You don’t have to plan a destination wedding in Italy, France, or the English countryside to find the kind of old-world architecture and romantic gardens that make European weddings so beautiful. Some of my favorite wedding venues in and around Philadelphia offer that same sense of history much closer to home. As a Philadelphia wedding photographer, I’m always drawn to venues that give us more than one beautiful location to work with throughout the day. If you love the idea of a European-inspired celebration but want to keep your wedding close to Philadelphia, these are a few venues I would put at the top of your list.
Longwood Gardens
It’s probably no surprise that Longwood Gardens belongs on this list. The European influence is woven throughout the property, from its formal gardens and fountains to its architecture and beautiful stonework.
The Main Fountain Garden is particularly striking, with European-inspired architecture and hand-carved Italianate limestone details. The scale of the gardens makes the entire experience feel like you’ve stepped much farther away from Philadelphia than you actually have. Longwood currently hosts wedding receptions rather than ceremonies, with celebrations taking place beginning at 4 p.m. Its Fountain Room overlooks the Main Fountain Garden, giving couples and their guests the opportunity to experience one of the most beautiful parts of the property throughout the evening.
Appleford Estate
Appleford Estate in Villanova feels like somewhere you might stumble upon while driving through the European countryside. The historic stone home sits on 24 acres, surrounded by gardens, a pond, and a small waterfall. Weddings have access to the estate house, grounds, and tented terrace, so the property becomes part of the experience throughout the entire day. What I especially love about a venue like Appleford is that it doesn’t need very much added to it. The stone exterior, gardens, and surrounding landscape already give the day so much character.
It also offers plenty of opportunities to step away for portraits without disappearing from your celebration for an hour. We can walk through the gardens, use the architecture around the estate, and create beautiful photographs while still keeping the day moving naturally.
Glen Foerd Estate
If your version of a European wedding involves a historic mansion overlooking the water, Glen Foerd is such a beautiful option. The Gilded Age mansion brings all of the architectural character you would expect from an old European estate, while the formal gardens and waterfront make the property feel completely different depending on where we are photographing. That variety is something I always appreciate on a wedding day. You don’t need to choose between elegant architecture and outdoor scenery because both are already there. I can imagine couples who are drawn to European manor houses especially loving Glen Foerd. There is history everywhere you look, but the riverfront setting keeps the property from feeling overly formal.
Tyler Arboretum
Not every European-inspired wedding has to mean a grand château or ornate ballroom. If your version looks more like an English garden celebration surrounded by trees and flowers, Tyler Arboretum is a beautiful option.
Rather than centering the day around a grand mansion, the landscape itself becomes such an important part of the experience. The historic grounds are filled with mature trees, gardens, and natural scenery, giving weddings here a peaceful feeling that can be difficult to find so close to Philadelphia. For couples who love the idea of a relaxed garden wedding that feels more like an afternoon in the countryside than a formal city celebration, Tyler Arboretum is a beautiful option.
Parque at Ridley Creek
Parque at Ridley Creek may be one of the easiest venues on this list to imagine somewhere in the English countryside. The stone mansion, formal gardens, terraces, and surrounding parkland give the property such a distinctive sense of place. There are beautiful locations for portraits in nearly every direction, which means we can create plenty of variety without needing to build extra travel into the wedding day timeline. If you have been dreaming about an English estate wedding but want your family and friends to be able to celebrate with you close to Philadelphia, Parque captures that feeling beautifully.
Tyler Gardens
Tyler Gardens is another wonderful option for couples drawn to formal European gardens. The formal gardens were originally designed as part of a grand private estate and include terraces, fountains, elegant staircases, and beautiful stonework. Behind them sits historic Tyler Hall, a French-Norman Revival château-style mansion that adds even more of that old-world character to the setting. For couples who have been saving inspiration filled with European estates and manicured garden celebrations, Tyler Gardens brings many of those same elements much closer to home.
Choosing a European-Inspired Philadelphia Wedding Venue
There is so much to love about a destination wedding in Europe, but you don’t necessarily have to cross the Atlantic to create a celebration with the same sense of history, beauty, and romance. What I love about these Philadelphia-area wedding venues is that each interprets that feeling a little differently. The right venue ultimately comes down to what feels most like the celebration you want to have and, more importantly, where you can picture yourself beginning your marriage surrounded by the people you love.
As a Philadelphia wedding photographer, I would be honored to document that beginning for you. If you’re planning a wedding at one of these venues and are looking for photography that preserves both the beauty of the setting and the meaningful moments happening within it, reach out here to inquire and tell me more about what you’re planning.
