151-200 guest capacity
This venue can host up to 200 guests
About this vendor
We can offer a variety of beautifully unique venue options for your big day. Take your guests on 1920s refurbished coaches pulled by a steam locomotive. After a short train ride along side the CT river shoreline your guests can board a 70' open air river boat for your reception. This is just one of many options for you to consider. You can customize your day so that it best fits you and your partner!
Amenities + details
Covered Outdoors Space
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Dressing Room
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Wireless Internet
Guest Capacity
- Up to 200
Settings
- Beach
- Waterfront
- Cruise
- Historic Venue
Venue Service Offerings
- Bar & Drinks
- Food & Catering
- Service Staff
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
5
out of 5.012 reviews
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On top of the unique experience of a train ride for our wedding, there are several reasons we initially decided to book the Essex Steam Train and even more reasons to why I know it was the best choice for our wedding.
Initially, as soon as we walked onto the railyard, everyone was so friendly and joyful, and that was exactly how I wanted our wedding to feel for others! The reception space is large with the same beautiful, classic charm as the train. It was perfect for our 120 person wedding with plenty of space for each table without the space feeling empty. The dance floor space was huge and well separated from the tables- during the wedding there were so many people dancing and I feel that the layout really encouraged this! Meredith, the organizer, is very helpful and flexible to any suggestion and last minute changes. On the day, she made sure we stayed on schedule and were happy without interrupting. She is a calming force and very irreplaceable. She allowed us to decorate the reception hall the day before to our liking which made me so happy. The bridal train suite is stocked so thoughtfully and is beautiful, affording many unique pictures! We elected to have our wedding ceremony at Deep River Landing with a train ride to and from the space.
On the day of the wedding, the quality of the venue is unmatched due to the train, ceremony space, and reception hall. For the train, we reserved two train cars for our guest. It was beautiful; the train ride was so nice because it permitted me to relax, reflect on my emotions, and sink into the moment. Pictures at Deep River Landing and at the Steam Train were beautiful for our October Wedding! As I mentioned, the reception hall was perfect.
The value for all this is incredibly worthwhile! On top of being an all inclusive wedding venue (dinner & appetizers, open bar, an organizer, bridal suite, etc.), we got a fun and memorable train ride! Overall, People have told me it was the most fun wedding they’ve been to- in the words of my ring bearer, it was “the most fun I’ve had anywhere ever”!
We are thrilled to have had the Essex Steam Train as part of our special day! Chartering this beautiful antique steam train to transport our guests to and from our venue was a unique and memorable touch.
The train remaining on site after the ceremony allowed us to capture stunning photos both alongside it and on it. The highlight was riding the first-class car with our wedding party and family after the reception - it was a true taste of old luxury!
The team at Essex Steam Train was easy to work with and communicate with leading up to the event, and their reasonable pricing made it an affordable and worthwhile investment. The conductor on the day of the event was friendly and accommodating, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for all.
We highly recommend the Essex Steam Train for any couple looking to add a touch of elegance and nostalgia to their wedding day. It was truly a one-of-a-kind experience that our guests will never forget!
10-15-23
My husband and I wanted something small with just family and after touring here we were so excited to book this. We had our ceremony on the top deck of the Adventure riverboat while it was docked. After the ceremony, we cruised on the CT river while having cocktail hour. We had passed and stationed appetizers. After our boat ride we then drove over to the Essex steam train (10 min away) and had our reception on a private train car on the dinner train. It fit our group perfectly. All the staff were so attentive and lovely. Meredith, the event coordinator was such a pleasure to work with. I probably sent her so many emails and messages but she was always so kind and attentive. She helped make my day run so smoothly!
Our family couldn’t stop talking about how unique and special our day was
I cannot say enough good things about the Essex Station. We had our wedding at the station and it was absolutely perfect. Meredith and the team there were always accommodating and so easy to work with throughout.
My bridal suite was a Train car that was turned over into a suite. It was such a cool unique experience!
The food was amazing and 4 months later guests from our wedding are still raving about how good the food was. People are still telling us how cool and different our wedding was and how it was the best wedding they have ever been to. Our ceremony was held inside the gallery room , it was bright and simple with a slight industrial feel. We had cocktail hour outside, with the trains in the background ..perfect for pictures!
Reception was held inside under a beautiful array of lights strung throughout the room with tulle draped around perfectly.
Meredith had some decorations that I was able to use along with my own. Anything I needed Meredith made it happen.This truly is a magical place and if you are considering a unique wedding venue this is THE place!
We worked with the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat for our ceremony location, transportation to our reception at The Lace Factory, and after party. It was simply wonderful! Meredith is a pleasure to work with, so accommodating and sweet, and everything couldn't have been better! My bridesmaids and I got ready for the day in a train car converted into a bridal suite, which Meredith helped make so special, the ceremony was picture perfect, the train ride was beyond unforgettable, and the after party was wonderful. Only fantastic things to say, I wish we could do it all again! Thank you, Meredith and team :)
Every single detail at this venue was brilliantly covered by Meredith and Liz. Meredith is an absolute dream maker. Her attention to every detail of my wedding was incredible. Her and I must have sent a million emails to each other and had hundreds of phone calls. The Train Station was really just a wonderful place to have our ceremony. For people wanting something different or to have that vintage style wedding I would highly recommend booking here.
