Walden Pond State Reservation
Concord, MA
| Venue type | State Park |
| Location | Concord, MA |
| Published price | From $45 |
| Setting | Outdoor |
| Event type | Ceremony only |
What the venue publishes
Massachusetts DCR special event permit fee schedule: "Special event application fee $45.00 (Fee to be paid at time of application and separate from any event costs.)" The per-day outdoor venue rental fees apply only to commercial for-profit applicants.
$45 is the lowest published rate for this space. Day, season, and residency can move it up.
IMPORTANT SEASONAL RESTRICTION: DCR states Walden Pond State Reservation in Concord "does not allow any weddings from May 1 to Oct. 31, due to high recreational use during that time." So this is a November-through-April option only. The $45 is the statewide DCR special event application fee and is a floor - DCR bills additional event costs if staff, equipment, or services are required. Apply at least 45 days ahead via the EEA ePLACE portal; $1,000,000 Certificate of Liability Insurance naming the Commonwealth and DCR required at least 14 days before the event. Call park staff at 978-369-3254 to confirm.
Published on mass.gov, checked August 2026. Fee schedules change, so confirm before booking.
Where this price sits in Boston
$45 is the 2nd lowest published starting price of the 32 venues listed in the Boston metro. The metro median starting price is $300, and 27 of the 32 listings publish a higher starting price than this one.
Among the 3 state park listings in the metro it ranks 1st lowest, against a median of $45 for that type.
Cheaper published prices in Boston metro
This listing in Boston metro publishes a starting price below $45.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts One-Day Marriage Designation (Solemnizer Certificate)Boston, MA · Other Venue | $25 | not published |
Other state park listings in Boston
Same venue type, prices closest to this one.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Borderland State ParkNorth Easton, MA · State Park | From $45 | not published |
| Maudslay State ParkNewburyport, MA · State Park | From $45 | not published |
Marriage license in Middlesex County, MA
The venue fee above does not include the license. Concord sits in Middlesex 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 officeConcord Town Clerk, 22 Monument Square, Concord, MA 01742; Lincoln Town Clerk, 16 Lincoln Road, Lincoln, MA 01773; Waltham City Clerk, City Hall, 610 Main Street, 2nd Floor, Waltham, MA 02452 |
| License fee | Fees are set per municipality, so there is no single Middlesex County fee. Waltham: '$20 (we only accept cash or check).' Concord: '$50, payable by cash or check.' Lincoln: 'License Fee - $40', which includes the license and one certified copy of the marriage certificate. |
| Waiting period | 3 days |
| License valid for | 60 days |
| Who must appear | Both parties, in person |
| ID required | current photo ID such as a license or a passport (Waltham); Concord asks for photo ID; Lincoln does not publish an ID requirement |
| Apply online | In person only |
| Same-day issue | Not issued the same visit |
| Ceremony at the office | Offered for $100Waltham: the City Clerk and Assistant City Clerk serve as justices of the peace and perform roughly 15 minute City Hall ceremonies during business hours; 'The fee is $100 cash.' Concord: the Town Clerk does not perform marriages and points couples to the state one day solemnization route. Lincoln lists the Town Clerk with the title Justice of the Peace but publishes no ceremony service or fee. |
| Witnesses | None required by statute |
Source: city.waltham.ma.us, concordma.gov, malegislature.gov
Lincoln states that no appointment is necessary, that the license is available the third calendar day after applying and is valid 60 days from application, and gives the waiver fees of $195 at Concord District Court or $85 at Middlesex Probate Court. Concord requires an appointment and asks couples to file more than 3 days and less than 60 days before the wedding date; Waltham does not publish an appointment requirement. Waltham publishes the lowest marriage license fee in this metro at $20.
How the metro prices out
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