I often get asked by people what my favorite wedding venues in Connecticut are. I have a short list, and love them each for a variety of reasons, but high on the list is Wadsworth Mansion in middletown, CT …for so many reasons. I thought it was about time I did a wedding venue review for Wadsworth Mansion because I think I have now photographed there more than any other venue in Connecticut. See a real Wadsworth Mansion wedding here. So here it is: Wadsworth Mansion – a wedding venue review.

What I love most about Wadsworth Mansion is that it’s centrally located in CT, making it easy to access for friends and family throughout all of CT as well as guests coming from Boston or New York. Truly, there is no other wedding venue in Connecticut as centrally located, and as beautiful as Wadsworth mansion. I have photographed it in every season, and each time I see it, I am reminded why I love this wedding venue so much.

Wadsworth Mansion is fully of history and charm, but rather than feeling stuffy it has a welcoming vibe that will make your wedding guests feel like they were invited to a chic and debonairre old English soirée. Really, it doesn’t get better than that. 

My favorite area on site is the front of the mansion, and the drive down the long driveway. As your guests arrive, they will be greeted with the grand facade of the front of Wadsworth mansion, and instantly the stage will be set for a classic and chic wedding. With its stunning exterior, tall pillars, beautiful gardens, and breathtaking lawn, it is sure to impress your guests and to make you feel like you are royalty. Pro tip: if you book the Wadsworth mansion, make it a Black Tie event!

Another favorite spot of mine on the Wadsworth mansion property is the Rose Garden. During the month of June, the garden is lush with roses and, wait for it, often butterflies! It’s one of my favorite places to do a first look or couple portraits. The way the sun hits in the early evening is straight our of a fairytale. Pro tip: I love the idea of holding cocktail hour in this section!

The front of the mansion is a sight of its own and welcomes guests to what will inevitably be a classic and lovely affair. I feel like as the guests drive down the tree lined driveway, they can already tell that they will be attending a stunning wedding. It sets the tone for the day ahead, and I love that. And those trees that line the driveway? You should see them in the Fall! Pro tip: set up a welcome drink station outside to add a special touch and make your guests feel welcomed immediately. 

If time permits, we could always venture down to the wooden bridge for portraits. This is a location that photographs most beautifully in Spring and Autumn. In the autumn months, the colors light up and the way the sun peeks through the trees makes it look like a dream!

Should the weather be unfavorable, the interior of Wadsworth Mansion offers plenty of spots for beautiful portraits or even for your ceremony. There is natural light throughout the mansion, even on cloudy days. Pro tip: Get dressed downstairs, in the back room that has a wall of windows rather than upstairs.

Another thing I really love about Wadsworth mansion – and something that I think is unique to this particular venue – is the area for the Groom to get ready. So many wedding venues throw the Groom and his guys in some poorly lit side room, as an afterthought. Wadsworth Mansion allows the guys to use the front bar area to get ready and I feel like it’s the perfect, masculine backdrop to set the stage for the day.

Lastly, at least in my highlights because there are so many other places on property to photograph, is the lawn of Wadsworth Mansion. This is where most people who get married on site hold their ceremony, and for good reason. There is nothing that takes your breath away quite like walking out to meet your spouse and seeing a grand lawn before you with a breathtaking mansion behind you. It’s, for sure, a sight to behold! Pro tip: GO BIG with your ceremony backdrop. Make the florals a sight of their own, and ask your florist to repurpose the ceremony florals for the reception!

The thing about Wadsworth Mansion is that there are just so many options. So many options, in fact, that it doesn’t feel like your wedding is cookie cutter. Every wedding I’ve ever photographed there has been unique, and for that reason it scores very high on my list of top wedding venues in CT.