The bride and groom walk together and hold hands after their Saint Clements Castle wedding.

Wedding Venue Feature: St. Clements Castle and Marina

Vibe and FeaturesWide open riverside grounds, unique architecture, three ballroom reception choices
Guest Capacity600
Location1931 Portland-Cobalt Rd.
Portland, CT 06480
Similar VenuesThe Barns at Wesleyan Hills, Aria, Cascade Fine Catering, Castle Hill Inn

In the Middletown area, across the Connecticut River from that city, is a small town named Portland. While this town was once known as East Middletown, one of the things it’s now known is the highly-esteemed Saint Clements Castle and Marina wedding venue.

History of Saint Clements Castle & Marina

A bride has her dress train spread out by a wedding planner during her wedding at Saint Clements Castle and Marina.

St. Clements Castle was built for Howard and Gertrude Taylor; construction ended in 1902. Architect Sidney Algernon Bell conceived the design, modeling it after 16th-centruy European castles. Unsurprisingly, the name is after Pope Clement I, supposedly the patron saint of sailors in the Christian religion.

In 1969, the property came under the ownership of Wesleyan University. Then in 1993, Saint Clements Castle came under the ownership of a nonprofit foundation, which continues to maintain it to this day.

The bride and groom stand back to back for a dramatic portrait during their wedding at Saint Clements Castle and Marina.

Much more recently, a revitalized feature of Saint Clements Castle weddings has come into play. As of 2022, the property’s new Rivers Edge at Saint Clements Marina is now available for events.

Venue Vibe and Features

Obviously, we should start with the main aesthetic of this venue: it looks like a small castle. It has a very distinct tower visible from the front. Markedly, the property is huge at about 90 acres.

Here are some details on how the property is broken up:

Outside / The Grounds

In many ways, the exterior details of St. Clements Castle are similar to those of Lion Rock Farm. There are statues, courtyards, gardens, and wide-open grassy spaces. The grounds are very well maintained and make for great photos.

One of the most striking things about this venue is that the back field, which is popular for warm-weather wedding ceremonies, is overlooking the Connecticut River. The view is great!

Down by the river, then, is the Marina portion of Saint Clements Castle. A wedding here is reminiscent of Mystic Yachting Club about an hour away, with the proximity to the water and docks.

Inside: The Waterford and Prince Edward Ballrooms

The Saint Clements Castle…castle…is quite large itself. There are two floors of usable space for your wedding day, with unique room adorned in old-school figurines and artwork. Most prominent is the getting ready suite upstairs.

As far as Saint Clements Castle wedding receptions go, the venue features its Waterford and Prince Edward Ballrooms. (Disclaimer: I have only ever worked in the Waterford, which seems to be much more popular.)

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Based on square footage, these two spaces are about the same size at ~4000 square feet. Each includes a bar, a good-sized dancefloor, and plenty of room for tables. Plated catering is handled in house.

Though it’s not standard, you can actually book both ballrooms in the main building for your Saint Clements Castle wedding day. Naturally, this is how you can attain a guest count at the maximum of 600 (wow).

Another important space to be aware of at Saint Clements Castle & Marina is its Art Gallery. Indoor ceremonies of over 100 people can fit in this room. It’s also great for gathering and portraits.

The Marina and River’s Edge Ballroom

Down by the Connecticut River, the Marina portion of Saint Clements Castle has the newest reception space, the River’s Edge Ballroom. This space can hold 140 people for a seated dinner.

Saint Clements Castle Wedding Cost

Here are some considerations regarding the cost of a St. Clements Castle wedding:

  • A signed contract, deposit of 2000, and a reservation fee of 550 are required to book the venue. Accordingly, the remainder of the fee is due in two payments before your date. The venue also charges an “administrative service charge” of 22%.
  • There are strict arrival and departure times for the getting ready suite, depending on the day of the week. You’ll want to factor this in while planning your wedding. If you have a planner, ask them to help you work on timing (venue access can make a big impact on your photography plans, for example).
  • On-site ceremony rehearsals generally aren’t allowed. What’s more, neither are fireworks, sparklers, or smoke machines.

Hotels Close to Saint Clements Castle and Marina

Always consider accommodations when coming up with your wedding plan! Here are some hotels near St. Clements Castle:

Saint Clements Castle Wedding Reviews

A bride and groom hold hands and smile while exiting their Saint Clements Castle & Marina wedding ceremony.

St. Clements Castle has positive reviews all over the place. For example, Google and Zola are great places to check.

More specifically, one of my couples had this to say about their Saint Clements Castle wedding:

We looked into 50+ venues and toured at least 10…St. Clements had us completely informed from our very first meeting…At the end of the day, we just loved the beauty, elegance and location of St. Clements…They made the process fun.

A real St. Clements Castle bride and groom

Honestly, it’s popular among New Yorkers. I’ve had at least two couples inquire with me, mention Saint Clements Castle, and then explain that they booked it because it’s so different from typical New York City ballroom venues.

Learn More

Here’s a Portland CT wedding I photographed at this venue. To get in touch with the venue, contact Saint Clements Castle using the links below.

I love working at this venue! Just use the links below if you’d like to learn more about my wedding photography..

Citations

I used the following references at different points in this post:

  1. “A Brief History of Portland,” Town of Portland Connecticut
  2. “Saint Clements Castle (1902),” Historic Buildings of Connecticut
  3. “Our Story,” Saint Clements Castle
  4. The View From Portland; A River Castle Changes Hands and Its Subjects Wax Nostalgic,” The New York Times
  5. “River’s Edge at Saint Clement’s Marina,” Hartford Business Journal
  6. “Frequently Asked Questions,” Saint Clements Castle
  7. “Layout & Room Capacities,” Saint Clements Castle

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