Wedding Planning

Philadelphia Wedding Venues: Historic Estates, Tented Receptions, Waterfront Events

Hi, I'm Juliana
Fueled by equal parts love for love and creativity, I truly believe I found the best job in the world! Capturing couples's love story and the day they started their new family brings me so much joy and gratitude!
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10 Top Philadelphia and Philadelphia area wedding venues.

Key Takeaways

  • A detailed list of 10 Philadelphia wedding venues featuring historic estates and mansions, gardens, waterfront venues, and venues that offer tented wedding receptions
  • For each Philadelphia area wedding venue listed, find an interactive map and a synopsis of reviews from previous couples, including what they loved most about the planning process at their chosen venue.
  • Through each of the Philadelphia venues listed also includes style tags to provide you with further details on the atmosphere and environment that will shape your wedding at the selected venue.

Table of Contents

  1. Elkins Estate
  2. Longwood Gardens
  3. Glen Foerd
  4. Cairnwood Estate
  5. Hotel du Village
  6. Barnes Foundation
  7. Ashford Estate
  8. Park Chateau & Gardens
  9. Mansion at Natirar
  10. Bonnet Island Estate
  11. Philadelphia Wedding Photographer

1. Elkins Estate

Rich architecture filled with natural golden light that pours into every corner; if you’re searching for Philadelphia wedding venues that are historic, dreamy, and romantic, Elkins Estate offers stunning sculptural gardens set against a historic mansion home. The grounds of Elkins Estate feature 42 acres of lush landscaping and rolling hills. Wedding ceremonies are held here, shaded by the old oak trees in what feels like an intensely intimate yet grand setting. The ceremony space is framed by a double stone stairway at the back of the estate home, allowing for a dramatic entrance. Wedding reception celebrations at Elkins Estate are held indoors, beyond the doors of the property’s English Tudor mansion. Architectural detailing and notes of the past imbue Elkins Estate wedding receptions with magnificence through hand-painted murals and soaring ceilings. Elkins Estate is a Philadelphia wedding venue that invites you in through an exclusive experience while honoring it’s storied past.

What Couples Say About the Venue

With a nearly flawless 5-star rating, couples describe Elkins Estate as being filled with European architecture and a touch of charm from the Gilded Age. Attendees also praise the hospitality-driven experience offered through an Elkins Estate wedding, and enjoy the exquisite dining experience and on-site amenities.

Total Capacity

Elkins Estate hosts weddings with up to 300 invited guests in attendance, through a number of seating configurations.

Style

Indoor-Outdoor, Historic, Estate, Sculptural Gardens

Couple hold hands and walk down aisle together at Elkins Estate wedding ceremony


2. Longwood Gardens

Lush gardens in a colorful dreamscape accented by trickling fountains, Longwood Gardens offers a whimsical perspective on sophisticated Philadelphia wedding venues. Florals and horticulture have been in perpetual bloom at the gardens since 1921, illuminating the space with an inspiring sense of awe. The venue’s environment is shaped by its winding pathways, vibrant natural color, and a soft, wafting, light fragrance from the perennials. The indoor wedding reception venue in Philadelphia embodies a feeling of the outdoors through its glass conservatory setting. Topiaries hang high above long, family-style guest tables, and every corner of the natural, thriving environment feels uniquely private with its orchids, ferns, and towering palm trees. From the moment of arrival, Longwood Gardens immerses you in its natural beauty, where wedding day portraits become purposeful pursuits of curated memories.

What Couples Say About the Venue

The private event space at Longwood Gardens is praised by couples for its tranquil setting, offering an air of whimsy through the transportive landscape.

Total Capacity

An expansive wedding venue, Longwood Gardens can host wedding day celebrations with up to 400 seated guests in attendance. Should you require additional space, the venue can be configured for a strolling cocktail reception for up to  1,000 guests.

Style

Indoor, Gardens, Conservatory/Greenhouse

 


3. Glen Foerd

Philadelphia wedding venues never lack for their share of history and charm. At Glen Foerd, weddings are celebrated along the waterfront, in a setting reminiscent of the Gilded Age. The riverfront estate home turned wedding venue holds the story of some of Philadelphia’s most elite owners, detailed throughout time. In modern times, the 19th-century Italianate mansion opens its grounds to couples who wish to host a wedding ceremony overlooking the Delaware River, with a tented celebration to follow. On-site amenities include access to an indoor bridal suite, a riverside pavilion for al fresco cocktail hours, and a tented south lawn where wedding dinners unfold through a night centered on connection. The grounds of the venue give way to wedding-day portraits that tell the story of the emotion and beauty experienced throughout your Glen Foerd wedding.

What Couples Say About the Venue

Reviews for Glen Foerd praise the Philadelphia wedding venue’s breathtaking river views and attention to detail through the planning process. The on-site venue team provides a seamless wedding day planning experience with a high level of communication from beginning to end.

