20 Ultra-Cool Industrial Wedding Venues in Philadelphia
The options range from white-walled blank canvases to spaces filled with exposed brick and raw wood beams.
Maximalist Studios in Norristown is among the industrial wedding venues on this list. Photo by Love Me Do Photography; planning by Heart and Dash; florals by Devon & Pinkett
As a historic city of makers and industrial factories, Philly is flush when it comes to cool industrial wedding venues. Some are light, bright and airy, some are heavy on exposed brick and old machinery, but all are customizable: Add hanging florals and string lights for a dreamy fairytale look, or amp up the steel accents to emphasize a modern twist. Here are some of our favorite Philly-area industrial wedding venues to make your own. And if we missed your top spot, email kschott@phillymag.com with the details.
23rd Street Armory
Center City
Photo by Elicia Bryan Photography
When it comes to industrial wedding venues, this castle-like fortress is steeped in historical significance. Built in 1901, 23rd Street Armory was home to the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, and it’s available to host your Big Day. Two main room are available to rent, either individually or collectively, and renting either also gives you access to the museum and officers quarters. The larger of the two spaces, the Drill Hall Floor, is 14,000 square feet and features a sloped ceiling and a multitude of windows that enhance the already spacious atmosphere of the venue, making it the perfect location for both a storybook ceremony and a lively dance floor showdown. Meanwhile, the smaller of the two, the Third Floor Ballroom, is perfect for a more intimate experience, and it accommodates 175 to 200 seated guests. For the history buffs, the venue also hosts a variety of historical exhibitions, so a walk to the bathroom could mean passing by a collection of Colonial artifacts. 22 South 23rd Street.
BLDG39 at the Arsenal
Northeast Philly
Photo by Love Me Do Photography
Built in 1917 as a paint shop in the Frankford Arsenal, a former munitions plant, this space now functions as a commissary kitchen and is among the city’s newest industrial wedding venues. BLDG39 can host up to 120 for seated soirees in its bright, open interior. The guest list grows to 250 with the outdoor area, which connects to the facade via two garage doors. And, yes, in-house food is available for your celebration. 5401 Tacony Street.
Bok Building
East Passyunk
Photo by Brittney Raine
Before Scout transformed the building, Bok was a vocational high school. Now, the building houses 200 artist and maker spaces, small businesses and nonprofits — and serves as one of Philly’s most popular industrial wedding venues. The West Gym, eighth-floor terrace (a.k.a. Bok Bar), seventh-floor west terrace, auditorium (complete with a stage and built-in seating that were used for assemblies and talent shows) and catering kitchen are available to rent for your Big Day. Max occupancy varies based on the space, which can range from 40 to 300. Choose the Bok Special, which includes a ceremony and cocktail hour on the eighth-floor terrace — stunning views of the city abound — and reception in the gym. 1901 South 9th Street.
Casablanca Weddings and Events
Coatesville
Photo by Right Start Photography
Located in Chester County’s Midway Arts hub and run by husband-and-wife photographer duo Matt and Grace Rauppius, this is a cool option in the ’burbs. There are both indoor and outdoor ceremony locations for micro-weddings and celebrations of no more than 70 guests. The venue manager and day-of coordinator can work with the couple and offer various packages as well as a build-your-own bash. All packages begin with a champagne toast and a pre-designed signature drink. Among the more popular packages is the whimsically named “Just a Little Less Than a Sit-Down Dinner,” featuring a bouquet and boutonniere, a ceremony with backdrop and chairs, and three hours of photography. 139 East Chestnut Street.
Center for Architecture and Design
Center City
Photo via The Center for Architecture & Design
Located across from the Pennsylvania Convention Center, the center functions as an educational hub for Philadelphia’s architecture, urban planning, and design events, but the venue is also available for weddings. Inside the modern, industrial space, guests can admire rotating exhibitions on architecture as they meander through the venue, which features exposed brick walls and hardwood floors. The full facility is composed of a selection of rooms that may be rented together or separately, and catering is provided by 12th Street Catering. Taken together, the center can accommodate 200 guests for a seated event and 350 for a cocktail reception. The structure of the venue also lends itself to customization: The glass-paneled garage doors can be lifted to create an open loft space; or, they can remain closed to partition out a separate area for a cocktail hour or a bridal suite. 1218 Arch Street.
