About this vendor
Weddings at the Duxbury Bay Maritime School take place on a charming waterfront venue located in the greater Boston area, MA - near Cape Cod. Situated on the South Shore, this property boasts gorgeous views of Duxbury Bay, which guests will surely adore. This setting is ideal for couples who love being near the saltwater air and using the docks as their romantic backdrop.
When celebrating your big day at the Duxbury Bay Maritime School, you'll experience the tranquil ambiance of calm waters, cool breezes, and blue skies. The venue is happy to cater events of all sizes, from 20 loved ones to a large affairs of up to 250 guests. Your loving ceremony will take place on their outdoor lawn underneath the Sperry Tent beside the water. While you exchange your vows, you can hear the water's slight waves as your loved ones watch from a close distance. For evening receptions, guests can make their way into the indoor banquet hall. This space features a bright and airy aesthetic with floor-to-ceiling windows, white walls, light wood flooring, and bistro lighting. The area is also connected to a covered deck, so loved ones can escape the busy dance floor and enjoy a relaxing drink overlooking the views.
At the Duxbury Bay Maritime School, the staff will go above and beyond your expectations to ensure your wedding day is everything you've hoped for. Besides ceremonies and receptions, some other nuptial events that can occur at the venue include engagement parties, wedding showers, elopements, and rehearsal dinners. To enhance your big day further, the property can offer the happy couple a boat ride along the bay with the photographer for breathtaking photos. In addition, the venue's tables and chairs that can be arranged in any style, are included.
Amenities + details
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Liability Insurance
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Dressing Room
On-Site Accommodations
Ceremony Types
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
- Second Wedding
- Vow Renewal Ceremony
Settings
- Ballroom
- Beach
- Waterfront
- Tented
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Destination Weddings
- Destination Wedding Planning
- Planning
- Destination Wedding Planning
- Rentals & Equipment
Awards and Affiliations
2-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2025.2024.
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
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Reviews
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5
out of 5.037 reviews
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
My husband and I got married at DBMS on Saturday July 11, 2026. Jenn, Jane, and the entire SBMS staff were extremely helpful the entire year leading up to the wedding. They answere...
d every question extremely quickly, and had very organized resources for the shelf to help answer questions about the space. We had both our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception at the venue with a live band for about 135 guests, it was the perfect amount of space. The boat ride during cocktail hour was a huge hit with our guests. I’d highly recommend this venue to anyone looking for a cape-like venue.
We used Alden Park for catering and loved them! The mini lobster rolls and raw bar during cocktail hour was amazing, and we loved how they put together a little plate for my husband and I to eat privately on the boat when we were taking photos.
We had our wedding reception at Duxbury Bay Maritime School, and it was everything we could have hoped for. The location is absolutely beautiful, and the waterfront views are incre...
dible.
Jane, our coordinator, was an absolute pleasure to work with. She was so organized, responsive, and made the entire planning process feel easy. On the day of the wedding, everything ran so smoothly thanks to her and the amazing staff.
One of the biggest highlights of the night was our boat entrance into the reception—it was such a fun and unique experience, and our guests absolutely loved it! We couldn't have asked for a more perfect venue or a better team to help bring our vision to life. We highly recommend Duxbury Bay Maritime School to anyone looking for a stunning waterfront wedding venue!
This venue is a classic New England coastal vibe, which was exactly what I was looking for at a reasonable price. I booked this venue for the waterfront view, the sailcloth tent, t...
he boat rides during cocktail hour and the ability to have guests outdoors/inside throughout the night. Unfortunately, on our wedding day, there was an awful Nor'Easter storm that completely changed most of what I had envisioned for my wedding day. I will say, make sure you like the rain/wind storm plan!! When we initially toured it was under-sold to us, but we had accepted that as an option. Leading up to the event, Jen had clear and straightforward communication, which we appreciated. I had an amazing coordinator that helped make the rain plan beautiful and a day that we will definitely never forget. We had many guests come up to us throughout the night and compliment how everything came together and how great it looked. I would definitely recommend this venue and book it again, praying there is no storm!
Our August wedding at DBMS was a dream! The venue itself is right on the harbor and the views are stunning. Cocktail hour under the tent / on the deck was perfect, and dinner insid...
e was amazing. The upstairs deck was available all night as well which was great. While they only have 4 catering options available, the options are all fairly priced. We went with Alden Park - our guests complemented how great the food/bar service was! Jen’s communication is top tier - she answered all questions in a timely manner and held decor for us that was forgotten until we could pick it up. Highly recommend booking DBMS for a wedding venue!
