Want to get hitched or honeymoon in a ritzy East Coast destination, but with a beachy, carefree feel? Check out Newport, Rhode Island. Perched on Aquidneck Island, this “City By The Sea” is famous for its gorgeous, Gilded Age mansions built for some of America’s wealthiest families.

“A lot of couples choose Newport because it’s in-between Boston and New York,” says Rhode Island event planner Stephanie Frazier Grimm, owner of Couture Parties. “What’s so nice about Newport is that we have a laid-back island feel, yet we can also be over-the-top with that Great Gatsby opulence, combined with old New England charm.”

One of the poshest places to say, “I do” or honeymoon is Castle Hill Inn, a Relais & Châteaux property on a 40-acre peninsula surrounded by Narragansett Bay.

“We do only one wedding per day and the season is May through October,” says Sales Manager, Emily DiBello, noting that actress Grace Kelly filmed “High Society” on the property in the 1950s. Whether couples buy out the entire 33-room property or simply enjoy it for the ceremony and reception, they can wed and savor cocktails on the lower lawn overlooking the water, followed by dinner and dancing under the property’s white, sail cloth tent.

Another enchanting spot to marry or honeymoon in Newport is The Chanler at Cliff Walk, a privately owned, 1873 mansion overlooking Easton’s Beach. It has 20 uniquely decorated period rooms, including the Renaissance Room – often requested by honeymooners and couples due to its richly-designed French blue décor, ornate furniture and lavish soaking tub.

Outdoor weddings run from April through October and couples can wed on an upper lawn, then descend to the waterfront lawn for cocktails with dinner on the terrace.

Be sure to stroll the Cliff Walk, a gorgeous paved path that begins at The Chanler at Cliff Walk and winds its way along the coast past many of the area’s Gilded Age mansions.

Blending opulence with a flip-flop casualness, Newport offers a chic New England destination in which to honeymoon or wed.

Images courtesy of (in order of appearance): Castle Hill Inn (1-3) & The Chanler at Cliff Walk (3-7)

This article appeared in Destination I Do’s Summer/Fall 2021 issue. Read the digital issue here.