“If you want the quintessential New England summer wedding, Dockside is it!
I planned our entire wedding from halfway across the country, and Kerrigan made that genuinely easy. She was always available by email, phone, or text, sent me photos and videos when I couldn't be there in person, and patiently answered my endless lists of questions. I always felt confident that Kerrigan, Taylor, and the Dockside team understood exactly what I wanted.
And I had A LOT of specific requests. I wanted the restaurant transformed so it felt like our wedding rather than a dining room. I asked for curtains and artwork removed, tables and umbrellas moved, and a custom table layout. They made it happen. On wedding day, everything was pristine and gorgeous.
The property is unreal in the summer. Nearly every guest said, "WOW, this venue is gorgeous." The views are to die for. You don't need much outdoor décor because the ocean IS your décor. It also felt incredibly private.
Dockside even surprised us by upgrading our ceremony chairs. I wanted wooden chairs but couldn't justify the rental cost, so this was such a sweet surprise.
Now for the biggest accolade: Kerrigan deserves an award.
We hired a separate wedding coordinator, and multiple things went seriously wrong. Décor was broken, items were missing or placed incorrectly, things weren't completed, and our coordinator left early. These were NOT Dockside's problems to fix, but Kerrigan stepped in over and over again and helped save the day. During the reception, I literally told her, "Kerrigan, I love you." It was serious enough that Dockside informed us afterward that they would no longer allow our outside coordinator to coordinate future weddings there. That shows how much Kerrigan stepped up for us.
The entire staff was incredible. Our cake arrived from another vendor with the exterior frosting damaged during transport, and Dockside's staff and chef FIXED IT. By the time it came out, it looked pristine. They just kept solving problems.
The food was SO good. Portions were generous, everything came out warm, and I still have friends talking about the seafood, steaks, and appetizers. They were also amazing with dietary accommodations. I cannot have gluten, so they prepared separate gluten-free appetizers and accommodated my dinner as well. I never felt like an afterthought.
We chose the higher-end bar package, our signature cocktails were made exactly as requested, and our guests were very well taken care of. They also accommodated our request for chicken fingers and fries as a late-night snack even though it wasn't on their standard menu.
Even cleanup was easy. Dockside packed our décor safely into our bins and had everything ready the next morning. When guests ultimately did not attend, Dockside even refunded us for those guests. Their honesty speaks to the entire experience.
Is a waterfront New England summer wedding inexpensive? Obviously not. But the value was incredible, and I would spend the money again without hesitation.
Dockside crushed the food, service, setting, and every weirdly specific request I threw at them. But what I'll remember most is that when things outside their control went wrong, Kerrigan, Taylor, and the Dockside team stepped up.
We had the quintessential New England summer wedding I envisioned. 5/5. I would choose Dockside again in a heartbeat.”