Fabrika
Fishtown
Photo by Afrik Armando
This 9,800-square-foot modern-day dinner theater comes complete with a round stage that can ascend four feet in the air — there’s a pulley system for aerial acts, too — that’s ideal for ceremonies. There are two bars on the ground floor and one private dining room (with a bar) on the second floor that can hold up to 60 guests; all of the art is done by local artists and sculptors, while the furniture, tables and chairs are imported from Turkey. The max count is 260 seated if using both floors. For a cocktail-style party, that number goes up to 500. As for the fare? It’s changed a bit since the spot’s opening and offers chef James Blanton-Cutshall’s twist on modern classics. 1108 Frankford Avenue.
FAME
Kensington
Photo by Du Soleil Photographie
Part of the movement to respect and reuse the buildings that make up our city’s history, this industrial-chic 9,000-square-foot event space takes up the fourth floor of MaKen Studios North and is exclusively catered by Feast Your Eyes Catering. Twin seven-foot chandeliers make a statement in the brick-floored cocktail area, while dinner is served with panoramic views of Center City thanks to the 15-foot-tall windows. Capacity is 450, and there’s free parking for guests in a lot across the street. 3525 I Street.
The Fillmore
Fishtown
Photo by Dearly Beloved Weddings
Be the (literal) star of your own show when you wed at this Fishtown music hall neighboring Philadelphia Distilling. (The two are not affiliated.) In the main performance space, you’ll say your “I do’s” onstage under professional theater lights, then sit to dine with up to 390 guests. (Make use of the space’s four large bars, including one located on the mezzanine, to keep everyone mingling.) Hoping for something a little more intimate? Book the Foundry, a handsome upstairs lounge complete with curtained-off VIP couches, for a smaller reception of 96 guests. Either way, they’ll flash your names on the outdoor marquee. 29 East Allen Street.
Fitler Club
Center City
Photo by Afrik Armando
The swanky Fitler Club opened to members in early 2019, but there’s a work-around to getting inside: Book your wedding there. The club’s 4,600-square-foot ballroom features reclaimed hardwood floors, a brick accent wall, and in-house catering by the talented culinary team. Stay overnight in the on-site hotel, and you can become bonafide members for the duration of your stay, with access to amenities like a climbing wall, personal training, and a private movie theater. It’s no wonder it’s become a popular spot for weddings of all kinds, from this classic black-and-white bash, to this glam, moody soiree, to this food-and-wine-filled pandemic micro-celebration. 24 South 24th Street.
Front & Palmer
Fishtown
Photo by Joshua Michael Johnson
A longtime favorite of Philly’s industrial wedding venues scene, Front & Palmer was created by merging together a pickle factory and barrel factory. The first floor houses the on-site kitchen, with catering provided by Feast Your Eyes, while upstairs is a converted loft that serves as the main event space, coupled with a smaller lounge area that could be used for a cocktail reception. Steel rafters criss-cross the 34-foot ceiling, providing the perfect space to hang customized light options (like fairy lights or lanterns). The venue can accommodate 250 seated guests and over 325 standing guests and offers negotiable event end times. Saturday evening receptions during high season start at $154 per person. 1750 North Front Street.
Globe Dye Works
Northeast Philly
Photo by Inna Spivakova of Peach Plum Pear Photo
The 150-year-old yarn dying plant that houses several artist and small business studios in Northeast Philly opened its ground floor for weddings in early 2019. The factory aspects of the space have very much been left in tact — if it’s industrial-chic you’re going for, it doesn’t get much more industrial than this. Inside, you’ll find exposed pipes, concrete floors and important-looking machinery. Maximum capacity is 220 for a seated dinner, and 350 for a cocktail-style reception; the pre-existing stage is large enough to hold a ten-piece band (depending on the size of the instruments), and there’s a built-in dance floor. Local planner Allie Beik of Polka Dot Events is hosting her wedding at Globe Dye Works — read more about her plans here. 4505 Torresdale Avenue (event space).
Fringe Bar
Old City
Photo by Alison Dunn Photography
This restaurant-theater hybrid not only has it all; it has it all in one spot: an elevated stage for the band, a wraparound bar conveniently situated between where you’ll dance and where you’ll eat, expansive views of the Ben Franklin Bridge, and a beer garden. The building was originally used as a water-pumping station at the turn of the century, so all that old brick, salvaged doors, and the giant second-story tank — you know, industrial chic — are as authentic as it gets. Fringe Bar can seat 80 or host 150 standing. The full restaurant rental also includes the beer garden and the mezzanine. 140 North Columbus Boulevard.
Location 215
Callowhill
Photo by Rebecca Barger Photography
With 15-foot ceilings and all-white walls, this industrial venue is perfect for the couple searching for a blank canvas for their Big Day. Owner Jen Blauvelt has also worked as an art buyer and producer, so she’s planned the conjoining spaces with the necessary fixtures (nine-foot windows, easy load-in from the adjoining parking lot) to make your celebration both seamless to pull off and completely photo-worthy. Total capacity for the two spaces is 425; the east studio can hold 250, while the west fits up to 175. Check out one modern wedding — complete with a floating floral chuppah — here. 990 Spring Garden Street, suite 103, Callowhill.
