We will be married at Arlington Town Hall, with a ceremony in the garden (weather permitting) followed by a celebration in the Robbins Memorial Town Hall Auditorium, with dinner and dancing.
The ceremony will begin around 4pm, give or take. We'll update this when we sort out the run-of-show. The party will run til 11 or 12. Not sure yet where the afterparty will be!
All guests are also invited to join us for a drop-in brunch on Monday at the Somerville Armory. And there will probably be a casual welcome picnic the day before the wedding, but we haven't sorted out where yet. We're planning two weddings, alright??
If you are traveling internationally, or are immediate family, your kids are invited!
If you are traveling domestically or have an infant, and it would greatly ease your logistics to bring your kid(s), let us know and we'll make arrangements for including them. If you are local or can arrange things either way, then we recommend making the childcare plans for the evening that most allow you to enjoy yourselves.
Note that we don't expect to have a kids table or any kid-specific programming, since most of the kids we know are toddlers. We can also help arrange babysitting if there's interest!
For all auxiliary events, kids are welcome.
Watch this space!
We recommend arriving at Arlington Town Hall by bus, by bicycle, or by taxi. The #77 MBTA bus from Harvard Square stops directly in front of Town Hall and it runs past midnight. The Minuteman Rail Trail passes within a couple blocks, and there is a bike rack on the side of the building. There is also a small parking lot and nearby street parking, if driving is right for you.
Best option for most people is probably to arrive by bus and take a cab to go home!
If you are traveling from within the Northeast Corridor, we recommend taking Amtrak to Boston – book at least a month in advance for best fares.
If you need to fly to Boston, you almost certainly will want to fly to Boston Logan airport. Upon arrival you can take the Silver Line (which is a bus that thinks highly of itself) for free ground transportation anywhere in the city. You might also check TF Green airport in Providence RI, which is about 90 minutes from Boston on the commuter rail.
Our venue is transit accessible, and any auxiliary events that aren't transit-accessible will have carpool assistance.
If you are driving to Boston from out of state, be forewarned that parking here can be tricky, and that there is no guarantee that any given accommodations will include parking.
Jeez, we're sorry guys, Boston hotels are outrageous. We don't have an official wedding block, because there's no one hotel that would be suitable for a wide range of guests. Book well ahead; it's graduation season and everything will fill up.
Porter Square Hotel (Cambridge) – This is the most convenient hotel for those using transit. It's right across the street from a major metro and commuter rail hub for getting around town, immediately accessible to the bus to the venue, and our apartment is just a few blocks away. It's not scenic by any means, nor is it cheap, but it's convenient and seems comfortable! Their sister location, Hotel 1868, is just a few blocks down Mass Ave as well, they're basically interchangeable.
Davis Square Inn / Morrison House Inn (Somerville) – This is a pair of B&Bs just outside Davis Square, in cute old Somerville Victorians. They're very convenient (easy walk to our neighborhood and to transit) and charming, and also the best value we have seen so far, especially their single rooms for solo travelers, though of course it is by no means inexpensive. Plus it's a proper bed and breakfast, with breakfast included, so it seems like it would be very fun if the whole inn is taken over by people coming for the wedding.
Homewood Suites by Hilton (Arlington) – this is the nearest hotel to the venue, but it's not otherwise a particularly convenient or nice spot to be in, and it's still a mile away from the venue (though the bus stops right out front of both the hotel and the venue). If you're looking at this, you'd probably actually have a nicer time at the Porter Square Hotel, unless you're in the Hilton ecosystem or something.
AirBnB / VRBO – it's slim pickings here, but you might get lucky! Definitely the best value options we've seen are to combine forces across 2-3 households and get a larger house or apartment. Let us know if you'd like an assist on matchmaking or want us to vet a location for you.
Stay with a friend – this is definitely what you should do if you have a friend to stay with. If you don't have a local friend and the hotel options are out of budget for you, let us know and we can ask around.
Stay in the suburbs – Liz's parents have long been patrons of the Holiday Inn Express in Waltham, because it's often much cheaper than the hotel options in town, and it's still a pretty short drive to Somerville/Arlington. If you'll have a car and want to look for better value, try the chain hotels in Waltham. Another place to look is Quincy, which is farther away but could work well if you plan to take transit to the wedding but a cab for the return, and you'd still be on the metro.
Downtown hotels – If this is your one big trip to Boston, and you'll have to spend a ton of money on hotels anyway, you might want to spend a ton-and-a-half and actually stay in the city or one of the hotels in Cambridge along the river to at least get more touristic bang for your buck.
HI Boston – On the other end of the spectrum, there's a Hostels International location downtown that's a pretty nice facility, and you probably won't do better than that costs-wise for a solo traveler.
Camping – The nearest campground is Lorraine Campground in Harold Parker State Forest, about a half hour drive away in Andover. It's very nice, we've been a few times! Campsites are available on ReserveAmerica starting four months out, and you shouldn't have much difficulty getting spots in May. We'll be delighted if anyone does this, and can also help arrange loaner gear.
Are you crossing an ocean to come to Boston? We hope you can stay awhile and make a vacation out of it!
Boston has many attractions for a first time visitor, including world class museums, loads of American history, and pleasant strolling opportunities. You can easily spend a week in Boston doing touristic and cultural activities, especially in late spring. We are happy to point you towards specific recommendations based on your interests!
Looking to get out of Boston? Here are some places you might add to your trip.
Salem - Just a half hour from Boston by train, this small city is famous for the colonial-era witch hunts, and it is a year-round witches and spooky things destination. It's also just a nice town!
Salisbury Beach - one of our favorite places, and where we got engaged! This is an old school beachside strip of arcades and junk food, very Americana. It will be too early in the season for swimming, but the long sandy beach is beautiful for a walk. Take the commuter rail to Newburyport (also a very lovely town, classic New England) and change to a local bus or taxi for the last few miles.
Cape Cod - the lively summer season will be just starting. Take the ferry to Provincetown and enjoy the atmosphere and nightlife in one of America's great gay villages. Then walk along the dramatic dunes of the National Seashore, eat some clams, or rent bikes and tour along the Cape Cod Rail Trail. The ferry is only 90 minutes but you'll want to spend the night in Ptown.
NYC - Don't fly or drive to NYC; take the train (Amtrak). Yes, American trains are embarrassing by international standards. But it takes about the same amount of time as flying (4.5h) once you take into account airport arrival times and getting to/from downtown, and it's a beautiful ride down the coast, especially the middle third. Be sure to travel during daylight for the views, and sit on the lefthand side of the train when heading southbound. There's no reason to take the Acela, America's sorry excuse for high speed rail; it saves maybe 40 minutes and is much more expensive. Oh sorry, were you looking for advice on what to do once you got there?