Stowe, Vermont

Caroline Wolfe Papocchia - Occasionally in our travels we encounter lovely venues for special events and weddings, and a recent visit to the Topnotch Resort and Spa in Stowe, Vermont was no exception. Nestled in the state's renowned green mountains, Topnotch offers an all-in-one travel experience that is as refined as it is rustic, equally ideal for a conference or a destination wedding.

(Topnotch Resort & Spa by Topnotch on Flickr)Most people hear Stowe and think of skiing, skiing, and more skiing, but we were there in June and found plenty of entertainments without the stress and hassle of tourists around every corner - not the least of which were the massive indoor and outdoor pools and the elegantly appointed spa.

For more active guests, Topnotch and Stowe offer a seemingly endless array of rigorous, outdoor activities, including hiking, horseback riding, tennis, fishing, kayaking, and canoeing.

(Topnotch Resort Spa by Topnotch on Flickr)

(Outdoor pool at Topnotch Resort & Spa by Topnotch on Flickr)

Like many resorts, the Topnotch is a small campus, and the variety of accommodations and gathering spaces make it an excellent wedding venue. In our case, we stayed in a couple of the resort homes - houses nestled high on the hill. The houses had full kitchens, dining, and living rooms with fireplaces, as well as three bedrooms and three full baths. It was a perfect set-up for a bridal party or for a guest share. Inside, the decor carried the rustic details of the rest of the resort.

(Guest house at the Topnotch Resort & Spa)Topnotch boasts a variety of indoor event spaces across their mini-campus, but in Spring or Summer in Vermont all you want to do is be outside - we have not filled our lungs with such clean air in awhile. Topnotch is aware of this, and unlike many venues offers an in-house tenting option for special events (as opposed to a rental). Now that is what we call full-service!

(Tented wedding at Topnotch Resort & Spa by Topnotch on Flickr)

Visit Topnotch Resort & Spa in Stowe, Vermont for a beautiful wedding option all year round.

This article reprinted with the permission of the Sheffield School. Interested in planning destination weddings and selecting venues? TheSheffield Wedding & Event Planning course teaches everything you need to know to orchestrate a memorable event, from creating a guest list, to hiring vendors, to creating a beautiful wedding design.