Bristol Harbor Inn & Waterfront Pavilion

married! Bristol is adorable. It's easily walkable which makes it a great place for guests to wander around when they're not doing wedding activities. Rachelle was incredible to work with - her communication is excellent and she really did her best to work with us on budget, etc. At the time, all catering had to be through DeWolf, so we didn't have any other option there, but this has since changed. The appetizers were fantastic, and the bar manager/staff did an incredible job with signature cocktails and general bartending. The mains were adequate but kind of disappointing. They also don't really have dessert options because they assume everyone will have a cake, so if you want something different you have to hire an outside vendor (which luckily they do allow). The caterers were trying to talk to us during speeches, which was distracting and unnecessary, as we had previously provided all the information they were asking us. They also added a sign at the dessert table that I think was meant to be helpful, but wasn't pre-approved by us and had clearly missed the point on something we had discussed. Sherri at DeWolf was lovely to work with and she really bent over backwards trying to make everything perfect. The venue-provided photos of the Waterfront Pavilion is misleading - the plastic sheeting has to mostly stay down/closed due to noise, and I did find it created a dingy look. Our photographer had to do a fair bit of editing to make it look less prominent in our photos. Our wedding day was incredibly windy, so we had to keep the sides down for that reason as well. However, this created a greenhouse effect and it was INCREDIBLY hot under the tent at night, long after the sun had gone down. There were no fans and there is no ability to pipe in AC. Our dance floor was occupied only by the most die hard of dancers because it was just too hot. The plastic sheeting trapped in a crazy amount of heat, despite it being a windy and cool night out. We had to spend a substantial amount of time rounding up all of our centerpiece items into our car/hotel room before we could go to the After Party - do yourself a favor and assign a family member to do this! I did find it disappointing that they charge the bride and groom the full cost of the hotel room, given that a lot of venues comp the room for the newlyweds. The penthouse suite was lovely, and was perfect for the ladies getting ready in, with a kitchen and plenty of space. The men had the "Get Ready Room" and that worked for them. The cocktail hour at the Bristol Harbor Room is very cute, and we were able to take over the DeWolf Tavern restaurant for our After Party, which was so much fun. We also did the morning after brunch at DeWolf (upstairs room), which ended up being the most convenient option and could be tailored to our budget. Overall, I would definitely recommend getting married here.

Inn picked out before we even got engaged! I always wanted to get married on the water and it was quite literally my dream wedding all around. There is one thing that I didn't anticipate when I first came across BHI however, and that is that the person I would be working with would be an absolute GEM/GODDESS of a human being from Day 1. Rachelle made the process SO FUN, answered all our questions, gave me and my mom an awesome venue tour, reassured us when we hit some bumps in the road (as there always will be) that everything will be okay and it not only was okay, it was AMAZING and Rachelle's care and personality was just a true light to work with from start to finish. The hotel couldn't be more convenient being right in town and was so easy for our guests to stay there and have our welcome and after party events across the street or down the block. Our guests fell in love with Bristol and the waterfront, many who had never been before, so it was really a treat and couldn't have asked to be in better hands than Rachelle's! I should also mention we got engaged in March 2024 and we got married in October 2024 so we only had 8 months to plan it and Rachelle was a true rockstar through it all! Vacation for a week, get married there, renew your vows, have a party, whatever you need to do. But make it your next destination!!!

pport from our coordinator, Rachelle. She was tremendously helpful, responsive, and patient with all of our questions, ensuring every detail was perfect. The staff went above and beyond to make us feel like guests of honor throughout our stay, not just on our wedding day. They were also extremely accommodating to the needs of my elderly grandmother, who uses a wheelchair, which meant so much to us. Our honeymoon suite was breathtaking, providing the perfect end to an amazing day. The entire experience was an excellent value for our money, and we couldn’t be happier. We highly recommend Bristol Harbor Inn to anyone planning a special event!

achelle is, and if you have your wedding here, I hope you are able to work with her to make your day perfect. From the scenic views to their amazing employees, there is not a negative thing I can say.

as a great all inclusive option for us that made the planning that much easier. Rachelle was a dream to work with too! From our first tour to patiently answering all of our last minute questions leading up to the big day to literally weathering the storm on our wedding day with us, she always made herself available. I can honestly say I wouldn’t change a thing about our wedding day! That area of Bristol was a hidden gem for us and most of our guests. Everyone was blown away by the views and the hospitality of the staff and we definitely plan to go back for our anniversary each year to celebrate and take on more of the area. If you’re looking for a venue that doesn’t break the bank and still give you a Newport like feel, highly recommend you check out the Bristol Harbor Inn.

