Three Must-See New Haven Wedding Venues
Connecticut’s southern hub mixes traditional academia, harborside charm, and—yes, we’re getting there—pizza.
Photo by HK Photography
CLASS ACT
New Haven Lawn Club
Head count Up to 210 seated
Price Starting at $120 per person
Located in East Rock, just a few blocks from a certain Ivy League campus, the New Haven Lawn Club has sat as a bastion of Connecticut VIPs, elite society, and members-only tennis matches since 1891. These days, though, you don’t need to be a member to host the social event of the season in this stately Georgian mansion. Walk down the aisle in the art deco ballroom, which boasts vaulted ceilings, molding dappled with shooting stars, and crystal chandeliers. Afterward, sneak away for photos by the manicured hedges while the in-house catering and event-planning team transforms the grand ballroom into an elegant dining space and dance floor, ensuring the rest of your night is all champagne toasts and country club prestige.
Photo by Annmarie Swift
FAIR PLAY
Lighthouse Point Carousel
Head count Up to 275 seated
Price Starting at $3,700, plus food and drink
Love is a fairy tale, after all, so why not lean into the magic? Cheers to an enchanting night beside a twinkling antique merry-go-round—the perfect centerpiece for a young-at-heart couple. Built in 1916 and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Lighthouse Point Carousel overlooks Long Island Sound. It hosts a menagerie of exactly 72 figures—horses, dragons, and a camel (all notoriously respectful wedding guests)—as well as beveled-glass mirrors and oil paintings of sailboats and mermaids. With the New Haven Lighthouse as a backdrop, lovebirds can start with “I do” on the sandy shores of the harbor before leading guests to the 5,000-square-foot carousel pavilion for a night of dinner, dancing, and cotton candy (just a suggestion).
Photo by Annandale Photography
NO RESERVATIONS
Roìa
Head count Up to 175 seated
Price Starting at $12,000 for restaurant buyout
Picture this: a breezy, moonlit night. A plate of cacio e pepe. A bottle of pinot noir. A cozy booth for two. No, it’s not a Billy Joel song—but close! Roìa, a trendy restaurant in the heart of the city, serves up that same date-night charm on your wedding day. Housed in what was once the restaurant of the historical Taft Hotel, the two-story space is somehow both airy and intimate—perhaps thanks to the carefully considered mix of upholstered red booths and wooden dividers, original marble floors, towering white columns, and wide arch windows. Your custom dinner menu will, of course, be in good hands thanks to chef Avi Szapiro, whose French-Italian dishes speak a romance language of their own. Book the balcony for a small cocktail reception or take over the entire restaurant to make it truly family style.
THE CHECKLIST
PREWEDDING ADVENTURE
If you didn’t try the pizza, were you ever in New Haven at all? The city is known for its distinctive thin-crust, coal-fired slices, and Taste of New Haven’s Pizza Lovers’ four-mile walking tour covers four bucket-list pizza hubs and their storied histories—starting with the venerable Frank Pepe’s and ending at Sally’s Apizza.
REHEARSAL DINNER
An elegant rehearsal dinner for your nearest and dearest will feel like a midsummer cruise through the Mediterranean at Olea, in downtown New Haven. This sleek, modern gem sets the mood for your big day while you and your guests dine on smoky Spanish octopus with heirloom tomatoes, delicate flash-fried shishito peppers, and perfectly crisped branzino.
GUEST DIGS
Named for Yale’s first female graduate, Alice Blake, the newly opened Blake Hotel beckons guests with industrial brass finishes, touches of velvet upholstery, and a smart mix of wood and leather furniture. Just be sure to remind everyone to set an alarm—the beds have that sleep-till-noon allure.
UNIQUE VENDOR
They say love is sweeter than sugar, but no one said you can’t up the literal sucrose at your wedding. Donut Crazy’s cheeky tangerine doughnut truck can dole out its creative confections (Lemon meringue! French toast! Strawberry cheesecake!) and cold brew on the sidelines to keep your guests dancing well into the night.
Getting married? Start and end your wedding planning journey with Boston Weddings' guide to the best wedding vendors in the city.
