a COMPLETE guide to getting married in Newport, rhode island
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I may be slightly biased, being that I live just an hour away from this quaint seaside town, and that I get to visit often to photograph my wonderful couples – but I truly believe that Newport, Rhode Island is one of the best (and most underrated) places to get married on the east coast. Brimming with stunning mansions, scenic ocean views, delicious cuisine, and coastal elegance galore, Newport has so much to offer to couples who are looking for a classic seaside town to get married in. I hope you enjoy this complete guide to getting married in Newport, Rhode Island, where I’ve detailed everything you need to know to have a beautiful Newport wedding, from the best Newport wedding venues all the way to the yummiest places to eat in Newport!
WHERE IS NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND?
If you’re not familiar with the east coast, let’s start with a mini geography lesson to make sure you know where in the country we’re talking about in this guide. Rhode Island (also known as Aquidneck Island, unofficially) is the smallest state in the country, bordered by Massachusetts to the north and east, and Connecticut to the west. Newport is in the southeast portion of the state, located at the mouth of Narragansett Bay and surrounded by water on all sides – hence the coveted coastal atmosphere that people travel in from around the country to experience! For reference, it’s about a 45-minute drive from Providence, Rhode Island’s capital.
HOW TO GET TO NEWPORT
If you and your guests will be flying into Newport for your wedding, you’ll want to fly into Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport (PVD) just south of Providence, which is approximately 35 minutes away from Newport. While you can take public transportation from PVD to Newport (bus, taxi, or car), I always recommend renting a car to ensure you & your guests have the freedom to go wherever you’d like, whenever you’d like. From the airport, you’ll simply drive 30 minutes south via I-95, and voilà – welcome to Newport!
If you’re traveling to Newport by car only (whether via a road trip along the coast, or from your hometown nearby), you’ll have no trouble at all finding the cozy coastal town. Newport is very easily accessible from other major hubs in the region, such as Boston & New York, and has plenty of public parking available for when you’re out on the town. While downtown Newport is pretty walkable, you’ll definitely want a car to explore the rest of the area, and to travel between your hotel, wedding venue, rehearsal dinner venue, etc.
WHY YOU SHOULD GET MARRIED IN NEWPORT
By the end of this guide, I can almost guarantee you won’t need any more convincing that Newport is a fabulous option for your seaside wedding – but just in case, let’s go through a quick summary of why you should get married in Newport, Rhode Island!
First off, Newport is truly a hidden gem of the east coast. When you think of coastal weddings in the area, you typically think of a beachy Cape Cod wedding filled with seashells, shades of blue galore, and all things adorable-seaside-getaway. And while Cape Cod is a lovely option for east coast weddings, Newport has just as much to offer for couples looking for a charming seaside escape with their loved ones!
Best known for its iconic waterfront views, glamorous Gilded Age mansions, top-notch seafood, and yacht-filled harbors, Newport is a unique part of Rhode Island that attracts visitors of all kinds; folks who are interested in the town’s history of hosting wealthy elites & luxurious parties, families who want a quick seaside escape, wine connoisseurs who want a taste of the Newport Vineyards, and couples who are dreaming of a destination wedding by the beach. As soon as you arrive in Newport, you’ll fall in love with the scenery, the charming shops & eateries, and the plentiful public beaches! Newport really has something for everyone, whether you’re looking to plan an intimate wedding at a cozy, coastal-themed Airbnb, or a large & luxurious celebration at a 5-star waterfront resort.
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO GET MARRIED IN NEWPORT
Now that you know just a small fraction of the reasons why Newport makes for such a fantastic wedding destination, let’s take a brief journey through the seasons in Newport to decide what time of year you should get married here.
The common consensus is that the best time of year to visit Newport is fall, between September-November, thanks to the stunning fall foliage you get to experience along the coast, as well as the cozy fall activities we all love. Whether you enjoy the supernatural and want to take your wedding guests on a ghost tour through Newport’s most haunted sites or you want to visit a family-run farm to pick pumpkins & take a hayride through the fields, Newport is extra charming in the fall and I can’t recommend it enough. The weather won’t quite be warm enough to wear shorts on the beach, with highs in the mid-60’s and lows around 50°F, but the autumn colors make up for it!
Peak visiting season in Newport is typically summer, between May-August, as this is when lots of families are vacationing & people have more time off of work to travel – so summer isn’t necessarily the best time to get married in Newport, simply because it’s much more crowded everywhere and travel/accommodation costs often go up. However, if you want the best weather to enjoy the beach, summer is the way to go as highs are usually in the 70’s and lows in the 60’s. Traffic in Newport also gets crazy during the summer, so it’ll take you a lot longer to get anywhere and you’ll have to factor extra time for traffic into your wedding timeline. If you do get married in Newport in the summer, carpooling might be a great way for you to save some stress when it comes to driving between locations!
