Lounsbury House

andeliers were gorgeous, and the historic character of the house made it feel so special compared to a more traditional ballroom venue. Since this is a venue-only option, there is more planning and coordination involved, but I truly think it is worth it! I had some pre-wedding jitters about how the layout would work, especially because the dance floor is in a more separate space than you might find at a traditional reception venue. It ended up working out perfectly! Having a smaller dance floor kept it packed all night, while guests could also relax and chat in the Piano Room or enjoy watching the dancing from their dinner tables. I loved that everyone could celebrate in their own way without feeling like they had to be on the dance floor all night. We originally planned to have our ceremony in the beautiful outdoor garden patio, but a nor'easter forced us to make a last-minute change. We decided to move the ceremony to a church rather than use the venue's foyer rain plan, since I wanted a more dramatic aisle and was concerned about the space feeling too tight. We also had to move cocktail hour indoors to the foyer instead of having it outside on the porch and front driveway. We kept the dining room closed until dinner so the events still felt separate, just as they would have if cocktail hour had been outside. This worked out great and allowed the evening to flow naturally! We were even lucky enough to get about 20 minutes of sunshine for outdoor photos in front of the historic house, and they were absolutely gorgeous. One thing I would mention for couples considering Lounsbury House is the guest count. We had 88 guests and originally invited 120, and I personally think the venue is best suited to around 90 guests, especially if you want everyone to have room to move comfortably between spaces. I think a larger guest count could feel tight, particularly if you need to move cocktail hour indoors. I also loved getting ready at the house! I did my hair and makeup off-site, then got dressed in the beautiful bridal suite, while my husband was able to relax in the groom's suite upstairs. It was so nice to have those spaces available on the wedding day. Overall, I absolutely loved Lounsbury House. Between the historic architecture, gorgeous chandeliers, unique layout, and the way the different spaces came together for our reception, it was everything I wanted. The layout ended up being perfect for us. If you're looking for a venue with character that feels different from a traditional ballroom, I cannot recommend Lounsbury House enough!