With that in mind, many reception venues are now offering tents set up directly on their grounds. “It really is the best of both worlds,” says Katherine Rodriguez, owner of Crossed Keys Inn in Andover (973-829-9922; crossedkeys.com). “Many couples envision their dream wedding under a tent, but they soon find out that it’s cost-prohibitive because everything must be brought to the site. By setting up the tent at the venue, you eliminate paying for the transport of silverware, tables and chairs, wait staff, etc.”

What makes the tent wedding so appealing? Many couples like the idea that their guests won’t be confined to one room for the entire reception. Instead, they have the freedom to wander in and out of the party, while still enjoying the festivities. “Guests can go smoke a cigar under the stars, but they are still close enough to watch people dance and listen to the music,” adds Rodriguez.

And while reception halls already come with a set décor, tents are a blank canvas where brides and grooms can easily incorporate their theme and personal style. The ivory tent at Crossed Keys Inn is draped in white fabric and white lights inside, allowing couples to add in any color bursts or decorative elements that suit their fancy. With a beautiful view of the mountains, the tent already comes equipped with a bluestone floor, seats up to 250 guests, and is available from May 1 to mid-November.

Couples that wed at the Ocean Place Resort & Spa in Long Branch (732-571-4000; oceanplaceresort.com) usually opt to have their ceremony right on the beach, then host their reception in a tent set up on one of the property’s two open-air patios (weather permitting). “It allows our guests to continue that outdoor feel into the reception,” says Leah Monastra, senior catering sales manager.

And Oakeside Mansion in Bloomfield (973-256-9380; frungillo.com) has a 200-guest tent located right off of the venue’s wraparound porch so guests can easily utilize both areas. It offers carpeted floors, a crystal chandelier, sidewalls in case of inclement weather, and is available from April to November.
Some other venues that offer on-site tents include:

Branches in West Long Branch (732-542-5050; branchescatering.com), which will rent a tent to be set up at their locale, and only hosts one wedding at a time.

Park Avenue Club in Florham Park (973-301-8233; parkavenueclub.com) offers two tent-like pavilions on its property. The larger one seats up to 270 guests and features an air-conditioning and heating system, so it is available year-round. Its neutral décor allows couples to play up their own personal color style and theme.

Knoll Country Club in Parsippany (973-257-0122; knollcc.com) offers a tented facility for the cocktail hour that is connected to the east ballroom. It can hold up to 250 guests and is available from late March until late November (weather permitting).

The Madison Hotel in Convent Station (973-285-1800; madisonhotelweddings.com) will also rent a tent for weddings, although they prefer to host only tented cocktail hours because of space limitations. Smaller tented receptions are a possibility.

Seaview Resort & Spa in Galloway (609-748-7660; seaviewweddings.com) has a covered open-air pavilion that can accommodate up to 100 guests. It is not available in inclement weather.

Congress Hall in Cape May (609-884-6592; congresshall.com) will rent a tent for couples, but only for weddings with more than 300 guests. Tented weddings can be held any time of year, although they don’t recommend December to February.

Water’s Edge in Sea Bright (732-842-1714; merrimakers.com) offers a private tent on the north end of the venue’s Beach Club, which can accommodate up to 100 guests (120 without a dance floor). It is available in the spring and summer months. For more tented reception locations, go to newjerseybride.com.

Go to newjerseybride.com for more ideas on where to tie the knot, including museums, country clubs, beach locations, and rooms with a view.

Beach locations

Bonnet Island Estate
Adjacent to Long Beach Island
609-494-9100
bonnetislandestate.com

Host your wedding on this private coastal island with a grand mansion reminiscent of Nantucket estates. The picturesque waterfront surroundings are complete with a boathouse chapel.

The Breakers on the Ocean
1507 Ocean Avenue, Spring Lake
732-449-7700
breakershotel.com

This charming landmark is Spring Lake’s only oceanfront resort hotel, offering breathtaking ocean views. They also offer deluxe suites, a private pool and beach, with golf, tennis, and fishing nearby. They can accommodate weddings from 50 to 200. Complimentary accommodations for the bride and groom are also available.

