic. Our bartenders, Josh and Danielle were awesome and so accomodating!! The food was delicious. I think at one point I ate 4 tuna tartare bites one after another in the middle of photos (Can't wait to see how those came out 😂) We cannot speak more highly of everyone at Belle Mer or of the beauty of the venue itself and the location. Every aspect of the team to the location to the blessing of a beautiful sunny day after almost a full week of rain (and hail the day before) made our day one we will never, ever forget. We cannot thank you all enough (especially Stephanie for all of her hard work for months on end!), but we can try :) So thank you from the very bottom of our hearts! I've always thought it was corny and inaccurate to say that one day is the best of your life, but I can say very positively that Sunday was the best day of our lives. I will strive to have the rest of my days meet the feeling that we felt that day. Maybe one day we will, but I don't think anything could ever be better. -
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![Marla]()
Marla Sent on 06/19/2019Everything was perfect!
I wish I could do it all over again - I would change nothing. As my husband and I were standing there being pronounced as husband and wife, I thought about how lucky I was not just to be marrying the love of my life, but that I was able to do it in such a gorgeous place... knowing everything was taken care of.... and that all I had to do was sit back and take it all in.
Stephanie Kennedy was our planner and she went above and beyond for our big day. We cannot even begin to imagine a day better than the one we had. From the staff, to the food (which EVERYONE raved about), to the tiny details.... it was amazing. Highly recommend this venue... they truly thought of everything and kept it all so organized so we could focus on our big day and enjoy it.
I hope to get invited to another wedding at Belle Mer so I can enjoy it all again.
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Brian Sent on 05/28/2019
A Dream Come True for My Daughter
Perfect location, great food and excellent service.
My daughter in law is a wedding planner in Wilmington, NC and manage to work with the staff at Belle Mer remotely with no issues at all. From her perspective, the venue's standard package was extensive and good quality - i.e. nice chairs, tables, silverware, table clothes, etc. It was a wide open room with floor to ceiling doors that could be opened to bring the outside in. There was very little she had to upgrade.
As part of the package, you get a room for the bride to get ready and is yours all night long. It is a huge space on the second floor overlooking the outdoor ceremony area. In our case, the entire wedding party met, took some pictures, relaxed before the event started. We then returned to the space, had a drink and hor d'ouevres before joining the cocktail hour. A person is assigned to the bride for the entire time so anything she needed was taken care of.
There were two event spaces but they don't overlap at all. There was a 200 plus person wedding going on the same time and we didn't hear or see anyone from the other wedding.
The food was fantastic! Every guest that we spoke to raved about the quality of the food. All of our guests thoroughly enjoyed the event. One friend told us that he has a very close friend that lives in Newport. When our friend shared where the wedding was being held, the local (Newport) friend said Belle Mer was the best wedding location in Newport. As the father of the bride, I never saw my daughter more happy in her life. Never thought we could afford a wedding in Newport but timing is everything. End of April and early May is a shoulder season so it was no more expensive than places we looked at in Old Saybrook and Westbrook CT.
Highly recommend Belle Mer! -
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![Ryan]()
Ryan Sent on 09/10/2017From food, drinks, and location, you can't go wrong with this Miami-esque appeal of a venue in a classic Newport, harbor/marina setting. We were married 8-18-2017 at Belle Mer (Island House). We had a deposit at another venue in Newport, and after seeing and working with the staff at Belle Mer, we immediately changed to Belle Mer. Hands down, some of the best staff, clean and well kept facilities. The food was outstanding, with perfectly cooked meets, large portions sizes, and perfect presentations of the food. Top Shelf liquor (one reasonable set price) - need I say more. When they present the food, the entire table is served at once by all the servers, so there's no waiting for that last person to get their food. Not many people picked up on this though.
We worked with Stephen James and Abigail throughout most of our planning, and both were amazing. We were difficult at times, but they never cracked! They kept professional and made sure everything was perfect for us. Their communication was on par, and never had to chase around trying to contact them.
