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Venues On the Ocean Without Minimum # of Guests

Ali092011Ali092011 member
5 Love Its First Anniversary First Comment
in Connecticut
My fiance and I are planning a wedding for October 2012. We haven't booked a venue yet, but we want the wedding on the water (I should say the OCEAN, because we don't go for lakes or ponds or rivers ;)). We are going to look at Amarante's and probably Anthony's on Friday, and I have heard great things about both places.

Problem is, I have also heard that Amarante's has a minimum of 100 guests. We would LOVE a wedding there, but we stretched our guest list (invited plus-ones, added people solely because they invited us to their weddings, let my parents add their close friends) and we still only have 85 people on the list. I don't want to go crazy and invite people I don't even care about (nor do I want to pay for them), but I have heard that MOST of the venues I will visit will have a 100-guest minimum.

Does anyone know of nice, ocean-front venues that do not have a minimum guest count?
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Re: Venues On the Ocean Without Minimum # of Guests

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    calindicalindi member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Branford House! Gorgeous mansion on the water with sprawling lawns and a lighthouse!!! It's in Groton, CT and costs $4000 to rent for the day - tables and chairs included, you can have a ceremony on the lawn for no extra cost, 10 full hours (though includes set-up, so probably more like 6-7). You have to hire outside vendors for catering, linens, bar tending, flowers, etc. But I found it to be a better value than most all-included venues - they don't care how many people you have as long as it doesn't break fire codes! And we could be super picky about our caterer because we're foodies and really wanted a fun unique menu! Plus our caterer is letting us stock our own beer/wine/liquor and is only charging $4 per person to set up non-alcoholic bar items (soda, juice, fruits, glassware) and staffing bartenders for us and covering us with their liquor insurance! Biggggg savings!

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    mwitter80mwitter80
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    edited December 2011
    Anthony's Ocean View will accomodate smaller guests list on Fridays and Sundays
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    PeachesKFGPeachesKFG
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    edited December 2011
    I'm getting married at Saybrook Point Inn in Old Saybrook and I highly reccomend it....and as far as I know, there's no minimum # of guests. THere is a maximum number, which is 200, so you should be all set! YOu might also want to try the Waters Edge in Westbrook. Personally I liked Saybrook Point better, but they are both beautiful!
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    christikaochristikao
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My cousin got married at Amarante's and she only had about 80 ppl but it was on a Sunday. With Anthony's you will probably be in the small room upstairs. Also check out Inn at Longshore in Westport. Pending on how much you are willing to spend, they might be able to accommodate you with a small guest list. 
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    rswan412rswan412 member
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    edited December 2011
    I would check with the Ocean House in Westerly, RI- still near CT! Also I agree with branford house- beautiful location and has AWESOME views of the water. Also check out the Inn at Mystic- has beautiful ocean views also!
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    Ali092011Ali092011 member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thank you all! We will definitely look into the Saybrook Point Inn and Branford House. At the moment, we are trying to stick with a Saturday evening wedding, since we have guests that like to party hard and we don't want to send everyone to work hung over on Monday morning; also, because the date we are desperately hoping to book is a sentimental date (my grandparents got married on that date).

    Mystic would be PERFECT for many reasons, but the only thing is that one of the girls I want as a bridesmaid, one of my closest college friends, JUST got married there on June 11, 2011. I don't know if she would be annoyed or flattered if I booked the same venue. ;)
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    klm03013klm03013 member
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    edited December 2011
    Inn at Longshore is very nice. There is no minimum people, but only a minimum spend depending on what time of day you decide to get married. I only had 100 people, and exceeded the minimum. If you don't meet the spend just on meals, you can add enhancements like a sushi bar, upgraded liquor, or extra desserts. They were great to work with, too and the reception ran flawlessly.
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    SuMmErKuTiESuMmErKuTiE member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We got married at Waters Edge in Westbrook and I'm pretty sure their minimum is only 75 guests. Absolutely gorgeous venue and they did a fantastic job! Plus there are so many inclusions in the price per person. I highly recommend them!

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    EBDGEBDG
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    edited December 2011

    i'm also getting married at saybrook point inn as well - and they do have a minimum amount of guests you pay for - but they do it differently. it is more like pooled money - if you guarantee 100 people but only get 75 - you just have to spend the remainder of the money somehwere. 

    it is a beautiful location!!

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    Karebear852k3Karebear852k3
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    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_venues-ocean-minimum-of-guests?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:65Discussion:08fbf22a-233a-4b04-8690-9e60cae4f378Post:3d3246ed-8218-48e5-a375-f225d21ec875">Re: Venues On the Ocean Without Minimum # of Guests</a>:
    [QUOTE]Thank you all! We will definitely look into the Saybrook Point Inn and Branford House. At the moment, we are trying to stick with a Saturday evening wedding, since we have guests that like to party hard and we don't want to send everyone to work hung over on Monday morning; also, because the date we are desperately hoping to book is a sentimental date (my grandparents got married on that date). Mystic would be PERFECT for many reasons, but the only thing is that one of the girls I want as a bridesmaid, one of my closest college friends, JUST got married there on June 11, 2011. I don't know if she would be annoyed or flattered if I booked the same venue. ;)
    Posted by Ali092011[/QUOTE]

    Ali!!!  I knew it was you!!!  So glad I found you on the boards!

    Got my internet so I'm back! :)  And we already talked, so you know I wouldn't be annoyed.  I want you to have the wedding of your dreams, so I hope you find something that works for you.  I wouldn't think twice about you having it where I had my wedding!

    YAY so excited for you, and to be a part of your special day!
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