About this vendor
The Garden at Elm Bank is conveniently located just thirty minutes west of Boston. Our picturesque property along the Charles River includes 36 acres of gardens, open fields, and historic buildings. From elegant and formal, to whimsical and enchanting, your one-of-kind ceremony and cocktail hour are designed in these magnificent outdoor spaces. The historic and charming Hunnewell Building, our restored carriage house, can accommodate up to 230 guests for a seated reception and includes a seasonal tent mid- April through the beginning of November. If you prefer an entirely outdoor reception, our Maple Grove is a spacious field, perfect for designing the tented reception of your dreams! With a custom-crafted Vendor Collection, our caterers and vendors work with you to turn your vision into an amazing reality!
Amenities + details
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Wireless Internet
Liability Insurance
On-Site Accommodations
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Settings
- Ballroom
- Estate
- Garden
- Historic Venue
- Tented
- Trees
Awards and Affiliations
6-Time 'Best of Weddings'
2026.2025.2024.+3 more.
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.
Hall of Fame
Earned by winning 'Best of Weddings' four or more times.
Reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help
you make those big decisions with ease.
4.9
out of 5.083 reviews
Review photos
Showing slide number 1 out of 9
My husband and I got married on June 19th at The Gardens at Elm Bank, and from the very beginning, we had the pleasure of working with Chelsey. From our first interactions, we felt...
cared for—not the type of care you receive when someone wants something from you, but the kind that comes from someone who genuinely wants to help you and wants to see you happy.
The communication throughout the entire planning process was spectacular. During my bridal era, I think it is safe to say I was frazzled 24/7/365. No matter when I emailed, I always received a timely and thoughtful response (within 24 hours, without a doubt!). There was never a question that was too small or a worry that was considered "insignificant." Even when I came to the team with ideas that were a little outside the box, Chelsey and everyone at Elm Bank worked with me to find a way to bring my vision to life. I never felt like I was an inconvenience or asking for too much.
But I think the most important quality of Chelsey and the team at The Gardens at Elm Bank was their kindness.
I often talk about how genuine kindness can feel like a dying art in this world. Chelsey wasn't simply nice because it was her job—she was deeply and intrinsically kind. And what an absolute ray of sunshine that kind of person is to meet, especially during such an important season of your life. Her warmth, patience, and genuine nature made the entire experience feel remarkably special.
On the most important and memorable day of your life, you trust a lot in people. I would recommend to anyone to put their trust in this venue.
The beauty of this venue speaks for itself. The gardens, the grounds, and the setting are stunning and the reason we fell in love with it. But I am more than happy to speak for the people behind the scenes—the people whose kindness, care, and hard work truly make this venue what it is.
Chelsey and the entire Elm Bank team gave us more than a beautiful place to get married. They gave us the ability to enjoy our wedding knowing that we were in the hands of people who genuinely cared about us and our day. That is something we will never be able to fully thank them for... but here's to trying :)
Our wedding at The Garden at Elm Bank was everything we hoped for and more! We had such a great experience, from the moment we booked the venue, all the way to our wedding day. Che...
lsey and Lindsay were so helpful and kind! They were super easy to communicate with and helped coordinate with all of our vendors.
On our wedding day we were treated with such kindness from all the Elm Bank staff. They helped make the day run smoothly from start to finish. Transitions between ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception were done with ease, thanks to their help.
Our guests were immediately transfixed by the stunning grounds, just as we were when we first toured the venue. On our wedding day the grounds were looking pristine. All of the flowers and greenery were beautifully in bloom. It felt like a fairytale. Our guests continue to rave about the venue and its beauty.
We can’t recommend Elm Bank enough for hosting our perfect wedding day! We will forever be grateful for all the efforts of Elm Bank staff to help make our day everything we dreamed of.
The Garden at Elm Bank is an exceptional wedding venue, and we couldn’t recommend it more highly. The grounds are absolutely stunning, and strolling through the beautifully maintai...
ned gardens feels like being transported to another country. Every corner of the property provides a breathtaking backdrop for your wedding day.
What truly sets Elm Bank apart is the incredible team. From our very first interaction, we felt genuinely supported and cared for throughout the entire planning process. A special thank you to Chelsey, who was kind, responsive, and sincerely invested in making our day unforgettable. Her enthusiasm and attention to detail made the experience even more special.
