There are so many reasons to celebrate!

Pelham House Resort

Courtesy of : Pelham House Resort

For the many couples who celebrate their wedding at Pelham House Resort in Dennisport, one of the major draws is that their wedding is the only show in town—at the resort, that is—for the entire weekend. In other words, the bride and groom and their guests occupy all of the resort’s 40 rooms for the weekend, creating a special, exclusive ambiance for the celebration.

“The biggest thing is having everyone in that one area,” says Tim Norton, the resort’s assistant manager. “We sell it as a weekend.” Typically, guests arrive on Friday, celebrate with the couple on Saturday, and enjoy the resort’s amenities throughout the weekend.

The main inn features 33 rooms, and a separate court-house offers seven individual rooms, each with king-sized beds. The bridesmaids, Norton says, usually stay in the court-house. The resort also offers an 80,000-gallon pool, a fitness room, and free Wi-Fi. On the wedding weekend, a full breakfast on Saturday and Sunday comes with the cost of a room, and plenty of parking is available for additional guests not staying at the resort.

Norton says the ceremony itself is performed either on the lawn, on the resort’s private beach overlooking Nantucket Sound, or at a local church, with the reception following at the resort. At about 10 p.m., staff set up a beach bonfire with fire pits and beach chairs. Guests don sweatshirts, toast s’mores, and enjoy the ocean breeze.

Asked to share an anecdote or two from a recent wedding, Norton says one ceremony in 2014 was accentuated by a beautiful, full rainbow that emerged from the clouds at just the right moment. “That,” he says, “was pretty cool.” Another fun detail? “Probably about 80 percent of the people that do get married here,” Norton says, “come back—often for their anniversary.”

Matthew Gill — Wedding Articles