Rockland: Maine’s Best Kept Secret for A Wedding Destination
by Norm Goldman
Artwork by Lily Goldman

In 2004, Rockland, Maine celebrated its 150th anniversary, yet very few in the past would have ever considered it to be a place for a vacation, let alone a romantic getaway experience or wedding destination. Perhaps, this is a draw back to the time when visitors would experience the unpleasant whiffs emanating from the SeaPro fish-rendering plant. In fact, it was not uncommon to hear the jingle: "Camden by the Sea, Rockland by the Smell."

All has now changed in Rockland as SeaPro, along with the town’s two sardine-packing and other fish processing plants, have departed along with their odors. There is now a handsome harbor- front with a walking trail extending over four-miles connecting several points of interest as Snow Marine Park, Harbor Park, where the annual Maine Lobster Festival is held, Rockland Fish Pier, Coast Guard Pier, Maine State Ferry Service Terminal, North End wharves, Marie H. Reed Memorial Park and the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse.The latter two are often venues for some spectacular wedding ceremonies.

Historic Inn Wedding Venues

The city is also home to The Historic Inns Of Rockland, a consortium of six independently owned inns that are dedicated to historical preservation, as well as providing their guests with a memorable experience within a locale that has reinvented itself as a mecca for the arts and outdoor activities.

In addition, three of these inns, LimeRock Inn , Berry Manor Inn and Captain Lindsey House have created a sub-consortium that inter-change and leverage their facilities offering a combined wedding venue that take full advantage of their unique attributes. As all are in walking distance of one another, you can avail yourself of anyone of them for the rehearsal dinner, afternoon bridesmaid’s tea, wedding reception, and any other functions.

The gorgeous outdoor gardens of The LimeRock Inn make it an ideal choice to exchange vows providing plenty of space to move around. The stately Berry Manor Inn with its drawing room, spacious parlor, dining room, and grand stairway, all presenting a Victorian flair, make this inn a most attractive wedding venue. You can even engage the services of Captain Ken Barnes to perform the wedding ceremony. He and his wife Ellen are owners of the Captain Lindsey House. The intimacy of the Captain Lindsey House, that incidentally resembles a European style hotel, along with the Barnes’ wonderful collection of décor, relics, and authentic antiques acquired during their many years of travel, will surely provide the wedding guests with some interesting topics for animated conversation.

The combined number of rooms of these three inns is 29, and if you add the other three inns, Old Granite Inn, Waterman House & Gardens and the Lakeshore Inn, you have a total of 44 rooms to call upon. All total with roll-aways and cots you could conceivably accommodate about 100 guests. What is also noteworthy is that all, with the exception of the Lakeshore Inn, are in walking distance of one another. It should be mentioned that the latter is within an easy 10-minute drive from the others.

continued on page 2: Lighthouse, Chapel, and Garden Wedding Venues

continued on page 3: Resources, Links to wedding venues