Our wedding day was everything we had hoped for, and the beauty of the venue created the perfect setting for a truly magical celebration. We are so grateful to the entire team at The Garden at Elm Bank and would wholeheartedly recommend this venue to any couple looking for an unforgettable wedding experience.
I had my September 2025 wedding at The Garden at Elm Bank and was truly so thrilled with the entire experience start to finish! I spent a lot of time researching wedding venues, so...
much so that Elm Bank was the first and only venue I actually visited in person. Between the very friendly and helpful event staff to the absolutely gorgeous gardens, it was an easy sell. Planning the wedding itself was equally as simple when it came to working with Elm Bank. We worked with Chelsey, who was absolutely phenomenal, during our year and a half long engagement. She was very responsive, friendly, and helpful throughout every step of the planning process. She was also always happy to give advice to us as needed. The wedding weekend itself was nothing short of magical - this is despite the fact that it poured the entire weekend and we needed to enact our rain plan. As a result, we were unfortunately unable to fully utilize the gardens that we had fell so in love with; however, the Elm Bank staff were so helpful in creating something equally as magical inside their super charming Hunnewell building. It was truly to cozy and intimate that we almost didn't even miss being outside. I would absolutely choose Elm Bank for our wedding all over again. It was very easy and clear working with the staff, and the beautiful gardens truly speak for themselves. Elm Bank will always have a place in our hearts and we love that we can always visit when we are feeling nostalgic!
Our late August wedding at Elm Bank was everything we hoped for. The planning process was smooth and stress-free — the Elm Bank team was professional, responsive, and organized fro...
m start to finish. The gardens were in full bloom, making our photos absolutely stunning. We were excited to use almost every part of the gardens for photos, the Italianate garden for the ceremony, Maple Grove for cocktail hour, and the Hunnewell Building was perfect for our 130 guest reception with space for a band, dance floor, and was air conditioned.
We used mostly preferred vendors, which made coordination easy. We’ve since used our membership to enjoy the gardens year-round for other events — a lovely bonus to an unforgettable wedding experience.
Elm Bank was our dream wedding venue! It’s absolutely stunning, and Chelsey and the team there went above and beyond. They were incredibly communicative, organized, accommodating, ...
and kind. Thank you Elm Bank!!
We had a wonderful experience with the whole team at Elm Bank. We felt supported, heard, and celebrated throughout the whole process. They recommended amazing vendors and were very...
responsive with any concerns throughout the process. We fully recommend The Garden at Elm Bank to anyone looking for a beautiful outdoor venue in the Boston area. Our guests had a great experience and our wedding was everything we hoped it would be.
We loved getting married at Elm Bank! It was a beautiful backdrop to the start of our marriage. We felt supported planning our day and on our special day. Having access to all the ...
gardens and building made each event flow seamlessly. And we had options for photos. Thank you to Elm Bank for helping make our wedding a celebration of our love story!
The photos really don’t do justice to how beautiful the gardens are. This was my first time visiting, and even just the drive there felt magical—you cross a little arched bridge th...
at makes you feel like you’re entering a fairy tale. The property is so expansive that we were transported through the gardens by golf cart, which added to the charm.
Our wedding took place during peak tulip season, and we were initially offered the option to hold our cocktail hour in the tulip garden near the greenhouse. Unfortunately, due to severe rainstorm warnings during that time, we had to pivot. Thankfully, the venue was flexible and allowed us to still hold our ceremony outdoors, since there was only a 50% chance of rain. They do have a rain backup plan, but we decided to take the risk in hopes of capturing some stunning photos by the fountain—and we’re glad we did.
My only real complaint is related to communication on the day of the wedding. From the very beginning of planning, we had asked for the ceremony chairs to be set up facing away from the Manor House, with the fountain spout turned on behind us. When we arrived two hours early for pre-ceremony photos, the staff was setting up the chairs facing the Manor House instead. Thankfully, we were already in the area and were able to catch it in time and have it corrected. As for the fountain, it was off during our photos—I assumed it would be turned on during the ceremony, but unfortunately, it wasn’t. These were minor issues in the grand scheme of things, and overall, we had a truly wonderful experience with this venue. I only bring them up to help future couples: make sure to confirm the ceremony layout and specific details like the fountain on the day of, ideally with a point person from the venue or planner. That said, the beauty of the location and the flexibility of the staff still made our day feel magical.
