New England Aquarium

All-inclusive venue

The venue takes care of it all - food and beverage, rentals, the works!

Full wedding (ceremony and reception) pricing

Starting at $8,500 for off-peak dates, and $11,000 for peak dates

Guest capacity

Up to 275 seated guests

Offer from vendor

10% Off Remaining 2026 Wedding Dates

Celebrate with waterfront views & stunning marine life at this one-of-a-kind venue — plus receive 10% off your venue rental for remaining 2026 wedding dates at the New England Aquarium!

About this venue

With stunning settings, one-of-a-kind views, and a backdrop of awe-inspiring animals, the New England Aquarium is the perfect Boston location for an upcoming waterfront wedding reception. Capture the romance of Boston’s historic waterfront at one of the most unique and ethical wedding reception venues in Boston. Whether you’re planning a large-scale celebration of love or an intimate micro-wedding, we have you covered with options to rent the entire Aquarium or a smaller private area. From helping you pick the perfect venue to the perfect environmentally responsible menu, our event management team will assist you every step of the way. Each wedding at the Aquarium supports our animals, exhibits, and efforts to ensure a vital and vibrant ocean for all.

Seated guest capacity

  • 40-275

Venue type

  • Aquariums, Zoos
  • Beaches, Waterfront Settings

Venue setting

  • Covered Outdoor
  • Indoor
  • Outdoor
1 Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110

Our event spaces

Harbor Terrace Tent

Available April through October.

Take in the scenery and feel the breeze in our seasonal tent and terrace. This large, tented terrace has vaulted ceilings and archways that frame Boston Harbor.

Guest capacity

Up to 275 Seated

Up to 350 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Welcome party, Farewell brunch, Couples luncheon, Cocktail hour, Engagement party, After party, Other

Guests often feel this space is

“Luxurious and chic”

Main Exhibit Gallery

Available year-round.

Mingle and dine as penguins, sea turtles, and hundreds of tropical fish swim behind you. Our four-story Giant Ocean Tank creates a fascinating centerpiece that you and your guests will long remember.

Guest capacity

Up to 175 Seated

Up to 800 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Welcome party, Cocktail hour, Engagement party, After party, Other

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

West Wing Gallery

Available year-round.

Gather and dine alongside our Trust Family Foundation Shark and Ray Touch Tank. This venue is ideal for smaller cocktail receptions and dinners. The lower level hosts our Science of Sharks exhibit.

Guest capacity

Up to 60 Seated

Up to 75 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Welcome party, Farewell brunch, Couples luncheon, Cocktail hour, Engagement party

Guests often feel this space is

“Warm and cozy”

Harbor View Café

Available year-round.

The ocean-blue tile and natural wood cathedral ceilings make the Harbor View Café the perfect setting for a dinner or intimate cocktail reception. The large windows offer spectacular views of the city skyline and Boston Harbor.

Guest capacity

Up to 75 Seated

Up to 90 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Farewell brunch, Couples luncheon, Cocktail hour, Engagement party, After party

Guests often feel this space is

“Luxurious and chic”

Harbor Terrace Tent

Available April through October.

Take in the scenery and feel the breeze in our seasonal tent and terrace. This large, tented terrace has vaulted ceilings and archways that frame Boston Harbor.

Guest capacity

Up to 275 Seated

Up to 350 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Welcome party, Farewell brunch, Couples luncheon, Cocktail hour, Engagement party, After party, Other

Guests often feel this space is

“Luxurious and chic”

Main Exhibit Gallery

Available year-round.

Mingle and dine as penguins, sea turtles, and hundreds of tropical fish swim behind you. Our four-story Giant Ocean Tank creates a fascinating centerpiece that you and your guests will long remember.

Guest capacity

Up to 175 Seated

Up to 800 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Welcome party, Cocktail hour, Engagement party, After party, Other

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

West Wing Gallery

Available year-round.

Gather and dine alongside our Trust Family Foundation Shark and Ray Touch Tank. This venue is ideal for smaller cocktail receptions and dinners. The lower level hosts our Science of Sharks exhibit.

Guest capacity

Up to 60 Seated

Up to 75 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Welcome party, Farewell brunch, Couples luncheon, Cocktail hour, Engagement party

Guests often feel this space is

“Warm and cozy”

Harbor View Café

Available year-round.

The ocean-blue tile and natural wood cathedral ceilings make the Harbor View Café the perfect setting for a dinner or intimate cocktail reception. The large windows offer spectacular views of the city skyline and Boston Harbor.

Guest capacity

Up to 75 Seated

Up to 90 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Wedding shower, Farewell brunch, Couples luncheon, Cocktail hour, Engagement party, After party

Guests often feel this space is

“Luxurious and chic”

Available services that can be provided by New England Aquarium

Services & amenities

  • Bar services
  • Catering services
  • Clean up
  • Dance floor
  • Dressing room / Bridal Suite
  • Event rentals
  • Event staff
  • Lighting/Sound
  • Service staff
  • Set up
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Wifi

Transportation & access

  • Self parking - paid
  • Wheelchair accessible

Rentals

  • Barware
  • Chiavari Chairs
  • China
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Lighting
  • Linens
  • Sound / AV

Reviews

Write a review
Rating: 5.0

5.0 out of 5

3 reviews

  • SM

    Starr M.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Oct 7

    WOW WOW - What an amazing team!!!

