The Victorian-style farmhouse and barn were built in 1788 by the prominent Berry family. The Berrys located their homestead upon a hill and away from the road, which today offers privacy rarely found with historic structures. For 200 years, the property was run primarily as a farm.
By 1987, a proposal was put forth to turn the 236 acres into a country club. The plans for the Victorian Country Club at Chichester consisted of an 18-hole golf course with pro shop, function hall, health spa, driving range, indoor swimming pool, tennis courts, baseball field, heliport, and country inn.
In 1987, eighteen holes were cut and in the fall of that year, the first wedding was held on the property. However, a turn in the economy halted further progress until 1993 when a local family, recognizing its potential, purchased the property.
The new owners renamed the property 'Dell-Lea,' which means "woods and meadows" in Old English, and set forth to make it into a premier New Hampshire wedding venue. They held their first wedding in June of 1993 and continued to host weddings for the next 23 years.
The most significant renovations during their tenure occurred in 2014, which included an addition to the original barn, a major kitchen renovation, a bar extension, bathrooms updates, and the installation of a heating and air conditioning system.
n the summer of 2016, stewardship of Dell-Lea Weddings & Events was passed to David and Toutou Marsden. With a combined professional experience of 50 years, David's and Toutou's fresh ideas, commitment to customer service, their penchant for great food, and down-to-earth approach quickly catapulted Dell-Lea Weddings & Events to the short list of highly sought-after wedding venues in New Hampshire. David and Toutou are involved in all aspects of the family-owned and operated Dell-Lea and are on-site for most weddings.
These guys are the ones who keep our venue looking beautiful and running like a well-oiled machine. With over 200 acres of woods and shy of 30 acres of lawn and fields, mowing itself can take 15-25 hours a week! Trust us, when you drive up the driveway, you’ll see why they put so much care into this alone. They are mostly behind the scenes, but their work does not go unnoticed.
Our knowledgeable waitstaff team is not only well tenured, attentive, and committed to providing unrivaled service, they are also the heart of the Dell-Lea family. Our waitstaff understand the importance of your special day and truly love going above and beyond to make sure that your event is one of a kind!
Our bar team brings the perfect mix of talent, personality, and fun to every reception! Graham, our bar manager, is a seasoned bartender known for his incredible mixed drinks and his endless supply of classic “Dad” jokes. Rachel keeps the atmosphere relaxed and welcoming while sharing creative herbal twists and fresh ideas for cocktails. And Meghan knows how to keep the energy up, bringing plenty of fun along with her impressive knowledge of sports and spirits. Together, this trio knows exactly how to keep the drinks flowing, the laughs coming, and the celebration glowing all night long!
Laurie Russell is an amazing homeschool mom of four on weekdays. On the weekends she shares her love of weddings with our lucky couples. Laurie had the joy of planning her oldest daughter’s wedding. When she is not busy teaching and coordinating weddings, she loves playing and teaching piano, singing and leading a band. In total honesty, Laurie still cries at the wedding no matter how many she has done! Her favorite part of coordinating is the first dance and parent dances.
Adam has been working in the culinary industry since the age of 15, and though we promised not to give away his age, we can say that he’s been cooking professionally for over 30 years in many prominent restaurants throughout the Granite State. Adam’s passion is making comfort food for his Mom, nieces, and nephews. When he is not in the kitchen, he loves taking long rides on his Harley, playing disc golf, and messing around with his dog (who, may we add, eats very well).
With strong roots in New Hampshire, Toutou’s journey brought her from Plymouth State University to a Fortune 500 company in Boston where she worked in various roles in sales, marketing, events, and project management. Through her vast experience, her love for event planning captured her heart. Combined with her project management experience and her role as one of Dell-Lea’s owners she has overseen over 900+ weddings. Dell-Lea has become one of New Hampshire’s award-winning premier wedding venues in recent years. Let Toutou’s personal approach, insight, and know-how help create the romantic wedding you envision.
