Philadelphia is truly one of the best cities in America. Between its delicious food, rich history, and incredible culture, there is something for everyone to love. Maybe that makes it one of my favorite cities for capturing gorgeous wedding moments. Regardless of your style, I am positive Philadelphia will have the best wedding venue for you. I have gotten the opportunity to photograph some magical weddings around here and have compiled a list of my favorites. Are you looking for a venue that delivers elegance from the second you walk in the door? Would you prefer a blank slate that you can transform into your own? Here are some spots where I am positive you are about to fall in love.
Find the Best Philadelphia Wedding Venue for Your Big Day!
Union League
The Union League is full of options for any wedding aesthetic. This beloved club was founded in 1862 to aid the Union Army. Since its noble origins, it has only expanded. Five different clubhouses offer spaces for your big day with accommodations for up to 380 guests. Whether you want a coastal escape with their golf club or prefer a modern, airy space with their Liberty Hill space, they have exactly what you need. Perhaps the best location is the League House. Its historic building, grand staircase, and sprawling ballroom pack the spaces with charm and elegance. Union League has been voted the #1 City Club in the Country six times for a good reason. Your venue will offer catering, drink services, butlered hors d’oeuvres, and much more.
Waterworks
Waterworks is so beloved that Charles Dickens himself once praised it for its “pleasant design.” The venue is the perfect marriage of Neoclassical architecture and modern luxuries. With its gracefully designed buildings and proximity to the Schuylkill River, your wedding will be nothing short of memorable.
The venue has three different ceremony sites for your party. You can choose to host your ceremony outside in the Grand Pavilion or the Gazebo just off the deck of the Millhouse. For couples preferring an indoor ceremony, you’ll love the Engine House ballroom with its ornate finishes and crystal chandeliers. Cescaphe, the group behind the venue, takes pride in its attention to detail. Your guests will adore the specialty menus with entrees made to order, while you’ll love the ability to show up and know the venue will be just the way you want it.
The Racquet Club
The Racquet Club is the ideal venue for a couple looking to make a dramatic entrance. This storied building is filled with elegant touches and makes your wedding feel like a dream. From the grand staircase to the majestic ballroom, this setting enhances every moment of your special day. The Racquet Club contains marble floors, high ceilings, and priceless artwork throughout the building. The venue can accommodate up to 240 guests, making it an excellent spot for a more significant celebration.
While I love everything about this space, perhaps the best thing is their hard work to make your
day extravagant. The Racquet Club offers an extensive menu of delicious food options to fit dietary restrictions. They also have a dessert service as well as in-house bar services. You can create custom signature drinks for your guests to toast as they celebrate you.
Cairnwood Estate
Are you looking for a venue with an old-world feel with all the new-world luxuries? Then you will positively love Cairnwood Estate. This Gilded Age mansion features an outdoor fountain garden, a terrace, and a covered veranda. The mansion is pure elegance from the marble fireplace to the chandeliers hanging from the grand ceilings.
Inside, you’ll find a 30-foot-big oak dance floor perfect for celebrating with your 250 guests. The Cairnwood Estate only allows one event per day. It gives you access to multiple rooms in the house, giving you plenty of options for a bridal suite and a groom’s room. With the estate, you’ll have a list of premium preferred vendors for the meal of your dreams. It’s a venue that will shine in every season.
Kimmel Center
The Kimmel Center is home to the Philadelphia Orchestra and offers wedding venues unlike any other. The center has multiple spaces to accommodate weddings of all sizes. Their Hamilton Garden is the most common wedding site. This rooftop garden features floor-to-ceiling windows that provide exquisite views of the city. This space will hold up to 200 guests. The Commonwealth Plaza features a 150-foot vaulted glass roof and will hold up to 750 guests for a seated wedding.
For an elegant wedding with up to 200 guests, couples will love the Academy of Music Ballroom with its 19th-century decor and delicate crown molding. For the grand finale, the Perelman Theater can be rented out. Your 300 guests will love celebrating in this remarkable venue’s orchestra pit. The Kimmel Center features award-winning catering and premium drinks through its bar.