If you’re not dying to have a warm, summer beach getaway, getting married in Newport in the winter is definitely an option – especially if you’d like to avoid crowds & other tourists as much as possible. Winter gives you the chance to explore the trails & beaches in a completely different environment, then head back to your Airbnb or hotel with your guests to cozy up around a fire. There are also plenty of indoor wedding venues & indoor activities available, such as art & history museums and spas, so you won’t run out of things to do. Temperature highs typically range from 38-45°F between December-February, so be prepared for chilly walks on the beach!
Finally, spring is a gorgeous time of year to get married in Newport if you’re okay with cooler temperatures and not-quite-ideal beach weather. You’ll often get overcast skies, rain, and a breeze on the coast, with temperatures ranging between 32-44°F most of the time, but the blooming flowers and the greenery that comes back to life are absolutely beautiful.
TOP 6 NEWPORT WEDDING VENUES
CASTLE HILL INN
First up on this list is Castle Hill Inn, a luxury hotel located on a huge 40-acre estate with the most phenomenal views of the coast you could ask for. Couples who get married at Castle Hill Inn will have access to a variety of charming ceremony & reception sites, including the Chalet Terrace, the Lighthouse, and the Chalet Lawn – all of which embody that classic coastal New England atmosphere you’re going for with a Newport wedding. With a world-renowned wedding planner on-site to help you curate your dream day, flexible spaces to accommodate all of your favorite people & make your day feel like you, and luxury accommodations for you and your guests, you cannot go wrong with a wedding at Castle Hill Inn!GLEN MANOR HOUSE
While the Glen Manor House isn’t technically in Newport, it’s located close enough in Portsmouth to be considered in the network – and is way too gorgeous of a venue for me to leave out of this list. Sitting on the banks of the Sakonnet River, the Glen Manor House is a historic estate brimming with lavish gardens, sweeping waterfront views, and stunning interiors. The manor is the absolute epitome of romance and elegance that boasts a variety of versatile spaces ready to be customized for your unique day, including dreamy interior rooms, covered patios, manicured gardens, and sprawling green lawns. I cannot recommend the Glen Manor House enough if you’re looking for a magical waterfront experience for you & your guests, surrounded by rich history and spectacular scenery!
If you’d like to get a better peek at this venue, check out Ari & Will’s Rhode Island French Chateau Styled Engagement Session, which took place at the manor!REGATTA PLACE
Located on Newport’s historic Goat Island, Regatta Place is a dream come true for couples looking to have a classy waterfront event, surrounded by luxury yachts and spectacular views of Newport Harbor. The venue has a very private, secluded feeling thanks to its location on the water, so you’ll feel like you’re celebrating at your own personal home on the water. It’s been voted the “Best Place for a Wedding Reception” by Newport Life Magazine, likely thanks to the elegant outdoor atmosphere created under the cream & white-striped tent and the delicious cocktails & hors d’oeuvres offered on the dockside patio. You can even end your day out on the water, thanks to the beautiful boat they’ve got docked right nearby!BELLE MER
If your dream wedding day includes acres upon acres of well-manicured lawns, sweeping views of Narragansett Bay, multiple glamorous event spaces, and high-end cuisine, the Belle Mer absolutely must be on your list of venue options. With seven acres of land and spacious ceremony & reception sites, Belle Mer can host an astounding 1,500 people – so trust me, you will never run out of space no matter how big of a party you want to have. The Water Salon + Lawn embody everything luxury & elegance, with pristine lawns and vibrant gardens perfect for intimate ceremonies or receptions as well as a large, glamorous indoor reception space filled with sparkling crystals, soft whites, and glass doors that open up to stunning ocean views. Or, you can opt for the Island House + Lawn, which is a more private space away from the main part of the venue that offers a more intimate, romantic atmosphere.NEWPORT BEACH HOUSE
Blending a laid-back beachy atmosphere with glamorous luxury, Newport Beach House is a breathtaking venue on the water that offers both stunning beachside sites as well as elegant indoor spaces where you can host your dream wedding. Tie the knot on the pristine, southwest-facing beach, enjoy an intimate dinner in the modern Oyster Lounge, hold an open-air reception on Surfside + Terrace I, or mingle with your guests in the light & airy Eventide, Deck + Terrace II. Each space is completely unique, and truly embodies the coastal environment through dramatic views, massive windows, and easy access to the beach – you can’t go wrong with any of them!NEWPORT MANSIONS
Last but certainly not least are the Newport Mansions, which are some of the most iconic destinations in all of Newport. Comprising 11 different mansions & gardens, the Newport Mansion network offers a few different, oh-so-extravagant venues for couples looking to tie the knot in a historic, one-of-a-kind location, but unfortunately not all 11 venues are available to rent. However, I absolutely recommend adding them to your Newport itinerary if you have time to visit them separately from your wedding day!The main venue that can be rented for weddings is the Rosecliff, a timelessly-elegant museum that was built way back in 1902 and modeled after a baroque Versaille pavilion. The museum serves as a stunning place to hold an unforgettable wedding nowadays, but it also hosted some of the most lavish events of the Gilded Age once it was completed in the early 1900’s, including a party attended by Harry Houdini. What a unique place to tie the knot!
