How to Plan the Perfect Nantucket Wedding
Your guide to the best venues, timing and tips.
Your guide to the best venues, timing and tips.
There’s something magical about getting married on Nantucket with its salty sea breezes, historic streets, pastel shingled cottages, and that effortless New England charm. But it’s also an island, which means some extra logistics, seasonality, and vendor constraints that can make planning a little tricky. Here’s your inside guide to planning a Nantucket wedding that’s as smooth as it is beautiful.
Peak Season and demand
The prime wedding season in Nantucket generally runs June through early October, with the busiest months being July and August.
Some couples favor September and early October because you can still get good weather (milder, lower humidity) but fewer crowds.
Island vendors report extremely high demand in peak months. Some have noted that couples are booking 18–24 months in advance just to secure prime dates and top vendors.
Times to avoid
Winter (Nov–March). During the island's coldest months, many of the local businesses shut down, thus offering minimal local infrastructure, limited ferry/flight schedules, and fewer service options. Add unpredictable weather to that and it's not the ideal time to get married on the island.
Additional times you may want to avoid because of a higher influx of travelers, includes:
Mid-summer (July, early August): Massive tourism, high lodging costs, intense heat/humidity, and vendor scarcity.
Holidays / peak travel weekends (e.g. Fourth of July, Labor Day weekend): Many guests may have conflicting travel plans; vendors and accommodations are stretched.
Shoulder Season / Alternative Months
You may want to consider May and late October to avoid peak season. This time of year can be cooler and have more rain, however, it can lead to great deals, more vendor availability, and fewer guests competing for lodging and services.
Additionally, as soon as you pick your date, reserve your venue (ceremony + reception) right away.
Simultaneously start locking in lodging, guest transportation (ferry / flights), and vendor blocks (caterers, tents, rentals, florists).
Save-the-dates are especially critical for destination weddings; 8–10 months out is a good window to get guests to commit early so they can plan.
As one Nantucket planner put it, what used to be a 12-month lead time is now often 18–24 months.
Because Nantucket is an island with limited vendor capacity, you’ll want as much lead time as possible and definitely more than for a mainland wedding. Here’s a rough guideline:
18 to 24 months ahead: If you're aiming for a high-demand summer or fall date and want top-tier venues/vendors, this is a prudent window. Many planners are now seeing bookings begin this early.
12 to 18 months ahead: Still workable, especially for shoulder-season dates or if you are flexible on venue/time.
9 to 12 months ahead: For off-peak or smaller weddings, this may suffice.
Less than 9 months: Risky for prime venues/vendors, especially in summer. You may face limited options, premium pricing, or needing to adjust your date.
With its sweeping views, iconic architecture, local charm and luxurious reputation, Nantucket boasts some of the best (and most expensive) venues in the wedding business. Below are some of the most sought-after ceremony and reception spots on the island:
The Nantucket Hotel: Centrally located, classic coastal elegance, the Nantucket Hotel offers both indoor and outdoor event spaces.
White Elephant Nantucket: Harbor views, upscale hotel amenities, and a elegant lawns for outdoor ceremonies, White Elephant Nantucket can host sizable guest counts, and guests can stay on site.
Nantucket Yacht Club: Water, boats, classic nautical ambiance, indoor ballroom and outdoor options, the yacht club is especially good for harbor views and summer evenings.
The Wauwinet: Slightly more remote, but an island classic nonetheless, the Wauwinet offers a more private, exquisite coastal setting.
Sankaty Head Golf Club: A perfect venue for a wedding with a larger guest count, the golf club features beautiful landscapes, views, and more open grounds.
Galley Beach / private beach settings: For a barefoot "by the sea" vibe, consider a private beach wedding, but be prepared for weather contingencies, permits, tidal constraints.
As with wedding planning anywhere, you need to make sure you have a back up plan and a back up to the back up plan. On Nantucket, however, because it's an island there are some interesting and additional things to consider, including:
When choosing a wedding planner, you may want to find one who has:
Transportation logistics: All materials (tents, chairs, decor) must be ferried or flown in. Plan loading/unloading windows, vendor staging zones, and extra buffer times.
Permitting & local rules: For beach weddings or public land, you may need permits, coordinate with the town, respect conservation areas, noise restrictions.
Guest travel & lodging: Lock in group blocks early. Consider ferry schedules, flight options, and how guests will get from the docks or airport to your venues.
If you’re inspired by coastal views, pastel sunsets, and that quiet island magic, Nantucket is a wedding destination that delivers. But like any island , it requires extra lead time, smart logistics, and local know-how. Start early, lean on a seasoned Nantucket planner, and treat the process as part of your wedding story. So let the planning begin! May your “I do” be as timeless as Nantucket itself.
