The Thompson Inn is a brand new wedding venue in Durham, NH. So new in fact that they are still under construction! Don’t worry, though, they will be done constructing the Cyderhouse this spring — just in time for the 2017 wedding season.
I found out about this new wedding venue from Nicole Mower, a wonderful wedding planner, and a good friend. I am so glad she connected me with them as this venue is going to be so lovely! They have a big beautiful Cyderhouse where the wedding receptions will be held — it is a barn-styled post and beam construction, with an enormous fireplace, for those cool fall weddings. The lawns around the Cyderhouse are perfect for a wedding ceremony and once the Inn is finished with its renovations it will make the perfect place for the bridal party to get ready and stay for the weekend.
One other special thing included with this venue is that they have an onsite chef! One less thing to worry about on your wedding day. :)
If you are looking for a Durham, NH wedding venue, definitely take a look at The Thompson Inn at 90 Bennett Road, Durham, NH 03824 right along the Lamprey River.
The Thompson Inn a Durham, NH Wedding Venue
Tell us a bit about yourself and how you decided to open up your own wedding venue?
My husband has worked for years as an international account manager and I am an Occupational Therapist. We have a passion for restoring homes and have done a few over the 34 years we have been married. Over twenty years ago, we fell in love with the deteriorating Highland House, located about 1/3 of a mile from our home in Durham, and started plotting what we would do with the property if it ever became ours. About ten years ago, we did buy the property with the intention of restoring the guest house and running it as a B&B. We picked away at the inn’s restoration over the next few years and had lots of folks stopping by asking about the possibility of having weddings there. We started giving that idea a bit of consideration and decided to give it a go when a local young couple asked about renting a tent and using our grounds for their wedding in October 2015. We really enjoyed working with them and their families and everything went well (and we learned a lot!) so we did it again about a year later. The old cider mill on the property with a post and beam addition is currently under renovation/construction and will be our reception venue.
The Thompson Inn is a very historic building. Can you tell us a bit about the history of the Inn?
The original house was built around 1800 and was home to a family of farmers and Lamprey River mill owners and the property had some outbuildings including the cider mill. It was purchased by members of the Woodman family in the mid-1800’s and converted into a guest house in the late 1890’s and was known as the Highland House. It was one of the first two buildings in Durham to be wired for electricity. In the 1920’s, Elmer and Amanda Thompson moved to Durham from the Midwest with their daughters to try their hand at running the place. Over the years, they expanded the business to include two more buildings to accommodate guests, a dance hall, a gift shop and tea room, and a gazebo in the middle of the Lamprey River in front of the Highland House. Guests would arrive from Boston, New York City, and other nearby cities and stay for weeks on end during the summer months to enjoy the fresh country air and delicious meals prepared with produce and meats grown on the farm. Ina Thompson was the younger of the daughters and ran the place herself for many years after her parents died and her sister moved away. She deeded the property to UNH, who used the property for educational purposes for students of the Thompson Agricultural program until the mid-1980’s.
What makes your wedding venue unique?
The Thompson Inn is situated on a hill overlooking the Lamprey River and surrounding farmland on a quiet country road. We only host one event each weekend and will have ten guest rooms for guests from the event to stay in. Couples and their guests have the place to themselves for the weekend. Our on-site chef will work with couples to come up with their own unique menu and will be purchasing produce, meats, and seafood from local farmers and fishermen.
Do you have a few tips for an engaged couple when it comes to deciding on their wedding venue?
Try not to lock yourself into a date before looking at venues. Find a place that feels like a good fit first and then figure out a date from their availability. Give consideration to having your wedding during the cooler months of the year. This often can save you money and give you the opportunity to do something unique.
When will you be done with construction, how many weddings are you looking to do per year?
The Cyderhouse will be completed this spring with the inn following in the spring of 2018. We will be open from April through December and expect to host about 28 event weekends during that timeframe.
What would be your ideal wedding to hold at your venue?
We are a good fit for couples that want a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of time to visit with friends and flexibility with their food choices and use of the property. The Cyderhouse’s style can be best described as rustic elegance and accommodates up to 150 guests. The historic inn, with its fresh farmhouse style, will have ten guest rooms. We have lots of outdoor spaces to enjoy including an expansive lawn, outdoor porches, decks and patio, and shade trees, with flowers everywhere.
I hope that you have enjoyed getting to know Lori from The Thompson Inn. If you are looking for a wedding venue in the Durham, NH area then totally check this place out!
