Guilford Yacht Club is a waterfront wedding venue in Guilford, CT. Nestled near the picturesque shoreline, this secluded property offers an elegant, sophisticated setting for couples to enjoy their big day. The manicured lawns, modern ballroom setting, and panoramic views all act as a blank canvas for you to create your dream day.
First established in 1954, this yacht club sports a timeless, old-school elegance for soon-to-be-weds to enjoy their seaside celebration. The grounds can host events of various sizes, from intimate gatherings to 200-person receptions. You're welcome to start your day in the upstairs get-ready suite, where you can prepare for the altar comfortably with your wedding party. You will then have the choice of either an outdoor or indoor celebration. The first-floor event room features clean, minimalist elegance, from the hardwood floors to the elegant chandeliers and overhead string lights. Floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors offer an unobstructed view of the lush lawns as up to 160 guests dine and dance the night away. Just outside the doors are a stone patio and green fields for up to 300 attendees to enjoy. You will be welcome to set up an event tent on the lawn, giving your reception a covered, luxurious finish.
The team at Guilford Yacht Club will work closely with you to help you get the most out of the venue space. They will be happy to connect you with their preferred caterers to give your wedding an artful food display and mouthwatering aesthetic. The venue is also near the historic town Green and easily accessible from Long Island Sound.
This venue is absolutely stunning and the staff are so accommodating and professional. They make it so easy to have a perfect day. I would highly recommend anyone get married here. Reviewed on 20-09-2023
frances geoghegan(other)5 out of 5 Rating
Beautiful venue!!! Perfect for my daughterโs shower. We had it on a Thursday night when it was reasonable to rent the hall. Stunning views. Gorgeous foyer, hall and bar room with fireplace. Spacious and new. Make sure outdoor lighting is working and ask about handicap entrance. Reviewed on 15-09-2023
Kelly Howard(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 24-09-2022 It's a beautiful venue with wonderful staff. Their response time was quick! They were easy to work with and very accommodating. They keep their building and grounds in impeccable shape! Reviewed on 15-10-2022
Nicole Dias(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 17-10-2021 Absolutely loved the space! Gorgeous scenery, open space and a beautiful blank canvas for all we wanted to design in the space. The management team was kind, accommodating, and very responsive. Reviewed on 13-01-2022
Kryslin Caldarone(bride)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 10-07-2021 Michael at Guilford yacht club was so kind and easy to work with !!!! The place is gorgeous and everything was perfect. The only thing that was tough was that we were not told our guests would have to park in a different lot due to a yacht club event. Yacht club members also did come up to our wedding and at one point one came in yelling. Gourmet galley staff quickly handled it. Overall great venue ! Reviewed on 04-11-2021
Kristen Pecka(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 17-10-2020 This July, my husband and I decided to completely re-plan our October 17th wedding to an outdoor venue, due to COVID-19. From the moment I contacted Marissa at Gourmet Galley Catering, I knew we found the perfect venue!Not only did they accommodate us on such short notice, they made re-planning our wedding a breeze! The venue was stunning, the staff was helpful and attentive and our guests were absolutely RAVING about how amazing the food was. Our wedding turned out to be better than our original plans and exceeded all expectations.We cannot thank Marissa and her team enough! I would recommend them to anyone planning a wedding, especially in these crazy times. Reviewed on 01-11-2020
Susan Maya(bride)1 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 16-06-2019 The Guilford Yacht Club is unquestionably a gorgeous wedding venue. This is primarily due to the unbeatable location overlooking beautiful marshland and the Long Island sound beyond.However, our experience with Gourmet Galley, and Marissa in particular, was somewhat of a nightmare. The entire process, from the moment we received the initial contract to the week leading up to the wedding, was an exercise in frustration and lack of professionalism. Dealing with Marissa made me want to tear my hair out on multiple occasions, and I was surprised that they get away with such unprofessionalism but I think it because the venue is so beautiful and they know they can easily get someone else to replace our booking. First off, the contract they first sent us was one page and did not include ANY details of the event. I looked at copies of friend's contracts at their venues and this was very atypical. When I pointed this out to them they at first did not acknowledge there was any issue. Then, throughout the year long planning process, we would often send Marissa short list of questions and then hear back from her with answers to only some of them, often leaving out the most important information. Answers were often convoluted and we had to send many clarification emails to make sure we had clear responses in writing. Lastly, the week before the wedding, we found out that the rain plan-- flipping the room during cocktail hour-- that we thought had been clearly