With a spacious ballroom, a salon that can be used for both ceremonies & dinners, a dining room for your dessert buffet, and over 8 acres of pristine landscape, the Rosecliff will absolutely blow you away the moment you step foot on the property. Your guests will be in awe of the terra cotta mansion, the heart-shaped staircase, and the spectacular ocean views – plus, they’ll end the night dancing underneath sparkling chandeliers made of gilded bronze & crystals.
While the Rosecliff is available for ceremonies, receptions, and rehearsal dinners, the Marble House is a National Historic Landmark available solely for evening events such as seated dinners & cocktail-style receptions. This elegant home hosted glamorous balls as well as women’s suffrage rallies back in the late 1890’s, and now serves as a breathtaking spot to hold an oceanside Newport wedding. The home can accommodate 60 guests for a seated dinner in the Gold Room, 120 guests for a seated dinner on the Terrace from May-October, and 100-250 guests outdoors for a cocktail reception depending on the season.
TOP 6 NEWPORT ENGAGEMENT PHOTO LOCATIONS
CASTLE HILL LIGHTHOUSE
Located on the Castle Hill Inn property, the Castle Hill Lighthouse is a must-see during your time in Newport, thanks to its picturesque ocean views and surrounding scenery. This is an incredible spot for golden hour and evening engagement photos, as sunset here on a clear day is phenomenal, with colors painting the sky & clouds everywhere you look. Bonus points if you make a dinner reservation at Castle Hill Inn ahead of time so that you can enjoy their world-class dining after wrapping up your session!GLEN MANOR HOUSE
The Glen Manor House is another wedding venue that doubles as a fabulous place for engagement photos, and since I already gushed about it above, I’ll keep it short this time. However, it is important to note that in order to take engagement photos on the property, you’ll need to pay a grounds fee – $250/hour to use the inside of the manor & the grounds, with a 3-hour minimum, or $150/hour to use the grounds only, with a 2-hour minimum.CLIFF WALK
If your dream engagement session involves you and your love walking along the beach, hand-in-hand as you take in the scenery around you and breathe in the ocean air, then Newport’s Cliff Walk is the place for you. Stretching along 3.5 miles of the coast, the Cliff Walk boasts both panoramic ocean scenery and views of the Gilded Age mansions I’ve been going on & on about. You can enter the trail from a variety of different points in Newport, and you can stop whenever you want, making it a great option for couples who want to explore the area and maybe head to a bar or restaurant once they’re ready to wrap up their photos.NEWPORT MANSIONS
The Newport Mansions mentioned earlier in this guide also provide a few stunning venues that you can rent out for your engagement session: the Elms, Chateau-sur-Mer, the Marble House, and the Green Animals Topiary Garden. Reservations at any of these locations are limited to one hour between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., and you will need to pay a reservation fee – $500 for Preservation Society of Newport County members, or $1,000 for non-members. While I’ll absolutely help you plan your session and ensure we follow the proper guidelines, I recommend reading the rules & regulations here to make sure you know what to expect for your session.SALVE REGINA UNIVERSITY
This private university in Newport boasts a spectacular set of grounds, with 80 acres of coastal campus that span across 7 different Gilded Age estates and beautiful greenery. It’s a lovely spot to walk around and explore for your engagement photos, with gorgeous buildings & hidden corners everywhere you look!BOWEN’S WHARF
Finally, Bowen’s Wharf is a popular harbor on the Newport waterfront that serves as a fun backdrop to engagement photos. With a variety of little boutiques, unique galleries, and great nightlife, you have to take some time to walk around the wharf even if you don’t visit during your engagement session! A huge bonus is that there are plenty of great restaurants for a yummy dinner after your session – because why not extend it into a romantic date night by the water?
HOW TO GET YOUR RHODE ISLAND MARRIAGE LICENSE
Equally as important as picking the right Newport wedding venue is making sure all the legal stuff is covered before the big day arrives – i.e. don’t forget to obtain your Rhode Island marriage license!
In order to get legally married in Rhode Island, both you and your partner must be over the age of 18, or you must obtain a Permit to Marry if either of you are younger.
