8 Small Wedding Venues in Philadelphia for Intimate Affairs
Find the most charming small wedding venues Philadelphia has to offer with this list of our favorite digs for an intimate bash.
With any of these lovely small wedding venues, Philadelphia ceremonies and receptions take on an intimate, friendly vibe no matter your guest list size. While the availability of expansive barn wedding venues and spacious outdoor sites in Philly can make it seem like small venues don’t exist, there are definitely an equal number of cozy restaurants, private clubs, and historic buildings that are a great fit for weddings of less than 150 to 200 guests. Some Philadelphia wedding venues may be able to accommodate parties that that are larger than your guest list, but there are spaces within the venue that are smaller and more fitting for intimate weddings.
Here are eight of our absolute favorite small wedding venues in Philadelphia.
Union Trust
Newly renovated, but boasting a coveted spot in the Historic District of Philadelphia at 717 Chestnut Street, Union Trust wears its 125-plus years well. As a chic small wedding venue, this building boasts four distinct event spaces with the showstopper being a classic ballroom with 65-foot engraved ceilings, mosaic-tiled windows and classic columns. Host up to 190 wedding guests, but guests lists that are much smaller won’t feel swallowed by the long and narrow design of this intimate wedding venue.
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Russet
Part of Philly’s unique bring-your-own-beverage tradition, Russet is a restaurant located inside an 1877 townhouse in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. With a menu inspired by Italian and French cuisines, this urban venue sources local and seasonal ingredients for dishes they describe as “simple and honest.” As one of the small wedding venues in Philadelphia, Russet is ideal for an intimate, foodie wedding as it seats up to 38 guests in the private dining area and 55 guests in the main dining area.
Estia Restaurant
Serving authentic Greek and Mediterranean-inspired fare, live out all of your My Big Fat Greek Wedding dreams at Estia Restaurant in the Rittenhouse Square area. Couples looking for small wedding venues in Philadelphia have six event space options when they select Estia, each accommodating 10 to 220 guests for the full restaurant buyout. Small banquet rooms (one fits 130 guests, the other 36; combined they accommodate 180 guests) are the most popular choices for intimate Philadelphia weddings, but the wine room, which fits up to 14, and the dining room, up to 10, are also options. Wedding menus are also catered by Estia, and all of your Greek favs are on the menu, from fried calamari to lamb chops to baklava.
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Positano Coast by Aldo Lamberti
If you can’t convince your nearest and dearest to jet off to the Amalfi Coast for your wedding, there’s always Positano Coast by Aldo Lamberti (and, maybe, Positano for the honeymoon). This intimate wedding venue in Old City takes Southern Italian cuisine seriously with a color palette that mirrors the famously blue waters and paintings of the coastal city. In terms of event spaces, there are four choices, including the Sopra Lounge, an open-air lounge on the second floor that accommodates up to 80 guests. The restaurant can accommodate up to 150 wedding guests total. Other individual rooms can hold from 30 to 65 guests, making this one of the most unique small wedding venues in Philadelphia.
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Liberty View at Independence Visitor Center
An intimate venue doesn’t mean you have to skimp on awe-inspiring design or breathtaking views. Liberty View at Independence Visitor Center is smack dab in the middle of downtown Philly and the rooftop outdoor terrace offers a gorgeous look at some of the city’s most iconic structures. As a venue with two distinct event spaces — the indoor elegant ballroom and the aforementioned outdoor terrace — move your guests seamlessly from ceremony to cocktail hour to reception to send-off. The 40-foot by 40-foot terrace is a popular location for ceremonies while the slightly larger (70 by 40) ballroom is where most couples choose to host their dinner reception. This venue is best for guest lists under 150.
Learn more about Liberty View at Independence Visitor Center »
Richmond Hall
Head to the Port Richmond neighborhood to find Richmond Hall, part of Catering by Mario’s group. This elegant banquet hall makes the ballroom reception available to smaller weddings with chic wood floors, crystal chandeliers and sparse décor that allows room for you to express your personality. Food also takes center stage at this venue with catering choices that straddle cultures, like Caribbean-inspired chicken and Indonesian-inspired beef, among other options.
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The Pyramid Club
This downtown Philly private club is located 52 floors above the city and offers gorgeous views of the Philadelphia’s many famous landmarks. The largest space accommodate 150 wedding guests with a dance floor, while other rooms are available for smaller parties of 10, 20, 50, 60 and 80. Chic couples will love the elevated feel of the club with its breathtaking, glass-walled atrium, chic chandeliers, romantic circular stairway and panoramic views of the city.
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Platform Thirty
Unique, modern and romantic, Platform Thirty is a historic property at the Manayunk train station that was completely remodeled and transformed in 2017. Perfect for intimate weddings with fewer than 200 wedding guests, the team at Platform Thirty offers a flat, all-inclusive per-person fee that includes a menu and cake, an open bar with a champagne toast as well as other charges related to staff and rentals. Elegant hardwood floors, trendy exposed brick walls, modern track lighting and stylish decorations make Platform Thirty an easy choice for couples searching for stunning small wedding venues in Philadelphia.
