Wedding at Ellery Beach House

A wedding at Ellery Beach House gives you something unusual for Stockholm: a real beach resort with the whole weekend built around the sea. Ellery is Sweden’s only beach resort in wedding format, with a beach, a terrace facing the water, and a hotel operation built for exactly this kind of multi-day wedding.

The resort sits on Elfviks udde on Lidingö, 18 minutes from central Stockholm. It is Sweden’s only true beach resort, a design hotel where the sea meets the pools and where everything is shaped by the light, playful aesthetic of the 1960s and 70s.

Despite the closeness to the city, it feels like a different world: sea on every side, pine and oak along the shoreline, and an atmosphere that borrows more from the Mediterranean than from the Swedish archipelago. It is Sweden’s only beach resort, and it shows in everything from the architecture to the drinks menu at the beach bar.

A wedding photographer at Ellery Beach House

My name is Karin Lundin and I am a wedding photographer based in Stockholm. I photograph weddings as documentary. That means I move quietly through the room, read the energy and capture what actually happens without staging it. The result is photographs that feel real, not posed.

Ellery is photographed into its very design, which means even the most straightforward portraits carry weight. The light over the water on Lidingö is particular, especially in the afternoon and at sunset. The east-facing shore catches morning light from the sea and evening light reflected back off the buildings. The 1960s architecture gives graphic lines and colours that contrast with the organic surroundings. It is a place where I move naturally between the relaxed mood of the beach and the more formal dinner pictures indoors.

There are multiple rooms to get married and celebrate in, from intimate dinners to larger parties with up to 250 guests. The Marina and Beach Club can be used for welcome drinks, outdoor ceremonies or a late wind-down by fire pits and cabanas.

Prices, accommodation and distance from the city

From 1960s baths to beach resort

The Elfvik peninsula has a long history as a bathing spot for Stockholmers. The original bath house and outdoor pools were built in the 1960s, and the playful design vocabulary of that era lives on in the current resort. Ellery Beach House opened as a full beach resort more recently, reworking the original buildings and adding the Marina, the Beach Club, the pool deck and several function rooms.

The design is coherent across the site. Pastel colours, rattan and cane furniture, striped umbrellas, terrazzo floors, and architecture that leans into curves rather than edges. For a wedding this means the venue itself does a significant amount of the work visually. You do not need heavy floral or decor to make the rooms look right. The building carries the aesthetic.

Different wedding formats at Ellery

The light and the seasons at Ellery Beach House

Summer is the natural season for a wedding at Ellery. June through August gives long light, warm evenings and the possibility of an outdoor ceremony with the water as backdrop. May and early September are slightly cooler but still work beautifully and often cost less because they sit outside peak pricing.

The light on the east-facing shore rewards early mornings and late afternoons. Midday can be harsh on the pool deck, so many couples plan the ceremony for late afternoon when the light softens, then move to the Beach Club for dinner as the sun dips behind the treeline. For photography this rhythm works exceptionally well: portraits in golden hour, dinner through blue hour, dance floor under the cabana lights.

Winter weddings at Ellery are rare but possible. The resort is heated and functions year-round, and winter gives a stripped-back aesthetic that suits the architecture well. Cold-weather couples tend to use the indoor function rooms and save the beach for photography only.

Logistics for guests travelling to Ellery

Ellery sits on Elfviks udde on Lidingö, about 18 minutes by car from central Stockholm. Parking is available on site but limited for very large weddings, so a shared bus from central Stockholm is often the simplest solution for the whole guest list. Bus 221 from Ropsten runs to Lidingö and is the public-transport option for guests without a car.

For international guests arriving through Stockholm Arlanda airport, Ellery is about 45 minutes by car or around an hour via train and bus. Many weddings arrange private transfers from the airport and from city hotels for the wedding day itself. Ask the Ellery coordinator about recommended transport partners; they often have standing agreements with local bus companies.

Accommodation at Ellery

Ellery runs its own hotel on the grounds with rooms from around 2,000 SEK per night. The rooms are designed in the same 1960s-70s aesthetic as the rest of the resort and are more than comfortable for a wedding weekend. Book a room block when you confirm the wedding date; peak summer weekends fill up 12 to 18 months in advance.

Several Stockholm hotels can serve as alternative accommodation for guests who prefer to stay in the city. Many wedding parties arrange a bus from a central Stockholm hotel to Ellery for the wedding day itself. This works well if your guest list is mixed between close family and a larger circle.

Why Ellery works differently depending on the season

One thing worth understanding about Ellery: the experience shifts significantly between summer and the rest of the year. In June, July and August the full resort is alive, with the pool deck open, the beach staffed, the outdoor bars running and guests moving freely between indoor and outdoor spaces. Summer weddings feel like a destination event without leaving Stockholm.

Off season (autumn, winter, early spring), the indoor spaces carry the wedding. The architecture and the design still do their work, but the outdoor experience is more limited. Couples often use this to their advantage: off-season weddings cost less and have a quieter, more focused feeling, with dinner in a warm dining room and photography on the cold but dramatic beach outside.

