The 13 Best Lakeside Wedding Venues in the US
Craving beautiful scenery and laid-back, peaceful vibes for your wedding day? That's exactly what you can expect at a lakeside wedding venue. There is an abundance of lake venues in areas across the US—from New York to Pennsylvania to Michigan to California. But the ones that truly shine provide a stunning waterfront ceremony space surrounded by natural beauty, plus a gorgeous, on-trend reception area to match. Many of these venues also offer overnight accommodations and the ability to host pre- and post-nuptial events, meaning you can give friends and family a destination wedding experience with a weekend getaway filled with boat riding, beach lounging, and s'more roasting. And while summer is the obvious time to partake in such activities in most regions, many of the country's lakeside wedding venues have plenty to delight in during the autumn and winter months too. At the end of the day, no matter the time of year or locale, you simply can't go wrong with a lakefront setting for your special day. Read on for 13 dreamy lakeside spots to host your nuptials throughout the US.
Cedar Lakes Estate in Port Jervis, New York
When it comes to a lakeside wedding venue, Cedar Lakes Estate pretty much has it all. Take full advantage of the glistening watering-hole by holding an outdoor ceremony on the 85-year-old waterfront deck with amphitheater-style seating located under towering pine trees. Then begin cocktail hour in the al fresco pavilion, which is outfitted with bluestone floors, bistro lights, and a stone fire pit. Finally, move into the temperature-controlled 5,400-square-foot barn for your reception, which features floor-to-ceiling windows, crystal chandeliers, and wood farm tables. One added perk of this venue: there are no noise restrictions, meaning you can dance long into the night and even head to the property's "treehouse" space for an after-party with a wood-burning fireplace, outdoor deck, and fire pit.
Convict Lake Resort in Mammoth Lakes, California
With views of the lake and surrounding peaks, Convict Lake Resort is a truly alluring setting for your wedding day. The resort and special event venue, located right on Convict Lake in the Eastern Sierra Nevada has 28 overnight cabins, three lodges, a general store, hiking trails, horseback riding, and boat rentals, making it the ideal setting for your entire wedding weekend. When it comes to your special day, you can say "I do" on the private shale beach (with the proper permits) and then head inside the resort's event space, which is has with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the landscape. The Restaurant at Convict Lake will cater your soiree with Mahi Mahi, steak, pasta, and more.
Edgewood Tahoe in Lake Tahoe, Nevada
Edgewood Tahoe boasts 191 square miles of sparkling blue water and a lakefront deck that makes for a truly picturesque place to say "I do." After your ceremony, head inside the resort to dance the night away in one of two indoor spaces that both offer views of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountains. Choose between the 2,500-square-foot North Room with walls of windows next to a lakeside patio, or the 1,700-square-foot South Room. In favor of an outdoor affair? Edgewood Tahoe's lakefront lawn can also be tented for your reception.
Elk Lake Resort in Bend, Oregon
Elk Lake Resort's waterfront ceremony space is made for dream weddings. Nestled within the Deschutes National Forest, this lakefront spot includes a wood arbor rows of log seating for your guests. For your reception, opt for a tent under the stars near the lake's shore. As for photo-ops? You and your wedding party can hop aboard a pontoon boat for some wedding-day snaps, as well as enjoy canoe, paddle board, and kayak rentals throughout the weekend. The year-round destination also has several options for overnight lodging including glamping sites.
Historic Watres Lodge at Lacawac Sanctuary in Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania
Tucked away within 500 lush acres between Lake Wallenpaupack and Lake Lacawac is the Historic Watres Lodge at Lacawac Sanctuary, a Northern Poconos wedding venue and nature center dedicated to environmental education, preservation, and research. The lakeside spot, which is filled with trails and woodlands, bestows three spaces for couples to use for their weddings. The Watres Lodge, which is perfect for smaller dinners, features original hardwood floors and views to Lake Lacawac. Meanwhile, out on the lawn you can enjoy a larger sit-down dinner while taking in the natural scenery. Lastly, the rustic Carriage House, originally built as a home for horses, is ideal for dancing. The property also offers on-site accommodations inside its 1903 lodge.
The Inns of Aurora in Aurora, New York
For a lakeside celebration in upstate New York, look to the The Inns of Aurora on Cayuga Lake. Hold your ceremony on the sweeping lawn beside the lake, then head to the Aurora Inn—one of five inns that make up the resort—for the rest of the day. For cocktail hour, there's a bluestone patio surrounded by white roses and antique fountains as well as the Lakeside Room which is filled with historic artwork. For your reception, take to the venue's chandelier-adorned reception tent. The venue can also accommodate your other wedding weekend events, from the rehearsal dinner to a next-day brunch, and also allows use of a getting ready space with hair and makeup stations and catered bites and bubbly.