*Our photographer was “Chace Yang Photo + Video” or @chaceyang on Instagram in case anyone is wondering! He is amazing!*
Our wedding at the Garden at Elm Bank was absolutely wonderful! We got married in October 2024 with the goal of capturing the beauty of New England in the fall, and Elm Bank checke...
d all of our boxes with beautiful grounds, fall foliage, and the ability to set up an outdoor reception. We held our ceremony on the Italiannate Garden and were able to be outdoor among the lush flora around the fountain - the space was incredibly decorated but also intimate. Our cocktail hour was in the Bressingham Garden, which allowed people to explore the grounds a bit more and enjoy some live music. Finally, our reception was in a beautiful tent set up in the Maple Grove. Chelsey and the team at Elm Bank were fantastic to work with, helping us answer any questions and coordinating any onsite needs in the weeks leading up to our wedding. While there were a lot of components to facilitate a fully outdoor wedding (tent, generator, mandap, etc.), Elm Bank was great to work with and excited to help us design our wedding exactly how we wanted it. We couldn't be happier with how awesome our wedding at Elm Bank was!
Our wedding at The Garden at Elm Bank was simply perfect. From the moment we began planning our big day, their staff impressed us with their superb organization and attention to de...
tail. We always felt at ease knowing they were on top of everything, allowing us to focus on enjoying the day rather than stressing over the little things.
The venue itself is breathtaking—our guests couldn’t stop raving about the beautifully manicured grounds and vibrant gardens. We happened to luck out with perfect Fall weather, which added to the overall charm of the day.
Another huge plus was the list of preferred vendors provided by The Garden at Elm Bank. We found this resource incredibly helpful, and it made our vendor selection process a breeze. Even better, the staff at Elm Bank worked seamlessly with each vendor, ensuring every detail was handled without a hitch. We loved working with Chelsey- she was so responsive and positive!
Lastly, we truly appreciated how flexible and accommodating everyone was as we navigated a few last-minute changes. Their willingness to adapt and find quick solutions made us feel at ease, and we can’t thank them enough for that. If you’re looking for a gorgeous outdoor venue, The Garden at Elm Bank is an outstanding choice for a memorable wedding.
The Garden at Elm Bank was the wedding venue of our dreams! We got so many compliments on the venue from our guests--people were saying they couldn't believe this secret garden ex...
isted in Massachusetts and commented on what a lovely and elegant affair it was; a perfect backdrop to a perfect day.
We had such a great experience working with them from the very beginning up to the wedding day. Special shout out to Chelsey, who was an absolute rockstar throughout it all! She always got back to me so promptly to answer any question or concern that popped up in my mind. Amazing communication and extremely reliable, thoughtful, and reassuring. As an anxious bride, I knew I could always count on her and the venue, which made a world of difference! Elm Bank was truly a magical setting to our special day, and we couldn't ask for a more romantic, gorgeous, perfect venue.
Getting married at the Garden at Elm Bank this September was an incredible experience that we would repeat in a heartbeat. The planning process was incredibly easy with support fro...
m Chelsey Munsey and Elizabeth Pruitt - both were easy to reach, professional, and highly knowledgeable, and made our whole experience from planning to execution on the day of the wedding feel seamless.
The Garden at Elm Bank’s vendor recommendations were spot on. It was lovely that Elm Bank offered the option to choose from a diverse list of caterers - it really helped to narrow things down without being overly restrictive, and we loved working with Capers, who they highly recommended.
It was so nice to have the whole venue to ourselves all evening - something that isn’t always the case at other venues. The grounds and gardens were all beautiful and in pristine shape, from the Daylily Garden where we had our Ketubah-signing ceremony, to our main ceremony in the stunning Italianate Garden, to the Belvedere and Wheezy’s gardens where we had our cocktail hour, and the Hunnewell Building and adjoining tent where we had our reception. Every area was so gorgeous, and we received so many compliments from our guests. Importantly, the gardens were all wheel-chair accessible for our relatives and loved ones with mobility concerns - something that can be tricky to find at other outdoor venues. Elm Bank staff worked with us and our planner (Lauren at Starborn Weddings + Events, who we loved and found through their recommended vendors list) to customize all the spaces to match our design vision, and collaborated well with our vendors to ensure everything went smoothly on the day of the wedding.
On the wedding day, every staff person we met was so friendly and attentive - the most helpful was having someone to take us in a golf cart from location to location to minimize walking in our dress clothes. At the end of the night, Elm Bank staff worked to make sure that all of our personal items were carefully collected, neatly labeled, and securely stored until we could pick them up the next day, and then Chelsey was so kind as to help bring everything out to our car.
