Most Popular Wedding Venues Around Lake Winnipesaukee

The same seven venues appear across regional wedding guides for Lake Winnipesaukee: The Barn at Pickering House in Wolfeboro, Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough, Church Landing at Mill Falls in Meredith, The Wolfeboro Inn in Wolfeboro, The Margate on Winnipesaukee in Laconia, Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford and Timber Hill Farm in Gilford. Below, we compare the other six venues using specific facts and figures, giving couples a clearer basis for comparison.

Sort out the geography before you book rooms

Lake Winnipesaukee spans 71 square miles, with roughly 63 miles of roadway around the lake. Wolfeboro, Meredith and Laconia sit on separate shores, so guests who book a hotel by searching the name of the lake can land 40 minutes from your ceremony. Make sure to tell people which town to stay in.

How the other six compare

Castle in the Clouds, Moultonborough. 175 seated in the Winnipesaukee Room, with ceremonies on the lawn of a 1914 mansion set on 5,500 acres above the water. A mountain road serves the estate, so budget for shuttles.

Church Landing at Mill Falls, Meredith. 240 for a banquet in the Winnipesaukee Ballroom, sitting directly on Meredith Bay as part of a four-property resort with a rooftop terrace over the docks.

The Wolfeboro Inn, Wolfeboro. Up to 200 on the waterfront, a half mile up Main Street from us, with micro weddings for parties of 50 or fewer.

The Margate on Winnipesaukee, Laconia. Up to 500 across the Lakeside Pavilion and West Lawn, the largest of the seven, on Paugus Bay with a private beach.

Gunstock Mountain Resort, Gilford. 300 or more, with ceremonies either at a chairlift summit or at a pond site on level ground for guests who would rather skip the lift.

Timber Hill Farm, Gilford. 151 to 200 in a timber frame barn with lake and mountain views.

What we offer

Pickering House’s restored 1800s barn has 40 by 60 feet of open floor and seats 150 for dinner. A wedding here books the entire property: all ten guest suites, sleeping about 21, plus exclusive use of the hotel and grounds. The barn is yours for the event, with the farm tables, cross-back chairs, string lighting and dance floor already in the room. Heat, air conditioning and a heated entry ramp make winter dates workable. Micro weddings for up to 30 or up to 50 guests include a buffet dinner built around the season and a three-hour open bar.

The lake is a short walk from our door, and your guests can cross the whole village on foot. From ceremony, to dinner, to their suite in the 1813 house on the same grounds (listed on the National Register of Historic Places). No other venue here puts you in a walkable downtown.

Before you book

A New Hampshire marriage license costs $50, stays valid 90 days and can be issued by any town clerk in the state, so residency is not a factor. September and early October bring the best weather and the foliage, which is why those dates book furthest ahead at every venue here.

Common questions

Which is best for a small wedding?

Any venue with a real micro wedding package, since a room built for 300 charges accordingly. Ours covers up to 30 or up to 50 guests with dinner and a three-hour open bar included. The Wolfeboro Inn runs micro weddings up to 50.

Which venues include lodging?

Ours does, and it is not optional: a wedding books all ten suites and the run of the hotel. Mill Falls operates four lodging properties in Meredith, and The Wolfeboro Inn and The Margate both have rooms on site. The mountain and farm venues need a hotel block nearby.

What are the most popular wedding venues around Lake Winnipesaukee?

The Barn at Pickering House in Wolfeboro, Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough, Church Landing at Mill Falls in Meredith, The Wolfeboro Inn in Wolfeboro, The Margate on Winnipesaukee in Laconia, Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford and Timber Hill Farm in Gilford.

Call 603.569.6948 or use our inquiry form to check a date.