We hosted our son and daughter in law’s wedding welcome reception at the Duxbury Bay Maritime School and couldn’t have imagined a more beautiful setting to kick off the weekend. Th...
e waterfront views were stunning, and Jen Litchfield was a fantastic events manager—responsive, professional, and a pleasure to work with. Highly recommend!
We absolutely loved our wedding at DBMS in July 2024. The venue just lends itself to stunning harbor views (which we could see up close during the cocktail hour boat rides) and a g...
ood all around summer feeling. Anita was so helpful during the planning process - she was available to answer all of my questions (even the ones I thought were kind of silly), which put us at ease during what could have been a stressful time. While the day-of logistics could have been a little smoother - there was a miscommunication about storing our decorations overnight - I do recommend using the DBMS day-of coordinator. Overall, it was the perfect place to be married, and we could not be happier with our choice!
The Duxbury Bay Maritime School was the perfect venue for our wedding day. From the very beginning, their communication was clear and consistent and the staff was always available ...
to answer questions, which helped make the planning process smooth and stress-free. The outdoor space is absolutely gorgeous with stunning views of the bay and Clifford Hall provides a cozy, intimate ambiance that the reception and dancing. Jenn, our Day-Of Coordinator through the venue, went above and beyond to ensure everything went off perfectly. She was detail-oriented and very attentive to our needs throughout the planning process. We had the most beautiful day filled with love thanks to the time, care, and consideration of the DBMS staff. Thank you for making our wedding day absolutely perfect.
We had our wedding at the Maritime school in July and couldn’t have been more pleased with how everything turned out on our special day. The venue was beautiful and the staff who h...
elped make our day run smoothly were just the icing on the cake! Highly recommend if you’re looking for a nautical vibes wedding!
We had the most amazing experience hosting our wedding at Duxbury Bay Maritime School, and we couldn't have asked for a more perfect venue. From the moment we toured the space, we ...
knew it was the right choice. The venue offers a unique and breathtaking backdrop, with stunning waterfront views. You can make the space fit whatever vibe you are going for.
One of the standout features of Duxbury Bay Maritime School was the outstanding service. The staff went above and beyond, ensuring every detail was taken care of and that everything ran smoothly. They were attentive, accommodating, and genuinely invested in making our day special. The location was incredibly easy to get to, with plenty of parking for our guests.
In terms of value for money, Duxbury Bay Maritime School exceeded our expectations. It offers incredible amenities and a stunning setting at a reasonable price. Our guests loved the boat rides, and we got so many compliments regarding the outdoor cocktail hour under the tent.
We highly recommend Duxbury Bay Maritime School to anyone looking for a beautiful, versatile, and hassle-free venue for their wedding. It truly made our day unforgettable, and we are so grateful for the memories we created there.
Duxbury Bay Maritime School was the perfect venue for our wedding. From the very beginning, their communication was quick, helpful and clear. The space itself is beautiful with ama...
zing views of the bay. Anita was amazing to work with, and our day-of coordinator Jen was unbelievably helpful - she was taking care of everything in the background while making sure we had everything we needed. The outdoor ceremony was gorgeous, the cocktail hour was set up beautifully, and the reception space with its hardwood floors and big windows was stunning. We couldn't have asked for a better venue or team to make the day so perfect.
Anita and her team were wonderful! So helpful, responsive, and professional. If you're looking for great value and a beautiful spot for a ceremony/reception on the water south of B...
oston, look no further! DBMS got so many compliments from our family and friends and the pictures came out amazing! Would highly recommend!
I would recommend this venue to anyone! It is a hidden gem. It was pouring rain on my wedding day but everyone involved made it so beautiful and special. The team there is amazing!...
Beautiful venue both inside and outside.
The facility was very clean and well laid out for the venue.
Enough space for people to mingle and walk around.
The couple's boat entrance ...
was surprising and delightful. And the boat rides for the guests were a big hit.
Anita did a beautiful job of shepherding us through the planning and delivery of our daughter’s wedding and reception celebration. There are few coastal venues that can deliver a t...
ruly unique experience, and this is the one. The preferred vendor list is limited for good reason and excellent results, and left us feeling that beyond the beauty of the space and water views, there was great value in the total experience.
Duxbury Bay Maritime School was nothing but excellent from the very start! I had to plan my wedding from Utah where I currently live and they helped to accommodate all of my needs ...
via telephone and e-mail. Anita assisted with most of my planning up until the week before and was always responsive to my emails and phone calls regarding any questions I had. Jen was my day of wedding coordinator who me and my family met with a few days before the wedding. She couldn’t have been more helpful assisting with some last minute bar changes and helping us to arrange all the decorations so beautifully. My wedding happened to be when a hurricane was brewing out at sea and due to the high winds plans had to change from an outdoor ceremony with cocktail hour under the tent to an indoor ceremony with the cocktail hour on the deck. The last minute changes were done with ease and no one who attended the wedding had a clue plans had to change. Jen also made sure that me and my husband never went without a drink in our hand and took such good care of us the whole night. One of the best things about this venue is the amount of options available for indoor or outdoor ceremony, cocktail hour and reception that can all be easily changed as needed!! I would absolutely get married here again! Thank you DBMS!!
