Wedding ceremonies may be held in Prescott Park subject to the following terms and conditions and through the procedures outlined below. Adherence to these rules and regulations will help ensure all members of the public can enjoy this very special place at all times. 

1. Couples interested in conducting a wedding ceremony in Prescott Park must make a reservation, receive confirmation and make payment to ensure the space is reserved for their ceremony.  The process of registering for a wedding is described in the Reservation Request Procedure section below.
2. Prescott Park, owned and operated by the City of Portsmouth, is offered as a location for Wedding Ceremonies.  No services are associated with holding a ceremony or hosting guests or other accommodations are provided by the City (with the exception of public restrooms).
3. Weddings are scheduled in two-hour increments; all set-up and take down of personal property associated with your wedding must be erected and taken down within the two-hour time period. Please note that using personal or rented property in the park is the sole responsibility of the party holding the reservation and no responsibility falls onto the City or Prescott Park. 
4. No wedding ceremony may be held in Prescott Park unless a reservation has been approved by the Recreation Department. Ceremonies of more than 75-persons will require special approval. Please note, if the ceremony is on a Saturday/Sunday during the high demand summer season, it is unlikely that special approval will be granted. 
5. As of approximately October 1 of each year, all flowers are removed from Prescott Park gardens. Weddings are still welcome. 
6. Bathrooms open for the season, May – October, weather permitting. Fountains are turned on at approximately the same time as the bathrooms. The beginning of the planting season for the park is mid to late May.
7. Please discuss any ADA accommodations needed during the approval process. 
8. There is no parking available at Prescott Park. Peirce Island is the closest free City parking area. 
9. All wedding ceremony locations remain open to the public. Reservations do not make any Park space private. 
10. The following restrictions apply to every wedding ceremony in the Park: 

• Alcoholic beverages are prohibited at all times in Prescott Park or any City Property
• Throwing rice or other materials is prohibited. 
• Weddings are not permitted on the stage or in the lawn areas surrounding the stage. See Wedding Location Map for eligible locations. 
• No signs, banners or electrical sound amplification are allowed. However, on a case-by-case basis, amplification may be discussed during the approval process. 
• Chairs for guests may be discussed during the approval process. No chairs are allowed in the Formal Garden. 
• No tents are permitted. Nothing is permitted to be staked into the ground in Prescott Park. 
• No pestering wildlife or picking of flowers. 

11. Wedding couples are advised to be mindful of sounds, crowds, and other Park related activities that may take place before, after or during scheduled wedding ceremonies. Multiple activities take place at Prescott Park including Prescott Park Arts Festival with plays, camps and concerts; The Players Ring theater; Gundalow Company boat tours; Prescott Park Marina; and Strawbery Banke is across the street.
     

Please follow these steps below:

1. Please read through the entire “Wedding Ceremony Policy and Procedures” information on this web page. 

2. Choose a location in the Park for your wedding using this Wedding Location Map.

3. Create a customer account at Portsmouth Recreation's Reservation Portal. 

4. Fill out the Wedding Reservation Request Form and send to Brinn Sullivan at bsullivan@portsmouthnh.gov to request your wedding date.

Following a review of your reservation form, you will be contacted by the Recreation Department with an e-mail asking any follow-up questions or a preliminary confirmation. This will also include payment instructions (for non-residents).

Notes on Scheduling: 

• Prescott Park is a vibrant and active public space, with many informal and formal events, both large and small.  Wedding couples are advised to be mindful of sounds, crowds, and other park related activities that may take place before, after or during scheduled weddings. 
• In particular, couples may wish to consult the local events calendar, including the Prescott Park Arts Festival season schedule www.prescottpark.org (this schedule will not include sound checks and summer camp); Pro Portsmouth for events like Market Square Day (typically, second Saturday in June); the Chowder Festival (typically, first Saturday in June); the City’s Community Events Calendar; Chamber of Commerce event schedule, Strawbery Banke, Gundalow Company, and the Players Ring. 
• In the rare instance of a ceremony location becoming unavailable due to park maintenance, another site in the Park will be offered or a refund will be given.  
   

• For Portsmouth Residents, the fee shall be waived when either one of the persons being married is a current Portsmouth resident. For all others, the fees are as follows:
  • 1-10 participants: $150.00 
  • 11-49 participants: $375.00 
  • 50-75+ participants: $750.00
• Payment is expected within seven (7) days of the reservation. 
• The wedding reservation fee shall be refunded in the event that the wedding cannot be held in Prescott Park due to inclement weather. 
• Wedding registration fees are used towards park and garden maintenance. 
• Once the reservation has been entered into the scheduling software, an automated invoice will be generated and emailed. Payment is the final step in confirmation of the reservation. 

Online payment is available through the reservation portal. Payment can also be made via check or cash to Portsmouth Recreation and dropped off at Community Campus, 100 Campus Drive, Portsmouth, NH 03801

• Payment is expected within seven (7) days of reservation 

www.portsmouthnh.gov/cityclerk/birth-marriage-death-certificates