Outside the Box // Unique, Non-Venue Wedding Venues - Part 2

In keeping with both the popularity of prioritizing elevated guest experiences and fully customizing wedding events, many couples are choosing to hold their wedding event in a non-traditional venue, one other than a banquet hall or ballroom made just for weddings.

We're continuing our peek at some unique, non-venue wedding venues with even more in New Jersey and the Philadelphia area that would love to host your one-of-a-kind wedding day!

And be sure to see Part 1 of our look at unique, non-venue wedding venues for even more!

Vineyards and Wineries

Isaac Smith Vineyard - Cape May, NJ

Washington Inn Catering is the catering partner for this newer, rustic venue located on a beautiful five-acre vineyard in Cape May. The bucolic views include a fountain pond, an herb garden and an early 19th century farmhouse, and the venue welcomes tented events on its pastoral grounds. Be sure to see Kara and Kyle's gorgeous wedding reception, one of several amazing weddings we've filmed at Isaac Smith Vineyard!

Brook Hollow Winery - Columbia, NJ

With over 7,000 lush grapevines secluded within the Delaware Water Gap region of northeastern New Jersey, Brook Hollow Winery can confidently help you create the beautiful and romantic vineyard wedding of your dreams. Ceremonies are conducted on the pristine lawn, cocktails are served on the private covered porch and receptions celebrated in their spacious rustic barn.

Renault Winery - Egg Harbor City, NJ

At over 160 years old, Renault Winery is one of the oldest continuously operating vineyards in the country. This recently renovated venue has four main spaces in which to choose from for a gorgeous wedding ceremony or reception, with their grand Chateau Renault Ballroom accommodating up to 400 guests comfortably. They also offer all-inclusive packages to make wedding planning easy.

Willow Creek Winery & Farm - West Cape May, NJ

This grand venue is nestled behind rows of grapevines and features rustic wood ceiling posts and beams, a large stone fireplace and warm and inviting interior spaces. A lovely creek runs alongside the property and the venue's towering, mature namesake willow tree is the perfect setting for a romantic first look. Maggie and Frank did just that at their fabulous Willow Creek wedding event!

Breweries and Distilleries

Levante Brewing Co.'s West Chester Taproom - West Chester, PA

This taproom in the Philadelphia suburbs is ready to serve up weddings, too, for all craft beer lovers! Levante Brewing Co. is happy to host small wedding receptions (up to 50 guests) on their West Chester location's heated patio. But they also accept full venue rentals for larger events. You'll find casual vibes and 20 taps of the freshest beer here, located just steps from their brewery.

Departed Soles Brewing Co. - Jersey City, NJ

Departed Soles' Jersey City Lagers & Ales Tasting Room is large enough to host up to 100 guests in its open, laid-back surroundings. This community-focused microbrewery in downtown Jersey City features a bright and cheery, unique interior, and is located within three blocks of the PATH Station to NYC.

Manayunk Brewing Co. - Manayunk, PA

A hip microbrewery located in the Manayunk neighborhood of Philadelphia is Manayunk Brewing Co. This craft brewery has a decidedly industrial chic vibe, with exposed ductwork, dark wood flooring and open ceiling beams supporting large, modern white and gold drum pendant lights. Their experienced staff has the knowledge and expertise to help you plan a fun and fabulous wedding event.

Beach Haus Brewery - Belmar, NJ

If you want both a taproom and a beachside wedding event, you'll get both in the Beach Haus Brewery! This 4,000 square foot brew pub, with its rustic, industrial decor, has three stories and multiple event spaces that can accommodate a mid to large wedding. They have six food and beverage packages available and drink packages that feature their craft beer, of course.

• 

• 

Converted Industrial and Commercial Buildings 

Phoenixville Foundry - Phoenixville, NJ

If you're located north-west of Philadelphia and industrial chic styling is right up your alley, be sure to consider Phoenixville Foundry for your wedding day! This venue expertly combines history with the present. The historic building is one of the oldest structures in the city, with 60-foot-high ceilings that display the original hip-shaped roof and clerestory windows. 

However, the interior has been completely modernized.  The industrial theme is showcased throughout, celebrating the rich history of the steel foundry.  In the Heritage Center, historic artifacts from the Phoenix Iron and Steel Company are on display and the building’s steel trusses are exposed in the West Wing Ballroom.  You also can’t miss the enormous wood cantilever crane which still sits in its original location, now the Cupola Ballroom, and the Column Truss Bridge outside is a favorite for first looks. Ashley and Greg held their amazing wedding event here, and we still fondly remember their fabulous cocktail hour in the Mezzanine!