Everyone was so helpful through the entire process. This venue felt like a special local getaway. So many pieces of having a wedding here felt unique, when we are at a time of our ...
lives where it feels like every other weekend is a wedding such as the groom arriving by boat. Everyone we worked with seemed to love what they were doing, were so accommodating, and supportive/ problem solving anything that came up.
Duxbury Bay Maritime was wonderful, beautiful and perfect venue for our wedding!! Anita was a source of knowledge, advice and assistance! Anita made the wedding planning easy from ...
the first day we met her! I can’t say enough amazing things! Our wedding was everything we dreamed and more!
We used Chef’s table catering, the food was amazing, the team was over the top!!
What a beautiful venue! Our wedding was June 17th, 2023 and despite the rainy day which was still so beautiful, we had a complete blast. The team at DBMS was ready to deal with th...
is weather, shifting the ceremony under the tent and setting up perfectly--with no stress for us! Couldn't recommend this spot more, unless they could guarantee a rain free day!
The perfect venue! The staff was incredibly accommodating and easy to communicate with. We couldn’t have done it without Anita’s expertise! The preferred caterer choices were excel...
lent. We enjoyed the outdoor tent for our ceremony, the lawn at cocktail hour, and Clifford Hall for dinner. It was a perfect day.
We can’t say enough good things about DBMS and the team there! We got married in September and despite the rain we had it was a perfect day. The space was beautiful, everything was...
perfectly organized and Jen, our day of coordinator was an absolute dream to work with. We had a great experience working with Anita during the planning process as well. We knew DBMS was perfect the first time we visited and love going back to stand on the deck and reminisce about how great the day was. Thank you Anita and Jen!
Anita and her team provided such an easy, organized, and affordable wedding planning experience. They have a tent, tables, chairs, and string lights already available available. Th...
e inside reception area is very nice with views of the water and a connected balcony where our guests loved to hang out. Awesome venue. A highlight was having boat rides during the reception for photos and guests. I'm so glad we chose to have our wedding here
Our wedding at DBMS was amazing! They made it so we did not have to worry about a thing on our wedding day. They set up everything so perfectly. Our day of Coordinator Madeline was...
so organized and wonderful. We were very worried about the weather on the day of the wedding. Because hurricane Lee was supposed to hit that day. They made everything work better than we could of imagined! They really helped to ease our anxiety. We were supposed to get married outside but got married inside due to the weather. There indoor space is just as beautiful with panoramic views of Duxbury Bay. Could not asked for a better experience!
I got married at DBMS on 8/12/23 and I cannot say enough positive things about the venue. The ceremony was performed in the lawn overlooking the harbor and felt 100% private from t...
he surrounding area. The tent outside and lawn for cocktail hour was beautiful. And the reception room is bright, white, and gets so much natural light, and has beautiful string lights to give it that natural warmth. You have the choice to use Anita as your day of coordinator, which I highly recommend. She made the day run so smoothly and is excellent at her job. I would get married here again in a heartbeat.
DBMS was the perfect venue for our colorful, coastal, 120 guest wedding! Despite the overcast weather, the ceremony under the tent was beautiful and Clifford Hall allowed plenty of...
room for dancing! The harbor provided such a unique backdrop for photos throughout the afternoon and evening. Anita was incredibly supportive throughout the entire process so we were fully able to enjoy our day! Without a doubt would recommend Anita and DBMS!
Perfect Venue! Everything was flawless, beautiful coastal harbor back drop, love the flexibility to dance outside , dining area is beautiful full length windows with a patio. Anita...
the manager was easy to work with and attentive to all questions !
Anita was so fun to work with! My daughter and son-in law had their wedding reception at DBMS. We loved having access to the lawn, tent area, the decks and Clifford Hall. Highly re...
commend this venue!!
Where do I even begin. Anita, you made one of the most important moments in my life so special and I am eternally grateful.
Matt and I love you and are so thankful for all of the ...
thought, time, and effort you out into our magical day.
We had our wedding at DBMS in June 2019. Working with Anita as our day-of coordinator and planner, everything was great. She helped us to bring our vision to life and made sure we ...
had the perfect day. Bonus about this venue: the view of Duxbury Bay is absolutely gorgeous, and the back lawn/patio area are perfect for cocktail hour. Our reception was held upstairs, but the upper deck allowed guests to enjoy the summer night and take in the view all day. Definitely recommend DBMS if you're looking for a hidden gem for a venue!