Union Trust
Union Trust is a renovated space that features open spaces and engraved ceilings. While the building once served as The Union Trust Company, it is now a breathtaking place to hold your wedding. The building has various choices for your wedding location and can accommodate up to 150 guests. Union Trust provides one of a kind service, making it one of the best Philadelphia wedding venues. You’ll have setup and cleanup, valet services, event planning, and exclusive wedding rentals. The venue has in-house catering through Finley Catering. You can select any dietary restrictions and plated or buffet dinners. Their bar services are also sure to please!
Fitler Club
The Fitler Club is an urban social club. This eccentric space is a prime spot for any modern wedding, offering several locations for your wedding. The outdoor garden is also a green space between industrial brick buildings. Warm strings of light illuminate the room and create a superb atmosphere as is or dressed up in botanicals. The ballroom is elegant yet edgy, offering an open space for more significant celebrations. And the Trophy Room allows plenty of room for a ceremony while still having fun touches like billiard tables and arcade games. The club can hold up to 500 guests and offers premier catering and bar services as well as bridal suites and groom’s rooms.
Crystal Tea Room
The Crystal Tea Room in the Wanamaker building is another one of the best Philadelphia wedding venues for your upscale wedding. Before your guests enter the venue, they’ll be awed by the glass atrium. Inside the tea room, the crystal chandelier that hangs from the delicately carved ceilings illuminates the space. The center of the room features a dance floor that will accommodate 300 guests. This indoor venue offers conveniences such as get-ready rooms. Finley Catering provides the food. You will work with their leading chefs to create a menu that suits your tastes. You’ll also have access to their bar services and cake bakers.
Greenville Country Club (Delaware)
Another option from the best Philadelphia wedding venues is the Greenville Country Club. Located in nearby Delaware, it rests on 17 acres of pristine land suitable for any wedding style. The historical home is draped with ivy and surrounded by a meticulously maintained garden. Because of its indoor and outdoor seating, the venue accommodates most middle-sized weddings. The outdoor patio is a dreamy spot for a reception. Covered by a spacious tent lit up by sparkling lights, this outdoor space offers plenty of room for a live band and a night full of dancing. Executive Chef Peter Fontaine will provide catering. The food is delicious and innovative, while the atmosphere is refined yet whimsical.
The Lucy
The Lucy is yet another gorgeous venue from the trusted party experts at Cescaphe. The brick two-story building lets in natural light from the tall windows. As one of the best Philadelphia wedding venues, the Lucy provides open space suitable for any medium-sized wedding. The main level features herringbone floors and modern brass chandeliers that hang from the industrial concrete ceiling. The bright white walls make a superb backdrop for all of your decor.
The stage is the ideal spot to exchange vows. The best part of this site is how easy it is to convert from a wedding site to your reception site. The stage is perfect for a live band, and the open floors are ready for hours of dancing. As the space transforms, your guests can go to the second-floor mezzanine and enjoy Cescaphe’s famous Cocktail Hour-and-a-half. Their exquisite catering gives you your choice of menu. At the same time, their dedicated staff will ensure your day goes off exactly as planned.
Best Philadelphia Museum Wedding Venues
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Founded in 1805, PAFA is the country’s first museum and art school. It features an astonishing collection of American art that will serve as one of the many beautiful accents for your wedding. The museum allows you to use three different locations. The Samuel L.V. Hamilton building is a modern space with crisp white walls and lots of potential to be decorated however you want.
The outdoor Lenfest Plaza feels like a quiet European plaza in the middle of the busy city. Perhaps the most remarkable space is the Victorian gothic-style Landmark Building. Featuring red damask walls, large arches, and a grand staircase, it’s a stunning atmosphere for a romantic wedding. Any of the spaces should be able to accommodate up to 275 guests. PAFA offers a customizable menu from 12th Street Catering that will provide you with your dream cuisine.
Philadelphia Museum Of Art
Philadelphia Museum of Art is a landmark building that offers multiple spaces ideal for any wedding. Constructed for the 1876 Centennial Exhibition, the museum’s details are reminiscent of the time. You’ll be able to choose several different spaces from two different structures for indoor and outdoor ceremonies.