A photographer’s perspective on Ellery

I have photographed weddings at Ellery and know the light, the rooms and the rhythm of the place. The morning side of the resort, with the beach and the sea opening east, gives the best portrait light shortly after sunrise for couples who want a quiet first-light session. The pool deck in late afternoon gives graphic, colourful frames with the 1960s architecture as the backdrop.

I work with both colour and black-and-white in the same gallery. Black-and-white works well at Ellery because the architecture and the sea carry strong shapes. Colour carries the resort’s pastel palette and the sunset light through the pine trees. My approach is not about technique but about what I choose to see. Children running between the cabanas, grandmothers wiping a tear, the groom scraping sand off his shoes by the entrance. It is the details that show how the day actually felt.

I never ask for group photos unless you request them in advance, and I stay in the background during the ceremony. Want to capture the day on film as well? I often work alongside Nordvér Films, who make films in the same documentary style. More about my approach is available in the hub for Swedish wedding venues.

Food and drink at Ellery

Ellery’s kitchen leans Mediterranean: grilled fish, seafood platters, fresh vegetables, olive oil and citrus. The style fits the resort’s identity and works beautifully for summer weddings where guests are eating outside. Vegetarian, vegan and allergy menus are built around the same palette and feel like first-class options rather than afterthoughts.

Drinks packages follow a standard Swedish wedding format: welcome drink, wine with dinner, bubbly for the toasts, and a bar open through to the last dance. The beach bar is particularly good for a late-night setup, with cocktail service and a more relaxed atmosphere than the main dining room.

What many couples miss at Ellery

A few details that come up late in planning and make the weekend better if addressed early. First: wind from the sea picks up reliably in the late afternoon, even on calm days. Plan the outdoor ceremony to finish before the wind picks up if you are using loose papers or light veils. The venue staff know the typical timing and can advise on the best slot for your date.

Second: the beach is a working beach, not a private one. Hotel guests and sometimes day visitors use it alongside wedding parties. This is rarely an issue for the ceremony itself but can affect photography. Plan the portrait session for off-peak times (early morning or late evening) to get the beach more or less to yourselves.

Third: the Lidingö bridge can add 10 to 15 minutes to guest arrival during rush hour. Build this buffer into the wedding-day timeline, especially if the ceremony is scheduled between 15:00 and 18:00 on a Friday or Saturday.

How to plan your wedding at Ellery Beach House

Planning a wedding at Ellery Beach House is as much about logistics as about style. Start with the season, the date and the format, then catering, ceremony and guests. A wedding at Ellery Beach House generally improves the earlier you start. Book as soon as the date is set, ideally 12 to 18 months ahead for peak summer weekends. Practical details for a wedding at Ellery Beach House are easiest to collect in a shared checklist that you update continuously. Ask vendors for references, request quotes early, and keep a document where you log every decision. Good planning for a wedding at Ellery Beach House saves time, money and nerves.

A wedding at Ellery Beach House is at its best when you know what you want. A wedding at Ellery Beach House needs both frame and freedom. A wedding at Ellery Beach House should reflect you, not a template. Those of you reading this guide are probably planning a wedding at Ellery Beach House right now, and you are on the right track if you think through all the details before booking. A wedding at Ellery Beach House is one of life’s larger arrangements, and the right planning makes a wedding at Ellery Beach House memorable for the right reasons.

Key takeaways

• Ellery Beach House is Sweden’s only beach resort, located on Elfviks udde on Lidingö, 18 minutes from central Stockholm.
• Capacity up to 250 guests across multiple function rooms, with the Beach Club and Marina as the most common wedding setups.
• Design aesthetic: 1960s and 70s, pastel, Mediterranean feel. The architecture carries the visual work; minimal decor needed.
• On-site hotel rooms from around 2,000 SEK per night. Book a room block when you confirm the wedding date.
• Summer (May to September) is peak for outdoor events. Winter weddings are rare but possible using the indoor function rooms.
• Outdoor ceremony by the water is included in the wedding package. Always plan a B indoors for weather.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Ellery from central Stockholm?

About 18 minutes by car. Bus 221 from Ropsten metro station is the public-transport option. Parking is available on site but limited for very large weddings.

How many guests can Ellery Beach House hold?

Up to 250 guests across the function rooms for larger weddings. Smaller, more intimate setups work well in the Marina or in dedicated dining rooms.

Can the ceremony be held outdoors?

Yes. Outdoor ceremonies by the water are included in the wedding package. Always plan a B indoors in case of weather, especially early summer and late August.

Is accommodation available on site?

Yes. Ellery runs its own hotel with rooms from around 2,000 SEK per night. Book a room block early; summer weekends fill up 12 to 18 months ahead.

When should you book?

Saturdays in June, July and August book 12 to 18 months ahead. Off-season dates (May, September, winter) are often shorter lead times. Reserve the date and the room block at the same time.

What does the wedding package include?

The standard package covers the wedding coordinator, welcome mingle, dinner, Beach Club access and outdoor ceremony. Exact content and price vary with guest count and season, so ask for a tailored quote for your date.

Is Ellery only a summer venue?

No. The resort runs year-round, and off-season weddings (autumn, winter, early spring) use the indoor function rooms. Summer is the most photogenic and most booked, but the design works well in any season.