We could not have asked for a better experience or a more beautiful venue for our wedding, and we are so happy to recommend Elm Bank to anyone who is considering it for their upcoming wedding or celebration.
We knew we wanted to have our wedding at Elm Bank as soon as we toured it! The grounds are absolutely beautiful and we got so many compliments from our guests about the unique venu...
e. The staff were helpful, prompt, and friendly throughout the entire planning process and even recommended some vendors we would not have found otherwise and loved! We had an amazing wedding day and could not have imagined it anywhere else!
It was a beautiful and perfect space for our wedding day! We had a small, bit of rain and even then it was perfect there! The staff there were all so sweet and on top of making sur...
e the day went smoothly. Could not be happier with it!
From the moment we first toured The Garden at Elm Bank, we knew there was nowhere else that we'd want to get married. While the grounds are gorgeous and the obvious selling point, ...
Chelsey and the entire staff stood out to us the most. The level of professionalism, patience, and attention to detail they all showed, both on the day of and all the months leading up to it, are unmatched. Our ceremony was held in the Italianate Garden followed by the reception in the Hunnewell Building, and we worked with Tastings Caterers - who I also can't recommend enough. All of our guests said our wedding felt like a fairytale and we wouldn't have changed a thing!
My wife and I had the most amazing experience hosting our perfect wedding at The Garden at Elm Bank! Not only is the venue beautiful but they have a wonderful team that will help y...
ou plan your special day. We had our food catered through Forklift and it couldn't have been better. I can't suggest this venue enough!
Chelsey and the entire Elm Bank team made our day so spectacular! From day 1 in viewing the grounds to the actual wedding day - every thought, concern, or feeling we had was perfec...
tly attended to! They consistently went out of their way to ensure we had a great experience in planning. We even did 3x site visits as we had a very intricate design plan and family members who wanted to see the grounds and they were so accommodating! The day of the wedding was seamless, there really couldn't have been a more perfect day! The gardens were in perfect condition and looked stunning. Chelsey helped with the various crazy things happening that day! Highly recommend!
We absolutely loved the Hunnewell building for the dinner portion of our reception. Unfortunately, our dream cocktail hour couldn't happen in the Italianate garden due to the weath...
er. We were devastated that the vision of our wedding couldn't come to life because of the rain, but we made the best of it. The attached tent to the Hunnewell building was 1/4 of the size of the garden, so cocktail hour was a bit chaotic. The gardens and venue are spectacular, but I wish we would have planned for everything inside so we weren't as disappointed as we were when it rained. Luckily, our photographer captured the most beautiful moments, and we hope to revisit the gardens for an anniversary and a redo! Our wedding was magical and our guests had an amazing time!
We loved our experience at Elm Bank! The venue was stunning and we received many compliments from wedding guests. Chelsey was wonderful to work with throughout the planning process...
. She was responsive, supportive, and enthusiastic. On the day of the wedding, Julie and the onsite team were amazing and helped the day run smoothly. We could not have asked for a better wedding at Elm Bank!
We loved working with Elm Bank for our wedding! Their staff made us feel supported and relaxed, and we felt like they understood our vision and could help us see it through. They h...
elped us through every step, guided us to pick an amazing vendor team, and helped our day go as seamlessly as possible. We are so happy with our Elm Bank wedding!
The Garden at Elm Bank was everything we wanted. They worked with us to make sure that everything we had in our heads came true and the florals were stunning. Our guests loved havi...
ng all of the gardens to explore and take pictures in and I as the bride/planner loved that we didn't need to bring in extra decor to make it stunning, it stands for itself! We got married during Tulip Mania and that was extra magical. The team at Elm Bank blew us away too. Chelsey worked with us specifically and had a bright demeanor making it actually fun to plan and tell her the details we wanted to accomplish.
The location is stunning, and the staff is extremely friendly and helpful. Chelsey was excellent to work with for our wedding and helped relieve any stress associated with planning...
the event! Highly recommended and the pricing cannot be beat!
