Spice things up with these steamy flicks.
Updated Oct 14, 202412 Small Wedding Venues in Massachusetts for Cozy Nuptials
Say “I do” surrounded by the ones you love the most.
by Rachel Kashdan
Updated Apr 03, 2024
If you're dreaming of a welcoming, intimate celebration in Massachusetts, you're in luck—there are so many amazing small wedding venues in the state to choose from. And when it comes to having a small wedding celebration, the perks are innumerable. Extra face-time with your nearest and dearest? Check. Unique venue options that wouldn't quite work for a larger celebration? Definite check. Those out-of-the-ordinary options include everything from a rooftop spot in downtown Boston to a petite beachy wedding venue on Cape Cod and everything in between.
Plus, if you're keeping the guestlist low, you might even consider that an opportunity to plan a small celebration with ultra-personal touches, like writing super candid vows or upping your floral budget for a major wow-factor. Getting excited? Start your planning journey by checking out 12 of our favorite small Massachusetts wedding venues.
New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston, Massachusetts
When it comes to small outdoor wedding venues in Massachusetts, New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill makes for a magical setting. The property features 18 gardens, an arboretum and several locations onsite to choose from for your wedding events. The Secret Garden, for instance, is a hidden oasis for ceremonies, while summer receptions become all the more gorgeous in the Orangerie, the property's eighteenth-century-inspired glass conservatory.
Guest Capacity: January to April: Up to 50 guests; May-September: Up to 120 guests
The Herb Lyceum in Groton, Massachusetts
One of the state's dreamier small farm wedding venues is the Herb Lyceum at Gilson's Farm, located northwest of Boston. The 4-acre working family farm features sprawling herb and flower gardens, plus a private setting for your nearest and dearest to celebrate your love story. The centerpiece of the unique venue? The restored 19th-century carriage house where you can enjoy a family style dinner dreamed up by owner and chef Will Gilson featuring herbs grown on-site.
FEATURED VIDEO FROM THE KNOT
Guest Capacity: Up to 30 guests in the Carriage House; Up to 50 guests in a tent; Up to 150 guests in the Greenhouse
Willowdale Estate in Topsfield, Massachusetts
While Willowdale Estate is a spectacular setting for larger tented garden weddings, the inside of the 1902 stone mansion is a hidden gem full of spaces perfect for ultra-cozy, smaller affairs. The Great Room, for instance, offers a historical feel with high ceilings, a stone fireplace and an orchestra balcony. Just next door is the Conservatory where sunlight pours in through a skylight and walls of windows that face out toward the grounds. Lastly, the Dining Room is a show-stopper for photos, with a black and white tiled floor, vaulted ceilings, etched glass windows and a marble fireplace.
Guest Capacity: Up to 48 guests in The Great Room; up to 56 guests in The Conservatory; Up to 32 guests in The Dining Room
Chequessett Club in Wellfleet, Massachusetts
If a classic Cape Cod wedding is what you're after, then look no further than Chequessett Club, a relaxed beachfront venue overlooking Wellfleet Bay. Host your small ceremony on the private beach, then enjoy cocktail hour (complete with a raw bar) out on the covered deck of the boathouse. After that, step inside the rustic boathouse, with its wood floors and exposed beams, for dinner and dancing. The venue permits weddings between May and mid-October only, and if you're looking to nix the dancing and keep things simple, Chequessett Club also has ceremony-only packages so you can get married bayside with up to 30 of your loved ones.
Guest Capacity: Up to 100 guests in The Boathouse; Up to 165 guests in a tent
Yankee Clipper Inn in Rockport, Massachusetts
On a rocky bluff perched above the Atlantic you'll find the Yankee Clipper Inn, a charming 1929 Art Deco mansion and full-service bed and breakfast that also serves as a showstopping small wedding venue. The inn is equipped with several ceremony site options, including a picturesque oceanfront lawn as well as an indoor event room and an outdoor patio. After the festivities your guests can stay on site in one of 26 guestrooms, and in summer, they can enjoy the saltwater pool too.
Guest Capacity: Up to 60 guests
Eustis Estate in Milton, Massachusetts
The Eustis Estate is a countryside retreat set on 80 acres just 10 miles from Boston at the edge of Blue Hills Reservation. With its ornate hand-carved woodwork, fireplaces and stained glass details, the interior of the Gilded Age mansion provides a cozy setting for your nuptials. Plus, if you're looking for an affordable small wedding venue, Eustis Estate also has winter microwedding packages with special pricing for 15 or fewer guests.
