Venue-hunting, especially in a place where you don’t live, can be super challenging. As a Rhode Island resident, I have put together a list of my top 8 Coastal Wedding Venues, to make your life easier!
A few things that you are going to want to keep in mind when reviewing this list:
1. The Seasons
Getting married in Rhode Island can be beautiful and wonderful, in theory. However, you have to keep your eye on the weather and know the best months.
April & May are still slightly chilly for a full-outdoor wedding. July & August can be beautiful months, but there are often heat-waves. My personal favorite month for an outdoor wedding is September, as the weather has calmed down but it’s still warm.
2. The Availability
Everyone wants to get married in Rhode Island, until they start to see the availability. In order to secure the dates and venue that you like, your best bet is to start venue-hunting about a year and a half in advance.
At the time of this post (March, 2025), many venues in Rhode Island are fully booked for the Summer of 2026. Keep in mind that if you chose to have a wedding on an off-peak day (Monday-Thursday), it may be easier to secure your chosen venue.
3. Food & Beverage Minimums
This is a hidden factor that most couples don’t take into account until much later in the booking process. Most Rhode Island venues have both a site fee and a food & beverage minimum.
While this isn’t uncommon in wedding venues, a lot of couples don’t realize how expensive it can get until it’s too late. Similar to availability – the F&B minimum is likely to be less on a Monday-Thursday, than on a weekend day.
4. Indoor/Outdoor Space
When getting married in Rhode Island at a Coastal Wedding Venue, it’s imperative that you ask your venue if they can give you a rain-plan.
You shouldn’t have to pay extra to tent an outdoor space or to move indoors, this should all be covered in your site fee.
1. Belle Mer – Newport, RI
Belle Mer is a beautiful venue right on Goat Island in Newport, RI. This is a unique venue because they have a dock bayside and there are several event spaces.
All of these spaces have a view of the bay and the Newport Bridge. You can click HERE for the link that will take you right to Belle Mer.
2. Newport Beach House – Newport, RI
Another Coastal Wedding Venue in Newport, RI, The Newport Beach House is another Longwood Venues Property. This venue can fit 1,000+ guests, so it would be amazing for a larger wedding!
Their in-house catering team is wonderful and very easy to work with! You can click HERE for the link that will take you right to Newport Beach House.
3. Aldrich Mansion – Warwick, RI
Aldrich Mansion is definitely a hidden gem in Warwick, Rhode Island. This is a great one-stop-shop venue. They have a chapel and a reception space, as well as several different areas for photos.
Right near the water, the Aldrich Mansion is a beautiful Coastal Wedding Venue. You can click HERE for the link that will take you right to Aldrich Mansion.
4. Kinney Bungalow – Narragansett, RI
Kinney Bungalow is a farm and event space in Narragansett, Rhode Island. This space is sitting on a 140-acre farm called Sunset Farm that makes the area absolutely breathtaking.
While Kinney Bungalow doesn’t have an in-house catering team, they do have a list of vetted caters from the area that are highly-recommended. You can click HERE for the link that will take you right to Kinney Bungalow.
5. Ocean House – Westerly, RI
Obviously, I had to include the Ocean House in Westerly, RI on this list of Coastal Wedding Venues. A classic that most of us have seen in Olivia Culpo’s beautiful wedding, this venue has everything you will need on property.
They have an in-house planner, reception areas, catering, and they can coordinate all of your activities & the room block for your guests! You can click HERE for the link that will take you right to The Ocean House.
6. Newport Vineyards – Newport, RI
Having worked with Newport Vineyards several times in the last few months, I can attest to how amazing this team is. They work extremely hard for their clients and the venue is beautiful.
They have both indoor and outdoor venues if you were to host a ceremony and reception at the same venue it’s very possible here. You can click HERE for the link that will take you right to the Newport Vineyards.
7. Bristol Harbor Inn – Briston, RI
Although I’ve personally never been to the Bristol Harbor Inn, I’ve heard wonderful things about this venue. Right on the water, they have several event spaces, a spa, and overnight accommodations for your guests.
It’s always nice to offer a room block for your guests if you’re having several days of activities. You can click HERE for the link that will take you right to the Bristol Harbor Inn.
8. Ocean Cliff
As the final Coastal Wedding Venue, I thought it was only fitting to include Ocean Cliff. One of the best features of this venue is that they offer heavily discounted rates for midweek and off-peak times of the year.
They also offer very cool packages that are inclusive of rentals, discounts on guest rooms, and activities. You can click HERE for the link that will take you right to Ocean Cliff.
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