Sunset Lodge is located on the most beautiful outcropping of the shore of Lake Damariscotta. This is a perfect venue for a couple looking for a rustic setting. We wanted to be able to do things ourselves, so we redubbed the rehearsal dinner the "Preparation Picnic" inviting guests who were willing to help get the place ready, to a picnic dinner. Guests all told us they loved the opportunity to pitch in as it gave them the chance to get to know one another better. For the picnic, we cooked 50 lobsters in the giant outdoor propane lobster pot and rounded it out with portobella burgers, roast chickens, salads and other tasty things (let's just say most people decided to pitch in!).

The views are at once spectacular and serene. The presence and sounds of the water are a balm on jittery bride nerves! The ceremony was on the lawn and our dinner afterward, catered by Laura Cabot, was in a tent on the upper lawn, among flower beds. A spectacular sunset post-ceremony was backdrop to (admittedly wind-blown) pictures on the dock.

The presence of the lodge and surrounding cabins meant our closest friends and family could stay near the action the whole weekend (essential for a destination wedding!) and the rest of our guests found pleasant accommodations in the surrounding area. The immensely long porch and large indoor spaces allowed people to gather together. A campfire sing and watching a lightning storm from the porch were highlights of the weekend! Several guests recently reminisced to me how delightfully fun our wedding was.

Sunset Lodge is a family operation and is generally rented out in the summer. We have returned since our wedding for vacations, and the owners have done a ton of renovations to make the place rustic chic. The kitchen, serviceable during our wedding, is now a caterer's dream with dual sinks, dishwashers, fridges, etc. We had a ceilidh/contra dance in the then-newly-built workshop, but now they have an even more recently built pool hall.

Sunset Lodge is a beautiful, rustic, authentic Maine camp that can comfortably host (estimating) up to about 100 guests. We were married there on Labor Day Weekend of September of 2016, after discovering it on Homeaway. Since it is a vacation rental, the services available to us through the rental were very minimal as venues go, but it gave us much more creative freedom. We chose it for the amazing location and the nostalgic feelings it conjured up of old orange life jackets, English muffins sizzling in cast iron pans, and creaky screen doors. The site is relatively open and grassy with just enough pine trees to offer shade and a woodsy feel. Even in September, planters and gardens burst with wildflowers. The game room, shuffleboard, 80' screened in porch, fire pits, etc were wonderful perks. In the center of the site plan is a flat grassy area that we used for a small tent for our 60-guest wedding. We were married by the lake using a beautiful arbor from Gilmartin Designs.

The Lodge has a massive kitchen that we found handy for rehearsal dinner and large group breakfasts. Bathrooms are modernized and the bedrooms are comfortable. Due to an arrangement, we were required to rent the adjacent Sunset Cabins (from a separate owner) for the weekend as well, but between the lodge and Sunset Cabins, we could have housed over forty guests total.

We felt the price was right for this space and it becomes more worthwhile if you can convince your guests to stay the week or the weekend and pitch in for the room costs. The price below included a full Labor Day week with the lodge and three cabins and the 2016 'wedding rate'. We had some additional requirements to meet that are not included in the price, including renting a portable toilet and acquiring event insurance.

All in all, it was an intimate dream wedding (we were lucky to have perfectly clear 75 degree weather, too) and I would encourage those who love the woods and traditional lakeside camps to check it out.