Most of these spaces will hold up to 150 guests and are fantastic for smaller weddings. Larger wedding parties will love the East Terrace. With room for up to 1,000 seated dinner guests, it’s a leading choice for any grand wedding. The museum offers catering through the Constellation Culinary Group, where every meal feels like a delicious work of art.
Barnes Foundation
For over 100 years, Barnes Foundation has been a center dedicated to preserving fine arts. The breathtaking art throughout the incredible building is one of the many things that makes this such a unique space for weddings. Barnes Foundation has four different locations for your ceremony and reception. While each is lovely, perhaps my favorite is the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Court and Terrace.
The terrace is one of the city’s largest outdoor covered spaces and provides plenty of room for drinks and dancing. The space can hold up to 225 guests for the ceremony and up to 275 for the seated dinner reception. The other areas are ideal for more intimate gatherings and receptions with fewer than 100 guests. With the center, you receive extraordinary catering where the food is an art. It’s truly a luxurious space!
Best Philadelphia Hotel Wedding Venues
Hotel Du Pont
Hotel Du Pont is another Gilded Age gem filled with charm. This hotel is nearby in Wilmington Delaware, and provides all the elegance you need for your wedding. The 25,000-square-foot event space features a Gold Ballroom that provides a sophisticated area for your ceremony and reception. Your event will feature imported chandeliers, terrazzo floors, and hand-carved wooden accents.
The catering is exquisite and creative. You can order a delectable cake straight from the venue, offering an additional layer of convenience. The ballroom at Hotel Du Pont can accommodate over 300 guests. With the attached hotel, your guests will have a convenient place to stay. On top of this, the hotel offers a romantic room experience which is the perfect way to decompress after your grand ceremony.
The Four Seasons Hotel
The Four Seasons Hotel offers multiple venues for the luxury wedding of your dreams. Located in the heart of the city, the hotel offers premium indoor locations and an outdoor terrace for more intimate weddings overlooking the city. While the outdoor terrace will hold up to 100 people, the inside areas can hold up to 500 guests.
The Four Seasons offers a delicious menu prepared by Michelin-trained chefs. Because they are one of the best Philadelphia wedding venues, they also provide floral artists, spa services, cake decorators, and more. They pride themselves in helping you plan your dream wedding and will be there every step of the way. You’ll have all the elegance you’ve expected from the Four Seasons with all the views you’ve come to love from the city.
Hotel Du Village
Hotel Du Village is a luxury venue reminiscent of a French villa. Built around a historic schoolhouse, this estate now features twelve acres of green gardens, sculptures, a babbling stream, a duck pond, and much more. With Hotel Du Village, you can rent one of their two ballrooms (or both, should you choose). With their spacious rooms, you can host up to 260 guests for your reception.
Your guests will adore the farm-to-table catering menu compiled by the estate’s expert chefs. The estate has a boutique hotel with 22 rooms (all with fantastic accommodations). As a result, you can turn your wedding into a weekend getaway with some of your dearest friends and family members. The land is meticulously kept with outdoor fire pits so you can party late into the night.
Best Philadelphia Outdoor Wedding Venues
Winterthur (Delaware)
Winterthur Museum & Country Estate in Delaware feels like an escape to another time. This historic property comprises 1,000 acres of scenic meadows and whimsical woodlands. Additionally, the garden comprises 60 acres, giving you plenty of options for breathtaking wedding portraits. The venue offers ten wedding spaces that will fit up to 350 guests.
Whether you want a cozy indoor ceremony overlooking the gardens or an outdoor service with sweeping views, Winterthur has something suitable for you. Winterthur works with Restaurant Associates for catering, giving you plenty of options for your drinks and menu. The elegant accents throughout the estate, paired with the attentive eye of the venue’s staff, guarantee your day will be an absolute dream come true.