FOR YOU
15 Blue Ridge Mountain Wedding Venues in North Carolina
Hold your special day the stunning highlands that span from eight Eastern states.
14 NC Mountain Wedding Locations Across the State
Say "I do" at a wedding venue with sweeping mountain views of Western North Carolina.
15 Barn Wedding Venues Across Minnesota
The best barn wedding venues in Minnesota for a wedding with a touch of country charm.
Guest Capacity: Up to 50 guests in The Mansion; Up to 200 guests in a tent
9OFS in Boston, Massachusetts
For those with small guest lists and hearts set on a downtown Boston wedding, 9OFS could be the wedding venue for you. The modern rooftop locale is right in the center of the action but provides a quiet, intimate and private feel for celebrations in the city. In addition to its sleek indoor space with floor to ceiling windows, 9OFS also boasts an outdoor area with a paved patio perfect for cocktail hour as well as a lush lawn for a ceremony surrounded by skyscrapers.
Guest Capacity: Up to 100 guests
Willow Spring Vineyards in Haverhill, Massachusetts
With an 18th century post-and-beam red barn set upon 20-plus acres, Willow Spring Vineyards is a classic small rustic wedding venue. At the same time, its owners have given the building many upgrades, including adding solar panels, to make the space a modern eco-friendly facility. The venue also features two acres of vineyards, meaning you can enjoy wines made on-site at your celebration. Whether you're inviting 50 or 10 of your nearest and dearest, Willow Spring Vineyards can accommodate you, and even offers elopement and microwedding packages.
Guest Capacity: Up to 99 guests in the barn; Up to 200 guests in a tent
Oakholm Farm Estate in Brookfield, Massachusetts
Oakholm Farm Estate is a working family berry and Christmas tree farm just west of Worecester surrounded by oak trees and set on the beautiful Lake Quaboag. In addition to hosting larger tented celebrations, Oakholm has microwedding packages for up to 30 guests with multiple ceremony site options, including a lakefront spot, a field of Christmas trees and a library in the antique guesthouse. The property is also the home of Oakholm Brewing Co., which hosts small celebrations in its taproom too.
Guest Capacity: Up to 30 guests in the Library; Up to 99 guests in the Brewery; Up to 200 guests in a tent
Hampshire House in Boston, Massachusetts
It doesn't get more classic, old-school Boston than Hampshire House, a five-story mansion located across from the Public Garden in Beacon Hill. The 1911-built venue features oak paneling, Italian marble floors and working fireplaces on every level. The jewel of the space is the Thayer Room, which is the largest of a three-room suite on the third floor. There, host your ceremony and reception in front of a gorgeous marble fireplace and tall Palladian windows overlooking the Public Garden, and enjoy cocktail hour in the adjoining Abbot and Codman Rooms.
Guest Capacity: Up to 60 guests in the Thayer Room; Up to 100 guests in the Library
The Lenox Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts
The Lenox Hotel has everything you could want from a wedding venue in Boston, including a special microwedding package for celebrations of up to 50 guests. As part of a Lenox Hotel micro-wedding you'll host your ceremony and reception in the Dome Room, an ornate ballroom with room for up to 150 and host cocktail hour in the elegant Heritage Room, which seats 50 banquet-style. And of course, it wouldn't be a Lenox Hotel wedding without rooftop access for jaw-dropping photographs under the iconic illuminated red sign.
Guest Capacity: Function rooms ranging from 8-150 guests
The Inn at Hastings Park in Lexington, Massachusetts
The Inn at Hastings Park is the ultimate microwedding venue for maximum New England charm. The luxurious historical inn can host your guest for the weekend in some of the 22 well-appointed guestrooms and also offers a microwedding package for affairs of up to 30, which includes a two-night stay for the happy couple. For parties of up to 24 guests you can host your ceremony on the front steps of the inn, followed by cocktail hour on the porch and an outdoor dinner in the gorgeous Culinary Garden. Larger celebrations of up to 60 can also take advantage of the Town Meeting Bistro, the snug onsite restaurant, for a seated dinner with dancing.
Guest Capacity: Function rooms ranging from 10-60 guests
