Belle Mer: A Longwood Venue

coordinator, however, was amazing. Her name was Abigail and she really makes you feel like your the only wedding she is planning (but has 3 a weekend). Just be mindful of the fact that cruise ships are right in the view certain times of the year. But overall it was beautiful and everyone had fun!

our big day, and then with the results on the best night of our lives! Absolutely recommend!

vice is simply outstanding. The food is awesome, and yes, we made sure to eat! We did a plated dinner and the “synchronized service” is insanely impressive if you haven’t seen it before. The event went flawlessly and even ran ahead of schedule at certain points. Thank you to Abigail Moeller and the staff at Belle Mer for creating such a fun and memorable experience for us.

elf is so beautiful. We had our ceremony indoors and the huge windows were the perfect backdrop and made for some beautiful photos. The food and the service are both 5 star. The portions were huge and so many of our guests raved about their dinner. Our event coordinator, Sarah, was a dream to work with! I felt at ease on our wedding day knowing that she was in control. Our bridal attendants were also amazing! Our wedding day was everything we dreamed and we had such a great experience working with Belle Mer!

f the staff. It was truly perfect and everybody goes above and beyond. Our initial tour with Steven was fantastic and he continued to keep in touch throughout the whole process. He is amazing and made us feel at home from day 1! Abigail is a saving grace and we called her our angel throughout this whole process. From day 1 she was extremely helpful, always there to answer our questions and keeping us on track and organized. It is extremely overwhelming to plan a wedding (especially since we had no idea what we were doing) and she was there every step of the way. We honestly could not have done it without her and her guidance. Brianne, the day coordinator was fantastic and she ensured the day was seamless and everybody we talked to rave about the wedding and how perfect the flow was. She had everything set and even put an extra pair of flip flops at my seat and my favorite drink. During photos, she was there with drinks and appetizers..she was seriously a godsend. The waitstaff was incredible and all of our guests were RAVING about them. They were so professional and social they were honestly fantastic. One of a kind and gave us the best night ever!!

es are made. I caught a handful of errors that were made. Other than that it was perfect!

the water, beautiful views of the sunset & the Newport bridge lit up at night, & floor to ceiling glass doors to view it all from. Plus they have fire pits which was an awesome touch (especially during the winter & snow flurries!) Right from the start we were blown away by the treatment and kindness of everyone we worked with. We did a winter wedding to save some money & we were not treated any differently for a smaller budget then what they are used to at this venue. They were so accommodating & helpful in keeping our budget in mind & didn't push anything on us. The wedding was perfect! The staff set up the reception tables beautifully with only a couple directions from me (they did even better then what i had in mind). Our bridal attendant was there all day for anything we needed. We were told exactly where to go & when & there was always someone around for help. The food service is outstanding as well as the food. And the venue is within walking distance to a hotel! HIGHLY recommend this venue anytime of the year!

bar, bartenders, and most importantly, the venue comes with a personal coordinator. Ours was Sarah German who took care of and organized absolutely EVERYTHING that we needed. I was able to make sure I found all the other vendors that I wanted/needed and she organized anything and everything that they needed from when they could come set up to prepping last minute ceremony changes. I didn't have much to ask her until the last couple weeks of which most was already organized. She never made us feel like we were bothering her, always answered right away and took care of just about everything throughout the entire wedding. She was fun, down to earth, personable and very organized. None of the wedding party or our parents needed to have a phone on them all day! We went over everything beforehand and the day of the wedding everything was set up and went off perfectly. There isn't enough great things to say about Sarah or the Salon at the Belle Mer. I wouldn't change a single thing about the wedding location or the people that surrounded us that day! A huge thanks goes out to all of them. We have gotten "the best wedding I've ever been to," which I think was partly because of how smoothly and seamless the Belle Mer and Sarah made everything. I hope you felt that the same way!

some unnecessary stress but did not impact the final day. The only way they could have made my day better was by adding a few extra hours into a 24 hour day.