Total Capacity

The preferred seating capacity at Glen Foerd has the ability to accommodate 250 to 300 guests.

Style

Outdoor, Tented, Historic, Mansion, Estate, Waterfront


4. Cairnwood Estate

With an unrestrained sense of opulence, weddings at Cairnwood Estate are private, elegant events. The historic estate home, designed in the Beaux-Arts style of architecture, features elements from classic Grecian, Roman, and French Renaissance influences. Today, the barrel-vaulted ceiling, crystal chandeliers, fireplaces, and grand staircase become pieces of story, rewritten on your wedding day. Though Cairnwood Estate features a private chapel on the top floor of the home, it is a Philadelphia wedding reception venue, and ceremonies are not offered on-site. The nearby Bryn Athyn Cathedral offers wedding ceremonies conveniently located near the venue for couples who worship through the affiliated New Church.

What Couples Say About the Venue

A Cairnwood Estate wedding is lauded by couples for its breathtaking landscape and ability to host an exclusive wedding that feels like stepping into an event on a private estate. The venue staff is acclaimed for their responsive process and professionalism, providing each and every couple with an unforgettable experience.

Total Capacity

Cairnwood Estate can host weddings with up to 250 guests in attendance.

Style

Indoor, Historic, Estate, Gardens


5. Hotel du Village

Offered by Landmark, weddings at the Hotel du Village unfold through a French chateau experience, set against the backdrop of 12 garden acres and historic architecture. Conveniently located within one hour of New York, the Philadelphia area wedding venue provides an environment that feels entirely juxtaposed from the vibrant energy of the city. The original vision of the architecture of the estate home permeates the venue today, with Hotel du Village weddings that invite you in and hold space for you through a welcoming event centered on your preferences. Hotel du Village is an all-in-one Philadelphia wedding venue with wedding ceremonies held outdoors and receptions with the option of tenting the grounds or hosting indoors at the venue’s ballroom. Open year-round, Hotel du Village also offers an optional full chateau buyout, with overnight accommodations to ensure a private experience for you and your guests.

What Couples Say About the Venue

Couples love the optional overnight accommodations provided by Hotel Du Village, describing their experience as priority-driven. Additionally, the venue grounds, located on the outskirts of the city, create an immersive wedding day experience from the moment of arrival. Couples also love that the venue was able to anticipate their needs, with easy access to getting-ready suites and a delicious food and beverage service, beginning early in the day, through to dinner and dessert.

Total Capacity

A full buyout of the estate at Hotel Du Village can accommodate a wedding with up to 240 guests in attendance.

Style

Indoor-Outdoor, Estate, Tented, Ballroom, Optional Overnight Accommodations


6. Barnes Foundation

Spend the evening of your wedding dining, dancing, and celebrating next to acclaimed pieces of artwork that inspire at Barnes Foundation. A local museum featuring stunning modernist architecture and a fascinating, broadly developed collection of art, a Barnes Foundation wedding is for the couple who desire a wedding in a venue that is equal parts grand and modern. Philadelphia wedding venues are often historic in structure, but Barnes Foundation acclaims history through its thoughtfully curated collection of historic paintings contrasted with its modern architecture. Barnes Foundation hosts wedding ceremonies and receptions through their indoor/outdoor Walter and Leonore Annenberg Court and Terrace. The connecting space allows for a flow of celebration from one event to the next, creating a wedding day that brings you closer to your guests over the course of a remarkable evening.

What Couples Say About the Venue

The dramatic, architecturally sculptural space at Barnes Foundation is described as awe-inspiring, with weddings taking place near great works of art by the masters, such as Monet and Matisse.

Total Capacity

The Barnes Foundation wedding venue can seat up to 225 guests for a seated dinner with a dance floor.

Style

Indoor-Outdoor, Museum, Modern, Architectural, Dramatic


7. Ashford Estate

From the moment you enter Ashford Estate, transfixing country estate elegance greets you. Entry begins over an antique bridge, just past the iron gates, along a crushed stone driveway lined with pine trees. Hundreds of acres of well-preserved farmland are accented by fountains, waterfalls, gazebos, ruins, stone statues, and gardens with breathtaking views. If you’re searching for a Philadelphia wedding venue where history and architectural grandeur meet in a private preserve, Ashford Estate gives way to wedding ceremonies, cocktail hours, and receptions that create a progression of events through a seamless flow of your wedding day timeline. 

What Couples Say About the Venue

Couples who have planned an Ashford Estate wedding often describe their wedding day and planning process as perfect and incredibly detail-oriented. The grounds of the estate are referenced for their bucolic setting, with soft light pouring into a provincial space, creating wedding day portraits that reflect the transportive emotion of their wedding day.

Total Capacity

Weddings at The Ashford Estate have the ability to accommodate up to 275 seated guests.