absolutely stunning. We had our wedding during a potential hurricane and communication about the tent was great the whole time. They were very open and honest. The ONLY negative about having our wedding here was the requirement to use DeWolf Tavern as our caterer. While the food was delicious the day of the wedding and the day-of staff was incredible, behind the scenes with them was miserable and was truly the only thing that caused us stress throughout our wedding planning. Dewolf is supposed to be the included "event coordinator" for the day of, but ours left our wedding at 6PM without saying goodbye to anyone or notifying our wedding planners that we hired outside. Our main staff person changed 3 times during our 1 year of booking with them. The first person, Morgan, was amazing and we were so upset when she was no longer the contact as she had left the company. The next person, Darlene, was incredibly unprofessional and difficult to work with. At our tasting, she made us feel like burdens and complained about her own financial situation for half of the experience. Additionally, she sent us the master spreadsheet for the venue as our invoice, which detailed every wedding cost with full names of couples. We couldn't even find our invoice without an intense search through the spreadsheet. Our names were spelt wrong every single interaction, so that didn't help. The food during our tasting was disgusting and we both cried on the way home. It was actually on this drive home that we decided to book outside wedding planners (I recommend The Wedding Planners - Sarah an Cole -- they saved the day). When communications were promised within certain timelines, they were always late without fail and required multiple emails on our end. OH also!!! The food served at the tasting was ENTIRELY different from the food we chose at our tasting!!! It was all really great tasting the day of the wedding, but different entrees altogether. In summary, Bristol Harbor Inn is an absolutely amazing venue, Rachelle is incredible, the venue is stunning. Bristol Harbor Inn would GREATLY improve if they could separate from DeWolf Tavern and allow couples the choice of finding their own catering vendor. I would recommend Bristol Harbor Inn to anyone, but DeWolf Tavern to nobody. And again, the day of staff (bartenders, servers) were great with DeWolf, but everything behind the scenes was untimely and frustrating.

gorgeous and everything was perfect. The scenery also makes for perfect wedding photos. 10/10

eWolf were terrific to work with. Our guests also loved that they could simply walk to and from the venue to their rooms (which were great). We had our cocktail hour in the Bristol Harbor Room and also had brunch the following morning at DeWolf. We had a perfect sunset and nothing beats this beautiful spot right on the water! Thank you Rachelle and Morgan so very much :)

w our space everyone understood why we picked this venue. The bar tenders were excellent and our personalized cocktail turned out beautifully. The food is also excellent. If you have a wedding later in the year, just be sure to discuss heat ahead of time. If we did our wedding over again, this would still be the spot!

tal guests and my biggest concern was the dance but we had so much room! It was the perfect fall evening and would recommend this venue and it’s people over and over again. Thank you again for making what I’ve dream of for 30 years a realty♥️

od was delicious and several of our guests continue to compliment us on it to this day. Morgan and Rachelle worked with us to help make our day special and were very responsive throughout the process. Morgan even stepped in during cocktail hour and helped behind the bar when our second bartender was a no-show, which we really appreciated. We loved that the hotel had plenty of getting ready spaces available for the bridal party on the day of the wedding as well. If you're looking for a gorgeous waterfront location, with great food, and that is super convenient for you and your guests, book the Waterfront Pavilion!

ss very easy and stress-free! We were able to create a personalized and beautiful wedding! We feel so lucky to have gotten married at this wonderful venue - it really was perfect for our special day! Thank you so much!!