I cannot say enough about how wonderful the Essex Steam Train was for our wedding!!! They listened to us, they were so accommodating, they paid attention to every little detail, and the food was amazing. Our wedding planner switched half way through - that’s a tough transition for both the bride and groom and the planner - but they handled it flawlessly. (For the record both planners were amazing, the first one just left for a new opportunity!) We had a larger wedding than most of the parties that take place there and they were able to accommodate our guests and provided extra bars to make sure that there was never a huge line. The space looked amazing and they added so many upgrades throughout the 10 months we were planning - more lights on the ceiling, gold chiavari chairs, outdoor lighting - all things that just added to the ambiance. The venue is so incredibly unique - it’s a functioning train station! Our photos really stood out against the backdrop there - pictures between the rows of trains were breathtaking! Our bridal suite was actually a renovatedtrain car which was so cool and beautiful and provided plenty of space and they also allowed our guests to board a dinner car during cocktail hour. Speaking of cocktail hour - it was like a garden party - beautifully done! And tons of food too! Our day was absolutely perfect and we cannot thank Meredith, our planner, and the staff at the Essex Steam Train enough!! Our guests are still raving about the venue and the food. Thank you so much!
They were so amazing and the friendliest they accomadated us when I called almost ready to cry when my other vendor cancelled on me !! Liz O Connor was there for every detail and minute and her staff were so friendly and exceptional it was the most beautiful venue and our pictures were so beautiful and original even with the downpour of good luck rain and they asked to make a decision to have the ceremony in or outside and thanks to them they said inside and it was the sweetest wedding ever . They are the perfect choice for a beautiful wedding venue !! Thanks again !! We also took the dinner train the night before and they made it even more special and with a nice surprise for us . It is our favorite place ❤️
We fell in love with this venue the moment I walked on site. We knew it was perfect for us the moment we met their events coordinator, Pam Amodio. Pam is a remarkable human being, who has built a staff of people who are truly, genuinely kind. The most important thing to us on our wedding day was to be surrounded by love in all respects (even down to our vendors, who were extremely talented friends of ours), and we could not have picked a more perfect place than the Essex Steam Train. Having Pam and her team coordinate our day felt like we were being taken care of by our family.
Planning a wedding is a stressful, emotional time. Do yourself a favor and spend that time with people who make your world brighter.
My husband and I had the wedding of our dreams in the most beautiful, unique location. We loved every moment, and are forever in love with the Essex Steam Train. And we LOVE that we can come back and take the train, and always feel connected to our perfect place.
Thank you, Essex Steam Train!!!
We had our wedding ceremony and after-party at the Essex Steam Train and it was magical! We initially worked with Pam, who was super flexible in working with us so that we could have the ceremony there, ride the steam train to our reception venue, and return for the after-party. Liz, our coordinator, was amazing. She was easy to work with and accommodating during the planning person - the kind of person who says, "We can try it this way, and if you don't like how that looks, we'll do it another way" - and you know she really means it. She was there start to finish on the day of and made everything go so smoothly. We had the ceremony inside and our guests loved the space and vibe, enjoying drinks before boarding the train. The after-party was an absolute blast! Our guests loved the nacho bar they offer and there was plenty of space for seating and a hopping dance floor. Everyone commented on how friendly the bartenders and staff were, too. We had the best time - we only wish we could do it all over again! If you are thinking about the Essex Steam Train, know that you will be working with people who really care about making your day special and will work with you to achieve that.
My daughter and her Fiancé will be married here in September of this year. This venue was our last appointment on a VERY long weekend looking at venue options across Connecticut. Most of the venues we looked at were overpriced for the space available or had advertised themselves as being able to accommodate a lot more guests than they could comfortably fit. We looked at one option who said (prior to our visit) that they could seat 125 guests. When we arrived, the wedding coordinator explained that they based that on the fact that most of your guests would be "hanging outside". The Essex Steam Train River Valley Junction Hall and Oliver Jensen Gallery is the only venue that we visited that could COMFORTABLY accommodate my daughter's 125+ guest and still have room for a dance floor and
bar/hors d' oeuvres area. What really sold us on the Essex Steam Train facility was the Coordinator Pam Amodio. She is kind, welcoming and very professional. Her first question to my beautiful daughter wasn't "How much are you looking to spend?" but "What does your dream day look like?". That made all the difference to us and brought us to tears. She is the only one who asked that. Most of the venues we visited prior to meeting Pam, had told us that our clean up of the venue would begin immediately after the reception and we would have to have the venue returned to original condition before an early time the next morning. When I asked Pam the question "What do you expect from us as far as clean up?", she responded "Have a wonderful time, then take your personal belongings and go rest.". I hugged her after that answer. We are really excited to have a magical day with our 1st born daughter with the help of Pam Amodio!
We got married at the Lace Factory in Deep River and used the ‘Lace Factory Connection’ offered by the Essex Steam Train. Our guests were transported to and from our wedding via the train. This was a really unique feature of our wedding to be able to offer our guests and everyone seemed to really love it. The train to the wedding got people excited about our wedding and the train home allowed us to keep the fun going! We would highly recommend the Essex Steam Train, ‘Lace Factory Connection’ to any future bride and groom!
-Kara & Devon
Contact
1 Railroad Ave, Essex, CT
Essex Steam Train & Riverboat
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