Weddings are big business in the Monadnock Region, drawing couples from around New England who seek mountain views, fall foliage, historic buildings and scenic lakes — as well as a lack of traffic, hassle and crowds.
Max Mitchell, event coordinator at the Woodbound Inn in Jaffrey, says weddings are a “significant part” of the inn’s business model.
“Weddings are a big part of our identity. We do between 30 and 50 weddings a year, and we can do multiple weddings in one weekend and have different events going on,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell, who has spent a lifetime in the hospitality business, says the Woodbound is unusual among local wedding venues in that it can offer a “full destination” wedding, where guests can stay the whole weekend and be on-site for all events.
“We have 41 guest rooms and cabins,” Mitchell said. “We can accommodate the ceremony, the reception, the rehearsal dinner, any other events the couple wants to include. There are a lot of other beautiful venues in the region, but there aren’t any others in the area that also provide rooms.”
Mitchell says the Woodbound especially appeals to couples looking for an “outdoorsy, casual wedding.”
“We are very casual, we have beautiful views, and nature is everywhere, as opposed to being in a ballroom or an enclosed venue,” Mitchell said. “We also have the advantage of being able to accommodate any type of weather. If a couple has planned an outdoor wedding but the weather goes bad, we can always pivot to an indoor space right on site. Sometimes we are there right up to the minute, drying off chairs and hoping it clears up — but we will do whatever the couple wants to do.”
Mitchell says when he brings prospective couples on tours of the property, he “saves the best for last.”
“When I do tours for people looking for venues, first I show them the main Inn, the reception rooms and the ballroom. Then we walk down to the lake to see the cabins; the last thing I show them is the beach and the view of the mountain, and that’s really the closer. We have stunning waterfront property on Contoocook Lake with a view of Monadnock,” Mitchell said.
The Woodbound Inn does not require food minimums, and the venue can accommodate groups from 10 to 200 people.
“We customize for what people need,” he said. “We have no set cost for weddings; we work with every couple to meet their needs. We do everything à la carte.”
Couples who want privacy can use a “buyout” option to book every room and cabin at the Woodbound for their big weekend, ensuring there are no other guests during their wedding weekend.
Mitchell says he feels it’s definitely an advantage for couples to hold all their events at one site.
“Then they don’t have to worry about getting guests from site to site, you don’t have to worry about transporting people, people getting lost,” he said.
“They can book the entire property if they want to ensure there are no other events going on, with the exception of our restaurant, which always stays open,” Mitchell said.
The Woodbound kitchen staff provides for all catering needs, meaning couples don’t have to search for multiple outside caterers for their different events.
According to Mitchell, most couples book a year to two years in advance.
“I’m getting inquiries for 2028 at this point,” he said.
According to Mitchell, September and October are the busiest months for New Hampshire weddings.
“July and August are too hot, and of course we have the foliage in the fall,” Mitchell said. “Half of all our weddings for the year occur in September and October. Our biggest weekend is Columbus Day; that weekend always books first. The foliage can always vary, of course, but that is usually the peak weekend and the first date of each year to be booked.”
While most couples prefer spring through fall, the Woodbound does host weddings all year round.
“We did have one bride who wanted the middle of January, and she went absolutely all out with decorations, and it was really a lot of fun,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell said he has seen weddings shift to a simpler, more casual vibe in recent years.
“People still do have formal weddings, but overall, we see going a little more casual, and dispensing with some of the formalities — the garter toss, the cake cutting, the bouquet, some of those things. People are not doing some of the traditional rituals and going for a more simple event,” he said. “That is what we sell, and that is what many of our clients are looking for: a more casual, outdoor environment.”
Mitchell says the giant, glitzy weddings of days past are not what most people are looking for when they come to the Monadnock Region.
“People are looking for smaller and more intimate weddings. It’s kind of come back to the basics — it’s about the commitment, it’s about the love, and about what is at the core of everything.”
The Woodbound frequently provides catering at other wedding venues in the region, including Milliken Manor in Jaffrey, and often provides rooms for groups having events at other venues that have everything but rooms, such as Hampshire Hills in Rindge.
“We love working with Milliken Manor, because they have a fully equipped kitchen with everything we need. We all work together in this region to make things happen,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell, who started as the Woodbound’s events director right before COVID, says he has “a lot of experience in rescheduling weddings.”
“It was a very emotional year for couples — they had a big day pulled out from under them. I want to be in their corner and advocate for them,” he said.
The Woodbound has accommodated all kinds of unusual requests over the years, which Mitchell says is just part of the business.
“We’ve had costume weddings, we’ve had unusual themes, we’ve had dogs taking part,” he said. “Whatever people want to do, we are here to make that happen for them.”
Mitchell says no matter how many events the Woodbound may be hosting on any given weekend, every couple has his full attention on their big day.
“The way I see it, this is one of the most important days of their lives, and we will do absolutely everything we can to make it exactly what they want,” Mitchell said. “It’s an honor to be able to do that for them.”
For more information about Woodbound Inn weddings, go to woodbound.com/weddings.