y location felt very "cookie-cutter" or "been there; done that". During our search, we discovered that most places boost a "waterfront", but they have sweeping lawns, or glass windows separating you from the ocean. The Pavilion does not. You are RIGHT on the water. This was our favorite part of the venue. During our wedding, countless couples who had recently got married came up to us and said: "I wish we had known about this place! Wish we got married here!" One comment that we received constantly from all guests was: "I love how everything is in ONE place." And it truly is. If you were a little chilly and needed to grab a sweater: you can walk to your room. If you broke a heel partying on the dance floor (yes, this happen): you can walk to your room. The kids have had enough, but you don't want to leave yet? Walk back to your room, tuck them in and come back! No buses or shuttling people around with crazy schedules. We were able to walk to every event: cocktail hour, ceremony, reception. And even other events during the weekend (welcome drinks, rehearsal, and farewell brunch)--it was so easy with Bristol Harbor Inn's central location to walk everywhere: restaurants, coffee shops, etc. Our guests loved it! The Pavilion itself is stunning—especially, at sunset. Our wedding photos are breathtaking and we credit that to the picturesque background of the venue. Lastly, and most important-it is the people you work with. You spend a year (or more) planning, you want someone who is going to be the best! And the best is: Rachelle. Rachelle is an absolute gem. She was by far my favorite vendor. She always answered my emails or calls (and millions of questions). She was kind, patience, and willing to listen to any ridiculous suggestions/requests we had. Not only listen, but also make them happen. She was one vendor I was excited to get emails from. She made the entire process magic. She was more than a vendor; she was like family. She truly cared about our day and making sure it was perfect. If I could do it all again, I would pick Bristol Harbor: Waterfront Pavilion every single time.

ception room was absolutely gorgeous for a winter wedding. We had 40 guests stay at the Bristol harbor inn which allowed us to go out in town following the reception. A large group also accompanied us to brunch the next morning. All the rooms were exceptional and reasonably priced! All of our guests seem very pleased with their accommodations. This venue is a perfect choice if you want your wedding celebration to last well until the next morning!

wedding coordinator from DeWolf Tavern was the best! She attended to all of our needs that day. She was unflappable when faced with two unexpected incidents and the wedding went on flawlessly. The wedding event staff were great and worked very hard. The Waterfront Pavilion is a spectacular setting!This was an excellent venue!

matter what time or how many questions we had they had our backs, answered everything right away and made so comfortable. They worked hard to make are dream come true. Thank you for everything

ace was perfect. We had a dance floor, a photo booth and the bar and everything felt cozy, not at all crowded with plenty of room to dance. The food was excellent. John DiCarlo is the event coordinator and is unbelievably detail oriented, helpful, accommodating, and easy to communicate with. I planned our wedding from 1500 miles away and everything went off without a hitch. We received compliments all night from native Rhode Islanders about what a hidden gem DeWolf is. I was reluctant to even review publicly because I selfishly want to keep it that way! The venue was also unbelievably affordable so if you’re looking to have a classy event in a historic, rustic setting and you’re on a budget, this is the place for you.

The food was delicious and the service was top-notch. However, the best part about having our wedding at DeWolf was working with John DiCarlo. He was beyond dedicated to ensuring that the day was a success and went just the way we wanted it to. We had many, many meetings and conversations with John where he demonstrated kindness, flexibility, and compassion for our wedding day. John has been at DeWolf for a long time and offered tons of advice and thoughts on what works best and what doesn't. You can tell that arranging weddings and events at DeWolf is his passion--as is Bristol itself--and he dedicated much of his personal time and energy to ensuring our wedding was everything we wanted. You will be in wonderful hands with John.

y enough awesome things about DeWolf Tavern.

upstairs in the Bristol Harbor room. John was our events coordinator. He went above and beyond through out the whole process. He was one of our favorite vendors to work with! He diligently answered all my questions, with great patients. He also answered my mothers questions and supplied diagrams to help us prepare for the set up! On our wedding day, the food was amazing and the staff were excellent! I can't recommend this venue enough. Book it! Be sure to work with John as well, because he was truly amazing!!!!!

Bristol Harbor room. We instantly fell in love with the stone walls, exposed beams, and wide wood plank floors. So much character. Perfect for a more intimate wedding. The staff was attentive and friendly. John, the venue coordinator, was super easy to work with. He is responsive, accommodating, and honest. Didn't try to upsell us on anything. He was there the day of the wedding to make sure things went smoothly. We were lucky enough to have our wedding on a weekend with no other events booked, so John allowed us to set up the day before and move things out the morning after, which made the wedding day much less stressful. The food is delicious with tons of menu options and the cost is reasonable. The one thing I would caution against is booking the "boardroom" as a bridal suite. I had originally booked this room to get ready in, but then realized there's no adjoining bathroom, no mirror... just a basic boardroom. Instead I ended up booking an extra hotel room at Bristol Harbor Inn (literally right next door), which was beautiful and convenient. Couldn't have asked for a better wedding. Highly recommended!

