Wedding Venue Spotlight: Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum

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The Boston Tea Party was one of the most important events leading up to the American Revolution. Given that your wedding day harbors similar importance to the beginning of your marital bliss, perhaps it’s appropriate to blend the two. Yes, even if you’re coffee drinkers.

Located on the Congress Street Bridge on the Fort Point Channel over the same body of water where the Tea Party took place on December 16, 1773, the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum is a spectacular setting for your wedding. The site offers breathtaking waterfront and cityscape views set alongside 18th century Colonial America details.

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The charm and elegance of old Boston is found in Abigail’s Tea Room & Terrace. The namesake of local resident and wife of the second POTUS John Adams, the indoor event space above the museum hosts 140 guests for a standing reception or 100 for dinner. The setting is warm and elegant, with thick plank wooden floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a glowing fireplace. A pair of double doors leads to an outdoor covered terrace overlooking Fort Point Channel. The expansive wraparound outdoor deck has the look and character of Boston’s waterfront in 1773, while inside, your guests can relax at maple tables with bow style chairs lighted by black tabletop lanterns for colonial décor.

In warmer months, the maritime setting of the 1,000-square-foot deck area of Griffin’s Wharf is the perfect outdoor companion to Abigail’s. Lit by a warm lantern glow and rich in Colonial charm (think barrels for cocktail tables), this space is perfect for a 150-person standing reception. The sea mist has nothing on your celebration, with a retractable awning covering half of the back deck area and eight white pop-up tents.

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If you want a more interactive celebration, choose the “A Teapot Tonight!” package that combines the Abigail’s Tea Room & Terrace and Griffin’s Wharf rentals with an interactive experience aboard one of the replica 18th century sailing ships, the Eleanor and Beaver, both moored alongside the wharf, led by Sons & Daughters of Liberty. Your guests may board the ships, hear about the events leading up to the Revolution, and join in on dumping tea into the sea.

Another add-on is Revelry on Griffin’s Wharf, an exciting experience during which reenactors of different trades and social classes interact with your guests, pulling them into the pages of a history book of Colonial times. There are hands-on activities, games, storytelling, and interactive performances that bring Boston’s past to life. The Revelry package also includes the ship boarding adventure and tossing East India tea into Boston Harbor.

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Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum is located at 306 Congress Street in Boston.

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