eet all of our needs. We were able to work with Kristen throughout the planning process and found her to be so attentive. She was great with responding to emails, and was very thorough. She had great suggestions on vendors which made the planning process even easier. She was a major part of the big day and was there to make sure everything went off without a hitch. Lauren was available to help myself and the bridesmaids with anything we needed. She assisted with my veil and gown when taking pictures outside in the wind. She even went up and brought up appetizers to us while my gown was getting bustled to make sure I had something to eat. Michael was our waiter that evening and we never had an empty glass. All of our guests commented on how the drinks were strong, food plentiful, and portions a good size. No one left hungry! Our cake was great and yummy - can not wait to try it next year. We got some beautiful photos, and Belle Mer is truly an amazing setting. My family and I were very pleased with the evening, it was all I dreamed for! It is very expensive, but worth every penny. The only minor details that could have been improved on were that the string trip were set up in the back and it was difficult to hear over the folk festival and wind. Other issue was that we had two large Irish Boston families and we ran out of bud light alittle after midnight. The wedding was open bar and guests did have other options, but I was alittle surprises. Also, we did special order Coors Light since it was not on their preferred list. However, when we brought the Coors Lite in it appears that it may have replaced the preferred Millers Lite that we also wanted from the beer deletion as guests told us it was not available. Minor things really. If you are thinking about a wedding at Belle Mer I would absolutely say go for it! It was one of the best evenings of my life and I can not say enough good things about the staff and the overall experience. Thank you!

is the only positive I can say. My fiancé and I went to Belle Mer at the end of March. I will not mention names, as I feel it's inappropriate. We were sat down and told they could do anything we wanted, as long as we met the venue minimum. They do not price per guest or food/beverage minimum. We did not have a problem with that. They raved on how much they can make it a "New York" type wedding as we are from New York. We spoke about all things we wanted at our wedding and told no problem it can be at the price you're looking to stay at. We told her what another venue we were looking into was offering and told us she was sure she could make something work. So we left it at that and she told us she would email me all the necessary information by the next day. We did not hear from her the next day. So after two days, we reached out to her and asked if they could match or offer anything close to what the other venue was offering, while showing proof of what the other venue is offering us. After multiple emails asking for a response (not in a nagging way, I always waited multiple days before sending addition emails, people do get busy). Almost two weeks later, I get a respond that she will send over what they came up with later that day. Later that day came and went without an email. So once again, I waited and finally got a response. The response was that they were not willing to match or come close to the other venue, they were not willing to negotiate or budge. I'm sorry, they did budge on the site fee a tiny bit. They said they could not do anything on the food or alcohol as it is all prepared fresh that day (as all venues do and I would hope they would), and they would lose out on too much money. I can somewhat understand on the food, but that is absolutely false on the alcohol. The amount they charge for alcohol is absurd and they would DEFINITELY NOT lose any money by lowering their price for that; especially since we wanted open bar for the entire event. Again, the event is beautiful. But never living up to the deadlines you personally set, and not willing to negotiate the price just felt like a slap in the face. It would have been one thing to respond within a few days to say you couldn't do anything, but to have us wait for two weeks and build it up that you could, is just wrong. I'm sure this will be a wonderful for some other brides. - Heartbroken Bride to Be

e had leading up to the event. And the day of bridal attendant is a nice added service. Similar to other reviews, we would tell any couple to be mindful of how they structure their pricing and contracts. There is also little flexibility in their pricing and we found ourselves paying for an open bar for all guests even if they were elderly, mentally challenged, or pregnant. Overall, though Belle Mer is a beautiful venue and delivered on everything they promised to us!

that this is where we wanted to celebrate the happiest day of our lives. The venue, the view, the grounds ~ everything is beyond perfection and it was truly an experience that neither us or our families and guest will ever forget! Nichole and her staff are nothing less than truly exceptional professionals and they know exactly how to orchestrate your perfect wedding. The options for linens, glassware, flatware, table, and chairs are endless and truly top notch! Amanda and Renee made our wedding day more than we could have imagined and if we could do it all again we would and not change one thing! Truly the BEST wedding venue in the State of Rhode Island!