Congress Hall
251 Beach Avenue, Cape May
609-884-6592 or 888-944-1816
congresshall.com

This beachfront landmark can arrange a beach wedding, and includes 106 guest rooms, a ballroom seating 300, gourmet catering, and spa.

Fort Hancock
Sandy Hook
732-872-5911
nps.gov/gate

Exchange vows in a romantic 1940s-era chapel with vaulted ceiling overlooking Sandy Hook Bay. Chapel accommodates 135; tented reception accommodates 250.

Grand Victorian
1505 Ocean Avenue, Spring Lake
732-449-5327
grandvictorianspringlake.com

The Grand Victorian is newly reopened and is located directly on the ocean, with breathtaking views of the Atlantic from the porches and rooms. With 22 guest rooms, it’s a personal small hotel with an eclectic, romantic vibe. Weddings receptions start at $79 per person.

McLoone’s Pier House
One Ocean Avenue, Long Branch
732-923-1006
mcloones.com

A brand-new banquet room for 275 perching directly on the sand offers beach weddings, exceptional cuisine, and a professional coordinator.

Merri-Makers
at Water’s Edge
1465 Ocean Avenue, Sea Bright
732-842-1714
merrimakers.com

An open-air pavilion on the beach, Merri-Makers offers a ballroom, terrace, dining room, and panoramic ocean views. Hold your ceremony on the sand, then retreat to air-conditioned comfort for dinner and dancing. Complete wedding packages.

Ocean Place
Resort and Spa
1 Ocean Boulevard, Long Branch
732-571-4000 or 800-411-7321
oceanplaceresort.com

This elegant beachfront resort arranges weddings on the beach or on a terrace overlooking the ocean. Choose from four ballrooms with panoramic views. Bonfires, rehearsal dinners, spa treatments, and farewell brunches are available.

The Washington Inn
Cape May
609-884-6034 or 609-884-5697
washingtoninn.com

The Washington Inn is an 1840 plantation home that hosts receptions for 50 to 135, and also caters tented receptions at Cape May Beach Club, handling every detail. This is the only place in Cape May to host a reception on the sand.

Clubs

White Meadow Lake
Country Club
100 White Meadow Road, Rockaway
973-627-5300
whitemeadowlake.org

This Tudor-style country club features a spacious ballroom and a separate bar area with a fireplace. The clubhouse accommodates up to 240; a gazebo is available lakeside, and ceremonies can be held outdoors. Weddings can held on Friday nights, Saturdays, and Sundays. The $1,800 rental fee includes two bartenders.

Woman’s Club of Ridgewood
215 West Ridgewood Avenue
Ridgewood
201-444-5722
ridgewoodwomansclub.com

This Dutch Col­onial house has a spacious foyer and a living room that seats 60, with a fireplace at each end. The ballroom has a stage and seats 200. The garden is accessible from the main entrance and the ballroom. The Friday rental fee is $1,800; the Saturday and Sunday rental fee is $2,000. The house also is available for rehearsal dinners and bridal showers.

Historic Sites

Allaire State Park
Farmingdale
732-919-3500
allairevillage.org

If you’re looking for an elegant, understated location for your wedding, then the Chapel in the Historic Village at Allaire is the place for you. For nearly two centuries, this early-nineteenth-century church, listed on the National Register of Historic Sites, has played host to thousands of weddings. The pristine settings of Allaire State Park make the perfect setting for wedding photos. The costumed interpreters in period dress will be on hand to host your wedding and see to any special needs.

Kirkpatrick Chapel
Corner of George and Somerset Streets
New Brunswick
732-932-7808
kirkpatrickchapel.rutgers.edu

Kirkpatrick Chapel, located on the Old Queens Campus of Rutgers, is an architectural gem. Its sweeping arches, Tiffany windows, and antique furnishings create an atmosphere of elegance. This historic venue has hosted weddings and other ceremonies for more than a century. It welcomes couples of all faiths and offers them the flexibility of choosing their own officiant. The chapel is equipped with an Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ, whose sound is guaranteed to make your wedding ceremony unforgettable. It accommodates up to 650.