The Lake House Inn in Perkasie, Pennsylvania
The Lake House Inn, a 19th century general store and post office turned wedding venue and guest house offers 15,000 square feet of hosting space at the edge of Lake Nockamixon. Your ceremony can take place in the formal garden outside the inn overlooking the lake, followed by cocktail hour on the terrace or out on the grounds. The 7,000-square-foot ballroom, meanwhile, has a wood exterior, a 27-foot draped ceiling, glass chandeliers, a copper bar, and of course, views to the lake. Overnight accommodations are available onsite for up to 55 guests, and an after-party complete with a fire pit use and a morning-after breakfast are included in the overnight guest package.
Lake Mohawk Country Club in Sparta, New Jersey
Lake Mohawk Country Club, a private club, lakefront community, and event center, is located 50 miles northwest of New York City. The venue has a few wedding ceremony sites, including a sandy beach at the edge of the lake and a boardwalk overlooking the water. The property also has a spacious ballroom reception space with exposed wood beams and Palladian windows with lake views. Additionally, Lake Mohawk Country club maintains two getting-ready suites for use on the morning of your big day, as well as wedding day add-ons like a water ski show and a sparkler sendoff.
Migis Lodge in South Casco, Maine
Expect a lakeside setting with a woodsy feel at Migis Lodge in Maine's Lakes Region. The wedding venue includes 135 acres of private wilderness on Sebago Lake complete with 35 cottages and eight rooms for overnight guests. Throughout your wedding weekend you and your loved ones can enjoy activities like canoeing, waterskiing, and tennis before gussying up for a waterfront ceremony (which you can arrive to aboard a 1947 power boat). Later, hold your reception in the lodge and after-party outside beside a bonfire. Heads up though: weddings here can only be booked for May, early June, some dates in September, and in October.
Paradise Cove in Orlando, Florida
A beach wedding in landlocked Orlando? It's possible at Paradise Cove, a wedding venue on the edge of Lake Bryan. The property's abundant outdoor space is filled with palm trees, tiki torches, and tropical plants. It also features a palm-thatched cabana and a sandy beach. The venue, which encompasses a lakeside ceremony site and indoor and outdoor areas for drinks, dinner, and dancing, is known for providing speedboat arrivals and departures for the happy couple. Paradise Cove also has a lakeside two-story getting-ready suite, pontoon boats to shuttle guests to and from two local hotels, and a waterfront fire pit.
The Springs in Tulsa in Sperry, Oklahoma
The Springs in Tulsa is a rustic waterfront wedding setting on the edge of Skiatook Lake, just 30 minutes outside the city. The venue features a wood pavilion on a lawn beside the water where you can swap vows before heading into the ranch-inspired event space, outfitted with concrete floors and wood walls, for dinner and dancing. The wooded and beautifully landscaped property has numerous gorgeous backdrops for your photos, including a bridge over flowing water near the foot of the lake.
Vintage Villas in Austin, Texas
For breathtaking views of Lake Travis as your wedding backdrop you'll want to book Vintage Villas, which is located on a bluff over the water about 20 miles from downtown Austin. In addition to 44 guest rooms and an in-house caterer, the lake wedding venue presents couples with two different location options, both of which maximize the water views. Choose the Gazebo and Event Center and you'll get a wisteria-covered structure overlooking Lake Travis for your ceremony, a patio for cocktail hour, and an event space with dark wood floors and vaulted ceilings for your reception. Or, for smaller affairs, opt for the Arbor and Travis Room, a wedding package that provides access to a covered outdoor ceremony spot above the lake plus a smaller banquet hall with wood floors, large windows, and chandeliers.
Waldenwoods Banquet & Conference Center in Howell, Michigan
From its 400 acres of lawns and wildflower gardens to its views of Lake Walden, Waldenwoods Banquet & Conference Center is full of beauty and charm. Stroll down the 200-foot aisle towards your future spouse under a white pergola beside the lake, and then enjoy one of two possible sites for your reception. There's Cromaine Hall, a 10,000-square-foot event space with a fireplace and sight-lines to the lake, as well as the Lakeview Tent for outdoor weddings from May to October. End the evening with a fireworks show over the lake and then stay the night in one of the property's lodges.