Massachusetts
Destination wedding · Boston
In short
Destination wedding in Boston starts at $4,800: 10 hours on location with a photographer who works in Boston, and 700 edited photos delivered to a private gallery within 6 weeks.
Why choose Destination wedding in Boston?
A destination wedding in Boston is a wedding where the couple and most guests travel in, photographed across ten hours or two days and priced from $4,800 for more than 700 retouched photographs, with a second photographer throughout. Couples choose Boston as a destination because the guests get a city weekend as well as a wedding: the Freedom Trail, the harbor and Fenway are all within a short ride of a downtown hotel. The planning difference is paperwork timing. A couple who lives out of state still has to appear in Massachusetts together, before the wedding, to file for a license that cannot be used for three days.
Worth knowing about Boston
Two Massachusetts rules decide the travel itinerary of a Boston destination wedding. The City of Boston Registry Division requires both partners to apply for the marriage license together, in person, by appointment, and the license only becomes valid three days later. A friend or relative who is not a Massachusetts officiant can still perform the ceremony through a one-day marriage designation from the Secretary of the Commonwealth, applied for no later than one week before the wedding. Couples therefore land at least four days out and file the designation well before they fly.
What does the session in Boston look like?
- Fan Pier and the Seaport
- Harbor and skyline for the welcome-party frames, steps from the Seaport waterfront hotels.
- The Boston Public Garden
- The portrait location every guest recognizes, used for the wedding-day couple and family sets.
- Beacon Hill
- Gas lamps and brick for the day-after session when the schedule splits across two days.
What does destination wedding in Boston include?
- 700+ retouched photographs
- Ten hours of coverage, or split across two days
- Welcome-party or rehearsal-dinner coverage included
- Second photographer throughout
- Venue liaison, and guidance on any permit the location needs
- Private online gallery within 6 weeks
Permits at these locations: Fan Pier and the Seaport: Largely private property; confirm with the property manager for professional work.
FAQ — Destination wedding in Boston
When should an out-of-state couple arrive in Boston for a destination wedding?
At least four days before the ceremony. The City of Boston Registry Division requires both partners to apply together and in person for the marriage license, and Massachusetts law makes that license valid only from the third day after filing. Destination wedding couples in Boston usually book the Registry appointment for the morning after they land.
Can a friend officiate our destination wedding in Boston?
Yes. Massachusetts lets a friend or relative solemnize one wedding through a one-day marriage designation issued by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, applied for between six months and one week before the date. The ceremony itself must take place in a Massachusetts city or town, so a Boston venue qualifies.