    We actually reached out to the New England Aquarium almost as a joke because we thought it would be such a cool and different place to get married—and we were so pleasantly surprised during our walkthrough when we could immediately envision our wedding there! We loved the location for our families traveling into Boston, and of course, having the harbor right behind the venue was incredible. We had seen older reviews with concerns about the catering team, so we brought that up during our walkthrough. They reassured us that they had changed companies and were now working with Sodexo Live!, and they were absolutely right! Amanda, our catering manager, became our rock throughout the planning process. With several changes and life events happening behind the scenes, she was constantly checking in, keeping us organized, and reassuring us that everything would be great. She truly went above and beyond, including stepping in when we had challenges with other vendors and helping make sure everything stayed on track. We truly could not have done this without Amanda and her team! Our tasting was delicious, and they took all of our feedback seriously. Our guests raved about the food on our wedding day! Amanda was also incredibly organized and responsive, helping us stay on top of signage, forms, and all the little details leading up to the wedding. The Aquarium was also very clear about the restrictions required for animal safety, while remaining incredibly open to our ideas. For example, when we couldn't use a plastic drink topper, they were happy to work with our idea of branding the fruit skins instead. We never felt like the restrictions prevented us from making the wedding feel personal. Then came wedding week. A nor'easter was on the radar, and the Aquarium kept us updated with daily information about tent inspections, rain plans, and everything they were monitoring. The day before our wedding, the weather forced us to completely rethink our event. We got on a call with Amanda, Della, and their team, and they immediately jumped into problem-solving mode. They sent us new floor plans and example photos, listened to every concern, and helped turn what could have been a disaster into something truly extraordinary. We were nervous we might have to cancel the wedding we had waited so long for, but the Aquarium stood by us and helped create the most perfect night. Dinner overlooking the Giant Ocean Tank, cocktail hour with the penguins, and an incredible party afterward made for a truly unforgettable wedding. We feel so lucky that we took a chance on the New England Aquarium. The venue was incredible, but it was the people—especially Amanda and her team—who made the experience so special. We will always be grateful for everything they did to make our wedding so memorable!

  • PW

    Peter W.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •Aug 28, 2026

    Get Married at the Aquarium - full stop

    Before you read this lengthy review, the short answer is: YES, get married at the New England Aquarium! We started our search looking for venues and wanted something fun and unique. The Aquarium made it onto our list, and the prices were comparable to other venues—it wasn’t significantly more expensive than renting out a restaurant with food and drinks. We read every review possible before we had our first meeting and toured the venue. Our biggest concern was catering because there were some older reviews on The Knot about this being an issue. At our first meeting, not only was there a representative from the New England Aquarium, but also a representative from the catering company. This was definitely a green flag for us, and it sounds like the Aquarium took the older reviews seriously and transitioned to a new catering team. Throughout the planning process, the team was wonderful. They kept in touch via email, gave us clear deadlines, and answered all of our questions. We did have to get pre-approval for all of our centerpieces and anything else we were bringing into the Aquarium because of animal safety. This was not an issue for us and was a very straightforward process. A few months before the wedding, we also had our food and wine tasting. This was definitely one of the fun parts of the planning process because all we had to do was show up! We knew we wanted buffet stations instead of a plated dinner, so we told them which entrees we wanted to try. The Italian dishes were really great, along with all of the salads. We also had some suggestions for a customized Indian station, and the team took very detailed notes, which was a great sign that they were listening to what we wanted. Amanda Solomon was the person we worked with very closely as we got closer to our wedding date. The week before, she sent us encouraging messages and made sure everything was on track. On the day of the wedding, she and her team made sure the setup was done correctly and that everything was ready for us. We didn’t have a wedding ceremony at the Aquarium—just the reception. Cocktail hour was inside the Aquarium, while dinner and dancing were outside in the tent. Everyone absolutely raved about the venue! One thing we loved was that guests had options throughout the night. They could hang out in the tent and dance, go inside the Aquarium to see the animals, or walk along the harbor. It made the whole experience feel really unique and gave people plenty to do. People also said they really enjoyed the food, which was the only hesitation we had when touring potential venues. We were so happy that we decided to go with the Aquarium and would highly recommend this venue to anyone looking for something unique, fun, and memorable!

  • JR

    Justin R.

    Rating: 5
    •Zola
    •May 9, 2026

    Incredible Experience

    Our experience with The New England Aquarium was incredible for the entire time we worked with them. Alex and Amanda had great communication and answered all of our questions and even moved the ceremony indoors at the last minute. Everything went smoothly on the day and we would highly recommend them as a venue

Real couples who got married at New England Aquarium

Show all photos
Several parking garages are located near the Aquarium. The Aquarium does not own or operate any parking garages, but offers a parking discount with validation at some garages.
All food and beverages must be supplied by our exclusive in-house caterer. No outside food or beverages can be donated or brought into the Aquarium for a private event.
May–October
November–April
Yes, the Aquarium is fully accessible.