Roger Williams Park

The Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island is a beautiful park just outside of downtown Providence. The park contains the above building known as the Casino. I'm not sure how it came by that name, since in all the reading I've done online I haven't found any indication that it was ever used as a casino. Built in 1896, the building houses an upstairs ballroom that would provide ample room for our dinner & dancing.

The park also contains a little bandstand (left), which could be used for the ceremony. However, we found that it did not appear to be that well-maintained. With a little cleaning, it would be a gorgeous location for a ceremony - right on the water behind the Casino.

Another possible ceremony site would be the botanical gardens also located within the park. Unfortunately, we were only able to drive by because the garden was closed by the time we got there.

Some other interesting sites within the garden include a carousel, swan boats, pony rides, walking & biking trails, and even a japenese garden. The park also contains all sorts of scenic bridges (like the one below) and gorgeous trees for picture opps.



Pros:
a. Price is right.
b. Location is within a short drive of Providence.
c. Flexibility concerning catering.
d. Historic building and gorgeous scenery.

Cons:
a. No hotels within walking distance.
b. Permits required for everything from entertainment licenses to event licenses.
c. Coordination required for everything - tables/chairs, catering, etc.
d. May need to consider transporting guests to/from Providence.