*photos by Heather Chick Photography
DBMS was a beautiful spot for our wedding! Even on a cloud covered day like we had the view of the harbor from the lawn for cocktail hour and from the reception on the second floor...
was perfect. Would definitely recommend for brides looking for a water front venue on the south shore! My guest list in addition to a band was a little tight for the space but this venue worked with us to make it all work out. Was so happy with how the day turned out, we had so much fun here!
DBMS is such a hidden gem! We are not local to the area but found this venue on The Knot. It was the first and only venue we looked at because we knew the location was perfect. O...
ur guests raved all night about the stunning location. We were concerned about the flow of the night and fitting our 150 guests comfortably but it exceeded our expectations. There were plenty of options for indoor/outdoor ceremony and reception ideas which allowed us to create our own twist to the day. Anita was so helpful through the planning process answering all of our questions and providing vendors local to the area. On the day of the wedding she was so hands on and helpful, making sure everything was in place and we were enjoying the night with our guests. We are so happy we chose DBMS and it will forever hold a special place in our hearts!
Excellent -- beautiful location - the staff was so helpful and accommodating.
I had my wedding at DBMS this past labor day weekend. I knew from the second I stepped foot on the grounds that I had to have my wedding there. The views of the bay are just absolu...
tely breath taking and make for amazing pictures. Unfortunately the day of my wedding was gross out/grey/raining and we had to have our ceremony in the boat shed. I am still giving the venue a 5/5 for the amount of comments saying how beautiful the place was and how professional the staff was. I personally worked with Chuck to plan my wedding day. He was so amazing at giving me plenty of options for the ceremony due to the weather. He also was very easy to respond to emails and any questions I had. We also had a day of coordinator (I can't remember her name) that was extremely sweet and made sure everything was going smooth. I would highly recommend this venue.
DBMS is a gorgeous wedding venue, and we had a wonderful time at our wedding. I would definitely suggest having your wedding here, with one caveat (thus the 4 instead of 5 stars). ...
If I had it to do again, I would 100% hire a day-of wedding coordinator for the following reasons. Unfortunately the person who helped us book the venue/was going to be there to help things run smoothly (so we did not hire a coordinator) ended up not being available the day of the wedding, so we ended up with another person who did not know what was going on at all. As a result, the building was not open on time for the vendors to set up as early as they needed to, and the parking lot filled up with cars not from our wedding so that guests (even family who arrived early) had to walk from down the street. Some decorations that I left with a list of where to put them did not end up being put out. The AC shut down halfway through the reception, and people started leaving because it was so hot. There was apparently a bridal suite available, but this had not been the case when we booked. The person who was assigned to our wedding day did not tell us about this room and told us to leave our things in the offices, which were then locked without the person in sight, although she said she would be there. Another issue was that there was some sort of heavy machinery being run next door throughout the entire ceremony. I think that these are issues that a coordinator could have addressed, so I would suggest this venue but please address these issues beforehand! We had the time of our lives, but these issues were still very disappointing.
DBMS is a hidden gem. It is such a beautiful and different venue. All of our guests were raving about it. We loved that it was right on the water, breathtaking! We got married ...
on site, overlooking the bay...it was amazing. We also loved that there was an outdoor area for cocktail hour and lawn games. The upstairs deck was breathtaking at sunset. It served as a perfect spot for a photo booth and a romantic spot for guests to get some air and enjoy the gorgeous view. The staff at DBMS were great! Friendly, accommodating, and professional. Thank you for making our July wedding perfect!
I can't imagine a better site for a wedding reception than Duxbury Bay Maritime School! In the months leading up to my daughter's October 1 wedding, I imagined the harborside beaut...
y of hosting a reception on scenic Duxbury Bay. However, instead of sparkling sunshine, our weather was cool, wet and windy. No matter! The management staff at DBMS transformed indoor space with a nautical theme and rescued our rained out cocktail hour. The reception room itself is open and inviting, setting the tone for a seaside gathering that is fun, casual, yet classy. The staff at DBMS is helpful and professional. Five stars all the way!
Seriously the most beautiful venue. It has all the feeling of the cape and islands without the price tag. SO accommodating and we got THE most beautiful day. Love them, and love...
DBMS.
BEAUTIFUL! We had a perfect wedding reception at DBMS. I highly recommend this gorgeous venue.
Cost includes everything. Flowers, caterer, cake, etc are all separate. DBMS cost...
includes venue and alcohol.
Contact
457 Washington St, Duxbury, MA | Boston, Cape Cod, South Shore
Duxbury Bay Maritime Weddings