many compliments from my guests on how unique and beautiful the venue is. The only issue I had was due to parking. I was told Bristol Harbor would provide reserved parking for my guests and someone to help guide guests where to park and this did not happen on the day of. This caused a delay. However John stepped up to assist which was not was he was supposed to be responsible for that day. I highly recommend this location and John to any Bride to be.

ing us to set up the day prior was extremely helpful. He was so accommodating, and a true pleasure to work with. His staff provided excellent service to myself and all of my guests, ensuring everyone had coffee, and food at all times. The bartender was great, super fun and made delicious drinks. I feel like he and his staff went out of his way to ensure the event turned out great and I am so appreciative. Everyone could not stop raving about the food, service, and drinks. I would not hesitate to hold another function here, or recommend this venue to anyone and everyone! I can't say enough about John and the Dewolf Tavern, thank you so much!

r just that. There were some changes going on during the time of planning our wedding. We ended talking to 3 or 4 different event staff while planning which was a little frustrating but in the end the staff did an amazing job.

just that. The Waterfront Deck also provides a stunning view of the harbor, and it's huge perk that DeWolf tents it for the full wedding season and that the tent is part of the rental. We booked our October 9, 2016 wedding in November 2015, and, at that time and throughout the following year, DeWolf was going through some transitions in ownership and management. As a result, we had three different wedding coordinators at various times. Things seem to have settled down now, and we were so thankful to have the current coordinator, John DiCarlo, by our side for the last few months of planning and on the day itself. He went above and beyond to be sure that every detail was taken care of, and was extremely knowlegable, helpful, and reassuring. He helped us come up with a contingency plan in case Hurricane Matthew hit Bristol (!), and, in the end, seamlessly managed a wedding on the deck as we had originally planned, despite rain and wind. I can't say enough about the event staff; they were pros and kept things running smoothly without our needing to worry at all. My husband and I were very glad to have chosen DeWolf to host our wedding!

1 year in advance. When we arrived at 3:30, half the reservations' rooms STILL weren't ready, even though they said to come after 3PM. My parents' room being one of them. The 2 kids at the front desk literally shrugged their shoulders and said "I don't know what to tell you, your rooms aren't ready. Stick your bags in someone else's room and check back later." We were literally on our way to get married. I was mortified. I waited to chat to a manager for 15 minutes, who never showed up. I had to leave to go get married. So half the party had to hang on to their bags until 12 midnight so they can finally check in and get a room key to their rooms. The next morning, I asked to speak with a Manager again to discuss how embarrassed and disappointing we were. She could CARE LESS. Getting an apology was like pulling teeth. I was disgusted with the overall customer service. Even upon arriving in a tux, NO ONE even said, hello, welcome, congratulations... NOTHING. It was as if they were going out of their way to make us feel not special or welcome. Apparently between the time we booked and arrived, the BHI went under new ownership and the attitude now is "we don't care if you don't like it, we will get someone else who does." It's a real shame. Such a great spot, just really poor customer service and really crappy management. The BHI was the ONLY real disappointment during our entire wedding experience. If I could leave zero stars, I would. Again, avoid staying at the Bristol Harbor Inn if you are looking for a nice experience in Bristol.

mbiance... Katie was such a joy to work with and her counterpart, Rob, was there to take care of all the set up details the day of the wedding. The room looked exactly how I had imagined it! I am an event manager myself and can find it hard to 'let go', but knowing that these 2 were taking care of me I had no worries at all. People said that their dinner was the best they have ever had at a wedding! Chef Sai's cuisine was out of this world! If a smaller venue for about 100-120 guests is what you are looking for that has all the charm a Rhode Island town has to offer, then DeWolf Tavern is the venue for you! It was beautiful and my wedding day was an absolute dream come true!

ne got a good room for their group. Block fee was small ($5 a room) and included delivery of any welcome bags. Hotel is centrally located and everyone walked to and from our wedding.

party so we could all be together. They also let us use their conference room to store the decor and flowers for the wedding! They were so great!

and really did a great job , on the day of our weddindg she was always right there when you needed her and the food was fantastic ! Loved it !

side location for both the ceremony and cocktail hour. I also liked that there were accomodations on site for out of town guests.;It is small. We had 109 guests at our wedding and it was tight. While very beautiful, it is more suited for a wedding under 100.