White Elephant

White Elephant
50 Easton St
Nantucket, MA 02554
508-228-2500
View their website

Average Base Cost: $45,000

Average base cost for a White Elephant wedding is calculated by figuring a 100-person guest list for a Saturday wedding in October. Entertainment, flowers, additional decorations and rentals, transportation, and photography are not included. Price is rounded up to the nearest thousand. Gratuity and tax is included in our average base cost.

*Prices subject to change

How it Breaks Down

Facility Rental Fee: Weddings at the White Elephant are available during May, June, September and October. Prices range from $6,000 to $11,000 with a $1,000 ceremony fee.

white elephant wedding

What’s Included: Tables, chairs, linens, glassware, flatware, etc, for up to 150 people.

white elephant wedding
Photo by Zofia & Co.

Food/Beverage: You must use their in-house catering, Brant Point Grill, which is the on-site restaurant. Their wedding package averages $260 per person, which includes a plated meal, passed hors d’oeuvres during cocktail hour and an open bar.

white elephant wedding
Brant Point Grill

Outside Vendors: Aside from catering you may bring in outside vendors.

Extras: Ceremony feesecurity, gratuity, and administrative fees are an additional cost.

white elephant wedding
Photo by Zofia & Co.

More Stats

Space Type: Inside/Outside. A typical wedding setup includes a ceremony on the Harborview Lawn with the harbor as a backdrop, then a reception on the Harborview Terrace.

white elephant wedding
Photo by Zofia & Co.

Bridal Suite: You may choose to rent the 3-bedroom White Elephant Loft at 32 Main Street as your Bridal Suite, which includes a living room and fireplace, full kitchen (the hotel can arrange a chef to prepare meals) with an island for entertaining as well as state-of-the-art appliances (such as Sub-Zero fridge and separate wine fridge).

white elephant wedding
The White Elephant Loft

Size: The White Elephant can accommodate up to 150 guests for weddings. For larger parties over 150 you will have to rent out the entire property, in which case they can accommodate up to wedding guests.

Parking: Yes. Valet is also available.

white elephant wedding
Photo by Zofia & Co.

How Will Grandma Get There? Ideally Grams would stay at the White Elephant, which has 67 guest rooms and suites. Other neighboring hotels owned by the same property group include the Wauwinet and the Cottages at the Nantucket Boat Basin. Room prices at the White Elephant Hotel range from $600-$900+. The White Elephant is within walking distance of downtown Nantucket, and can be reached via plane from Boston, Washington, D.C., and NYC airports seasonally as well as via ferry from Hyannis, Massachusetts.

Room at the White Elephant

Party On! Events can run until 10 p.m., however you can then take guests inside to the Brant Point Grill until 11 p.m.

white elephant wedding
Photo by Zofia & Co.

The Report

The White Elephant Hotel was originally a collection of waterfront cottages starting in the 1920’s until socialite Elizabeth T. Ludwig dreamed of making it into a hotel. Referred to as “Mrs. Ludwig’s white elephant,” the hotel eventually became a vacation destination in the 1960’s under new ownership, and in 1999 underwent a complete renovation. It is now part of the Nantucket Island Resorts portfolio.

white elephant wedding
Photo by Zofia & Co.

Woman Getting Married Says

The White Elephant Hotel is classic Nantucket, and is definitely a dreamy location for a destination wedding! If you have the budget and can rent out this entire resort, I think that’s the way to go (though I would still keep the wedding party under 150 guests). That way you have the entire place to yourself and can utilize the restaurant as part of your reception area as well.

Click here to learn more about my wedding venue review process.

Discover more wedding venues here, or ask about our custom wedding venue search.

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Amenities/What’s Included 8
Convenient for Grandma 10
Layout 7
Location 10
Overall Charm 10
Venue Value 7

WGM Rating

8.7
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