edding ceremony and reception were both in the Salon on 11/22 and it was nothing short of magical. The space is absolutely gorgeous and will take your breath away. I immediately fell in love with the all-white room adorned with crystal chandeliers. We had a very unique event that wasn't your typical cookie-cutter wedding which was one of the main reasons why we choose them. The food and drinks are top notch, but like in anything in life you get what you pay for. The portions are small in size, but high in quality. I hate to be negative in any way, but I feel like future brides can benefit from my honesty. Belle Mer has some very unique charges and they will constantly nickel and dime you. You like that table shape? It must be rented. You want a different type of alcohol? How about $160/bottle. Oh and the bridal suite has an hourly rate and must be rented - it is not just given to you. It is VERY hard to negotiate things, but if you stick to it, some things they will honor (but very few). I wish they would work on their flexibility because it would make for a more pleasurable experience. We experienced some bumps in the road, but our wedding was executed to perfection. The staff is hard working, but it did appear that they have a high turnover (and very young in age). Thank you Amanda, Abby, and Amanda's new placement - I wish I remembered your name but you were fantastic. Is Belle Mer expensive - extremely, but worth every penny. I hope to use this review as a platform to reach out to future brides seeking this venue for their special day. I am happy to share more info on our menu, decor, rentals, the planning process and their notorious "administrative charge". Please feel free to contact me (email is [email protected]), as I wish I had some inside info before going into this - I probably would have done some things a bit differently. Overall, I was very pleased with our decision to choose Belle Mer as our venue. There are many moving parts throughout a wedding day and Belle Mer's staff stayed on top of it all. They were able to quickly transform our room from the ceremony to reception and it was flawless. It truly is a one-of-a-kind venue and we received endless compliments. If you are looking for a unique, upscale, and aesthetically pleasing wedding, this is the spot for you.

I loved so many things about this venue. I loved how they had two different sides that you could have your wedding in. The Water Salon is larger and definitely has a more fancy, classy feel to it and the newly renovated Island House which is more open/laid-back but still just as beautiful. My wedding day was 100% perfect and a huge part of it was because of the venue. My guests could not stop talking about how beautiful it was. They loved sitting outside on the lovely white wall overlooking the water. The staff was great - my wedding day consultants and Steven James who was my wedding coordinator were absolutely perfect. They understood what I wanted and listened to all my ideas and made it all happen. I didn't want for anything on my wedding day because they truly treat you like royalty on your wedding day. Our food, drinks, cupcakes - everything was delivered to our tables without question. Overall, I just can't say enough about the absolute beauty of the place - it's too perfect. Sure, it's a little on the pricier side when comparing venues but 1) it's in Newport, 2) it's on the water and 3) they deliver and the money is well worth it. The staff is there to work with you and trim down areas to make your budget work. We knew we wouldn't be able to afford a PM wedding at Belle Mer so we just did a Saturday AM/early PM wedding and the event minimum was half that of the nighttime (and we easily hit it). The only one tiny complaint I would have would be about the bridal suite for AM weddings. You are not allowed in until 9:30 AM. We had 9 girls hair & makeup to get done and needed to start around 6:00 AM. When I asked about getting into the bridal suite early they said they would have to charge us and the hourly rate to rent the room is something like $1,500 per HOUR! They were going to offer us a discount rate since we already were using it at 9:30 but it was still a ridiculous amount, in my opinion, considering the amount of money we were already spending there. Other than that I would definitely recommend Belle Mer to future brides. All my relatives want to know when we're having our next party there - they all loved it so much.

ed was yummy, including the house wines, bread and butter! The cake was also the best of all the bakeries we tried! The service up until the wedding was great - no complaints. Had a change in wedding planners mid way through and transition was seamless. However, they dropped the ball a little bit the night of - messing up the order we had set up with our DJ and they got kind of flustered when we asked to do a quick change in cake cutting order. After the wedding also, it's like we never existed and didn't just pay them the most I've ever paid for something in my life. No follow up whatsoever except to give us our final invoice/settlement. Also, although an expensive venue, they were very accommodating about finding a combination of budget and dates that would work for us, which were were very appreciative of. Can't escape some of the fixed costs, but we were able to design a menu and evening right in our budget at an awesome, amazing venue. You can't go wrong here!

am completely disappointed. Maybe our budget wasn't big enough to get enough attention on the wedding day. A lot of balls were dropped. Our meeting/rehearsal the day before was careless, she didn't take the time to look over what we had and where everything should go. The flower urns were put directly in front of me and my husband for the ceremony. Our parents couldn't see us at all during the ceremony. Someone should have directed the florists when setting up. Half our guests did not get programs because there was no one from the belle mer staff to give our flower girls more programs to hand out. I found our custom printed napkins and programs in a box from bel mer. They never used them!!!! Finally, accidentally our florist forgot two, three foot lanterns and ten, table top lanterns. No one called us to inform us our lanterns were left behind. When I emailed Samantha about finding the lanterns, it seemed everything was done by protocol, I was told maintenance threw away the lanterns. I find that hard to believe, considering how beautiful they were. All together, they disposed $600.00 worth of lanterns? Really?! Samantha had our best man, maid of honor and my parents phone number. Plus she had all of our emails. Maybe someone could have taken the time to give us a call, saying we left something behind. Instead they had our final payment and we were just a number. Yes, Renee was excellent following us around all night, getting us drinks and making sure we got to eat our meals. After all is said and done, there were a lot of mistakes I couldn't control. I thought that was what the wedding planner was for on the day of the wedding. All said and done, there was no quality from the wedding planner we were just another wedding. Bottom line is Belle Mer is understaffed and the staff that is there is over worked.