Porta Jersey City - Jersey City, NJ

Mentioned in our Part 1 article as one of the wonderful restaurants to consider, this one-of-a-kind location was actually once a pharmacy, and they've even kept the sign on the building! Restaurant owners, Smith, have three cozy spaces in their Jersey City location from which to choose for your unique, intimate wedding event.

Cork Factory Hotel - Lancaster, PA

This fantastic industrial style venue sits on the site of a former 19th century cork and later glass company.  Throughout the interior, you'll find exposed brick and painted ductwork and vaulted, rustic wood ceilings define the Parlor and spacious event Ballroom.  It’s infused top to bottom with unique character and personality. Cork Factory offers both the Wedding suite and Billiards suite for morning preparations and you and your guests can stay onsite in their wonderful boutique hotel. Alexandra and Justin chose this fantastic venue for their wonderful wedding event and definitely did not go wrong!

Bell Works - Holmdel, NJ

Originally the Bell Labs building, operational from 1962 to 2006, this iconic venue is located within a quarter-mile mixed-use piazza called The Block. This space has to be seen to be believed! Expansive is an understatement, with over 50,000 square feet of event space in the East and Main Atriums. The Block also boasts one of the largest photovoltaic sunroofs in the world. Several event spaces are available at Bell Works for wedding ceremonies and receptions, including a ballroom with customizable lighting and color packages for nighttime drama and a roof deck with gorgeous views.

Banq on Parq - Plainfield, NJ

This fantastic building was a bank in the 1920s and has been repurposed into a stately and glamorous event venue. Their Grand Ballroom boasts 25-foot soaring ceilings with ornate architectural details, but the rest of the venue gives distinct, minimalistic industrial vibes throughout.

Reimagined Entertainment Spaces

The Factory Workers - Collingswood, NJ

The Factory Workers building is a converted 1920s theater that combines modern, industrial styling with ornate and original details. It's actually an active woodworking and metalworking studio during the week, and transforms into an event space on the weekends. The space is open but intimate, with playful appointments such as a black and white checkerboard dance floor, market string lighting, mismatched chandeliers and steel loft painted in yellow. But perhaps their most fun decoration is that matching yellow submarine!

Park Loft - Oceanport, NJ

This luxury venue, built and operated as Fort Monmouth Dance Hall in 1941, was fully redesigned with weddings in mind in 2022. Their exciting style is described as late art deco and mid-century modern design merged with "European modern industrial" finishes. The Dance Hall's 25-foot-high pine ceilings showcase original beams and up to 200 guests can be seated comfortably within. Two original fireplaces are featured onsite, one in the Dance Hall and one in the breathtaking wrap-around Mezzanine, and stunning floating steel and glass staircases are the perfect backdrop for photos.

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts - Philadelphia, PA

Ensemble Arts Philly manages this popular theater and arts center right on the Avenue of the Arts, aka Broad Street, in Center City Philadelphia, with Rhubarb Hospitality Collection catering for all events. They have several exciting locations available for weddings of all sizes, including the rooftop Hamilton Garden, The Lounge & Balcony Bar, The Commonweath Plaza and the Perelman Theater, all celebrating the breathtaking architecture of the Kimmel Center. This same organization also manages events in the ballroom of the nearby historic and elegant Academy of Music.

The Bickford Theater in the Morris Museum - Morristown, NJ

Hold your ceremony right on the dramatic, grand stage of the Bickford Theater, a 300-seat theater in the Morris Museum in Morristown, NJ. Afterward, stay onsite for your cocktails and reception and celebrate in the light-filled and expansive Entrance Pavilion and Museum Court.

At Home

And finally, you can choose to have no established venue booked at all! With careful planning and enough space available, an at-home, backyard wedding can be the perfect choice for creating an unconventional, non-traditional and totally personalized wedding event.

Tori and Andy were just one couple of many we've had the pleasure of filming whose beautiful weddings were held at their family home. Bright, bold and unique florals were everywhere at this farm wedding event, including along the amazing winding, serpentine aisle set up for their ceremony. Just beautiful!

Cord 3 Films