Watch CBS News

Ask The Expert: Boston's Most Stylish Places To Get Married

Forget about the traditional days of getting married in the same old event hall––the biggest trend in weddings today is letting your own personal style as a couple take center stage. Couples looking for hip, stylish places to tie the knot will find Boston is full of unique places for their special day. In fact, with so many cool Boston locales for ceremonies and receptions, it can be overwhelming trying to find the right place. Luckily we got the scoop on Boston's most stylish places to get married - direct from Boston's own wedding expert, Edna Dratch-Parker.
EFD Creative- Event Planning & Design
(Photo Credit: EFD Creative- Event Planning & Design)

EFD Creative- Event Planning & Design
213 Newbury St.
Boston, MA 02116
(781) 856-1981
www.efdcreative-events.com

With an art school education and a background in everything from advertising to creative directing, Edna Dratch-Parker understands how all of the little details matter when it comes to one of the most important days in a couple's life. In 2012, Edna was awarded Wedding Planner Magazine's Trendsetter of the Year Award. It joined her already impressive collection of awards that include a 2012 Bride's Choice Award from Wedding Wire and BizBash Boston's 2011 Social Event Planner of the Year Award. Dratch-Parker and her team of professional wedding planners at EFD Creative are experts at branding your wedding so that you end up with a day that's all about your interests and lifestyle as a couple. And more than anything, Edna knows that the right venue sets the tone for the rest of the celebration.

Boston-Public-Library-Courtyard-Restaurant
(credit: thecateredaffair.com/bpl/courtyard)

Boston Public Library
700 Boylston St.
Copley Square, MA 02116
(617) 536-5400
www.bpl.org

"There's a gorgeous courtyard at the Boston Public Library that is great for ceremonies," said Dratch-Parker, adding that she has an event upcoming there in the next few months. "You're right downtown, but feel completely secluded." The beautiful and historic building is the perfect backdrop for a stylish wedding with a very classic, traditional touch. Besides the outside courtyard, which is seasonally filled with flowers, the inside of the library offers nearly a dozen different event spaces, each with their own look and feel, which can be used for the reception following your ceremony. These private event spaces are easily customizable to fit whatever atmosphere you want your wedding to have.

Hampshire House
(Photo from Facebook)

Hampshire House
84 Beacon St.
Boston, MA 02108
(617) 227-9600
www.hampshirehouse.com

If the address looks familiar and you can't place why, that's because Hampshire House is located directly above Cheers. The proximity to the Boston landmark where everybody knows your name is sure to please your out-of-town guests, but book lovers will find even more to love upstairs. The Hampshire House, which is perfect for smaller wedding parties of a 100 or fewer guests, is filled with shelves lined with old books. This historic Beacon Hill space is warm and cozy. It is absolutely perfect for an intimate affair that will long be remembered.

Institute of Contemporary Art Boston
(Photo Credit: Institute of Contemporary Art Boston/Facebook)

Institute of Contemporary Art
100 Northern Ave.
Boston, MA 02210
(617) 478-3100
www.icaboston.org

Whether you are an art lover or simply love modern, clean lines, you'll find a lot of appeal at the ICA. With five different event rooms to choose from, you'll find the perfect fit no matter what the size of your celebration. The ICA offers stunning views of the Boston City skyline and of the city's waterfront, all in ultra-modern settings that are among the most unique Boston has to offer. Of course, being surrounded by work from the leading contemporary artists of our time only adds to the drama and chicness of your event.

Related: Boston's Best Wedding Cake Vendors

11/17 - how to be a gentleman - museums - larz anderson auto museum
Photo Credit: Larz Anderson Auto Museum

Lars Anderson Auto Museum
15 Newton St.
Brookline, MA 02445
(617) 522-6547
www.larzanderson.org

Speaking of museums, the Larz Anderson Auto Museum also doubles as an event space. This hidden gem in Brookline gathers together antique cars in a historic building that looks more like a castle than the 1800s carriage house it once was. The Larz Anderson Auto Museum offers space for up to 150 wedding guests directly within the museum itself and in warmer months, can accommodate many more outside under a large white tent. The grounds are well kept, immaculately manicured, and a lovely spot for a ceremony or reception.

Related: Boston's Best Wedding Registries

Hotel Marlowe
(Photo Credit: Hotel Marlowe)

Hotel Marlowe
25 Edwin H Land Blvd.
Cambridge, MA 02141
(617) 868-8000
www.hotelmarlowe.com

According to Dratch-Parker, Hotel Marlowe is "very cool, very eclectic." It's a very apt description of the hotel, which won a Wedding Wire Readers Choice Award in 2012. The space combines warm, vibrant colors with elegance and luxury. Add in its great views of Lechmere Park and the Charles River Canal and you have a breathtaking venue for your wedding. Receptions of up to 200 guests can take place within a series of ballrooms located inside Hotel Marlowe with the option of having your ceremony right outside in Lechmere Park along the Charles.

Renee Mallett is the author of several books about art, culture, and New England. She was the owner and director of an art gallery and has written about arts and entertainment on a national level for several print and online journals. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.