About this vendor
Located just a quick 10-minute boat ride from downtown Portland, ME, Fortland is an island wedding venue. It is situated on the grounds of Fort Scammel on House Island in Casco Bay and offers 16 acres of camping ground.
Arriving at Fortland, you are greeted by the stunning panoramic views of Portland harbor and the calendar islands, creating a breathtaking backdrop for your special day. Your guests can enjoy the unique experience of staying in a yurt or tent cabin and being surrounded by the natural beauty of the Maine coast. There are composting toilet outhouses and an outdoor cooking area, a 40" diameter tent perfect for an outdoor reception or cocktails. The island also offers the perfect backdrop for more traditional celebrations, with 40,000 square feet of historic Civil War-era architecture and tunnels. Host a waterfront reception on the 1,500-square-foot dock with stunning views of Falmouth Foreside, Portland, and Fort Gorges. Or, for a more intimate setting, The west bastion provides the ideal atmosphere for a candlelit dinner or cocktail hour. Its exposed brick and curving arches make it a truly unique space that will set the tone for an unforgettable event.
At Fortland, we pride ourselves at offering an event experience defined by a sense of adventure and a touch of magic. We provide everything you need to stay on the island in comfort, including linens, towels, bedding, cookware, and firewood. Say “I do” at Fortland for an experience that brides, grooms, and guests alike will never forget.
Amenities + details
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Indoor Event Space
On-Site Accommodations
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Handicap Accessible
Liability Insurance
Wireless Internet
Ceremony Types
- Civil Union
- Commitment Ceremony
- Elopement
- Interfaith Ceremony
- Non-Religious Ceremony
- Religious Ceremony
Settings
- Beach
- Waterfront
- Historic Venue
- Park
Venue Service Offerings
- Rentals & Equipment
- Tents
- Transportation
Awards and Affiliations
2024 'Best of Weddings'
Best of Weddings
The Knot independently assesses vendors for this award—it’s never self-reported. We base it on firsthand experiences from real couples and guests, and they must have a 4.5-star average across 7+ reviews in the qualifying year.
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Reviews
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5
out of 5.09 reviews
Review photos
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We got married at Fortland in August 2025 and it could not have been more perfect!! The venue combines an incredibly unique campground and the historical 1800s-era Fort Scammel wit...
h beautiful views and space and options for celebration.
We had about 90 guests for our wedding weekend, but they can accommodate more. ~25 of our guests stayed at the campground in Fortland's amazing and comfortable yurts and tents for both Friday and Saturday night, which made for a super fun camp vibe all weekend. We had a rehearsal dinner on Friday night on Fortland's overlook deck, looking over Seaglass Beach and towards Cape Elizabeth & Portland Head Light. For our wedding day, we got ready at a private house (which we rented separately) on the other side of House Island, then had our ceremony on Fortland's dock - a beautiful scene looking out over Casco Bay and towards Fort Gorges and Portland, with sailboats all around us. Our cocktail hour was in the "Parade Ground" which is the central area in the campground. We had dinner inside Fort Scammel, a super unique and cool place to bring guests for the first time. Stefan, one of Fortland's owners, gave a fantastic tour of the historical fort during cocktail hour for our guests who were interested, and they all raved about it. We had a band and dancing under the main community tent, which was the absolute best party imaginable.
With a lot of weddings looking more and more similar these days, we were so happy to have a unique day that felt right for us and gave our guests a new experience.
The Fortland staff was also amazing to work with throughout the entire planning process. Stefan and Katrina, the owners, are wonderful people who we loved getting to know and who took great care of us. Ashley and Stacy, who are responsible for weddings at Fortland, were extremely helpful in preparing for our event and absolutely saved the day when our caterer unexpectedly didn't show up the day of our wedding. They found replacement food (which was delicious) for all 90 guests and our vendors on super short notice and kept us stress free all day. We love them. The Fortland campground staff who stays overnight were a blast to hang out with and incredibly friendly and helpful.
We love Fortland and will definitely visit every year for our anniversary! We could not recommend it more for anyone looking for a unique wedding venue that wants to have the time of their lives!!
Audrey this place looks great and you and misa. Can go out for an overnight so you can see how you like it. An all in one venue is lesss expensive and you can choose everything
Our loved ones and friends left the wedding, and one sentiment was shared by all: "the most unique venue and best weddings we've ever been to!"