inator was great in working with us to make our day perfect.

ted on the amazing venue and views! Samantha was our event specialist and she is THE BEST! She was always professional and responsive with my millions of emails! She kept everything running smoothly on our wedding day, well orgranized, and paid special attention to details. Renee, my bridal attendant, was fabulous! She was always checking on us making sure we were hydrated and fed, and enjoying ourselves! The food was amazing! All of our guests, and ourselves, were very impressed on how well everything tasted and the wide selection. It's hard to get wedding food cooked right. To this day, I still crave for their amazing sirloin. Oh and don't forget the hors d'oeurves, so delicious! Belle Mer is on the pricey end but we were so happy with how everything turned out, it was money well spent! Thank you to Samantha, Renee, Belle Mer and staff for a beautiful, flawless and amazing wedding we will never forget!

e food was. Everyone was courteous, polite and very accommodating. If you want a wedding venue and staff that has every detail organized down to the last detail and makes sure everything goes according to plan, use Belle Mer. They made a great impression on us and our family and guests.

and well versed in what they do, on the ball all the time! They do not miss a beat! The only negative is the constant "nickel and diming" The company will try and extort every last dollar from you and you have to review every bill over and over again. It is a very stressful time with all the add fees, taxes, administrative fees etc. if you book here, you will not be disappointed but just be prepared for a lot of unexpected items to make their way into the bill. They also do not budge on anything! Our ceremony began at 5:30 so we thought we had the room for the reception until 11:30, this was incorrect, it was 11:00 as my guests had arrived at 5:00. Even though my ceremony was delayed by close to 15 minutes, they wanted an extra 750 dollars to have the band play until 11:30. I thought that was in poor taste considering my wedding was in the slowest of seasons. December. Aside from that, book here and enjoy your wedding day!!

about our wedding being the best they have ever been to! Our day was perfect in every way

he service was top notch! The food was the best food i have ever had at a wedding, and i have been to quite a few in the past 2 years! Amazing venue!

organized my wedding day. The service was professional, the staff was courteous, and the food was amazing! We got so many compliments. I would highly recommend to any bride looking for a venue. Loved it! :)

e the cost. It is pricey, so if you're willing to spend a little extra to have your wedding in one of the most beautiful spots in Newport, RI, go for it! Despite their claims, you should still expect to pay separately for your photographer, florist, DJ, etc. so budget accordingly! Our "event minimum" was $35000, but after administrative fees (almost $10000), taxes & a few extras (which we chose to do), it was well over $50000. So bottom line, if you end up faling in love with this place, like I did, expect to pay for it!

y event specialist was Venessa, and she was AMAZING. Throughout the planning process I found her to be incredibly responsive and she was great about helping me to execute my vision. My bridal attendant, Renee, was equally awesome, and made sure my husband and I were on schedule and had everything we needed. A large portion of our out of town guests were New Yorkers with very high standards and everyone is still raving about both the food and the location. Belle Mer really helped us to create an unforgettable event.

iew is spectacular and it is the ultimate Newport destination!

spectacular time on our wedding day. The food was delicious, especially our red velvet wedding cake. The staff was more than helpful in accommodating all of our needs. As originally planned, we got married outside on an overcast day. We really pushed to have our ceremony outside and they obliged. Our coordinator Venessa was wonderful, patient, and really made sure we were taken care of properly. It was well worth the investment.

night was helpful and always available for any requests. The space is unbelievable and I can't wait to see pictures.

charge, they handled everything to a T. Their professionalism, excellent service, caring staff were wonderful. We had 2 assistants with us at each turn, always had a full glass of champagne and never wanted for anything. They helped bustle my dress, got us extra hors d'oeuvers, held onto my lip stick and gloss. My wish was their command. Truly amazing people, they really just made my wedding day the most spectacular day of my life. Everything was set up exactly how I asked it to be, I have not one complaint.

ned, letting the breeze dance through the ceiling to floor curtains. You will find the Belle Mer staff impeccably courteous and helpful. Be sure to visit Belle Mer to see for yourself the venue that will add elegance and class to your wedding.

ny it had to be moved in doors and the staff worked hard to move things quickly. They did an amazing job. The venue is gorgeous, food is delicious, service was great.

nnot say enough about the staff and service!!!You are pampered !

