You Can Now Hold Your Awesome Wedding at Philly’s Eastern State Penitentiary
Fairmount’s Eastern State Penn is now open for wedding business.
So I am the biggest scaredy cat maybe ever, and although no one in my entire life has even once gotten me to go to Terror Behind the Walls at Fairmount’s Eastern State Penitentiary (you know, their infamous haunted house that basically makes people drop dead on the spot it’s so terrifying) and never, ever, ever will, I think this is just so cool: Eastern State is now holding weddings!
It’s a decision they’ve just recently made after successfully “dry running” the weddings of two staffers (they’ve received inquiries about holding weddings there for years), and already, they’ve got two weddings on the books for 2014. And it makes sense: Prison/marriage metaphors aside, the space itself is is nothing short of magnificent, and it really is a Philadelphia landmark with super cool history and amazing architecture. Many a proposal and wedding-day photo shoot has taken place insides its walls (check out this one from local photog Marie Labbancz), so weddings do seem like the next logical step. Talk about your not-run-of-the-mill venue.
They’re still working everything out, but in general, says director of operations Brett Bertolino, they’re pretty flexible when it comes to where you can hold your wedding. The most likely places seem to be the central rotunda, which can fit around 100 people and has a view of cells all around it, or anywhere, really, on the expansive outside grounds, underneath a tent. A celebration there, of course, could be much bigger.
Right now, the catering is going to be run exclusively by Jack’s Firehouse, a popular neighboring restaurant there in Fairmount, and you’re welcome to bring in whoever you like as far as event designers and florists are concerned.
If this sounds like a super cool, totally Philly place for a wedding to you, you can chat with them about details and prices by calling 215-236-5111.
So what do you think? Would you consider throwing your wedding at Eastern State Penn?
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