explained to us months before was not going to be possible. Instead, they thought it was reasonable to have the ceremony in the same room as the party, with the tables fully set but just pushed to the side -- as if we were at some kind of basement church function. They refused to acknowledge that they had previously told us they could flip the room while we had cocktails upstairs. Also unusual, we found out in literally the days leading up to the wedding that GYC's event coordinator (Marissa) would not even be there for the wedding. It turns out that her replacement, Kyle, did a great job the day of.The actual wedding day was beautiful and (mostly) went off without a hitch (the venue, at capacity, turns out to have been quite hot inside -- seemed like the AC couldn't keep up), but I am not sure it was worth it to spend an entire year having to deal with Marissa and Gourmet Galley. Reviewed on 11-09-2019
dot caudullo(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 01-09-2018 Obsessed. obsessed. obsessed. its the perfect venue ever and so different than your typical banquet hall. The vendors are amazing to work with here, Marissa made all my dreams come true and helped my day/night as seamless as possible! Reviewed on 29-11-2018
Beth Wiz(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 13-10-2017 Marissa is simply amazing to work with. She helped me create a beautiful evening and the Gourmet Galley crew was wonderful. I am from out of state and booked the Guilford Yacht Club, sight unseen. I cannot tell you how happy I am with that decision. It is a gorgeous setting for a wedding and the service was fantastic. And the food! My main goal was to have great food and my family and friends are still raving about it. Truly exceptional! Reviewed on 01-11-2017
Caitlin Marquis(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 02-09-2017 Our September wedding reception at Guilford Yacht Club was just perfect. Marissa and her staff were just outstanding, and provided even better service than we anticipated. They did a nice job gauging the group and adjusting schedules as needed to accommodate a few extra minutes for our outdoor cocktail hour. Marissa and her staff did a beautiful job setting up the decor I brought in and it was such a wonderful feeling to arrive and see everything exactly as envisioned. We truly loved everything about our wedding at Guilford Yacht Club - thank you to the staff and Gourmet Galley Catering for everything! Reviewed on 10-10-2017
Meredith MacMillan(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 05-08-2017 We couldn't have been happier with this venue and the catering company, Gourmet Galley! We had 200 guests and used the tented patio as an extension of the indoor venue to accommodate all of our guests. I was concerned that this may make the guests outside feel disconnected from the venue, but this was 100% not the case! The large windows made the tented patio feel part of the actual indoor room. It was a beautiful night and many guests ended up walking outside later in the evening. We had our ceremony outside and it was perfect! Marissa McCue was our coordinator and event planner on the day. I cannot say enough about Marissa. She made sure that every small detail was planned perfectly. The day could not have been smoother due to her planning and organization. She was wonderful to work with through out the entire process. She made sure to take the time to meet as many times as I needed before the big day. If you choose to go with the GYC and Gourmet Galley you will not be disappointed! Reviewed on 09-10-2017
Alyssa Decker(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 16-09-2017 The BEST place for a shoreline wedding. The Lawn was in stunning shape even towards the end of the summer. We got lucky having a sunny 80 degree day, but it would have been stunning under a tent as well. Gourmet Galley is the caterer that affiliates with the GYC and man is their food good! Their staff was so attentive but never in the way of the party. I also can't say enough about 1. Marissa McCue who works with GYC and Gourmet Galley. She was the Day of Coordinator and could NOT have asked for someone better. 2. Kyle was the Day of Director and was extremely professional and made sure everything was perfect! Honestly the BEST night of my life having our wedding at this venue!! Reviewed on 19-09-2017
Marielle Annunziata(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 27-05-2017 I cannot say enough good things about this venue! The view is gorgeous, the staff is amazing and the location was perfect for our wedding. Highly recommend! Reviewed on 18-07-2017
Leesa Sonnichsen(wedding party)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 15-09-2018 This review is way overdue but a year later I can't stop raving about the venue, menu and staff. From the stunning presentation of the delicious food at the tasting to the perfect night of the event, Marissa McCue made it everything we hoped it would be. Marissa 's friendly, easy going and meticulous attention to detail kept us on task. Her staff made us feel special the whole evening and took great care of us during the event. It felt like magic but it was all their hard work that made the wedding so special. Reviewed on 15-07-2017
Robyn Dostie(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 04-11-2016 Beautiful venue. Perfect backdrop for photos outside. Reviewed on 29-11-2016