Belle Mer worked hard to make the day not only stress free, but also special every second of the day. Get married there!

Island House for a Summer wedding!

how things would turn out on the day of the wedding. In the end, the day of execution was flawless and our coordinator did a great job. I would highly recommend the Belle Mer as a wedding venue.

ates being served! Also, the vendors that we used that Belle Mer suggested (for the cake and a photobooth) did a fantastic job. Unfortunately, our wedding coordinator was far from helpful on the wedding day. She disappeared midwedding. The DJ and photographer had to show my husband and I how to cut the cake. She also kept rushing us from one thing to the next until she finally disappeared. Plus, we brought our dog to the rehearsal, but when we brought him to the wedding she told us he wasn't allowed to stay. Not to mention that Emily was actually our third wedding coordinator from Belle Mer. They switched coordinators twice on us without ever letting us know. And the last time they switched on us was only two weeks before the wedding!! If we had it all to do over again, we stil would have had it at Belle Mer. So many of our guests said our wedding was the best one they had ever been to, and if you are really careful with your event minimum, you can end up with a really beautiful wedding with some very special touches. (Especially, if you shop for some deals on your own, and don't go through Belle Mer for the more expensive elements). However, I would have liked to have known what we were getting into beforehand so I could mentally prepare for it. (By the way, if they suggest lawn games to you, don't get them. It consisted of a pretty commonplace bocce and croquet set, and, just to rent them, it cost us $500!!)

ood was DELICIOUS! The service was superb, the ambiance unbelievable. The whole day and experience was flawless. We truly were able to enjoy every moment of our wedding because the staff at the Belle Mer took care of ever detail, big or small, with absolute perfection!

ly perfect in every way!!!

rinks were great, and service was superb! My only complaints would be about my wedding coordinator: she was not at all prompt in her replies to any questions or concerns I had while planning the wedding, and she was nowhere to be found the night of my wedding. The other employees working with us the night of were fabulous, but I would have hoped the coordinator who worked with me for the past 12 months would have been there. However, everything was exactly how I asked/wanted it to be, and I could not have asked for a more beautiful wedding.

us 2 times during the planning process, but other than that our guests said it was the best wedding they have ever been to

ople and the service made the wedding amazing. Joslin, our coordinator, was so so professional, sweet and accommodating. Anything that we asked she found a way to accomodate including a custom menu, specialty cocktails, and varying timelines. More than anything though, she felt like a friend. The planning process was flawless and the wedding was the most incredible day of our lives. We're still receiving compliments from our guests on the beauty of Belle Mer and the amazing service. Book your wedding here and make sure you ask for Joslin!!!

, it was "New York glamour with Newport charm!" Everything about our day worked out perfectly. We were married outside on the lawn in front of the Salon and then moved inside for the cocktail hour and reception. The food was fantastic, and the servers did a great job sticking to the timeline and making sure everyone's glasses were filled. People still rave that the service and venue were perfect. We were matched with Stuart Horwitz for our coordinator, and it couldnt have been a more perfect fit. He was responsive, helpful, accomodating and flexible. He never said 'no' to any of our requests, but rather, what is an alternate solution? I cannot say enough good things - we truly walked away without any regrets.

vendors to rush around on the big day. The managers are all very young and inexperienced. There were many miscommunications within the organization which led to alot of chaos. For example: They were not prepared for scheduled meetings and they also misplaced our cupcake tower and we lost our deposit.They showed no remorse. Food was great!

uge and convenient with an unbelievable view. The food is great and the service was tops. I would highly recommend Belle Mer.

s so friendly and so attentive. We had over 100 guests and every single one left raving about it. We cannot speak highly enough about Belle Mer. There is no where else we would rather get married.

as outside on the Island House lawn right on Naraganset Bay and then we held our reception inside. However, you have full use of the grounds. So guests can hang out outside right by the water, relax in chairs around the fire pit, or dance the night away inside on the dance floor. The staff are great, professional, and you are given an event manager who runs things.

perfectly. I highly recommend this place to everyone!