On the day of the wedding, our bridal attendant was with us to make sure everything ran perfectly. We were able to eat, enjoy hors d'oeuvres, and socialize with our guests during cocktail hour, because of their precise planning.
We have nothing bad to say about this venue... and may I add, that it monsoon-ed on our wedding day, and yet, everything still came out perfectly even though we weren't able to utilize their outside grounds. -
![Katie]()
Katie Sent on 12/06/2023Stunning Venue with an Amazing Team!
Our wedding day and evening at Belle Mer Island House was perfect. We loved the simplicity of the venue and the stunning views - the Island House was perfect size for our approx. 135 guests and felt warm but not cramped. Sara (our coordinator) was super responsive from day 1 and thoroughly guided us through the planning and day of - you're amazing, Sara! We used mostly preferred vendors on the Belle Mer list and are so glad we did - every single one was professional and knew exactly how to set up and work in the venue. Our family and friends all commented on how impressive the Belle Mer team was. Highly recommend Belle Mer if you're planning a Newport wedding. -
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![Amber]()
Amber Sent on 10/12/2021Top knotch
Belle Mer is absolutely beautiful, but you don’t need me to tell you that. Is it pricey? Yes, but you don’t need me to tell you that either. If the atmosphere is something you care a lot about, it doesn’t get much better than Belle Mer - it’s absolutely worth the price. The indoor/outdoor experience was just awesome. Being able to step off the dance floor and into to the fresh, fall, seaside air really created a special experience. We had our beautiful wedding in the Water Salon on a Saturday in late September, and everything exceeded our expectations. Guests were blown away by the location, the venue, and most importantly, the food! After living in NYC for 12 years, I’ve been lucky enough to experience world-class food, and my husband will tell you that it takes a lot for me to be really impressed with a meal. But when we had our tasting, everything we ate was awesome. The real test came when it was time to prepare the same dishes for 150 people at once, and everything was just as delicious on the wedding day as it was at the tasting. I was truly pleased and impressed with the quality and flavors of everything they served. Many of our guests told us the same.
I’m a very detail-oriented person, and often find myself disappointed when I hire professionals who can’t meet the level of care and attention that I expect them to bring. But I can’t say enough good things about Sara Leonard, our coordinator. Sara is a class act, a consummate professional, and never missed a beat! And I must add that she did all of this during perhaps the busiest wedding season ever (2021 - post COVID-19). I know that she was juggling much more than the coordinators are usually expected to handle, but she did not let it show. No matter what I needed, Sara delivered. She answered every single one of my questions thoroughly, and I never needed to re-ask or get clarification.
Sara really threw it over the top when, on our big day, the beading on my shoes kept snagging the lace on the bottom of my dress, and it didn’t take long before I had quite a mess at the hem. Sara didn’t hesitate. She sat right down on the floor in front of me with a needle and thread and was able to sew a piece of the dress lining to the outer layer to prevent any more snares. (She informed me that her grandmother taught her how to sew.) Just wow! I never expected this and thought it was above and beyond her call of duty. For Sara, nothing was beneath her. Clearly, whatever problem arose, she was going to handle it!
I tried my best to be a “chill” bride, but there was one moment on our big day when I was starting to feel worried and stressed. Just a few minutes before our outdoor ceremony was to begin, it started to rain. A bride’s worst nightmare! Guests were gathering, and everyone (and everything) was getting wet. Sara calmly came to tell me that it was just a passing shower, they were opening the cocktail space to let guests get out of the rain and to serve them some drinks while we waited. Of course she had no idea if the rain would continue or not, but her calmness in that moment was exactly what I needed, and she knew it. Lucky for us, she was right. After 10 or 15 minutes, the rain passed. The staff got right to work drying off all the chairs and ceremony table with towels, and before I knew it, I was walking down the aisle to our beautiful spot right in front of the ocean. Sara saved the day! Thank you so much, Sara! I will never forget it!