We got married on October 13th at the Garden at Elm Bank and we could not have been happier with our experience! The wedding was absolutely beautiful and we were able to utilize so...
many different parts of the grounds. Our ceremony took place by the water fountain in the Italianate garden, we had our cake cutting in front of the adorable green house, and our reception followed in the beautiful Hunnewell building. I was looking for a venue that could give an ‘enchanted garden’ vibe and this location could not have been any more perfect! We had a fairly short engagement of under a year, and the team at Elm Bank was incredible- we worked with both Kayleigh and Chelsey and they were both amazing- very friendly, responsive, and receptive to all of our ideas. Chelsey met with us one several occasions before our wedding and was there for the walk through with our caterer to help provide her expertise and ensure that everything went smoothly. They helped turn our wedding vision into the wedding of our dreams and we couldn’t be more thankful. We would highly recommend Elm Bank to anyone searching for the perfect wedding venue!
We had the wedding of our dreams in 10/1/23 at Elm Bank! It is a beautiful venue and the gardens are a lot bigger than it seems. Chelsey, Lindsay, and all the staff were wonderful ...
to work with. We had our ceremony at the Italianate Gardens in front of the fountain and reception at the Hunnewell building. Our photos came out amazing! Our wedding day was everything we had hoped for and more.
The Garden at Elm Bank was the perfect place for our early October wedding! The grounds are absolutely gorgeous, and it felt like we were in a dream the whole time. Chelsey, our ve...
nue contact, was extremely helpful throughout the planning process. We cannot recommend the Garden at Elm Bank enough!
From the moment we arrived at the Garden at Elm Bank, we knew this would be the perfect wedding venue for us. The grounds are absolutely beautiful with several unique gardens. We c...
onnected with Kayleigh who shared all the details with us and quickly helped us secure our wedding date. We ultimately ended up working with Chelsey as our primary contact person. Chelsey is professional and very quick to respond! The rest of the Elm Bank staff (Nora and Asia) were extremely helpful on the day of our wedding. It unfortunately poured during our wedding, but Asia and Nora were quick to direct all of the vendors to set up inside and drove us around in a golf cart so we wouldn't get wet. My husband and I did not have to think about anything during our reception-- all details were taken care of.
I highly recommend Elm Bank to anyone who is seeking out a garden wedding (even if it rains!).
We were so thrilled to have our wedding at the Garden at Elm Bank, and were happy from our first meeting with the team to the final details and day of the wedding. I looked at a lo...
t of different wedding venues and when I stepped on the grounds here, I immediately knew this had to be the place! Besides the fact that the grounds are stunning, options here are so flexible and you can really tailor your vision with the support of the excellent team here. We did most of our work with Chelsey and she was so easy to get in touch with, great with recommendations, and so supportive during the walk-through and leading up to the wedding day. The on-site team day-of was super attentive, making sure everyone got where they needed to be, directing the guests, and offering support to me, my husband, and our families and wedding party. The day was seamless, and wouldn't have been possible without everyone involved at Elm Bank. We are so so thankful we chose them.
Every staff member that we worked with went above and beyond to ensure that we were supported leading up to and on the big day! Lindsay, Chelsey, and Asia were incredible - so resp...
onsive and accommodating, including letting my dad and I have access to the venue space a few weeks beforehand to practice our dance. The venue itself is stunning, the gardens are so well maintained and full of life. All of our guests commented on how beautiful the location was. There are so many difference spaces within the venue that you can utilize to create a dream wedding. We did first looks in front of the green house, family photos along the path, wedding party photos in the garden, sunset photos along the meadow, and our ceremony was in the Italianate garden. Every backdrop was more gorgeous than the last.
Our wedding at Elm Bank was a dream! Absolutely perfect venue. It helped that we had perfect weather, but Chelsey and our caterer William walked us through the rain plan, and they ...
were prepared to make it as beautiful as possible. We had our ceremony at the Italianate Garden, cocktail hour through the Bressingham Garden, and our reception in the Hunnewell building and attached tent. Everything was breathtakingly gorgeous. Although Elm Bank doesn’t have a day of coordinator, Chelsey was so helpful during the planning process. She coordinated with our vendors during the weeks leading up to the wedding and answered questions when they came up. I do recommend hiring a day of coordinator to help with the flow of the event day. Elm Bank is a truly unique and perfect venue! We highly recommend it!
Elm Bank was a beautiful venue for our wedding in August. We loved the variety of gardens and the planning flexibility they provide for different parts of the evening. We'd like to...
give a special shout out to Chelsey for all her help with the event, from drawing up the (thankfully unused) rain plan, coordinating delivery and pickup with our vendors and answering all our questions, she was a pleasure to work with during the whole process. Thank you!
