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All The Top New Jersey Wedding Venues
Whether you are looking for a luxury wedding venue, rustic boho chic, industrial, waterfront, or beach venue, here are the best New Jersey Wedding Venues to host your dream wedding.
Table of content
- Luxury Wedding Venues
- Unique Wedding Venues
- Waterfront Wedding Venues
- Rustic Wedding Venues
- Industrial / Urban Wedding Venues
- Vineyard Wedding Venues
Where can I get married in New Jersey?
As a professional wedding photographer with over 500 weddings under my belt, I have worked at some of the best wedding destinations in the world. In order to help couples during their wedding planning journey, I have curated a list of the best wedding venues in New Jersey based on the ceremony and reception rooms, whether you can have an indoor and outdoor ceremony, and how good their food and service are. Artistically, I can also speak on how the venues inspire creativity for your special day’s most unique wedding photos that will not be like everyone else’s.
I have also considered other not-so-obvious details, such as do they have grounds for outdoor wedding photos. Do they have nice locations to take wedding photos indoors in case of rain? Do they treat their vendors with respect? (you would be surprised). How many weddings are taking place at the same time at the venue? And finally, do they have a bridal suite to get ready, and will you have access to it all day?
Luxury Wedding Venues in New Jersey
If you’re a bride or groom who wants everything taken care of for you, top service, and beautiful grounds all in the same place without travel, a luxury wedding venue might be for you. The benefit of choosing a luxury wedding venue is that you know you’re experience will be top notch and you won’t have to worry about any of the coordination. While the experience might be less customizable, and more mainstream traditional, luxury venues have experience hosting many weddings a year, so they definitely know what they’re doing. Many of the top venues also have amazing food (pro tip: go hard on the cocktail hour buffet!) From an artistic perspective, you’ll have plenty of places to take photos, both indoors and outdoors, as these types of venues are prepped for all occasions.
Here is my curated list of the top luxury wedding venues that I’ve worked at.
The Palace at Somerset Park
As a NJ wedding photographer who has had the pleasure of capturing many beautiful weddings, I can confidently say that the Somerset Palace in NJ is a stunning venue. The Palace boasts grand and ornate architecture that creates a picturesque backdrop for wedding photos. The ballroom is spacious and elegant, with crystal chandeliers and stunning decor that add to the overall charm of the venue, and the food is to die for. If you’re looking for a venue that exudes sophistication and elegance, the Somerset Palace is a top choice.
Legacy Castle
The Legacy Castle is a work of art, with its intricate carvings, exquisite chandeliers, and stunning stained-glass windows. Everywhere you look, there’s a breathtaking detail that will leave you spellbound. Beginning with the entrance, the beautiful wrap-around double staircase is a beautiful location for photos. As you step into the ballroom, you’ll be struck by its sheer size and grandeur, with its high ceilings, majestic columns, sparkling crystal chandeliers, and a gorgeous staircase to make your grand entrance from. It’s a space that can only be described as regal and majestic.
Addison Park
The Addison Park is an elegant wedding venue that definitely lends itself to a black-tie wedding event, with beautiful marble floors, high ceilings and chandeliers, and a gorgeous outdoor space for a wedding ceremony to take place. The food, service and space is impeccable.
The Westmount Country Club
As a documentary wedding photographer, I appreciate venues that offer both beautiful backdrops and unique, candid moments to capture. The Westmount Country Club in West Orange, NJ offers just that. Its elegant and spacious ballrooms feature high ceilings and grand chandeliers, creating a stunning setting for a wedding. The outdoor ceremony space is also breathtaking, with a charming gazebo and lush greenery that provides a beautiful background for photos. But what really sets the Westmount Country Club apart is its exceptional service and attention to detail (and amazing cocktail hour!). If you’re looking for a venue that combines classic elegance with a touch of documentary-style storytelling, the Westmount Country Club is an excellent choice.
The Chateau Grande
The Chateau Grande is one of those places that makes you feel elegant just walking into it. It has an air of French architecture to it, it offers an intimate blend of grandeur and modernism, for your elegant wedding photos. With the added benefit of it not only being a wedding venue but also a hotel, you can have your guests stay right there with you and party all night.
The Ashford Estate
The Ashford Estate is not only elegant but is different from the others because it makes you feel as in you’re in a Southern Country estate. Boasting a large reception space with plenty of natural light and large windows, it is a photographer’s dream to photograph in because of it’s beautiful light. So whether you like that light and airy quality to your wedding or just want the high ceilings and loft space style, it is a wonderful choice for a luxury wedding venue.
