My husband and I got married at Echo Lake Inn on July 21st 2012. Everything about the weekend was truly amazing. Everyone kept asking me if I was stressed and I kept responding I was nothing but excited and overjoyed. I knew the inn had everything under control and all I had to do was be there and enjoy this special day. For the whole weekend the inn hosted 65 of my friends and family. The inn itself is charming and full of character. It's a bit funky and rustic, but that's what we liked about it. It has so much history and gives guests a taste of a real VT country inn. Leading up to the wedding Ruxanna the wedding coordinator was great. Planning the wedding long distance it was super helpful to have a point person who quickly responded to all of my questions and helped me to finalize all of our plans. Then at our final meeting Ruxanna turned the reigns over to Laurence the innkeeper who would be our day of coordinator. How many other venues have the innkeeper there to personally oversee your wedding? He kept us on schedule and was there constantly checking in and making sure I had everything I needed. The incredible customer service and personal attention we received from all of the staff is really what made the whole experience so magical. They anticipated problems and solved them so it did not affect the day and they met any requests with a smile and quick response. Everything ran smoothly and exactly as planned.
As gusts arrived Friday afternoon, they were able to enjoy all the amenities of the inn. Many hung out by the pool, played badminton and basketball, or went canoeing out on the lake. That evening my guests were welcomed with a delicious BBQ dinner on the front lawn and the porch. It was nice to have a chance to relax and hang out with my guests in a more casual atmosphere before the more formal (but not stuffy) reception. Everyone had a blast. On Saturday while me and the wedding party got ready, the rest of the guests took advantage of activities in the local area. At some point during the day almost everyone went cliff diving (on recommendation from some of the inn staff). My one regret from the weekend is I didn't have time to join them. The ceremony itself was beautiful. I Knew I wanted a venue we could have an outdoor ceremony and being under the apple tree and by the wishing well was a gorgeous location. And the staff was happy to set up the chairs in a circle to help complete my vision and the intimate feeling I was looking to create. The cocktail hour was on the back lawn and I was wowed at how beautiful the food displays were. Chef Kevin Barnes is a true artist. And the staff made sure I had a drink on hand and plenty of apps to munch on.
Then we moved into the tent for the reception. It was decorated beautifully and really captured my idea of simple elegance. The tent holds 200 but they were able to set it up in a way that perfectly fit our small group without being cavernous or overcrowded. I have heard nothing but rave reviews about the meal. Portions were generous and the food arrived hot and delicious. No boring wedding food here. I appreciate they are a member of VT Fresh Network and use local seasonal ingredients. Everything was so well executed and I was able to dance the night away stress free and full of smiles. Due to noise ordinances music in the tent has to be off by 10:30, but then we just moved the party into the stone tavern. This was a great location for an after party. We played darts and pool, listened to music, talked, and snacked on popcorn that really hit the spot after a long night of drinking and dancing. Sunday morning everyone topped off their fabulous weekend with brunch in the restaurant. Again the food was excellent and people were able to relax and soak in every last minute of the festivities. Absolutely everything that weekend went flawlessly and I wouldn't change a moment of it. I highly recommend the inn to other couples looking for a county inn for a wedding and those just looking for a relaxed and romantic getaway. I know we will be back to visit soon. Thanks to Echo Lake Inn for making this a truly magical weekend.