Venue on North Shore/seacoast NH for small ceremony and reception

enriqua21

We're looking for a venue around North Shore/Merrimack or Seacoast NH for a ceremony and reception at the same place for approx 30-70 people in May/June of 2013. It seems like a lot of venues have higher guest minimums and I would prefer not to do the ceremony at one place and then have a reception at a restaurant. Does anyone know of a good venue that exists for this size? To make it more difficult it would be awesome if the venue was either on the water (ocean or otherwise) and total cost could come in between 10-15k...but maybe I am just asking too miuch!

gmfgal

Blue Ocean Music Hall in Salisbury.  They have several smaller rooms/areas.  You could do the ceremony in one, go into another for cocktail hour, and then return to the first room for dinner.  It's right on the ocean; in fact, at high tide, the ocean is under the building!  I was there last w/e for a wedding, and it was fabulous!

lanneyj

Check out the Emerson Inn By the Sea.  I don't know much about the cost, but I think the size would be ok and its on the water.  I have heard good things, but haven't been there myself.

SD210

I've been to a wedding at Emerson by the Sea and it was really nice.  It was an afternoon wedding, around 1pm or so, with about 65 people.  It was in April and the ceremony was outside on the lawn overlooking the sea.  The food was excellent.  They had a cocktail hour (very good seafood, oysters, shrimp, etc) then a plated sit down meal, with background music playing but no real dancing (I don't think there would be a lot of room for dancing inside.)   Also, they have a couple of cottages next door to the Inn that you can rent out, so the bride and groom had an cool "afterparty" with all of their out of town guests back at the rental cottage.  Very nice wedding, low key, very good food.    

Cassie77PEI

i just hosted an anniversary  party at the blue ocean music hall and it was awesome. it was beautiful, the staff was excellent, and it was a lot more reasonably priced than similar venues.

enriqua21

Thanks for the ideas! We're actually considering going to CA so we will see!