Wedding venue ideas we love

Before the cake, the dress, or even the date, comes the venue. Take a tour through some of our favorite wedding venues before ordering that croquembouche or pulling the trigger on the Bianca Jagger-inspired suit you’ve been eyeing. The vibe of the venue sets the stage for all of the details yet to come. Find one that fits your style and count yourself halfway to hitched.

“Roman à Clef” by Paperless Post. Image: George Peabody Library.

Library weddings for storybook romances

Consider a library wedding if you fell in love at the first sight of your fiancé’s bookshelf. Start the ceremony in the stacks, then lean into your love of literature by naming each table after your favorite fictitious couples. We’re partial to Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy.

“Amphitryon” by Paperless Post. Image: Nasher Sculpture Center.

A masterpiece museum wedding

Keep it contemporary with a day at the museum. Surround yourself with modern masters like Alexander Calder and Richard Serra at an outdoor sculpture park, like the Nasher in Dallas. Of-the-moment architecture and oversize installations keep family portraits chic. Get a similar look at a minimal warehouse venue using geometric prints, clean type, and sculptural materials like brass and marble for table settings and signage.

“Pleiades” by Paperless Post. Image: Griffith Observatory.

Celestial sightings at a planetarium wedding

Take your guests to new heights with a night under the stars at Chicago’s Adler Planetarium or the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles. Go moody with a dark and stormy color palette: pair navy and black hues with the subtle sparkle of moon motifs, twinkly lights, or a zodiac seating chart. Send guests home with a midnight snack of astronaut ice cream.

“Arete” by Paperless Post. Image: Aspen Snowmass.

Mountain and forest weddings

Let’s head outside for a bit. Back-to-the-landers and city mice alike can find plenty to love in a wedding held in the beauty of nature. Swap masterpieces on the wall for natural vistas and bowers built by nature. End the night with a toddy by the bonfire.

“Vineyard” by Paperless Post. Image: Lucy Cuneo, Pippin Hill Farm.

Wild, wonderful winery weddings

If you want to get a little of the great outdoors in your ceremony, but aren’t actually up for any outdoorsmanship (or bugs, or wild animals), a wedding hosted at a winery like Pippin Hill Farm in Virginia is a wonderful way to thread the needle. You’ll get the beauty of the vineyards, great wine-country cuisine, and of course, a lot of great glasses to try. Just make sure not to have too many before the walk down the aisle.

“Chincoteague” by Paperless Post. Image: Emily Delamater, Roxbury Barn and Estate.

Romantic, rustic barn weddings

A barn setting, acres from the closest neighbor, can be an intimate and down-to-earth place to celebrate with your nearest and dearest. Balance the bucolic backdrop with more polished additions, like lush greenery and a farm-to-table meal. Use branches, ferns, and foliage that feel like they’ve been foraged from the property in centerpieces or hung from the rafters.

“Sonora” by Paperless Post. Image: Moorten Botanical Garden.

Desert modern matrimony

Start with a morning hike and end the night with a jump into the pool. It’s all possible with a weekend in the desert. Go au naturale in Palm Springs and get inspired by the Joshua trees that dot the nearby Mojave landscape. Try King Protea in bouquets and succulents in table settings for a nod to the Insta-famous Moorten Botanical Garden — the world’s first cacterium.

“Moon Lagoon” by Paperless Post. Image: GoldenEye Resort.

Beautiful beach weddings and tropical escapes

What’s not to like about secluded beaches and tropical temperatures? Take a cue from Jamaica’s Bawa-inspired GoldenEye resort, where Ian Fleming penned the James Bond series, and keep the festivities vibrant and playful. Think: tables strewn with papaya, pineapple, and bouganvilla, reggae on stereo, and rum in your hand. Paradise found.  

Your ticket to wedded bliss? One of our pretty and practical online wedding invitations.

Hero Image: KT Merry