Every single one of the staff at Belle Mer was so friendly and fun. They are a big reason that our wedding day had the great energy and vibe that it did. But there is one other person I have to call out - Vula. Vula was my bridal attendant, meaning it was her job on the wedding day to be quietly at my heels and make sure I had every single thing I needed. She made sure I ate, made sure I had a drink when I needed one, and was just an absolute delight to be around. I felt like she was family. Every time I saw her she had a big smile on her face, and she was so down-to-earth. I really loved her. I felt lucky to have her by my side that night.
Our experience at Belle Mer was top-notch, and yours will be too!
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![Rebecca]()
Rebecca Sent on 07/24/2021Belle Mer gave us our perfect day
Belle Mer was wonderful to work with - even through a difficult rescheduling from 2020 to 2021. When first touring venues, we wanted to make sure we would find a place with a good rain plan, good food, and a place that would take care of almost everything for us. Good thing we picked Belle Mer because it POURED on our wedding day but our guests hardly noticed because of how great the venue worked everything out, how good the drinks were and how good the food was!!! They even worked out a lot of last minute maneuvering to make sure my handicapped dad had everything he needed that day to truly enjoy himself. We had a fabulous time working with them and would pick the venue again in a second. And we even caught a quick break in the rain to get some classic waterfront pictures with the bridge!! You won't find a more perfect venue. -
![Emily]()
Emily Sent on 05/18/2019Beautiful Venue
Beautiful wedding venue. If I don't say so myself, this was and is still one of the most beautiful venues I've ever visited for a wedding, nevermind that it was my own ;) Guests were gushing over the beauty of the venue, even though it was very foggy towards the end of the evening. Still a beautiful place. We got married on a Thurs in June 2018 due to cost differences and some perks for booking with them. The food was amazing, both per us and our guests. They really do live up to the reputation they have for amazing food. Stephanie was our coordinator and she was the best. She was super responsive, even when she wasn't in the office, and made sure everything got set up and returned. We had a lot of DIY and personal items as part of the décor. I liked that we didn't have to go with them for the wedding cake if we didn't want to, although we did because again, cost and they have great quality. They don't hold you to using any specific vendors or lodging places etc. either. The only thing I was wish was different was being able to bring our own food and drinks into the loft while getting dressed, and not being able to buy and bring in our own candy bar supplies or s'mores supplies. You can do that there, but they want you to buy theirs. Every person involved in our special day made everything absolutely seamless and we were attended to hand and foot. We never felt confused or thrown to the wolves. Flawless, beautiful day, and Longwood played a huge part in it. Thank you!! -
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![Victoria]()
Victoria Sent on 06/19/2011Belle Mer is an absolutely beautiful venue. It really has that wedding day wow factor! If you want your guests to talk about your wedding for years to come, then Belle Mer is the right choice. There is nothing about that place that is forgettable. We had a wonderful experience. The food is UNBELIEVABLE! The staff is incredibly attentive, as if you are the only person in the world who matters. The bride is assigned a bridal attendant who takes care of her every whim and makes sure she is well fed. The event specialist is your contact throughout the entire process, I highly recommend Joslin. She is incredible to work with and was really great at helping work out some kinks.
Belle Mer can be incredibly expensive, comparatively, but it is an unparalleled venue so I suppose they can get away with that! One thing that they did to go above and beyond for us was that the island house was not in use on our wedding day and they gave us use of the bridal suite (which is much larger than the one in the salon) and they gave us use of the downstairs for our cocktail hour for no charge. They really went out of their way to make our wedding day special and were very accommodating of all of our needs.
Belle Mer is by far, the best place to get married in Newport! -
![René]()
René Sent on 09/04/2012Belle Mer is an exceptional venue and provided us exceptional service throughout the planning process and on the night of our wedding. It was the perfect location for our seaside glamour themed wedding. The event minimum a la carte pricing can be a little overwhelming but an organized and well budgeted bride can make it work.
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