Unique Wedding Venues in New Jersey
Perhaps you’re more of a person who wants to curate your own out-of-the-box experience? For brides and grooms who want a more non-traditional wedding experience, consider unique wedding venues that will give your guests that wow-factor of a wedding at a venue they had never thought of! Also, you’ll have memories catered to how you want everything. While there may be a bit more coordination and planning on your end for some aspects, that’s not always the case – many of these venues, including those that I have listed below, are prepared for and experienced in weddings and events, and have full catering staff and in-house coordinators to help you with your day. Unique wedding venues might feature historic buildings and monuments, art museums, antique car show buildings, and are a great way to showcase something about you as a couple also. They are also a great way to spark creativity and you will for sure have the most artistic and unique wedding photos!
Here is my curated list of the top unique wedding venues that I’ve worked at.
Grounds for Sculpture & Rats Restaurant
Grounds for Sculpture is a unique wedding venue because during regular business hours it is open to the public as a beautiful sculpture garden! If you’re the type who appreciates beautiful art and unique locations, this is a great spot to wow your guests with and provide them with an artistic experience before or after the wedding also. There are 2 options for weddings at this venue, one being the Grounds for Sculpture interior gallery spaces, that provide a modern industrial feel, and the other being Rats Restaurant (not to be deceived by the name!) which provides a more intimate restaurant feel of a wedding venue, with great views of the pond. Both can access the grounds!
Avenue A Club
Avenue A Club is a unique venue located in Newark, NJ for the car-enthusiasts who are reading this! It is a space that holds vintage cars and is open for enjoying, along with a private cigar bar as well. The venue has a unique structure to it’s weddings, with different floors for cocktail hour and reception, and a warm industrial feel, both inside and outside, with dark brown brick walls. I love this space for a more moody vibe, and it’s certainly fun to play with for photo ops, both with the cars, and the gritty alleys of the nearby streets.
Skylands Manor / NJ Botanical Gardens
Skylands Manor at the NJ Botanical Gardens is one of those places you can keep coming back to for every anniversary and not get tired of it. It is a breathtaking space with beautiful gardens and nature to explore, and the manor itself feels like a French chateau in the midst of it all. With a darker, moodier vibe, it is perfect for the non-traditional wedding but with a touch of elegance. There are spaces both indoors and outdoors to hold the wedding events, but my absolute favorites are exploring the moody interior rooms, the staircase, and the bridal suite that give off vintage vibes.
Natirar
Natirar is a unique NJ wedding venue that is situated in the mountains of Gladstone, NJ, and features a beautiful outdoor ceremony space with an incredible view of the park below. It is unique in it’s cuisine, because it is also linked to the adjacent restaurant of 90 Acres and a dedicated culinary school featuring farm-to-table and seasonal foods. This is not only a unique venue but it’s also high end and luxurious with lots of beautiful renovated indoor spaces and plenty of spots to take photos.
WATERFRONT WEDDING VENUES IN NJ
Beautiful waterfront views, city skylines, calming beaches and bays, summertime vibes – these are a few reasons why a waterfront wedding venue might be for you. Beach weddings can be great in the summertime, but also consider having a beach wedding in the off-season such as September and October, when the Jersey shore is not as crowded. You’ll have an easier time with traffic and also more beach portrait opportunities without all of the onlookers. You can even make it a long weekend trip for your guests from out of town to enjoy a little time away. Not a beach person? Having a waterfront wedding can be a beach wedding, but doesn’t always have to be either – weddings overlooking NYC are also really beautiful and a great way to incorporate a little bit of the city without being in the thick of it. They are also easy for your city crowd to get to! From an artistic point of view, how could you go wrong with waterfront wedding portraits!?
Here is my curated list of the top waterfront wedding venues that I’ve worked at.
Bonnet Island Estate
Bonnet Island Estate is a beautiful waterfront venue on Long Beach Island at the Jersey shore. It is close enough to the beachy areas that you can still provide a beach wedding experience to your guests, but tucked away in a unique part of the island facing the bay. Photo opportunities abound in a venue like this, with beautiful outdoor nature vibes and waterfront views. The venue itself is very unique as well, with a barn-like building where the ceremonies are held, and a gorgeous, well-lit reception space with huge windows and natural light. Bonnet Island Estate is certainly more than a wedding venue, but also a wedding experience.
The Maritime Parc
The Maritime Parc provides New York City skyline views and a modern venue space, uniquely designed ceilings, and at NJ prices, thankfully! For those of you who would like to have a NY experience with your wedding but can’t make it all the way out, this is the perfect in-between – or even better, because you get the views! Nearby, on the premises, is Liberty State Park, which is my favorite spot to photograph in, because of the variety of locations to capture your wedding photos too! The inside of the Maritime Parc has a unique and modern design to it that lends itself to great photos as well.
Liberty House
Liberty House is literally the neighbor of Maritime Parc and it’s got the same great views of the city for you to experience! While the inside differs in design, depending on your taste for architecture, both provide the same great views, and the outside ceremony space is a bonus! Imagine your wedding ceremony overlooking NYC, win-win! The venue is amazing, with both indoor and outdoor spaces for your guests to graze, along with an intimate warm fire for outside drinks and hanging out in the evening.
