13 Wedding Venues Every Architecture Buff Will Fall in Love Into

It’s never too early to plan or daydream about your wedding. Every architecture lover knows that wedding venues are as important as flowers, food, and seating arrangement. Suitable wedding venues can set the theme of your wedding. A Hawaiian luau cannot work at a Catholic chapel. Also, a nautical theme bash will seem weird at a Neoclassical public building. Pick the right wedding venue, and you can build your theme around it. Choose poorly, and you will leave your guests bamboozled.

Cadet Chapel, Colorado. ©Mallory Munson Photography

Choosing Wedding Venues

With expensive wedding venues, like Philip Johnson’s Glass House in Connecticut, renting an architecturally significant venue might seem impossible. However, architecture buffs need not fret! There is no pressing need to rent a ballroom with banquet chicken, faded carpet, and pastel-colored tiles. One could rent other reasonable spaces to have an “architectural destination” wedding. From monumental civic buildings to intimate churches, here is a list of stunning wedding venues to plan your dream wedding.

1) George Peabody Library– Baltimore, Maryland

All the bookworms should get married in this gorgeous ancient building with a 61-foot-tall atrium encircled by five stories of books hidden behind cast-iron decks. Many engaged couples have chosen this historic library as their wedding venue since it is a true gem.

©Stephanie Axtell Photography

2) Vaux de Cernay Abbey- Cernay-la-Ville, France

An ideal example of a picturesque ruin, this abbey is a sight to behold. This French jewel was a Cistercian monastery in the Chevreuse valley of the Rambouillet state-owned forest. The breathtaking architecture of this once-beautiful structure now lying in ruin makes this a fantastic setting for a wedding. We wouldn’t be amazed if you made the long trip here specifically for the wedding.

©Lifestories Wedding

3) Ribbon Chapel | Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP Co, Onomichi, Hiroshima, Japan

Hiroshi Nakamura, a Japanese architect, built the Ribbon Chapel with two intertwined spiral staircases to represent the commitment of two people in marriage. The bride and groom make their way up the stairs alone and have a romantic embrace at the highest point.

©Rock Paper Scissors Studios

©Rock Paper Scissors Studio

4) Gramercy Hotel, NYC

The chic rooftop garden of the 1925-landmark gives sweeping views of the Manhattan skyline. Perfect for ceremony and reception, the hotel has a dedicated special events team to help with the planning. As a bonus, guests can get a key to the private Gramercy Park when they book a room for the wedding.

©Chellise Michael Photography

5) Providence Public Library, Providence

Countless couples are drawn to this turn-of-the-century building, with its gilded architecture. The public library’s dramatic spaces, like the two-story Grand Hall and the European garden-inspired courtyard, make this a stunning wedding venue. The library offers space for the ceremony, dinner, cocktails, and a dance floor.

©The Ganeys

©WeddingWire

6) Tribeca Rooftop, New York

The skyscrapers of New York City are unparalleled anywhere else in the world. The rooftop on the 12th level provides a breathtaking panorama of the New York City skyline, including the Empire State Building, the Financial District, and the Hudson River. What an unforgettable wedding night!

©Tribeca Rooftop

©Vanessa Joy Photography

7) Guggenheim Museum, New York City

Charming marriage proposals can be staged in the Ronald O. Perelman Rotunda of Frank Lloyd Wright’s world-famous Guggenheim Museum in New York. The seating capacity is 230, although reception of up to 1,000 is possible here. Sam Esmail, the creator of the hit television series Mr. Robot, and actress Emmy Rossum once hosted a party there following a ceremony.

©Scott Rudd

©David Heald

8) Crystal Bridges Art Museum for American Art, Arkansas

The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art welcomes the public into the event spaces built by Moshe Safdie. Visitors can take photos of the happy couple in front of Robert Indiana’s Love statue on the South Lawn or with the Ozark Mountains as a heartwarming backdrop.

©Crystal Bridges

Robert Indiana’s Love statue. ©Crystal Bridges

9) Institute for Contemporary Art, Boston

This 65,000-square-foot building on the waterfront is a great wedding venue, with its dramatic ribbon folding form and cantilevered structure. Award-winning firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro designed the building to have different views of the water and the city through its galleries. It is an excellent spot for a wedding, and it can accommodate up to 225 guests.

©ICA Boston

10) Ford Piquette Avenue Plant, Detroit, Michigan

The factory floor of this historic Detroit factory plant is a unique place to get married. It is a museum, event space, and a paradise for history and car lovers. Weddings are held on the museum floor so guests can enjoy the antique vehicles and exhibits. This venue can accommodate 300 people.

©Alison Bryan Destinations

©Michigan Wedding Photographer

11) Barn at Fallingwater, Pennsylvania

The Barn at Falling Water is the perfect compromise for a couple stuck between a traditional barn ceremony and a more contemporary event space. While the home itself isn’t available for weddings, the 500-yard-away event area is, and it was renovated by the renowned architectural firm Bohlin Cywinski Jackson.

©Veronica Varos Photography

12) The Parrish Art Museum, Hamptons, New York

The Hamptons are home to various wedding venues, from small, intimate settings to grandiose mansions that accommodate up to a thousand guests. It’s one of the most sought-after locations for weddings. There’s enough space for 300 people. You can get hitched in a museum decorated with Jackson Pollock paintings or in a breezy outdoor gazebo with panoramic vistas.

©Amber Gress Photography

13) Cadet Chapel, Colorado

This church in Colorado Springs is considered a modernist icon. With pews that can seat 1,200 guests and brightly colored stained glass. This seems like one of the most memorable wedding venues. However, only Air Force Academy, Military, Naval, Coast Guard, and Marine Academy graduates, currently serving Air Force members, and Purple Heart or Silver Star honorees are permitted to get married at Air Force bases.