A Lace Factory Wedding Day Means Industrial Warehouse Charm

History of The Lace Factory

Nestled on the banks of the Connecticut River in the historic town of Deep River, The Lace Factory’s origins trace back to a time when the riverside was filled with the hustle and bustle of shipbuilding yards.

It was built in 1875 as a shipyard, serving as a stop for boats delivering ivory to local piano factories. Then, the Lace Factory property became…a literal lace factory. This was J.A. Smith Manufacturing Co.

That business was forced to close its doors in 1990 due to a lack of skilled workers. This marked a new start for the property to become the CT wedding venue it is today. Countless couples have embarked on their journey of lifelong love and commitment here, experiencing their dream wedding.

Venue Vibe and Features

The Lace Factory distinguishes itself from other wedding venues with its unique ambiance and industrial features. The venue is essentially a restored, chic warehouse. This is evident in its cool architectural features like hardwood floors, overhead rafters, and hanging string lights.

In this wedding photographer’s perspective, part of what makes this one of the best wedding venues is this: light meets dark. Indoors, The Lace Factory is a moody wedding venue, but it also has huge windows and great electric lighting potential.

Overall, the venue offers direct access to great wedding photography lighting opportunities!

From the very beginning of your visit to the venue, you’ll see that the vintage charm brought to life by its rough-hewn wood floors, exposed brick walls, and architectural styles that blend the historic and the modern. But it’s the venue’s large glass windows which steal the show when the sunlight shines through them.

Lace Factory Layout

Fairly flat, The Lace Factory property is pretty easy to navigate. There’s a smaller parking lot right out front, then a patio section surrounding the main entrance. Around the side of the building, there’s an elevated area with a few farm animals

The venue is somewhat easily accessible. To go through the main entrance, there are a couple of steps. To go outside the back of the venue to the courtyard, however, one only has to navigate a few hallways.

There is an upstairs wedding party area, but none of the venue’s critical areas require a staircase.

Inside, you’ll notice the old-school hardware in the bathrooms and abundance of worn metal fixtures throughout the hallways.

The focal point of your Lace Factory wedding is the main hall. You’ll enter through huge doors and to the left will be the bar and kitchen. Turn slightly to the right and you’ll see a huge, rectangular room where your reception will take place.

Rear Courtyard

Out back is The Lace Factory’s courtyard, an integral part to the venue’s offerings.

This is a long, somewhat narrow rectangular area that is quite private because the main building sits between it and the road. This is definitely a beautiful spot for photos and cocktail hour, as well as…

Ceremony Options

…An outdoor ceremony in the courtyard or an indoor ceremony in the main building are the two default options for a Lace Factory wedding.

If you have an indoor ceremony, a tasteful curtain divider separates the ceremony location from the reception area. The venue is also capable of different ceremony configurations inside.

I’ve even heard of people getting married across the street at Deep River Landing (though like The Society Room’s Pratt Street weddings, I don’t think the venue officially advertises this option).

Deep River Landing

One more benefit to this venue is across the street: Deep River Landing. This picturesque location includes a boat launch into the Connecticut River and an Essex Steam Train stop. This is really nice, as it’s very easy to run over with your wedding party for a few photos on your wedding day.

Deep River Landing offers some great photo ops. Plus, it’s right next door. This is really nice, as it’s very easy to run over with your wedding party for a few photos on your wedding day.

Lace Factory Wedding Pricing

The Lace Factory offers a variety of package options for weddings:

Smaller Weddings

If you’re considering having an elopement, minimony, or smaller wedding of up to about 50 guests, pricing starts around $5000–$6000. This gets you a three-hour long reception plus a little bit of extra time for portraits.

Medium to Large Weddings

For medium to large weddings, base Lace Factory wedding pricing runs about $6000 for Monday through Thursday weddings, $9000 for Friday or Sunday weddings, and about $10,500 for Saturday weddings.

Event fees include reception tables, cocktail hour high-top tables, and “side” furniture for your wedding cake and/or desserts.

Other Pricing Factors

And even if you’ve booked your own wedding planning services, the venue includes a dedicated event coordinator for your event.

The Lace Factory is partnered with Essex Steam Train. Conveniently, you can add on a train ride to your booking at the venue.

Weddings aren’t all that The Lace Factory hosts: you can book anything from a weeknight corporate party to a Sunday brunch event.

Cloud Nine Catering

The Lace Factory acknowledges the significant role wedding food plays in any celebration. That’s why they’ve exclusively partnered with Cloud Nine Catering, a top-notch caterer known for their commitment to delivering high-quality, delicious food and open bar services for your special day.

Also, on top of the event fees, you’ll need to factor in the food and beverage fee which starts at about $139/person on the low end. As expected for such an in-demand wedding venue, The Lace Factory does have guest count minimums.

(If you care to know, photographers are treated well by all the staff at this venue in my experience. When it’s time for dinner, we given a small area near the kitchen facilities and are almost treated like guests. This goes to show how well The Lace Factory operates during weddings.)

Attractions Near The Lace Factory

Some popular, nearby attractions include Essex Steam Train, Becky Thatcher Riverboat, and Connecticut River Museum (which is also a wedding venue in its own right)

Hotels Near The Lace Factory

One of the beautiful things about Deep River is that it’s sort of isolated, offering good seclusion during a wedding. Luckily, however, there are several hotels nearby: Inn at Middletown, Quality Inn Old Saybrook, Saybrook Point Resort & Marina, and Griswold Inn are a few.