This post is a sorely needed guide for the best wedding venues in Connecticut for small weddings. Why? Because the wedding industry has thoroughly entrenched itself into the idea that weddings should be massive parties that most venues have a guest minimum of 100+ people. I do consider weddings under 100 people to still be a small wedding, but even 20 or 50 people can be too many guests for some couples. And there are very few resources to help these couples figure out where to get married.
So without further ado, the best wedding venues in Connecticut for your small wedding. As an aside, any couple getting married at one of these venues is eligible to receive a 10% discount on my services.
Garden Wedding Venues:
The Copper Beech Inn: This venue is an excellent choice because it’s not a large banquet hall style venue. Everything about it feels more intimate, from the hotel rooms to the garden to its cozy dining rooms. You can rent one dining room – their largest room can accommodate 65 people – or combine all three of their dining rooms. For guests counts from 10 to 90, this venue is a very clear favorite.
The Pond House Café: This is a larger venue in terms of size but I love it! It’s nestled within Elizabeth Park’s gorgeous gardens, so you are just steps away from incredible backdrops for photos or even your ceremony! Another great thing is that their minimum is based on a food and drink cost, not the guest count.
The Salem Herb Farm: This wedding venue has such an idyllic garden, making it feel like you’re getting married in a fantasy world. They also have a max capacity of 50 guests for a garden ceremony and 140 guests in their barn, making it the perfect option for your small wedding.
Wickham Park: Specifically, the Emerald Room of the Irish Garden. There is no minimum guest count and it has a max capacity of 98 guests, so it’s perfect for a smaller wedding. Also, this wedding site is more private than the Hilltop + Log Cabin site due to its high walls around the venue building and adjacent Irish garden. It’s also centrally located among all of the themed garden areas that Wickham boasts, making it an ideal spot to get gorgeous photos.
Historic Wedding Venues:
Lounsbury House: This historic mansion packed with elegance is a perfect space for your smaller wedding. With the option to have your ceremony in their sunken garden and the reception and cocktail hour on the main floor, everywhere you look is dripping in classical beauty. With a max capacity of 150, this venue is a little on the larger size but it doesn’t feel that way when you’re there.
Roseland Cottage: This beautiful historic property not only boasts an incredible garden but also some stunning architecture in the main building. With a max capacity of 60 guests for a seated dinner, this venue is perfect for those who want a tiny, low-key but opulently gorgeous wedding day. Best of all, their venue rental rates are pretty amazing!
Hill-Stead Museum: This venue is excellent because it offers a few different spaces to accommodate whatever size your small wedding may be. It’s also a gorgeous hybrid of historic elegance with rustic charm and the property is both expansive and varied. There’s something for everyone at Hill-Stead Museum!
Rustic Wedding Venues:
The Webb Barn: This adorable historic barn is nestled among other historic houses smack in the middle of historic Wethersfield, making it feel like an escape without being way out in the sticks. With a max capacity of 135 in the barn, this venue is perfect for those who are somewhere in between a tiny wedding and larger wedding.
Interlaken Inn: This venue is nestled among the mountains of Northeastern CT and offers a vintage-rustic charm in the venue’s style with lots of natural beauty at the ceremony site. You and your guests can be awed by the scenic vista of the mountains over the lake while you say “I do.” This venue also has specific small wedding packages for guest counts under 30.
Winvian Farms: The whimsy and charm of this rustic venue cannot be overstated. Between the architecture of the barns and houses to the sprawling grounds with varied landscaping, this venue is another “has it all kind of place.” They also offer specific packages for “petite weddings” of 10-65 guests, not to mention the option to rent one or all of their 18 themed and luxury cottages to accommodate your guests.
Offbeat Wedding Venues:
Graduate Storrs: This is Connecticut, so chances are you’re a Husky or a Huskies fan. Which means that Graduate Storrs is the perfect venue to show off your Huskies pride. This incredible and modern hotel space offers an unparalleled and distinct style, themed off the best of UConn. the rooms are delightfully detailed and make you feel like you’re not even in a hotel. Bonus, they offer a micro-wedding package for weddings with under 30 guests.
Two Roads Brewing Company: This brewery venue is a great alternative to a conventional venue space. It has a fabulously industrial modern vibe for a more city-vibe to your day. With a few different space options for your wedding, this venue is equipped for your small, laid-back wedding.
Tamarack Lodge: This venue offer rustic charm with a little boho mixed in. With a few different ceremony and reception site options, you can really create a unique wedding style. This venue is actually an old camp a la “Dirty Dancing’s” Kellerman’s Resort. They do cater a bit more to larger weddings, with their smallest package having a 50 person minimum.