Love City Brewing
Callowhill
Photo via Love City’s website
Beer aficionados now have the chance to get married at Love City Brewing, where you have a front row seat to the brewing process amid an exposed brick exterior and glossy wooden bar tops. Inside, a mix of metals and wooden tables are illuminated by rows of green pendant lights, creating a homey atmosphere perfect for those seeking a nontraditional experience. The brewery can host between 150 and 200 guests, with 125 seated. The venue can be bought out for private events: Buyouts start at $1,500 on weekdays; full buyouts on Sundays vary. Full buyouts on Fridays and Saturdays are extremely limited. 1023 Hamilton Street.
Maximalist Studios
Norristown
Photo by Love Me Do Photography
The culmination of the many past lives of Eddie Ross — a culinary-school grad turned design, decorating and food editor — and partner Jaithan Kochar, Maximalist elevates every aspect of an event with thoughtful detail. Guests are first ferried to the second-floor venue via a freight elevator meticulously styled to match the specs of your soiree. Cocktail hour is in a loft, where attendees will cozy up in lounge areas created with pieces from longtime antiquer Ross’s personal collection. The real magic, though, happens in the white-walled main space, where Ross can take something sentimental — like, say your grandmother’s china — and incorporate it into a head table layered with texture, color, and his own inventory, then work with rental companies to extend the look to the rest of the room. 501 West Washington Street, number 3.
Moulin
East Falls
Photo by Redfield Photography
Under the direction of seasoned Philly event company Brûlée Catering, this sprawling, purposefully minimalist warehouse-style destination is a creative couple’s dream come true. It boasts concrete floors, large-scale wrought-iron windows and endless layout options for up to 750 guests (500 seated), plus a bar and room-divider options. It’s a versatile space that can take on whatever party vibe you’d like. Need an example? This couple said “I do” in an enchanted floral meadow within these walls. 3502 Scotts Lane.
New Liberty Distillery
Kensington
Photo by Love Me Do Photography
New Liberty Distillery is a multi-floor facility in a turn-of-the-19th-century restored carriage house. Head to the courtyard with 100 of your closest friends or, for smaller functions, the third floor, which can hold 75, or second floor, where up to 40 can toast your new life together. There’s a barrel-aging room, a tasting room, and a gift and bottle shop. Pricing varies. 1431 North Cadwallader Street.
Philadelphia Distilling
Fishtown
Photo by Redfield Photography
While Philadelphia Distilling’s current space was established in 2017, the brand’s history began with its inception in 2005, making it the first craft distillery to be opened in Pennsylvania since before Prohibition. It’s historic, it’s big, and it may just be perfect for your wedding. The sophisticated, upscale decor and ceiling-length windows are sure to impress your guests and keep you and your partner happy. Their main cocktail bar and lounge can accommodate up to 120 people for a cocktail-style reception. Bonus: All outside vendors are welcome, and custom cocktails are available. Pricing varies. 25 East Allen Street.
Platform Thirty at Beat Street Station
Manayunk
Photo by Tiana UBara of UBara Weddings; florals by Royal Weddings by Cathy Johnson
There is a certain poetic beauty in starting the new chapter of your life in an old train station. Platform Thirty, a renovated Manayunk train station with a sort of vintage yet modern-chic vibe, offers you the chance to do just that. Its 1930s exterior is still intact, as is the outdoor train platform, except now the station is filled with a big dance floor and a statement bar, making it a pretty great party destination. Max headcount here is 225; a Silver package costs $175 per person, while the Gold option is $190 per person. 4401 Cresson Street.
Power Plant Productions
Old City
Photo by Allie Wynands Photography
Power Plant Productions started as part of the Wilbur Chocolate Factory, but today it’s one of the largest photo studios in Philly and is an ideal (dare we say sweet?) location for a daytime ceremony. The all-white interior and 34 feet of industrial window grant the space a bright, airy atmosphere, while the exposed brick and steel beams retain the industrial ambience that makes this venue the perfect blend of urban and pastoral. The studio is 4,500 square feet and may accommodate up to 120 seated guests and 150 guests for a cocktail-style reception. There is a commercial-style kitchen on site and a valet parking garage right across the street. (Note that while it’s not part of Power Plant, discount rates are available.) As a bonus, the venue is within walking distance to a number of hotels and picturesque photo destinations, like Race Street Pier. 230 North 2nd Street.
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