Fortland is outstanding - surround...
ed by Casco Bay with views of downtown Portland, several hundred year old historic bastions where we held dinner, beautiful yurts to sleep our friends for an entire weekend stay - our wedding weekend went above and beyond all expectations.
The team at Fortland is incredible. Let me repeat, INCREDIBLE! Kind, generous, caring, and hard working - they not only make the magic happen behind the scenes, they the kindest and most wonderful people we've met in a long time. They are wonderful and were the key ingredient that made our wedding weekend a success and so special.
We can't recommend Fortland enough. It is such a magical place that encompasses all the beauty and natural wonder of Maine. What a perfect place to start our journey of marriage.
We can't wait to come back and celebrate our anniversary each year in the place we said "I do".
Fortland is an incredible venue! We are so grateful we found something so unique for our wedding. It is a destination wedding, glamping adventure, and historical wonder - all withi...
n 10 min of downtown Portland. Choosing an off-grid island may sound intimidating, but it is no more work than a barn venue. You and your guests get to take water taxis from Portland out to a private island (The island is divided in half with Fortland covering the southern end). We opted for the full island takeover for two nights. A group of our close friends stayed out there with us Friday and Saturday, giving us extra quality time. Gathering around the bonfire both nights really added to the destination/camp feeling.
The island offers a plethora of locations you can hold your wedding events. We had different spots for arrival, ceremony, cocktail hour, and dinner. The lookout deck above the parade ground was a huge hit with our guests during cocktail hour. It offers gorgeous panoramic views of the harbor - the sunset is a can't miss. We chose to have dinner in the fort's bastion and it was magical. The bastion is both romantic and moody. The bastion has views of the harbor perfectly framed for your guests.
The Fortland staff is amazing to work with. They are all kind, helpful, and fun genuine people to get to know! From our first call through to our wedding day we had a great collaborative partner in Fortland. If you’re looking for a venue that you can revisit for anniversaries, and one that your guests will absolutely love, you need to book Fortland.
I wish I could give more than 5 stars to this AMAZING venue. From first "hello" to the "see ya later" the morning after the wedding when we were all leaving, we knew without a doub...
t Fortland was the best possible venue for us. Besides the fact that House Island is stunning, the staff and their attention to detail are really what make this venue great. They were beyond helpful and accommodating with our millions of questions and all of our guests couldn't say enough good things about their interactions with them as well. The yurts and tents provided a serene and tranquil escape before and after all the wedding craziness for both us and our guests who stayed overnight with us. Though the island provided a few logistical challenges, the staff worked tirelessly with our vendors to ensure we were all on the same page. They're clearly well-versed in figuring out creative fixes and working with anxious brides! All-in-all this venue is absolutely pure magic and the ultimate "Maine wedding" experience. I mean, how can you beat an island venue, the proximity to Portland, the option for guests to stay overnight with you and the beauty that is Fortland?! We couldn't recommend it enough!!
We booked Fortland for our company's employee appreciation event. Jane and the team were all amazing to work with and welcoming. They provided us with all the information needed ...
to ensure our event was a success and our planners were even able to spend the night in this beautiful space to enjoy some quiet moments just taking in our surroundings and relax.
Fortland is the most amazing and magical place to have any event. We had our company party out there and staff had such a great time that it has now become a reason to stay at our...
company just to go to the island party! Staff was professional, helpful and organized while also being friendly and welcoming. All of us our from the area and even though it is a stone's throw from Portland it felt like we were transported to the most quintessential coastal Maine location.
We have had multiple staff events on the island and they have been spectacular. The crew do an amazing job striking the balance of making the island feel all yours while being ava...
ilable to take care of any needs. It is laid back, but elegant. An easy place for good people to really enjoy the best of Maine.
An absolutely incredible experience! Stefan, Katrina, Jane, Timothy, and the whole team are amazing people, and set up a wonderful time for us and our 32 guests. They went above an...
d beyond helping with everything from booking and getting on the boat to making sure we were comfortable hanging out late into the evening. From the beautiful tents, yurts, and ocean lookouts, to the awe-inspiring civil war-era tunnel systems and forts beneath, this will be an experience you and your companions will never forget.
Contact
0 House Island, Portland, ME
