Joyous gatherings have taken place at Hill-Stead for over 100 years, and it is the perfect location to celebrate the joining of two people, their families, and their communities. You can also celebrate milestone events of all kinds, such as birthdays, anniversaries, bridal and baby showers, family reunions, and more. Hill-Stead is also a great location to host your corporate events or retreats.
Beautifully unique, Hill-Stead offers privacy, sweeping views, gardens, and lawns bound by dry stone walls – all surrounding a historic house.
A Wedding or Event at Hill-Stead will be as unique as you are – working from our list of approved vendors you have ultimate control over every aspect, from the quality and type of linen used to the number of courses and type of food served.
Weddings and Celebrations of 100 guests or more take place outside, under a tent placed on one of the lawns – the starting fee for a 100-person event is $8,500. Smaller gatherings, of under 100, can take place inside in the Makeshift Theater for a starting fee of $6,000. Wedding rentals are for 6 hours and only 1 major event is scheduled per weekend allowing you to have a wedding rehearsal the night before and the ability to incorporate other areas into your celebration. Depending on how you create your event, additional fees could include a one-hour open house tour of the first floor of the museum ($600), a ceremony fee ($800), and/or a fire watch fee if there is a tent ($700). For all events, there is a $500 refundable security deposit and a requirement to obtain event insurance.
Weddings
A wedding at Hill-Stead Museum is an event of a lifetime. Imagine your guests arriving by way of Hill-Stead’s tree-lined driveway leading to a grand historic home in all of its glory. The house with its Colonial trimmings and Mount Vernon-style portico, period furnishings, and Impressionist paintings, stands in the midst of a gorgeous landscape shaped by geology and art.
Named by Connecticut Magazine one of the nine “most-out-of-the-ordinary places [Connecticut] has to offer for wedding receptions,” your event at HIll-Stead offers:
- Exquisite historic setting
- Bridal room included in the fee
- Outdoor spaces for 350+ guests
- Indoor spaces for 40 -100 guests
- Well-lit, ample parking on site
- Security guard included for the duration of your event
- Open house tours available during cocktail hour (for an extra fee)
- Rehearsal included
Hill-Stead, located in Central Connecticut, is just two hours from Boston and New York.
If you would like to arrange a tour please contact Karen Hudkins (860-677-4787 ext. 134, or hudkinsk@hillstead.org).
More information
- Wedding Guidelines & Frequently Asked Questions
- For fees, see Celebration Rates
- For a list of vendors, see Approved Vendors
- Photographs of past events hosted at Hill-Stead can be seen in our Wedding Gallery, on Instagram at Hill-Stead Weddings, and on Hill-Stead’s Wedding Wire and Here Comes the Guide listings
- Testimonials from couples who were married at Hill-Stead can be found here
Corporate Events
From large meetings to intimate group sessions, Hill-Stead Museum has a variety of customizable spaces, both indoors and outdoors, to accommodate your needs. Our meeting spaces provide the latest A/V capabilities in a beautiful setting in harmony with nature.
Company Retreats
We understand how a change in perspective inspires big-picture thinking and bonding. Take team building to the next level with 152 acres of gardens and grounds.
Small Meeting Spaces
- Pope Board Room
- Veranda
- Sunken Garden
- Glass Room
Larger Meeting Spaces
- Makeshift Theater
- Exhibition Gallery (when available)
Hill-Stead welcomes corporate events of all sizes. See our visitor center spaces here. To inquire, please contact Karen Hudkins (860-677-4787 ext. 134, or hudkinsk@hillstead.org).