As a wedding photographer, I’ve shot at tons of cool wedding venues on the East Coast. Of course, I have my favorites in Philadelphia and Maryland, but dude, I’ve been seeing some super cool wedding venues that I would love to travel to and photograph at…
So, if you’re looking for some uniquely cool wedding venue inspiration, keep on scrolling. I even made you some collages of the wedding vibes I think would be a blast in these sick venues!
(Oh, and also, take me with you as your wedding photographer if you book any of these places, please and thank you.)
1. Pocono Palms
Cool Wedding Venue in Monroe County, Pennsylvania
Pocono Palms is a super inclusive wedding venue, and I love what they stand for. (They even fly a pride flag all year round, baby!) The inside looks like a revamped church—it’s black and white, with a checkerboard dance floor. There are some eclectic and maximalist spaces, but also other plain areas, so you can do a lot with it or just leave it as-is. The architectural design is awesome, and any decor you add (or don’t add) will give you some really cool, creative wedding pictures.
It does lean a little bit more towards smaller weddings (around 100), but you can have your ceremony and reception there. It’s also budget-friendly if you don’t want to pay New York or Philly wedding venue prices.
My proposed wedding vibe: funky dreamscape.
You know, eclectic and maximalist. I’m thinking lots of florals, string lights, and greenery hanging from the exposed beams.
2. The Deacon
Cool Wedding Venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Deacon is also a restored church, and it’s also on the smaller side. While the ceremony and reception space can hold around 140 people, if you want to rent it out and stay there, it only sleeps up to 26 people.
Founded in 1809 as the first Black Baptist church in America (and built in 1906!), this awesome space has a dope history and some sick architecture. With cool accent walls and pops of color mixed with a minimalist industrial vibe, it’s the perfect wedding venue for unique couples.
My proposed wedding vibe: if Moira Rose planned your wedding.
I’m imagining a Schitt’s Creek-style wedding with Moira Rose as the Pope! I envision a gay couple (The Deacon is LGBTQ+ friendly!), and everyone wearing ridiculously outlandish, but chic outfits.
3. BOK
Cool Wedding Venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
BOK is an old, restored school turned into a super cool wedding venue. It’s a century-old building, and not only does it have an awesome rooftop space with a sick view of the city, but it also has a gymnasium where you can have your reception.
It has an artistic aesthetic and enough space for up to 300 guests. Plus, every room is a unique backdrop for photos, making it an extra dope wedding venue space
My proposed wedding vibe: throwback 80s prom.
With the old gymnasium, I think it would be cool AF to have an 80s-prom-themed wedding. Think if Stranger Things ended in a school dance… That would be so fun for guests, and just imagine the outfits!
4. Neon Museum
Cool Wedding Venue in Las Vegas, Nevada
Neon Museum in Las Vegas is a great place to have a ceremony, but NOT a reception. You’ll have to find a different reception space. It’s meant to be a quick stop to exchange vows and make it official, and move on to the celebration.
But, while it isn’t the right space for your reception, as a wedding venue for your ceremony? It’s AMAZING. You and up to 70 of your favorite humans will be surrounded by vintage signs, tons of color, and epic, retro charm.
My proposed wedding vibe: western hipsters hit Vegas.
If you wanted to do something a little different than your typical getting-hitched-in-Vegas fits, you could go for a hipster vibe. I’m thinking a western vintage twist?! How incredible would that be with the Neon Museum backdrop?
5. Sure Thing Chapel
Cool Wedding Venue in Las Vegas, Nevada
If you’re interested in a more classic Vegas elopement vibes with a little kitsch, Sure Thing Chapel is for you! It is the only chapel in Vegas that includes a vintage photobooth and you have the option of a regular officiant, or the legendary Lady Elvis, Surely the Showgirl or Hellvis.
With two location options, you can fit up to 24 or 43 max guests.
My proposed wedding vibe: classic Vegas.
For this wedding venue, it’s worth sticking to the classics… hearts, tassels, red, and white vibes with a touch of vintage blue. *Chef’s kiss!*
6. George Peabody Library
Cool Wedding Venue in Baltimore, Maryland
The George Peabody Library in Baltimore is considered to be one of the most beautiful libraries in the freaking world.
It has huge multi-tiered shelves with iron balconies, holds over 300,000 books, and the rooms are filled with tons of natural light. Picture Beauty and the Beast vibes here. With an aesthetic of romance, elegance, and history, this wedding venue is perfect for book lovers who want a grand space to say their “I dos,” with space for up to 200 guests.
My proposed wedding vibe: dark poetry.
Instead of going gothic, your darker wedding aesthetic could lean academic. I’m thinking tweed, calligraphy, candlelit rooms, and undone button-up shirts… That would be such a unique take on this classic and cool wedding venue space!
7. The Foundry
Cool Wedding Venue in Long Island City, New York
The Foundry is an iconic and ridiculously cool wedding venue. Built in the 19th century, this bad boy space works for up to 180 guests and brings together history and luxury with its epic outdoor courtyard, indoor greenhouse, and incredible rooftop view of the Manhattan skyline.
