Amanda & René

We recommend that you book a hotel or Airbnb in Salem, MA or neighboring Beverly, MA. These towns are located halfway between Boston and our wedding venue. Salem is a walkable city with fascinating history, from pirates to the infamous Salem Witch Trials. Summer is peak tourist season (aside from Halloween, of course!), so be sure to book early.

Driving

Be careful not to confuse Salem, Massachusetts with Salem, New Hampshire. They are 25 miles apart; you don’t want to end up in the wrong town!

Ubers and taxis are plentiful in the Salem area. For guests driving their own cars, here is a guide to parking lots in Salem with locations and prices.

For the wedding day, we highly recommend that you carpool, rent a car, or book a taxi in advance. The Crane Estate is in a rural area of Ipswich, so it would be difficult to find an Uber out of the venue at 10 pm. Free parking is available on site.

These are some local taxi companies:
Salem Taxi 978-741-2235
Americab Taxi 978-744-7440
El Khourys Transportation 978-802-4011

Commuter Rail

Salem, MA is on the Newburyport/Rockport commuter rail line. The outbound train starts at North Station in Boston, then the line splits in Beverly. The trains continue onward to either Newburyport or Rockport (alternating). You can board either a Newburyport train or a Rockport train because Salem is located prior to the split. See the map below.



The train schedule can be found on the MBTA website. Download the MBTA mTicket app to buy train tickets. Weekend passes are $10 for unlimited rides in any zone. Another option is to buy a single ride. Salem is in Zone 3. Follow this guide to get the mTicket app and tickets.

Boston has two major train stations: North Station (the one that gets you to Salem) and South Station (which is connected to the airport and serves south of Boston such as NYC and DC). These two train stations are not connected. The local subway is called the T.

Activities:
Relax on Crane Beach or hike the dunes
Tour the Crane Estate and gardens


Where to Eat:
Clam Box of Ipswich - classic spot for fried seafood
1640 Hart House - hearty New American cuisine
Sandpiper Bakery - coffee, pastries, and sandwiches
DownRiver Ice Cream - Amanda’s favorite locally-made ice cream

May I bring a plus one or children to the wedding?

Due to the limited capacity of our venue, we will only be able to include guests who are specifically named on the invitation. Thank you for understanding! Feel free to reach out with any questions.

Are the ceremony and reception at the same location?

Yes, both the ceremony and reception will be held at the Barn at the Crane Estate.

Is there parking at the venue?

Yes, the Barn at the Crane Estate has plenty of free parking spaces.

Are Ubers or taxis available?

Ipswich is located in a rural area with little Uber availability. We highly recommend that you carpool, rent a car, or book a taxi in advance for the wedding day. Refer to the 'driving' section under the travel tab for more details.

What time should we arrive?

The ceremony will begin promptly at 5:00 pm. Please plan to arrive 15-30 minutes early to mingle with other guests.

What should I wear for the wedding?

Cocktail attire: suit and tie, dress, or jumpsuit. The ceremony will be held outdoors on a grassy hill (weather permitting), so keep that in mind when choosing your footwear.

What should I wear for the welcome party?

Dressy casual attire. Think what you would wear for a date night: sundresses, collared shirts, khakis, and jeans with a nice top are all welcome!

We are incredibly grateful for the effort you've taken to celebrate our wedding day with us - some traveling thousands of miles! Please don't feel obliged, but for those who have expressed an interest, we have created a wish list on Zola.