Old Dutch Parsonage
71 Somerset Street, Somer­ville
908-725-1015

This 1751 Georgian house, the former residence of the Reverend Mr. Jacob Harden­bergh, founder of Queens College (later Rutgers University), is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Old Dutch Parsonage is available for small weddings, accommodating 50 people for cocktails and a dinner buffet and 35 for a sit-down dinner. They require a tax-deductible donation of $100 for the first two hours and $25 for each additional hour. There is no running water, but there is a bathroom located across the street.

Prallsville Mills
Route 29 North, Stockton
215-860-7600 ot 609-397-3586
drms-stockton.org

Located in the D&R Canal State Park, the Prallsville Mills, which are on the National Register of Historic sites, overlook the Delaware River, the Delaware-Raritan canal, and Wicke­cheoke Creek. The main building, a 1711 grist mill, can be used for private parties, with a fee of $1,850 for ten hours. Maximum capacity is 150.

Snug Harbor Cultural ­Center
718-448-2500 or 718-815-7684
snug-harbor.org

Staten Island Botanical Garden
718-273-8200
sibg.org

This 83-acre National Historic Landmark, on the north shore of Staten Island, contains a notable collection of Greek Revival, Beaux Arts, Italianate, and Victorian buildings. Reception sites include the Great Hall, a 1918 Beaux Arts–style building with vaulted ceilings and restored Palladian windows; the Upper Great Hall can accommodate between 125 and 350 guests, and the Lower Great Hall can hold between 50 and 200 guests. A tent option may be available on the front lawn of the Governor’s House. Gardens can be used for ceremonies and cocktails. Harbor Manor Catering (718-816-0011;
harbormanor.com) is the exclusive caterer.

The Taylor-Butler House
127 Kings Highway, Middletown
732-462-1466
monmouth.com/~mcha/tbrentalinfo.htm

The Taylor-Butler House is an elegantly appointed Victorian mansion situated on five wooded acres within the Middletown Village Historic District. This mansion can hold 100 for a sit-down dinner, and 150 for buffet-style service or for a cocktail party. There are a total of eight rooms available for rental, with a curved staircase and large and welcoming foyer. Rental includes the use of the grounds; tents are permitted. There is no air conditioning, and it is not handicapped accessible.

Van Wickle House
1289 Easton Avenue, Somerset
732-846-1465

This 1722 Dutch-style home can accommodate up to 50 guests for an intimate sit-down dinner and up to 125 for a garden wedding. You can be married under an arbor in one of the two gardens, and a dressing room is available. An $800 rental fee is charged for weddings; there is a $250 rental fee for rehearsal dinners, showers, engagement parties, and other festivities. A list of caterers can be provided.

Inns, Hotels, and B&Bs

Crossed Keys Inn
Andover
973-829-9922 or 973-786-6661
crossedkeys.com

This charming Sussex County inn features tented weddings in a rural setting. The inn’s original building, circa 1790, is surrounded by thirteen landscaped acres that run along a river. The grounds are appropriate for both ceremonies and receptions. Outdoor ceremonies are held in a garden, followed by dinner and dancing. With only one wedding a day, your guests have access to the entire country estate. Overnight accommodations are available in a restored eighteenth-century house, and a private cottage is used as a bridal suite. Celsos Catering is the exclusive caterer, with packages starting at $120 per person. The site fee is $1,800.

Fernbrook Bed & Breakfast
142 Bordentown Road, Route 545
Chester­field
609-298-3868
fernbrookbb.com

Built in the early 1700s, the Fernbrook B&B is a three-story Georgian mansion that sits at the end of a tree-lined drive amid 200 acres in historic Chesterfield. Parties with up to 75 guests can have an intimate reception in the mansion’s antique-filled rooms. A tiered terrace with antique lanterns is tented for larger weddings up to 225, and the lawns can be tented as well. When Fern­brook is rented for a wedding, the estate becomes the property of the bridal couple; seven guest rooms, including an expansive master suite, are available for overnight stays. The rental fee for the house and grounds is $5,400 (including a 40-by-80-foot tent) from April 1 to October 31, and the rental fee is $4,400 from November 1 to March 31. There is an additional fee for use of the gardens and for extra tents.

Hampton Inn Princeton
4385 U.S. Highway 1, Princeton
609-951-0066
princeton.hamptoninn.com

The Hampton Inn in Princeton offers special discounts for bridal parties and allows you to block up to fifteen rooms. The comfortable surroundings and friendly staff will make your guests feel like they are at home. Located only one hour between New York City and Philadelphia, the Hampton Inn is nestled in the heart of downtown Princeton.

