Belle Mer in Newport, RI was gorgeous - simple, modern, chic. The day started early and I was tired and sleepy. Unfortunately, the day didn’t progress very well. I was disappointed, then excited, then back.

I was supposed to meet with Nichole for a tour but it turned out that Nichole didn’t get the confirmation so noone was there when we arrived. I made the trip all the way from NY to see the place, so I insisted someone show me the place and all the other details. So we waited a little more than an hour until…

Katherine came by on her day off so we could see the place. She was very nice and I love her attitude and passion for weddings. We entered the place and we were amazed. It was more beautiful than in the pictures.

There were two venues available. Painted in neutral tones, both venues make for great backdrops and blank canvases for brides to create the wedding of their dreams. They are draped with white sheer linen that gives the place elegance. They have separate cocktail areas. The drapes separating the cocktail and the dining areas are parted after the cocktail hour to invite guests for dinner.

1. The Salon is the bigger venue with a beautiful fireplace. The oceanfront side of the venue was lined with sliding glass doors blending the indoors with the outdoors. The glass doors give guests a view of the beautiful lawn and of course the shining Naragansett River.

2. The Island House (smaller venue) looked less beautiful in the pictures, but we were pleasantly surprised to see how gorgeous it was and perfect for our party. The grounds around the Island House is even more beautiful than the grounds around the Salon. The Island House is open and airy (no walls).

I couldn’t really think of anything I don’t like about Belle Mer, except…

It was very expensive. Gorgeous place + expensive town = ridiculous. The menu pricing was competitive. But what gets you is the site fee. To rent the place, you will have to shell out at least $4500. It can easily go up to almost 10 grand. Is the place worth it? We’ll see.

Info as of October 2008 for a 2009 event:

Ceremony site fee: $1,500
Reception site fee: $4,500+
Capacity: up to 400
Minimum: $12,000+ (food and beverage)
Catering: $89+/guest
Bar: $16+/hr/guest; $32+/5hrs/guest
Kid menu: $20 (no age limit)
Vendor menu: $40
Tax: 8%
Service charge: 20% added to the bill

*Accuracy of information above is not guaranteed. Contact the venue for a more accurate quote. For venue comparison, click here.

Other Venues:
Venue Saga #1: Wequassett Resort, Cape Cod
Venue Saga #3: Hyatt Harborside, Boston
Venue Saga #4: Palm House, Brooklyn

Venue Saga Sequel:
Venue Saga #5: Castle Hill Inn, Newport
Venue Saga #6: The Chanler, Newport