By Michael McCarthy By Michael McCarthy | January 6, 2021 | Lifestyle,
With Mount Mansfield as a backdrop, couples love the magic of ceremonies and celebrations in Vermont’s Lodge at Spruce Peak.
Talk to any couple on the marriage path, and one constant binds everyone: They love options, preferably piled sky high. Naturally, venues cater to this mindset and, during the past year of determining what’s next in the world of big wedding days and celebratory nights, each staff has upped the ante on hosting nuptials. We checked in with a luxe downtown property and two New England resorts for the lowdown on sharing the love in 2021.
Hidden Pond
The resort, located on 60 acres amid gorgeous birches along the Maine coast near Kennebunkport, is about grand escapes. The aesthetic is a blend of summer camp, wilderness retreat and private community with a heavy dose of calm. The big news for couples: The property’s award-winning restaurant, Earth at Hidden Pond, is now open year-round to accommodate intimate weddings. After a ceremony and cocktail hour at the property’s idyllic Event Barn, up to 40 guests can indulge in chef Joe Schafer’s customized menu that includes a five-course meal and craft cocktails. Another safe bet to wow guests: the new Tree Spa. Three spa rooms, 8 feet above the ground, are connected via a catwalk woven through the birches. Treatments—from facials to massages—incorporate ingredients fresh from the resort’s gardens, including lavender, mint and rosemary. 354 Goose Rocks Road, Kennebunkport, Me., 888.967.9050, hiddenpondmaine.com
Four Seasons Hotel One Dalton Street Boston
Among countless customized options for couples, the new Back Bay property (including 41 one-bedroom suites, elevated on the eighth to 21st floors) offers two sunlit third-floor ballrooms, Beacon and Clarendon, and a culinary team that adheres to the brand’s level of excellence. Recently unveiled is the Private Salon Suite, which offers brides the option to reserve the entire salon. Located on the Wellness Floor, the salon features panoramic views of Back Bay. The experience includes a digital consultation, personalized music selection and complementary products from clean luxury hair brand Gloss Moderne. The staff also can create bespoke experiences for couples and their wedding parties. One new option we love: Fly by private helicopter to spend a day at Island Creek’s historic 11-acre oyster farm. The trip includes an afternoon at the farm’s bayfront raw bar, with wine, caviar and oysters, of course. A Four Seasons chauffeur will whisk guests back to the city. 1 Dalton St., 617.377.4888, fourseasons.com/onedalton
Lodge at Spruce Peak
The mountains serve as a backdrop for this legendary resort, with wedding spaces that range from a tree-lined ice rink for up to 300 guests to a private terrace ceremony overlooking Vermont’s Mount Mansfield. New for 2021: microwedding options that include everything from private receptions under the stars to snowy ceremonies by the fire. Customization shines with chef-curated menus, Champagne toasts, wedding cakes and tablescapes. The lodge features a Celebration Package with similar food and beverage options along with a fun twist: bachelor and bachelorette parties, combining revelry and a memorable setting. 7412 Mountain Road, Stowe, Vt., 802.282.4625, sprucepeak.com
Photography by: courtesy of Spruce Peak; Heidi Kirn Photography; courtesy of Four Seasons One Dalton Street Boston; Ellen Sargent Photography