Where you can apply for your license depends on where the two of you are from: if neither of you live in Rhode Island, you’ll need to get your marriage license in the county where your ceremony will take place – Newport County, in this case. If one of you lives in Rhode Island, you can apply for your license in the county where you reside, and if both of you live in Rhode Island, you can apply in either of your counties of residence.
Here’s how to apply for your Rhode Island marriage license for your Newport wedding:
Fill out a marriage license request form online with the City of Newport.
When your appointment date arrives, bring your birth certificate, valid government ID, and proof that any previous marriages have ended.
Pay the $24 license fee, along with fees for any additional certified copies you’d like.
Once you’ve obtained your license, which will indicate the location where it’s valid, your license is valid right away (there’s no waiting period), and it will be valid for 3 months. You’ll need 2 witnesses over the age of 18, along with your officiant, who will need to register the license with the city or town clerk where it was issued within 72 hours of your ceremony in order to finalize it!
WHERE TO STAY FOR YOUR NEWPORT WEDDING
I’m a big believer that finding a great place to stay plays a huge role when you travel anywhere, whether it’s for a little bit of personal R&R or a family vacation – but especially when it’s for your own wedding. You deserve to have a luxurious experience from start to finish, and that includes the place where you wake up the morning of the big day & hit the hay at the end of the night. If you’re inviting your family and friends to stay at the same place as you, you’ll get to spend even more quality time with them, and can fully take advantage of the incredible opportunity it is to be all together in the same place for a little while!
Fortunately, Newport has a lot to offer in terms of accommodations and lodging for all types of vacationers, from high-end hotels on the beach that can fit all your loved ones to cozy Airbnbs for just the two of you, and even a few houseboats if you want a super unique experience on the water. Below are some of the top-rated places to stay in Newport for your wedding, including glamorous hotels, Gilded Age estates & mansions, and beautiful Airbnbs.
Best Newport, RI Hotels
Best Newport, RI Estates & Mansions
Best Newport, RI Airbnbs
BEST RESTAURANTS IN NEWPORT
One of the best ways to fully dive into the local experience & culture anywhere you go is through food, and lucky for you, Newport is well-known for its delicious coastal cuisine. From cocktail parties on boat decks, to margaritas at high-end bars, to mouthwatering seafood and traditional New England dishes, there’s truly a place for every palette. Here are a few of my top recommendations for all your cravings in Newport – although the list truly could go on and on, so don’t let this limit your options!
For breakfast & brunch:
Stoneacre Brasserie
8 Fun Things to Do in Newport for Your Wedding
The next part of your Newport wedding itinerary that you’ll want to plan out: your activities! You’re for sure going to want to take advantage of your time in this historic seaside destination by booking tours, going on excursions, or simply going out to explore on your own. No matter how you want to experience Newport, there are plenty of fun opportunities available for people of all ages, physical abilities, and interests, including hikes, sunset cruises, breweries, and so much more. Here are 8 wonderful things to do during your time in Newport to celebrate!
1. Take your rehearsal dinner on the water with a sailing cruise out of Bowen’s Wharf
2. Tour the Newport Mansions
3. Take a trolley tour through the historic city
4. Enjoy a wine tasting at a Newport winery
5. Take a day trip to Watch Hill
6. Take in the coastal scenery via a Rail Explorer
7. Go shopping on Thames Street
8. Take a stroll along a scenic walking trail
Looking for more ways to ensure that your guests have a grand time attending your Newport wedding? Read through my article on 7 Ways to Elevate the Guest Experience at Your Wedding.
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER
You’ve made it through this entire Newport wedding guide – congratulations! Now that you know everything there is to know about getting married in Newport and you’re ready to plan your ideal day in this seaside city, it’s time to begin looking for the perfect Newport wedding photographer to capture it all. I grew up in New Hampshire and now live in Connecticut, just an hour away from Newport, so you can trust that I’ve got the inside scoop on everything Newport-wedding related and am ready to guide you through the planning process as soon as you inquire.
LOCAL VENUE OR VENDOR?
If you are a local venue or vendor and would like to reach out to connect about being added to this guide send a note and I’d be happy to connect!
info@corajanephoto.com
Cora is a Connecticut Wedding Photographer based near Mystic, Connecticut, photographing love stories throughout New England (and beyond). Cora is a wife, mom and photographer and finds joy in relationships - with her husband, her daughter & son, family, friends, and couples. Her photographic style emphasizes warmth and romance experienced by genuine people in classic New England places. When on the road or in the air you will likely find her exploring Boston, Massachusetts; New Haven, Connecticut; Block Island, Rhode Island; Newport, Rhode Island; Hudson Valley, New York; or New York City, New York. Learn More