This wedding venue is high on my bucket list, and it seems like I’m not the only one because it’s also one of the most popular wedding venues.
My proposed wedding vibe: classy celebrities by day, wild partiers by night.
This wedding venue screams rich and chic with its lush greenery and amazing NYC view, but how fun would it be to have those boujee vibes turned into an epic party vibe at night. Everyone dressed all fancy and then breaking it down on the rooftop. Hell yes.
8. Industry City
Cool Wedding Venue in Brooklyn, New York
Industry City has an amazing reception space at the top of a big manufacturing warehouse building. Below it, they revamped the space into a smaller, artistic market that people can rent and work out of.
The exterior and interior have a ton of really cool murals from local artists, and depending on which space you’re interested in booking, there’s room for 150 to 1,200 guests!
My proposed wedding vibe: street art brought indoors.
I’m thinking Andy Warhol or Keith Haring pop art with a mix of surrealism. I loveeee the idea of playing with the theme of the outdoor murals and bringing them inside by decorating the space with different types of street art.
9. Color Factory (in NYC or Chicago)
Cool Wedding Venue in New York City, New York, or Chicago, Illinois
Color Factory is an interactive art museum, think Meow Wolf vibes, but more about color as a theme. (And as a wedding photographer who lives for working with colorful couples, I couldn’t think of a dreamier wedding venue to shoot at!)
You can book this space for your ceremony and reception, there’s room for up to 250 guests (or 150 in NYC), and there are so many different rooms with dope colors and fun things to do that your wedding, and your wedding photos, are guaranteed to be totally unique.
My proposed wedding vibe: screw all the rules
This wedding venue is perfect for the super artsy couples who don’t give a damn about any of the wedding rules. Stand in the ball pit during your ceremony. Wear something that’s not even close to traditional wedding attire. Have your guests dress in completely impractical high fashion. That kind of vibe.
10. The Madonna Inn
Cool Wedding Venue in San Luis Obispo, California
The Madonna Inn is a purposefully gaudy and incredibly cool wedding venue that can accommodate anywhere from 40 to 2,600 guests. With 110 “uniquely themed guest rooms” and themed event spaces like the “Gay 90s,” the Madonna Inn is the place for couples who want to lean into their over-the-top vibes.
Another thing to love about The Madonna Inn? They help you host welcome dinners, and you and your guests can stay for the entire weekend. The Madonna Inn is a non-traditional wedding venue because it’s really not a just-there-for-a-day type of thing, but rather is a whole-ass weekend experience.
My proposed wedding vibe: color explosion.
With this wedding venue, you’d want to turn it into a full wedding weekend experience. And you’d definitely want to lean into a gaudy color explosion.
11. The Trixie Motel
Cool Wedding Venue in Palm Springs, California
Literally Vintage Barbie. That’s all I can say about The Trixie Motel. Do you disagree?
It’s an iconic yet intimate wedding venue created by Brian Firkus, AKA Trixie Mattel, and his partner, David Silver—and it’s full of personality, bold colors, vintage signage, and nostalgia that’s perfect for a smaller wedding vibe of around 70 guests.
My proposed wedding vibe: vintage Barbie
I mean, it’s pink, and it’s vintage so it would be almost wrong to not do vintage Barbie here. Your wedding party could all dress up like vintage Barbies, rocking those awesome cat-eye sunglasses Barbie loved to wear.
12. The Saguaro
Cool Wedding Venue in Palm Springs, California
The Saguaro in Palm Springs is a colorful, casual, and ridiculously fun wedding venue space that has room for around 250 guests. It’s LGBTQIA-friendly, you can stay on-site, and your wedding photos will be full of cacti, colorful hotel rooms, and awesome pool party pics…
I mean, what’s not to love?!
My proposed wedding vibe: California summer camp.
I’m thinking colorful floaties, cool beer cans, and funky sunglasses. Like adult summer camp meets fun wedding vibes.
13. Camp Wandawega
Cool Wedding Venue in Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Camp Wandawega is retro glamping on steroids, and that’s because the owners have gone to extreme lengths to keep this space the same as it was since 1975.
Picture vintage cabins, old canoes, and drinking beer on wooden docks. Plus, being surrounded by the gorgeous woods of Wisconsin. As a wedding venue space, you can have up to 150 guests, and there’s room for 55 overnight guests.
My proposed wedding vibe: Wes Anderson goes glamping.
Wedding glam, but out in nature. Vintage videos. And if you wanted to, you could lean into the old-timey vibes with head scarves and retro sunglasses and all that jazz.
If You’re Wanting to Book Any Of these Cool Wedding Venues… Take Me With You.
If you loved any of these wedding venues or if any of my ideas made you go, helllll yeah, let’s talk because I would LOVE to take epic wedding photos of you two at any one of these cool AF wedding venues.
Let’s chat about your dope wedding vision!
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