Salem Common (Park Open Space Event Permit)
Salem, MA
| Venue type | Park & Pavilion |
| Location | Salem, MA |
| Published price | $150 to $300 |
| Setting | Outdoor |
| Event type | Ceremony and reception possible |
What the venue publishes
Salem Parks & Recreation policy: "The following Nonwaivable Administrative fees will apply to all permitted events using permittable open spaces within a Salem park property. SALEM BASED $150.00 / NOT SALEM BASED $300.00"
The source publishes a range of $150 to $300, so which end applies depends on the options the source lists.
Fee is the nonwaivable administrative permit fee for using permittable open space in a Salem park, which covers Salem Common. Applications must be received at least 60 days before the event date and all fees at least 30 days before. All fees are nonwaivable and non-refundable; rain-outs may be rescheduled within the same calendar year if the department is notified by email within 24 hours. Willows Gazebos are separately listed (Small Gazebo $150, Large Gazebo $300) but are "available to reserve for Parks and Recreation Commission approved events ONLY," so they are not listed here as a standalone bookable price. Vendor fee $25.00 per vendor. The department may require a $1,000,000 per-incident / $2,000,000 aggregate Certificate of Insurance.
Published on salemma.gov, checked August 2026. Fee schedules change, so confirm before booking.
Where this price sits in Boston
$150 is the 8th lowest published starting price of the 32 venues listed in the Boston metro. The metro median starting price is $300, and 24 of the 32 listings publish a higher starting price than this one.
Among the 16 park & pavilion listings in the metro it ranks 2nd lowest, against a median of $225 for that type.
Cheaper published prices in Boston metro
These listings in Boston metro publish a starting price below $150.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Larz Anderson Park - Individual Barbecue AreaBrookline, MA · Park & Pavilion | $45 to $180 | 8 guests |
| Borderland State ParkNorth Easton, MA · State Park | From $45 | not published |
| Maudslay State ParkNewburyport, MA · State Park | From $45 | not published |
Other park & pavilion listings in Boston
Same venue type, prices closest to this one.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Larz Anderson Park - Temple of LoveBrookline, MA · Park & Pavilion | $175 to $275 | 100 guests |
| Larz Anderson Park - Top of the HillBrookline, MA · Park & Pavilion | $175 to $275 | 150 guests |
| Larz Anderson Park - The AlleeBrookline, MA · Park & Pavilion | $175 to $275 | 50 guests |
Marriage license in Essex County, MA
The venue fee above does not include the license. Salem sits in Essex County, MA, and these are the terms that county publishes. Checked September 2026.
| Issuing office | City or town clerk of the municipality where the notice of intention is filed; Massachusetts has no county marriage license officeBeverly City Clerk, 191 Cabot Street, Beverly, MA 01915; Gloucester City Clerk, City Hall, 9 Dale Avenue, Gloucester, MA 01930; Newbury Town Clerk, 12 Kent Way, Suite 101, Byfield, MA 01922; Newburyport City Clerk, 60 Pleasant Street, Newburyport, MA 01950; Salem City Clerk, 93 Washington Street, Salem, MA 01970 |
| License fee | Fees are set per municipality, so there is no single Essex County fee. Beverly: 'The fee for a marriage license is $25.' Gloucester: 'Fee: $40.00 (includes one complimentary certified copy of the marriage certificate - cash or check payment accepted).' Newbury: 'the fee in the Town of Newbury is $25.00. This fee entitles you to 2 free copies of your marriage license, after the wedding.' Newburyport: 'The fee for a Marriage License is $30.00.' Salem: '$40 (as of August 1, 2020, fee includes one certified copy of your marriage certificate).' |
| Waiting period | 3 days |
| License valid for | 60 days |
| Who must appear | Both parties, in person |
| ID required | valid photo identification or other proof of age; Newbury and Easton note a birth certificate may be required to show proof of age |
| Apply online | In person only |
| Same-day issue | Not issued the same visit |
| Ceremony at the office | OfferedVaries by municipality. Newburyport: justice of the peace services by appointment inside City Hall during regular hours, usually in City Council Chambers with a maximum of 8 people, 'The fee for this service is $100 payable by cash or check.' Beverly: 'The City Clerk's Office has two justices of the peace who can perform marriage ceremonies,' with no fee published. Gloucester, Newbury and Salem do not publish a clerk ceremony service. Gloucester separately issues a $300 Parks Department wedding permit for city beaches and parks, which is a venue permit and not an officiant service. |
| Witnesses | None required by statute |
Source: salemma.gov, gloucester-ma.gov, cityofnewburyport.com, malegislature.gov
The three day wait falls between filing the intention and picking up the license, not between the license and the ceremony; Gloucester publishes the pickup table (sign Monday, pick up Thursday). Both parties must appear together in all five municipalities, with narrow exceptions for active duty military, incarceration, and in Newburyport a doctor's verification of impending death.
How the metro prices out
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