Mansions and Estates

Chimney Hill
Estate Inn
207 Goat Hill Road, Lambertville
609-397-1516 or 800-211-4667
chimneyhillinn.com

Set on eight acres of fields and gardens, the Chimney Hill Estate Inn includes an 1820 fieldstone house, a renovated carriage house, and the Old Barn Inn with luxury suites. Elopements are held for up to eight people including flowers, an officiant, bridal suite, and dinner. Intimate weddings for 25 guests or less can be held in the main house, which has several fireplaces and verandas. Weddings for up to 50 may be held in the carriage house, a large space suitable for a sit-down reception and dancing. Chimney Hill operates as a bed-and-breakfast, with thirteen guest rooms, including a bridal suite. The rental fees are $2,000 for a carriage-house wedding and $1,000 for a wedding in the main house.

Greenfield Hall
343 Kings Highway East
Haddonfield
Contact: Jeffrey Miller Catering
856-727-4580 or 856-296-4578
partyspace.com

This 1841 Federal-style elegant home in the heart of Haddonfield’s downtown is minutes from Center City Phila­delphia. The building is on both the New Jersey Register of Historic Places and the National Register. It can accommodate up to 60 guests indoors and about 150 guests when the terraces are also used. The rental cost for Greenfield Hall is $500, plus a $200 security deposit.
Mountain Lakes House
57 Mountain Avenue, Princeton
609-924-8720
princetontwp.org

Set on a 90-acre nature preserve, the Mountain Lakes House, a rambling country home, overlooks a lake. There are three canopied terraces, and an upstairs room is available for use as a dressing room or sitting room. The house can accommodate up to 130 guests from April through October, and up to 50 people at other times of the year. The Mountain Lakes House schedules one wedding a day. There is a $2,450 rental fee for weddings.

Museums and Cultural Centers

Adventure Aquarium
1 Aquarium Drive, Camden
856-365-3300, ext. 7375
adventureaquarium.com

Dance in front of the 760,000-gallon open “ocean realm” exhibit full of colorful fish, stingrays, and turtles, where 200,000 square feet of space can accommodate parties of all sizes. Mingle among mysterious birds, hippos, and crocodiles. Venture into an all-new floor-to-ceiling 40-foot walk-through shark tunnel for an immersive adventure. Guests can enjoy the exhibits and then sit down for dinner in front of a movie-screen-sized window with magnificent views of the fish. Or have your ceremony on the deck overlooking the Delaware or in the Deep Atlantic Theater. The in-house caterer offers everything from a formal dinner to light fare.

Liberty Science Center
Liberty State Park, Jersey City
201-451-0006, ext. 327
lsc.org

The exhibit floors are available for parties when the building is closed to the public. The $3,000 minimum fee covers rental and staffing of the observation deck, which accommodates up to 80 people for cocktails and up to 70 for a sit-down dinner. Other parts of the museum (for higher fees) suit groups of 100 to 400, and parties of up to 5,000 have been held here. Tables and chairs are available. The center has an exclusive in-house caterer.

Morris Museum
6 Normandy Heights Road
Morris­ Township
973-971-3743
morrismuseum.org

The Morris Museum includes a Georgian mansion designed in 1913, surrounded by landscaped grounds. Inside, a floor-to-ceiling glass wall enhances the reception area that leads to galleries. The site can accommodate up to 100 guests for a sit-down dinner. The rental cost for the entire museum with full gallery access is $3,500. Smaller rooms are also available.

The New Jersey
Performing Arts Center
1 Center Street, Newark
973-642-8989
njpac.org

Set on the Newark waterfront, the NJPAC complex can accommodate between 30 and 300 for a sit-down dinner. A gala tent, which is available in September and October, can seat up to 2,000 for a sit-down dinner. Recep­tions can be held in a banquet room, an auditorium, a cozy community room—even at center-stage. Catering is provided by Restaurant Marketing Associates, which manages the center’s Theater Square Grill. Rental fees vary; the cost includes security, ushers, and house staff. A special-events sales associate will assist you with on-site preparation.