Elm Bank was an absolute no brainer for us. Lindsay, Chelsey, and the rest of the staff at Elm Bank were extremely responsive, flexible, and kind throughout the planning process. A...
special shoutout to Chelsey, who asked us thoughtful questions during the planning process that helped us stay ahead of the curve, and consider things we wouldn’t even known to think of. The grounds were stunning - I grew up near the venue and have visited many times, but it was somehow even more breathtaking for the wedding, and especially so at sunset and at night. Elm Bank has a variety of beautiful settings to hold a ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, and provided golf cart shuttling to our family members would needed assistance getting around. They worked extremely smoothly with the caterer, coordinator, and DJ to make everything perfect.
One final note and thank you: one of our guests had a small health incident after the ceremony and the Elm Bank staff was exceptional at helping her. We can’t thank them enough for reacting quickly, accommodating our guests, and going above and beyond to take care of her.
Truly, Elm Bank was everything we wished for and more!!
The Garden at Elm Bank is one of the best places to have your wedding! The venue is absolutely breathtaking. They take such good care of their grounds, and make so much attention t...
o detail. They are also pretty open to any extra vendor you would like to use. We had a private painter, a string quartet, cotton candy vendor, gelato vendor, and photo booth vendor. We also hired a day of coordinator and they worked very smoothly with them. Every time we talk to one of our wedding guests all they can do is rave about the evening and the venue. The days following our wedding we saw so many of our guests post their own little photos shoots they did before the ceremony and during cocktail hour. They loved taking photos in all of the gardens. We don’t blame them! They all looked great! The folks at Elm Bank made us feel like their #1 priority the entire way. They were very thorough with every vendor and every detail. They most certainly did not disappoint. The relationships they have with their preferred vendors are strong, and they work extremely well with each other. It was very impressive. We can’t say more nice things about Elm Bank. If you decide to have your wedding here you will not be disappointed!!
Thank you!
Pam & Brian
We first went to visit Elm Bank in November after reading about it on The Knot. Because it's New England, of course the gardens weren't at their peak. However, Lindsay was great an...
d provided us with pictures of the gardens in July, as well as some key details about how the day would look.
Once we saw the pictures, we were hooked, and it was a great choice. Even through a staff transition when our original Venue Coordinator went on maternity leave, the Event staff at Elm Bank made things smooth and painless.
At our walkthrough, Chelsey made sure we had planned for all the details, explained their beautiful and detailed rain plan, and asked questions about small things we hadn't even thought about. Leading up to the day, she was responsive and helpful when it came to our putting together a seating chart and finalizing other details.
On our wedding day, the entire staff at Elm Bank worked to ensure our day went smoothly and that everyone was where they needed to be and had what they needed at any given time.
We had the most beautiful reception for our wedding at Elm Bank last spring. It really was the ideal venue and met all of our needs- budget, capacity, indoor/outdoor, gorgeous gard...
ens, etc etc. Our guests had a blast, we made everlasting memories, and the team was very supportive. I would seriously recommend this hidden gem to anyone!!!
What an amazing wedding venue. Lindsay kept in touch with us throughout the year and helped make our special day so amazing!!! We got married in October and the pictures were gorge...
ous. I just love how many different places there are to get married and so many awesome spots for pics! The whole experience was amazing.
We could not have asked for a more beautiful venue than Elm Bank for our July wedding. We had visited the gardens a couple times prior to the wedding — never in the summer — and th...
at day, we were blown away: the grass was perfectly mowed and all the flowers were in bloom in the Italianate Garden and around the property. We had our ceremony in the Italianate Garden, cocktail hour in the Belvedere Garden, and our reception in a tent on the Maple Grove. So many of our guests remarked on how stunning the venue was, and how much they enjoyed walking in and around the grounds. Elm Bank was the first and only venue we toured before putting our deposit down.
We worked with a full-service wedding planner, so my husband and I didn't liaison much with the coordinator staff at Elm Bank, but in what little interaction we had, they seemed very kind. The day of, they were very helpful and even let us pick up some things on Monday morning when they weren't officially open.
Some things that we would've liked to have known while we were considering venues. These weren't deal-breakers, but just FYIs.
- You have to source all your alcohol through a provider called Gordon's. They had good selection, and you're able to return any unopened cases of alcohol (this was great).
- Because it is a nonprofit center, they're not open at all hours of the day, so we had to pay a bit extra for labor costs so install the tent/lighting/catering, etc. in a shorter amount of time.
