Beautiful Wedding Venues Near Bellingham, WA
Your wedding is one of the most important events in your life and where you have your ceremony and reception is one of the most important decisions you’ll make regarding your wedding.
A winery, a beach, a vineyard, a ballroom, a Victorian home, or ? Weddings are done everywhere now with wineries and vineyards being the most popular.
In this article I’ll mention a few reception venues near Bellingham, Washington. Ceremonies are sometimes done at the same site as the reception; often the ceremony will be held outdoors at a site, then move (but on the same property) so the reception is done inside. Many ceremonies are still done in churches and the receptions are being held just about anywhere.
The Hotel Bellwether staff likes to say they’ll make all your wedding dreams come true. Their Harborside Bistro can provide a scrumptious arrangement of appetizers, a beautifully presented buffet, or a formal sit-down meal while you and your guests enjoy watching boats travel across Bellingham Bay. You might choose to have your ceremony and/or reception under a canopy on their waterfront terrace with the sun setting against scenic backdrop of the ocean. Or, you can select the elegant Bellwether Ballroom which hold ups to 300 guests. The Bellwether Hotel staff will handle all the details from decorations to cake cutting. Visit their website at hotelbellwether.com for more details.
Next is a site that is a member of the National Registry of Historical Sites, the Lairmont Manor, located near Old Fairhaven. In the early 1900’s the owner of the famous Fairhaven Hotel made plans to build one of the grandest and most prestigious mansions in the Northwest. He died before the home was completed but it was finished by his wife who shared her deceased husband’s vision of an Italian Renaissance mansion surrounded by acres of manicured gardens and magnificent trees. A convent bought the home and land in 1940 and they provided rooms for hospital patients, operated a nursing school, and trained young women to become sisters. In the late 1960’s the Douglas family purchased it and formed a foundation which runs the historical site to this day. They have various sites, both indoors and out, that can handle groups from 10 to 200. Inside you’ll find French windows, parquet hardwood floors, and elegant stonework. Outside you have the stately trees, expanses of lawn and beautiful gardens. In their great hall stands a seven-foot B Steinway piano. (Contact them at lairmontmanor.com for more information.)
Then, there is the Fairhaven Village Inn in the center of the historic Fairhaven district near Bellingham Bay. This wedding venue works if you’re having a small wedding. Their Library Room has a fireplace, and the ambience of yesteryear. It is a lovely intimate setting for a small, personal wedding ceremony and reception of up to 25 guests. With only 22 rooms, you might consider renting the entire inn for a destination wedding. All of the charms of the Fairhaven district would be right outside your door. (Visit them at fairhavenvillageinn.com for details.)
Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant is a well-known Bellingham restaurant but with the addition of a new building, it’s now a place for wedding receptions as well. They have three private rooms which will hold gatherings from 10 to 235 guests. These rooms offer Old World Charm for your wedding day. The Giuseppe staff can provide a sit down dinner with a selection of Italian dishes or serve a buffet style meal. They’re located in downtown Bellingham. They hold an annual bridal luncheon for brides so be sure to visit their website to sign up for the newsletter that will give you the date for the upcoming luncheon. (Contact them at giuseppeitalian.com.)
Last is the North Fork Brewery where they also have a wedding chapel. It’s just a short drive from Bellingham on Mt. Baker Highway 242. They have an ordained minister on staff and there is a beautiful stained glass window in the restaurant where many of the indoor nuptials are held. Or, the ceremony can be held outdoors by the fountain among lovely plants and flowers. The brewery offers rustic elegance and a catered menu that goes way beyond pizza. (Contact them at northforkbrewery.com.)
I hope these wedding venues near Bellingham are a help to you in planning your wedding.