Red Mill Museum Village
56 Main Street, Clinton
908-735-4101, ext. 100
theredmill.org

The Red Mill Museum Village is the home of the picturesque Red Mill. Hold your ceremony and/or reception along the riverbank or on the Great Lawn of the quarry adjacent to the museum. Tents and catering for up to 200 people must be provided independently. The grounds fee is $2,200.

South Orange
Performing Arts Center
1 SOPAC Way, South Orange
973-275-1114; sopacnow.org

SOPAC has a 2,170-square-foot loft that seats up to 145 people. Two walls of windows offer views of South Mountain, along with hardwood floors, frosted glass sconces, and walls wrapped in natural reeds. They can recommend caterers, or you can bring in your own. The live Performance Hall is also available; with 415 seats, a stage, orchestra pit, and three dressing rooms, it’s a unique setting.

On The Water

Cornucopia Cruise Line
Carteret, Hoboken, or Chelsea Piers, NY
732-697-9500
cornucopiacruise.com

The multi-tiered interiors of three dinner cruise ships accommodate up to 1,200 guests. They operate year-round.

Lots of Yachts/Lots of Spots
1 Irving Place, New York
917-691-5688 or 800-773-2812
lotsofyachts.com

More than 25 yachts, as well as land-based locations, which include mansions, townhouses, loft spaces, and penthouses, are available for weddings, rehearsal dinners, bachelor parties, anniversaries, and events for ten to 1,000 guests. Inclusive packages start at $95 per person.

Richard Robbins
973-966-1684
classicsail.com

This schooner, built in 1902 and once used in the Cape May oyster fishing business, accommodates up to 49 passengers, and it sails from the Lincoln Harbor Yacht Club in Weehawken. Food provided by staff chef or independent caterer.

Parks and Gardens

Hunterdon County Arboretum/
Deer Path Park
908-782-1158 or 908-788-1102
co.hunterdon.nj.us

The arboretum, located in Clinton Township, offers two gazebos, each of which has a capacity of five people, with room outside for guests. The gazebo at Deer Path Park, in Readington Township, is adjacent to a pond and planted areas; it can hold up to five people with room for up to 100 on the outskirts.

Morris County
Park Commission
973-326-7619
morrisparks.net

The Lodge at Schooley’s Moun­tain County Park in Washington Township has a large porch, complete with Adirondack chairs and views of an eight-acre lake, and can accommodate up to 120 guests for a wedding. The Casino at Silas Condict County Park in Kinnelon is an historic stone building that used to be a speakeasy, complete with bar and stage. Its outdoor patio overlooks an adjacent lake. The Casino holds up to 75 guests. The Cultural Center at Lewis Morris Park in Mendham has a meeting room with oil paintings and an outdoor courtyard where marriage vows can be exchanged. The center can hold up to 95 people. The Willowwood Arbore­tum in Chester Township accommodates tent weddings or parties for approximately 150 guests. Or arrange for a tent party, a ceremony, or to have photographs taken in one of the gardens at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township.

Reeves-Reed
Arboretum
165 Hobart Avenue, Summit
908-273-8787, ext. 11
reeves-reedarboretum.org

Ceremonies only may be held outdoors for approximately 150 people or in the site’s 1889 Colonial Revival house, which accommodates 75 people for a sit-down reception or 120 for cocktails. A Summit ordinance prohibits serving alcohol on the premises.

Religious Sites

Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley
87 Overlook Drive
Wood­cliff Lake
201-391-0801, ext. 25
temple-emanuelpv.org

The sanctuary and cocktail room of this house of worship overlook Pascack Valley. The site can accommodate up to 250 people, and a list of approved kosher caterers can be provided. The Temple also has a sculptured tiered garden with an amphitheater that can accommodate 100 people for an outdoor ceremony. The building rental fee is $1,500.

Rooms With a View

The Mezzanine
744 Broad Street, Newark
973-645-1612
frungillo.com

Located near the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, the Mezzanine occupies a spectacular setting in a newly restored 34-story 1930s neoclassical skyscraper in downtown Newark. The ballroom has 40-foot ceilings and features imported marble. Accommodates up to 1,200 guests and hosts only one event at a time.