- For the ceremony, because of the way that gardens are laid out, we had to place the chairs around the flower beds and bushes, and some of them were farther away from the altar. I think it was difficult to see from some of the seats in the back.
I hate to write this review but we had an awful experience with Elm Bank. The management is terrible here. The communication was absolutely atrocious. There were too many times I w...
ould have to wait weeks/months for an email back to a simple question. We would call, email, leave voicemails, and nothing for weeks. It wasn’t until I hired my own wedding planner/coordinator that the communication miraculously got better. The grounds are beautiful, but I would not recommend this venue to anyone unless you are ok with being treated like an after thought.
The staff was condescending and rude. One of the staff members even ripped my moms dress in 3 places, 2 hours before my wedding b/c she didn’t tell her to lift it up before she started driving to the garden area. The woman laughed and told us a story about how another guests dress got ripped in half. She didn’t apologize or offer to help fix it or pay for a new one as compensation.
Spend your hard earned money elsewhere on a venue that treats you like you matter and has more to offer.
Elm Bank was such a beautiful venue!!! They were so helpful throughout the planning process and even provided a packet of recommended/suggested vendors to help us choose our photog...
rapher, caterer, florist, month-of coordinator, lighting, etc. but also enabled us to choose whoever we wanted. It was such a relief to know that all of our vendors had done weddings at Elm Bank before and we could truly trust the experts and ENJOY the day! Lindsay helped us throughout the whole process and was always advocating on our behalf. The gardens are just stunning and we had the BEST TIME!!!
The Gardens at Elm Bank was the most perfect venue for our wedding! It was absolutely stunning. Our guests were so impressed with everything! The staff was wonderful to work with a...
s well. Would HIGHLY recommend!
The Gardens at Elm Bank was the perfect venue! With beautiful outdoor and indoor spaces, along with the attached tent on the Hunnewell building you really can't go wrong. We worked...
very closely with Kayleigh and she was fantastic every step of the way. We'd postponed twice due to covid, and she was so flexible, calm, and accommodating through the whole process. I'd highly recommend getting married here!
The Gardens at Elm bank is an amazing venue. The gardens are absolutely beautiful as is the Hunnewell building. The staff at Elm Bank was so easy to work with and very accommodatin...
g when we needed to postpone due to Covid. They are super flexible and allowed us to customize many wedding details! I can't recommend this venue enough.
My now husband, Jon, and I were one of the many couples who were forced to postpone our July 2020 wedding for a year. As our July 2021 date was quickly approaching, the COVID restr...
ictions in the city of Boston were not easing up, and our dream of a city wedding wasn’t looking promising. Jon reached out to multiple venues outside of Boston proper and to our luck, there was a last-minute opening on our date at the Gardens at Elm Bank. I was extremely hesitant to switch venues and re-plan our wedding in only 3 months, however, Jon convinced me to at least tour the Gardens at Elm Bank. Kayleigh and Lindsay were extremely accommodating and arranged for us to tour the property at a time that worked around our schedules. Our first visit to the Gardens at Elm Bank was on a cold, yucky, SNOWY April day. While the weather was terrible, the beauty of the property was still evident. And after meeting Kayleigh and Lindsay, there was no doubt that switching venues was the right decision. Kayleigh and Lindsay were extremely responsive, flexible and helpful. They accommodated our tight timeline and ensured that my parents, who live out of town, were involved with every step of the process. In addition to the impeccable service, is the property itself. It is wonderfully maintained and is absolutely breathtaking! With every visit, I fell more and more in love with the beauty of the gardens and the charm of the Hunnewell building. On the day of our wedding, the venue truly looked like a picture out of a magazine! The best part is, we didn’t have to spend a fortune on décor/add-ons because it is simply stunning as-is! The guests at the wedding could not stop raving about how beautiful the venue was! The space was a perfect mix of everything – from cocktail hour outside at the Italianate Garden, to dinner inside the Hunnewell building, and then dancing in the adjoined tent. Given the current state of the pandemic, our guests felt extremely comfortable because the space is large enough to comfortably spread out both in and outdoors. While we initially thought our dream wedding was in the city, Jon and I are now convinced, more than ever, that this was the luckiest thing that has ever happened to us (aside from meeting each other ) Thank you Kayleigh and Lindsay for giving us the wedding of our dreams! We could not recommend The Gardens at Elm Bank enough!
