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For a Boston hotel wedding, choose by setting and guest count: the Boston Harbor Hotel for a harbor-view ballroom of up to 250 guests, the Fairmont Copley Plaza for a 1912 grand ballroom on Copley Square, The Liberty for a Beacon Hill wedding with an outdoor garden for up to 200, and the Seaport Hotel for waterfront ballrooms with seasonal terraces. Each has its own wedding team, and each puts your guests in rooms upstairs, which is the main reason to marry in a hotel rather than a stand-alone venue.
Below, the hotels are grouped by the kind of wedding they suit, with the room names and capacities the hotels publish. Capacities depend on the layout (a seated dinner with dancing holds fewer people than a standing reception), so treat them as a first filter and confirm with the hotel's sales team.
Which Boston hotels have a waterfront wedding venue?
Boston Harbor Hotel. The Boston Harbor Hotel on Rowes Wharf publishes four wedding rooms on its weddings page. The Wharf Room, its grand ballroom, is 6,747 square feet for up to 250 guests, with 19-foot ceilings, chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling windows on three walls facing the harbor. The second-floor Atlantic Room holds up to 150 and looks over the marina, the Meritage Room holds up to 100, and Foster's Pavilion, enclosed by windows with views of the skyline and waterfront, takes up to 100 for a ceremony or cocktail reception. The hotel also sells a Presidential Suite wedding package for up to 12 guests in its John Adams Presidential Suite. Guest-room rates for the Boston Harbor Hotel are on Expedia.
Seaport Hotel. On the South Boston waterfront at 1 Seaport Lane, the Seaport Hotel has three ballrooms, the Plaza and Lighthouse among them, with natural light, plus private dining rooms and terraces with city and harbor views. Some ballrooms open onto seasonal outdoor space for cocktails and photographs. Each couple is assigned a wedding consultant.
Boston Marriott Long Wharf. The Boston Marriott Long Wharf, beside the New England Aquarium, holds weddings and receptions in the five-story atrium of its Palm Garden.
Which hotels have a classic grand ballroom?
Fairmont Copley Plaza. The Fairmont Copley Plaza opened on Copley Square in 1912 and has 25,000 square feet of Renaissance-inspired event space and 383 guest rooms and suites. Its wedding page lists the Grand Ballroom, the Oval Room overlooking Copley Square with crystal chandeliers and French doors, the octagonal Venetian Room for up to 300 guests, and the mahogany-walled St. James Room for up to 120. It is the choice for a formal, traditional wedding in Back Bay. Guest-room rates for the Fairmont Copley Plaza are on Expedia.
The Langham, Boston. In the Financial District, The Langham occupies a restored historic building and has 15 event venues, including ballrooms, with a wedding planning team listed on its weddings page.
Hilton Boston Park Plaza. For a large wedding with a big guest-room block in one building, the Hilton Boston Park Plaza, which opened as The Statler in 1927, has 1,060 rooms and suites and 70,000 square feet of event space, a short walk from the Public Garden.
Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton. The Four Seasons Hotel Boston has a Grand Ballroom with views of the Public Garden, and The Ritz-Carlton, Boston has second-floor event spaces, including a ballroom overlooking Boston Common, where it hosts weddings.
Which hotel suits a boutique or garden wedding?
The Liberty. The Liberty, the former Charles Street Jail at the foot of Beacon Hill, publishes its numbers on its weddings page: indoor capacity of 180 for dinner and dancing, and outdoor capacity of 200 for a reception or 180 for a ceremony. Couples can use The Yard, the hotel's private courtyard garden, or the Liberty Ballroom, about 3,000 square feet with floor-to-ceiling windows and room for up to 200. A dedicated wedding specialist handles planning. It suits couples who want a wedding with a strong sense of place and bars on site for the after-party. Guest-room rates for The Liberty are on Expedia.
How to compare Boston wedding hotels
- Guest count first. Ask for the capacity for your exact format: seated dinner with a dance floor, or standing reception.
- Ceremony and reception in one place. Ask whether the ceremony can be held in a second room or outdoors, and what the weather backup is for an outdoor plan.
- Room block. Ask how many guest rooms the hotel will hold for your guests and at what rate.
- Season. Outdoor terraces and gardens are seasonal; a winter wedding in Boston belongs in a ballroom.
- Getting there. Copley Square, Beacon Hill and the downtown waterfront are all near T stations, which matters for guests without cars; the Seaport is served by the Silver Line.
How do you get a marriage license in Boston?
Couples marrying in Boston apply for a marriage license, called a marriage intention, together and in person at Boston City Hall, by appointment booked online through the city's Registry Department. The fee is $50. The license cannot be used until three days after it is issued and expires 60 days after you file. A court can waive the three-day wait with a Marriage Without Delay waiver, which costs $195. A Massachusetts license is valid only for a wedding held in Massachusetts.
Planning the rest of the weekend for guests? Our guide to romantic things to do in Boston has ideas for the days around the wedding.