Style

Estate, Sculptural Gardens, Ballroom

Further Details

Find a full guide to planning a multi-day weekend wedding at Ashford Estate at this link.


8. Park Chateau & Gardens

Some wedding venues in Philadelphia feel as though they’ve taken a page out of a French romance novel, which can be said about Park Chateau & Gardens. White-glove service, multi-course menus, and a comprehensive list of amenities are embraced in a romantic setting. Additionally, the venue’s convenient tri-state area location makes it easy to navigate for couples and guests arriving from out of town. Beautifully crafted, with a sea of white walls and a grand winding stairway, a Park Chateau wedding is one where sophistication envelopes your love affair for an unforgettable wedding day.

What Couples Say About the Venue

Organization, communication, and an over-the-top food and beverage experience are often cited as some of the things that couples who were married at Park Chateau loved the most. Also referenced in reviews are the many on-site amenities the venue offers, such as valet parking services and custom lighting. Lastly, couples love the grand facade of the venue, which lends itself to a refined wedding photography experience.

Total Capacity

The layout of your Park Chateau wedding reception will influence the overall capacity of your event; however, the venue can accommodate up to 400 guests for a wedding.

Style

Indoor-Outdoor, Chapel, Ballroom, French-Inspired Architecture

Further Details

Find a complete guide to help you navigate planning a Park Chateau & Gardens wedding when you visit this link.


9. Mansion at Natirar

A luxurious estate home, set across 500 acres of countryside, the Mansion at Natirar dates back to 1912, blending historic architecture with modern amenities in a venue that exudes gracious warmth. Spaces at the Mansion at Natirar to host a wedding include an outdoor stone pavilion for wedding ceremonies, a back patio where cocktails and appetizers are served, and an indoor ballroom where elegant seated dinners and live music light up your reception celebration. The mansion is for the lovers, the visionaries, and the couples who desire a Philadelphia wedding with top-tier amenities and exceptional wedding photos.

What Couples Say About the Venue

Weddings at the Mansion at Natirar have 4.9 stars from past couples who were over the moon with their wedding day experience. Couples often reference the exquisite cuisine during cocktail hour (lobster rolls and wagyu dumplings), while also mentioning the expert level of detail the in-house staff provides through the planning process and on the day of their wedding.

Total Capacity

The grand ballroom inside the Mansion at Natirar can host a wedding with 225-280 seated guests in attendance.

Style

Indoor-Outdoor, Historic, Mansion, Estate, Ballroom


10. Bonnet Island Estate

The atmosphere and coastal environment of a Nantucket wedding, right in the Philadelphia area, Bonnet Island Estate is a wedding venue with picturesque waterfront views of the Barnegat Bay. Wedding ceremonies and receptions at Bonnet Island Estate are held indoors. Through the venue’s Boathouse Chapel, vows are exchanged at the altar, which features a floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. Inside the chapel, a flood of natural light spills in through the windowed walls, reflecting on the space’s all-white interior. At the conclusion of your ceremony, guests will enjoy cocktails and light bites on the veranda before moving to the ballroom for an evening spent in celebration. Each space at Bonnet Island Estate is picturesque and scenic, allowing you and your guests to take in the waterfront views.

What Couples Say About the Venue

One of the many elements that couples enjoy about a Bonnet Island Estate wedding is the venue’s exclusive use and private atmosphere, making the estate feel like a private home rather than a venue. Couples also love the welcoming atmosphere and hands-on service provided throughout the planning process.

Total Capacity

Wedding receptions held in the ballroom of Bonnet Island Estate can seat up to 250 guests on the night of your wedding.

Style

Indoor, Waterfront, Estate, Chapel, Ballroom, Coastal, Optional Overnight Private Accommodations


Philadelphia Wedding Photographer – Juliana Tomlinson

As a Philadelphia wedding photographer, I capture heartfelt storytelling moments at each of the venues listed above. My approach to wedding photography in Philadelphia is shaped by the atmosphere of my couple’s selected venue and centered on the emotion they share through moments that matter most. 

My wedding photography style embodies timeless, sentimentally rich imagery that depicts how your celebration felt with your friends and family by your side.

If you are planning a wedding in the Philadelphia area, we can work together to capture sophisticated photos of candid moments,  backed by thoughtful guidance so you can look back on your favorite memories for years to come.

Find more detailed information on the wedding photography experience I offer in Philadelphia, Delaware, and New Jersey when you visit this link.

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the all inclusive

wedding experience

Destination & Philadelphia Wedding Photographs that stand the test of time. An experience to make you look and feel amazing!

inquire now

welome to THE blog

I'm Juliana! Fueled by equal parts love for love and creativity, I truly believe I found the best job in the world! Capturing couples's love story and the day they started their new family brings me so much joy and gratitude!

Learn more

arrow