We were married on October 3rd, 2020 in the midst of the Pandemic. Elm Bank was a venue we chose the year prior (pre-pandemic) because of the beautiful Carriage House and the gorge...
ous gardens. A tent wasn't in our budget so the ability to have the reception at such a stunning indoor venue while being married in the garden was ideal. We had to reimagine our wedding for 115 people to a wedding of 40 and the staff at Elm Bank and their preferred vendors were amazing at supporting us to downsize. We never did get to use the Carriage House but instead had a cocktail hour in the Belvedere Garden. Our 36 guests loved milling about and our pictures are STUNNING. I can't recommend Elm Bank enough and feel grateful we were able to celebrate despite #2020.
Elm Bank had everything we could have dreamed of for our Aug. 2018 wedding -- beautiful outdoor ceremony and cocktail hour locations in various gardens, so many options for taking ...
amazing photos, air conditioned indoor reception area, and friendly, helpful staff (thanks to Kayleigh and Mary Kate). There are liquor laws and noise requirements in various MA counties, and Elm Bank allowed us the most flexibility so we could have the ceremony at 5pm and dance till 11pm. They book up a year in advance, so we chose a Friday evening, which saved us money over a weekend. They were very informative and flexible to tour from the beginning, and responsiveness picked up as we got closer to the date (I'm a project manager by trade, so I like to do everything early and have lots of questions -- a year out sometimes communication could lag, but a month or two before the event they were super quick to respond and full focus was on us!). They were very flexible whenever we needed to check on things for staging tables/chairs, lighting, music, photos, etc. and recommended vendors as well as coordinated directly with them for several requests; they even put us in touch with the other couples having Saturday and Sunday events to coordinate with their vendors for discounts (so they didn't have to take down/set up different things) -- since they had a relationship with our caterer, Tastings, who also did decor, this was clutch! They were accommodating for special requests and were very visible the day of so we could easily find them if we needed anything. In particular, they helped keep our secret reveal during the reception that I was 10 weeks pregnant! They helped conceal with sparkling cider instead of champagne for me, etc. They didn't rush us out at the end of the evening and conveniently pre-packed up decorations, gifts, etc. so there was minimal work to be done when we finally cut the music. The only snafu we had was the chair arrangement for the ceremony wasn't exactly how we requested it, which the groom noticed and helped rearrange before many guests had arrived (such a small thing though in comparison to all of the amazing things this venue has going for it). I'd definitely recommend and would love to use them again for future events!
We could not imagine a more beautiful venue for our wedding. Kayleigh was a delight to work with. She was responsive, attentive, and worked hard to give us a day we wouldn't forget...
. The grounds are gorgeous and our guests raved about gardens.
We were looking for a place for a personal and unique ceremony & reception location. We did not want a cookie-cutter experience, and we fell in love with the Gardens at Elm Bank th...
e first time we walked through. You cannot find a better setting. Everyone we worked with was knowledgeable, helpful and had excellent recommendations. If the weather was poor it may have damped our experience, but we ended up getting married on maybe the most beautiful fall day of the year. We wouldn't change a thing and are so happy to have gotten married here!
Washburn
Elm Bank was such a magical place to get married!! From our ceremony in the Italianate Garden, our cocktail hour in the Maple Grove, and our reception in the Carriage House, everyt...
hing was perfect! Kayleigh was amazing to work with and every.single.guest commented on how beautiful and unique the space was. If you're looking for a one of a kind wedding venue, look no further!!
We LOVED having our wedding at the Gardens at Elm Bank!!! I could write that sentence 10 times and it still wouldn’t capture how true it is.
This venue is not only the most beaut...
iful setting that we could have possibly imagined for our wedding, but it is also run by the greatest events team. Kayleigh and her team were supportive and responsive throughout our entire planning process, and they kept our wedding running smoothly day-of. They also arranged a final walkthrough a couple weeks before our wedding with us and our caterer, and we were able to discuss all the final details in-person to ensure we were on the same page.
The entire grounds were perfect for our wedding with 120 guests. The fact that we had a built-in rain plan with the carriage house and attached tent was hugely important for us when planning, and we were glad to have it when it downpoured 3 hours before our wedding. We ended up being able to be outside in the Italianate garden as planned, but were thankful to not have to stress at the last minute about what we would do if it had kept raining.
Can’t recommend this place and this team enough, thank you Kayleigh and team!
Contact
900 Washington Street, Wellesley, MA
The Garden at Elm Bank