Montpelier Wedding

Montpelier is the capital of the U.S. state of Vermont and the county seat of Washington County. Known for its lively downtown driven, in part, by the activity of state government, Montpelier is the site of the Vermont State House, visible from the outskirts of town, which is located on State Street on the west side of downtown. The Winooski River, known locally as the "Onion River," flows along the south edge of downtown and is fed by several smaller tributaries that cut through residential districts.

Along with Barre, the city forms a small micropolitan area in the center of the state. As of the 2000 Census, it was the least-populous state capital in the United States, with a population of 8,035. It is home to the New England Culinary Institute, the annual Green Mountain Film Festival and the headquarters of several insurance companies. Famously it is the only state capital without a McDonald's franchise, and it has the last remaining clothespin manufacturer in the United States. The majority of businesses in the downtown area, including the many bookstores and restaurants, are locally owned. The only national restaurant chains in downtown are Subway, Quiznos (which only expanded into Vermont in 2004-05) and the locally based Ben & Jerry's. Processing granite, mainly from the quarries in nearby Barre was once a major part of the city's economic activity and continues to some degree; timber was once a large industry in the region in the 19th century, but has largely declined.