Stephanie Kane(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 10-09-2016 Excellent service by Gourmet Galley Catering with Marissa's lead! Every step of the planning process was clearly communicated and very smooth. This venue is absolutely stunning, located in a private setting for guests to enjoy the space. We are so happy with our decision to have our reception at the GYC - everything about it was perfect! Reviewed on 21-11-2016
Abby Flynn(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 10-09-2016 The Guilford Yacht Club was the perfect place for our wedding ceremony and reception. Marissa from Gourmet Galley was a wonderful coordinator and sounding board throughout our wedding planning process. The expansive lawn with the flagpole as our ceremony site was the perfect place for our idealic New England shoreline wedding. The reception site is beautiful with hardwood floors, huge windows overlooking the lawn and Long Island Sound, fireplace in the bar room, and the second floor mezzanine overlooking the dance floor. Everything was beautiful and we could not have asked for a better caterer (Gourmet Galley), coordinator (Marissa McCue), and venue (Guilford Yacht Club)!!! Thank you for an amazing day and experience ๐๐๐ Reviewed on 04-10-2016
Christine Gambin(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 15-05-2015 We couldn't have been more pleased with our reception at the Guilford Yacht Club with catering by Gourmet Galley! The setting was stunning with the expansive lawn overlooking the sound, huge picture windows, and second floor overlooking dance for. It definitely made for some beautiful pictures! The food by Gourmet Galley was exceptional. If food is important to you, you can't go wrong here. Everything from appetizers to main course was delicious. We had so many rave reviews from guests on the food. Marissa of Gourmet Galley was easy to work with and made sure everything was exactly what we wanted. All the staff was courteous and helpful. They made sure everything ran smoothly and all our needs were met(bringing us food and drinks during our photos so we didn't go hungry!) We highly recommend Guilford Yacht Club and Gourmet Galley! Reviewed on 29-05-2015
Nicole Wittenzellner(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 06-07-2013 This venue is just amazing. They staff at Jordan Caterers were amazing. They did everything I asked for and made my day perfect. Well worth the money. Reviewed on 29-07-2013
Emily Lepine(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 01-09-2012 We chose the Guilford Yacht Club because of its private location and the fact that Jordan Caterers is it's caterer. Marissa McCue from Jordan was a great coordinator and helped me to design my \"vision\" of our wedding, down to coral and pink hanging lanterns and matching linens on the tables! The food was amazing for dinner as well as the cocktail hour. We chose to have a raw bar and lots of seafood hors devours during cocktail hour. I just wish there were more hors devours served! Overall, everything was outstanding during the entire planning process until the day of our wedding. I highly recommend this venue:) Reviewed on 09-10-2012
Kara Callahan(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 18-08-2012 Amazing. Amazing venue, clean, great view of connecticut shoreline. Jordan Caterers were fantastic - great service and awesome food. Marissa was a great coordinator. Reviewed on 24-09-2012
stacey ritsick(bride)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 28-07-2012 I had my wedding at the yacht club. The place is beautiful even though it rained on my wedding. The food was pretty good. It's just on the pricier side Reviewed on 15-08-2012
Alyson Meeker(bride)4 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 16-06-2012 The Guilford Yacht Club is a beautiful venue to have a coastal wedding. I was going for an elegant beach themed (not over the top beach) wedding and it was a perfect place to do it. The venue is intimate and elegant. I loved that cocktail hour was outside but also had an indoor option if it rained. Jordan Catering is the exclusive caterer which has its pluses and minuses. They are an amazing caterer, very professional, with awesome unique food. However, due to there being no other options I wouldn't exactly say their prices are competitive. The reason why I didn't rate the venue 5 stars is because there was a $4500 venue fee and the catering ended up being more expensive than their original quote to us. But if you have the money... this venue is awesome and the way to go! If you are looking to stay in a strict budget, which was my original hope... I would look elsewhere. Reviewed on 15-07-2012
jessica ganchou(guest)3 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 25-09-2010 the grounds are pretty the food was not good a lot of guests were complaining the weeks to follow the wedding. Our salads were soggy and warm ,sides were cold Reviewed on 13-10-2010
Lauren Sebastianelli(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 18-09-2010 I could not have asked for a more beautiful venue for my wedding reception. The view of Long Island Sound was stunning from the incredible great lawn. The interior of the Yacht Club boasts beautiful hardword floors and neutral tones that don't need to be covered or hidden with decorations. Everything about the GYC was absolutely perfect, I would choose it again and again! Reviewed on 05-10-2010
Renee Fekieta(bride)5 out of 5 Rating Wedding Date 17-09-2004 Excellent service and attention to details. Paid special attention to myself as well as my mom during the reception. Helped guide the ceremony as well. Reviewed on 11-09-2007