I am so excited to come to you all today and share this dream wedding venue located in Bellingham, Wa. Today’s wedding professional spotlight is on Lairmont Manor. If you are local to the Pacific Northwest, then you probably already know about the Lairmont. But if you are planning from afar, this is a venue that so stunning and beautiful. We are excited to share it with you.
I met with DJ, the venue coordinator at Lairmont Manor and had a tour of the impressive mansion. Now, I have been to the Lairmont many times over the years, the first being when I was a little girl for my Aunt’s wedding. I remember running through the grounds with my cousins, trying not to get our Sunday best dirty. for fear of what our mothers would say. Fast forward a few decades, and we have had the privilege of supporting our couples in the design for many weddings at this impressive venue.
Photo Credit: B.Jones Photography
The History
Before I show you the venue and give you all the details, I have to share the history of the Lairmont Manor. This stunning building was first built in 1914 by the Larrabee family. That’s right, the same family that Larrabee State Park is named after. Unfortunately, during the construction, Mr. Larrabee passed and Mrs. Larrabee was forced to continue the vision of her husband’s on her own. She then went on to raise her four children in the home and was an influential society member of the Bellingham community.
After her passing in the early 1940’s the manor was then converted into a nunnery and nursing school. That’s right, the main ballroom used to be the chapel with wooden pews and all. As DJ was sharing the history with me about the venue, I was imagining myself sitting on a wooden pew and attending church at the Lairmont. The nunnery and nursing school continued for a few decades until the current family purchased it. In 1967, the Douglas family purchased the estate and decided to share the historical home with their community through both private and public events.
The Details
Now, for all the details!
Lairmont Manor offers many resources and services:
Ballroom chairs (black)
Folding chairs for the garden & tent (white)
Tables (banquet, cocktail, guest, gift)
Standing bar
China, flatware, service ware
A large commercial catering kitchen (kitchen fees will apply)
An outdoor kitchen with an oven and grill
Cleaning fee is included in event rate
Marquee Tent, A large white tent is in place on front lawn between May 1st and October 10th (dates vary depending on weather).
Photo Credit: Michele Waite Photography
Lairmont Manor Capacity Guide:
Indoor Event: 100 people
Indoor/Outdoor Event: 250 people
Why you should consider the Lairmont Manor if you are planning a destination wedding
If you are planning your wedding from afar, I am sure you have come across some challenges that couples planning their weddings in their hometowns don’t run across. Here are a few reasons why we think the Lairmont could be the perfect fit for you:
List of trusted wedding professionals
When planning a destination wedding, google only takes you so far and you can only read some many reviews. Anyone can put of a beautiful website and fill it with gorgeous images. But that doesn’t tell you if they are an amazing wedding professional who can make your vision and dreams come true. Lairmont has an extensive list of vetted and trusted local professional that they enjoy working with. You can be sure that if you interview and hire based on their recommendations, then you will be set up for success.
Optional On site catering
Building on what was said above, Lairmont does have an onsite caterer for you to ease the stress of finding one on your own. Although you are not required to higher them, having this as an option is great for those planning from a far. It is one less professional that you have to coordinate with.
Day of Venue Coordinator
One of the things that is an absolute must, in our opinion, is a venue coordinator. This is very different from a wedding coordinator/planner as the venue coordinator is there to help assist you with anything regarding the venue grounds itself. Need to have the bathroom cleaned, or need to know where more tables are, a venue coordinator will help you with that. Many venues in our area will hand over the keys to you and you are on your own. So when you have an issue during the wedding day, no one is there to help you. For peace of mind, the venue coordinator is a must for couples planning their destination weddings.
An experience for your guests
Finally, the experience you are proving your guests in hosting your wedding at a historical mansion, is one that will be talked about for years to come. The trend these days to have your wedding under a tent surrounded by beautiful gardens is one that many enjoy. We would encourage you to think about the other features your venue can have. The Lairmont Manor embraces this trend with their mature gardens and outdoor tented reception area.
Photo Credit: Jeff and Rebecca Photography
Photo Credit: Jeff and Rebecca Photography
Photo Credit: Jeff and Rebecca Photography