Rodin Museum
The Rodin Museum was installed in 1930 to pay tribute to the famous sculptor. Today, the museum has one of the largest collections of Rodin sculptures outside Paris. It features elegant details as a tribute to the late artist. The massive cast doors will lead you into a sunlit gallery with plenty of space for your ceremony. The museum has a gorgeous garden area that features a reflection pool.
The grassy area feels like a haven right in the heart of the city. Both sites can host a 60 person dinner and a 125-person reception. Catering is provided through Constellation Culinary Group and features a custom menu designed around artistic touches. The modern catering combined with the old-world feel of the building makes this the ideal space for an intimate, romantic wedding.
The Lake House Inn
The Lake House Inn feels like an escape. What once was a general store in the 19th century is now a renovated manor with comfortable rooms and luxurious wedding spaces. When you get married here, you’ll have access to the lakefront boathouse ballroom and terrace. As one of the best Philadelphia wedding venues, the Lake House Inn accommodate over 300 guests, making it a fantastic option for any wedding size.
The catering menus are customizable to suit your tastes, and the cake design becomes what you want. The thing that sets the inn apart is its rooming accommodations. The 14 rooms will fit up to 40 guests and provide them with premium amenities, including snacks, drinks, and breakfast for the morning following the festivities. Give your wedding party a day they’ll never forget.
Best Philadelphia Garden Wedding Venues
Parque Ridley Creek
Lovers of all things Regency Era will adore Parque Ridley Creek. Because it is only 45 minutes outside the city, you feel like you’ve been transported a world away to Netherfield Park. The stone mansion lies in the middle of Ridley Creek State Park. Built in 1915 around an existing 1773 farmhouse, it feels like an English Tudor castle.
Over 100 years later, the building hasn’t lost its charm. The oak walls inside and the lush gardens outside are perfect for moody wedding portraits. The venue allows both indoor and outdoor services. And while the venue feels lost in time, it’s certainly not without hospitality. Parque Ridley Creek offers full-service planning, premium catering, and bar services. It can comfortably fit up to 150 people, making it the best spot for garden parties of all sizes.
Fairmount Horticultural Center
The Fairmount Horticultural Center is a dreamy venue that offers gorgeous garden views with the convenience of a climate-controlled building. This venue has a greenhouse with lush plants and sparkling lights that will accommodate up to 250 guests for your ceremony and 300 for your seated reception.
Your guests will enjoy excellent catering from Constellation Culinary Group and open bar services that can provide specialty drinks. The staff is attentive and ready to turn your day into the wedding of your dreams. Between your ceremony and your reception, you’ll be able to roam the grounds, allowing you to take full advantage of the sweeping trees and lush plants. Everything about this venue is positively magical.
Terrain At Styers
Terrain At Styers is a fabulous space for couples seeking a unique venue. The historic site of this best Philadelphia wedding venue is located on a Philadelphia landmark and transforms into your dream space. The venue hosts up to 110 guests and has a catering service that sources all its quality ingredients from local farmers. Terrain At Styers has both indoor and outdoor ceremony sites.
The courtyard has a quaint patio with tables perfect for an after-ceremony drink service. Edison bulbs light the indoor reception and offers space for toasts and dancing. The venue’s BYOB drink policy allows you to support your favorite brewery. One of the best things about this location is that it’s an operating nursery that will enable the extensive use of the property during your wedding. It is perfect for gorgeous views and photo backdrops.
Best Philadelphia Wedding Venues
Finding the right wedding venue is almost as challenging as finding your soulmate. This guide will help you find the best Philadelphia wedding venue to write the next chapter of your love story.
Are you still stumped? As a Philadelphia wedding photographer, I’ve gotten to tour my share of wedding venues, and I’d love to be your guide. I’m an award-winning photographer who specializes in stunning editorial pictures. Contact me today and let’s chat about how I can help make your wedding day the best day ever.
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Currently based out of both Philadelphia and Los Angeles, Kseniya's work brings her all over the globe to document beautiful memories for stylish couples who want to make a statement.
Recently named one of the top 100 Wedding and Boudoir Photographers in the world, Kseniya puts her artistic and vogue-style aesthetic into every image.
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