Picking the right venue for your wedding day is one of the most difficult and important decisions in the planning process – especially if you’re planning a small wedding. Your venue is a direct reflection of your style, and becomes the backdrop of your entire wedding design and aesthetic. As a wedding and elopement photographer local to Philadelphia, I have been so fortunate to work with so many badass couples as they plan the raddest, most interesting wedding days imaginable – especially with a smaller guest count. Philadelphia is a city bursting at the seams with creative, historic, and interesting venues. With these intimate wedding locations in Philadelphia, you’ll be able to perfectly personalize your own unique wedding celebration.
Micro-weddings and intimate weddings are near and dear to my heart. They are a very effective way to have a more personalized experience on your wedding day, and allow you to get really creative in how you utilize the space you’re given. Plus, there is so much opportunity for a more fluid timeline, which allows you to be truly present throughout the whole experience.
Take a look at some of my all time favorite locations for an intimate wedding in the Philadelphia area.
PHILADELPHIA VENUES
the Maas Building (Olde Kensington)
The Maas Building is an urban garden dream. With a capacity for up to 100 guests, the space is perfect for more intimate weddings. The have beautiful options for both an indoor or outdoor ceremony, depending on weather, with a gorgeous cobblestone courtyard boasting lush greenery. The courtyard meets urban chic in the upstairs event space with a great mix of metal stairs and brick walls. The Maas Building is a personal favorite of mine for eclectic, colorful celebrations. Take a look at Natalie & Ben’s Spring Wedding!
Vaux Studio (Gayborhood)
Vaux Studio is the perfect venue for intimate weddings and elopements. This renovated brownstone can host up to a maximum of 16 guests (including the couple), and offers a variety of options from simple elopement rentals up to a full day rental that covers getting ready time, all the way through a dinner reception. With a la carte options to include florals, stationary, and officiating services, this beautiful and intimate venue is the perfect location to plan a micro-wedding or elopement.
Portico Awbury Arboretum (Historic Germantown – Northwest Philadelphia)
Portico Awbury is the perfect garden venue without ever leaving the city. Peach Tree Catering hosts beautiful weddings of varying sizes across the grounds of this renovated Victorian Mansion. With two getting ready suites, a large wrap around porch, an outdoor ceremony site, and a tented reception patio, the mansion and grounds are versatile for anything you could dream up. It’s also located in a historic and lush arboretum, with plenty of places to sneak away for beautiful photos. Take a look at Carolyn & Garrett’s summer wedding celebration!
Morris House Hotel (Washington Square)
With 17 guest rooms right on site, Morris House Hotel is an incredibly convenient and beautiful boutique hotel for an intimate wedding. The ease and comfort for guests to stay on site is unmatched. With a tented garden courtyard, this historic building is rich in character, beauty, and functionality. Morris House Hotel has everything you need to create the perfect wedding weekend for your guests.
Artesano Gallery (Manayunk)
Situated underneath the iconic Manayunk bridge, Artesano Gallery is a renovated and refurbished building that ties its historic architecture together with modern art. It is an incredibly interesting space that combines plants, brick walls, metalwork, and compelling light. This quirky space is perfect for couples looking for an eclectic and artistic space in an urban area, but away from the heart of the city.
PHILADELPHIA RESTAURANTS
Vernick Wine Shop (Rittenhouse)
Widely acclaimed chef Greg Vernick’s wine-shop-by-day/restaurant-by-night concept is a deliciously intimate rental space right in Rittenhouse. Available for small parties of 28 guests, this renovated brownstone has a beautiful room with truly professional service. The food and beverages are phenomenal, and the staff are very attentive. This is the perfect location for a peaceful and understated yet luxurious dinner celebration.
Osteria (North Broad)
With various rental spaces for anywhere from 14-200 guests, Osteria is home to award winning Italian cuisine and incredible ambiance. Their service is personalized and attentive, and the food is out of this world. For an urban and industrial setting with the quiet elegance of Italian influence, Osteria is the perfect home for wedding celebrations big and small (as long as you want great food).
Philadelphia Distilling (Northern Liberties)
If you’re looking for the true industrial experience, Philadelphia Distilling is the place for you. With in-house catering, this interesting and immersive functional distillery provides many services in-house to make your planning simple. Plus, you know the drinks are going to be phenomenal.
OUTDOOR PHILADELPHIA ELOPEMENT LOCATIONS
Love Park (Center City)
Getting married at the Love sign is an iconic Philly staple. The city started hosting Wedding Wednesdays on a weekly basis. From March – November, couples can get married on Wednesdays with a 30 minute ceremony time slot and a 20′ x 20′ reserved space in front of the Love sign for only $250.00. The city provides an officiant, and you can bring a small number of guests if you’d like. Plus, being a Wednesday, you can walk right over to City Hall to drop off your marriage license right then and there! Take a look at Emilia & Vinny’s Love Park elopement for the full picture.
Waterworks Gazebo (Fairmount)
The Waterworks Gazebo behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art is a quiet location overlooking the Schuylkill river. The surrounding gardens are well-manicured for beautiful photos, and the gazebo itself is a great option for a very intimate rain-or-shine ceremony option. Plus, the views at and around the museum itself are truly unmatched.
RURAL AND GARDEN VENUES
the Farm Bakery and Events (Quakertown, PA)
This rustic chic wedding venue has a variety of spaces, from a renovated 1800’s-era barn to a newly constructed white-walled barn, and even a covered patio space. The Farm Bakery and Events can accommodate small weddings and elopements, all the way up to larger weddings of ~140 guests. Plus, they have a bakery on site to provide you with a beautiful customized wedding cake. They even have a delicious gluten free menu!
Frelinghuysen Arboretum (Morristown, NJ)
While the arboretum is a couple of hours out of Philadelphia, this garden venue is perfect for intimate wedding ceremonies. Its manicured grounds are lush in the spring and summer months, with space and privacy for guests to mingle during a standing ceremony. I highly recommend this gem for a gorgeous backdrop to your celebration! There are indoor rentals available as well.
Trexler Nature Preserve (Lehigh County, PA)
The rolling hills of Trexler Nature Preserve are an incredible backdrop to an outdoor wedding ceremony. While this location is about an hour away from Philadelphia, it is an easily accessible rural site for a wedding day. It is also handicap accessible, which can sometimes be a difficult accommodation to find with an outdoor ceremony. There are restrooms and a small education center at the overlook which allow for an indoor ceremony space, if needed.
the Washington at Historic Yellow Springs (Chester Springs, PA)
Last but certainly not least, the Washington at Historic Yellow Springs is another old estate that has been lovingly restored. It hosts events for up to 150 guests, but is well suited for intimate events as well. The grounds are beautiful and lush in the summer months with several ceremony locations on site, and two separate spaces for getting ready. This venue is about an hour outside of Philadelphia and is perfect for an easy countryside getaway.
READY TO PLAN YOUR OWN INTIMATE WEDDING IN PHILADELPHIA?
As a Pennsylvania-based wedding and elopement photographer, I love being invited to your most precious memories in my home city. I hope this list of the best intimate wedding locations in Philadelphia points you in the right direction to bring your dreams to life! I can’t wait to help plan and photograph your dream intimate wedding day! Reach out below to tell me more about your plans, and let’s build your perfect celebration together.
And if you’re looking for more resources about eloping, take a look here for the Ultimate Guide to Eloping in Pennsylvania.
