Over the past few years, I’ve heard the comment in many a conversation that “Vermont is one of the top states for weddings in the country.” And while it’s proven a little difficult to quantify this with hard statistics, there's no doubt at all that weddings are booming in our tiny state!
According to The 2018 Wedding Report, an independent research company that collects and forecasts wedding statistics for the industry, nearly $175 million dollars was spent on 5,581 weddings in Vermont that year, and 44% of those couples traveled to Vermont from outside of the state to marry.
So why is Vermont such a well-loved wedding locale for destination as well as in-state couples? Here are a few of our favorite reasons to get married in Vermont!
The seasons
While not all of us who live here are big fans of the sub-zero temps that Vermont winters bring, there’s definitely something special about each and every season here. Naturally, it’s easy to understand that the spectacular colors of our fall foliage and the namesake green of our mountains in summer translate into super busy wedding months from June to October. Yet there’s also something so pristine about a snowy landscape in December that makes a winter wedding in Vermont especially beautiful.
The scenery
Plain and simple, Vermont is a breathtakingly beautiful state. With our mountain vistas, sparkling lakes, spectacular sunsets and rolling farmland (complete with picture-perfect cows and horses), the abundance of naturally gorgeous settings is certainly one of the primary reasons that couples choose Vermont as their wedding backdrop. Plus, we also have a plethora of scenic venues, including mountain top ski resorts, intimate country inns, exquisite estates and, of course…
The barns!
Lucky for us that barns are the trend of the moment in the world of weddings! In fact, The Atlantic even published an article in May of 2018 titled, “Why Is Everybody Getting Married in a Barn?” noting, “Millennials, in staggering numbers, are choosing to start their married lives under high eaves and exposed beams, looking out over long, stripped-down wooden benches and lines of mason jars.". Vermont’s classic red barns are increasingly being transformed into wedding venues from the simple to the super-luxurious, and attracting couples from around the country in the process.
A welcoming place
We make it pretty darn easy to get married here in Vermont. There is no waiting period, no blood test, and you don’t have to be a resident of the state. And with its tradition of progressive mindsets and laid-back attitudes, Vermont set the stage for welcoming all kinds of couples since becoming the first state to give full marital rights to same-sex couples back in 2000. Local wedding officiant Carmen George, who conducted 206 ceremonies in Vermont last year, sums it up nicely.
“Many people have so much that they’re dealing with,” she explains. “It might be second wedding, or there may be a gay or transgender individual wanting to marry. Most officiants in Vermont make a sincere effort to educate ourselves to make sure that these couples can have a meaningful, joyful celebration and really enjoy their wedding day, no matter what their path in life.”
Wedding pros
For a tiny state, Vermont is home to a profusion of wedding professionals at the top of their industries. From high-end wedding planners and stationery designers to sought-after photographers and florists, our wedding vendors are second to none. Even more fun are some of the unique businesses that have evolved from the booming wedding business. Want someone to build you a custom bonfire for your outdoor wedding? We have that! How about a company to rent specialty vintage furniture to create just the look you want? We can do that, too. A cotton candy cart or ice cream tricycle? No problem! How about a photo booth in a Volkswagen bus? Just say the word….we’ve got you covered on all fronts.
Local flavor
When it comes to local food, Vermont was serving farm-to-table well before it became a buzzword in Brooklyn. Our restaurants and caterers have long believed in the ideals of knowing where your food comes from, in supporting local farms and in creating deliciousness that starts close to home, in every season. Integrating our local flavors into the tastes of your wedding is incredibly easy to do here. And don’t forget to carry that theme throughout your celebration by incorporating any of our hundreds of fabulous artisan food and spirits producers into your welcome gifts and favors!
Cost
Well, we are certainly not going to tell you that it’s inexpensive to get married in Vermont (is it anywhere)? With the dozens if not hundreds of details to consider in today’s wedding celebrations, it’s easy to get sticker shock quickly, especially in the northeast.. However, at the end of the day, Vermont is decidedly NOT the big city, and you just may find that you can get more for your money at some of our venues and with some of our vendors than you can in New York, Connecticut, Boston, New Jersey or on Cape Cod.
It can be easy to take for granted what’s right in your backyard, when to us it’s “just home.” But it’s pretty exciting to recognize that our little state has become this hotbed of activity for the wedding world. It will be interesting to watch how this trend continues, and even more so to see its impact on the economy. We say..."Bring it!"