Asbury Park | McLoone’s Supper Club
McLoone’s Supper Club is conveniently situated right on the Asbury Park Boardwalk – in my opinion, one of the most fun areas on the NJ shore to photograph because of the unique murals, the shops and activities on the boardwalk, and the beautiful architectural structures around. If you’re looking for a wedding on the beach in NJ, Asbury Park provides a unique backdrop and McLoone’s Supper club is a cool non-traditional wedding venue that overlooks the water.
Wave Resort in Long Branch
Another beachfront wedding venue to consider with a more elegant and upscale vibe is Wave Resort, located right in Long Branch Beach on the Jersey Shore. It is one of the newer hotels that was built in the area, with great on-site lodging for guests, a pool, and waterfront views. Whether you’re looking for an off-season beach wedding or summer beach wedding, this luxurious beach venue provides a great setting to enjoy the beach, the nearby carousel for a quick photo opp, and the nearby shops to explore.
RUSTIC WEDDING VENUES IN NJ
Rustic wedding venues have been all the rage lately, especially those that want a barn wedding vibe with natural boho feel. But not all rustic wedding venues have barns, or are on the super rustic side either. A few of the venues I’ve listed below definitely have a more rustic, natural feel to the surroundings, but others are more upscale rustic wedding venues, that have the natural surroundings, and barn-like feel, but with all of the amenities, such as air conditioning, and indoor spaces. If you’ve dreamed of a rustic wedding, think about how you want your day to feel, and what are the amenities you’d like for you and your guests also. This will quickly discard or add the right venues to your list. Some things to take into consideration with rustic wedding venues are electricity situations, catering from outside sources and space for cooking on site, indoor and outdoor spaces in case of rain, and other amenities such as air conditioning or fans. Many times I also recommend my couples hire a wedding planner, or day of coordinator for their rustic wedding, to ensure that everything goes smoothly on their wedding day, without you having to worry about it (or even knowing!). Rustic wedding venues offer a great opportunity for you to have a natural feeling wedding, without the fancy black tie vibe.
Here is my curated list of the top rustic wedding venues that I’ve worked at.
The Loft at Jack’s Barn
The Loft at Jack’s Barn has got to be my favorite authentic barn venues, located in Warren County NJ. Transformed from an old antique shop, it is quaint and rustic and has all the qualities of an authentic barn that you are looking for. The string lights, the mismatched dinner chairs, and the wooden floors and walls make this a super unique wedding venue for a more casual and relaxed vibe. The surroundings are peaceful and quiet and there are plenty of photo locations that give off a vintage and rustic vibe to your wedding photos. Highly recommend!
Ryland Inn
Not all rustic venues have to be barns, you know! The Ryland Inn is a perfect mix of rustic and elegant, with both the main inn as well as the coach house available for weddings, depending on the look you’re going for. This venue is a great compromise if you’re looking for the rustic feel of a barn but the amenities (ahem, air conditioning in the summer is a must!) of a more polished wedding venue. The service and food is wonderful as well, and there is an on-site cottage for getting ready which has been beautifully renovated. The peaceful setting in Hunterdon county, surrounded by horses, is also a great addition to this location.
Beach Plum Farm
Did you know that not all beach venues have to be “beachy”? Beach Plum Farm, located right on West Cape May at the tip of NJ is a great natural and rustic venue that provides a farm experience for your wedding, with on-site houses for you to rent for the weekend. With farm-to-table dinner options, golf carts provided to go to and from the beach, an on-site farm with produce, and beautiful trails to explore, this venue provides a whole weekend experience that you can enjoy for an intimate wedding weekend.
Born to Run Farm
Born to Run Farm located in Glen Gardner, NJ is a family owned farm that also provides a beautiful setting for rustic wedding receptions on site. It is a true rustic farm setting as this was not a venue “made” exclusively for weddings, yet it’s qualities were discovered and appreciated by many, making this a unique tucked away little gem in Hunterdon County. The private setting in the middle of the country lends to a peaceful surrounding, with the whole farm to explore for photo opportunities, including run-ins with some farm animals! The indoor private home is used for getting ready, which provides a comfortable setting, and then the party continues as a tented outdoor wedding.
URBAN / INDUSTRIAL WEDDING VENUES IN NJ
Are you more about the non-traditional wedding vibes? If you want more of a city feel to your wedding, or like the style of an industrial wedding, choosing an urban wedding venue might be for you. Not to mention all of the options for your after-party in the city, and the bonus of being able to walk or take public transportation back to your hotel! Cities are great for inspiring an urban, industrial style of creativity, with a plethora of murals, the grittiness of the streets, rooftops overlooking the buildings, the diversity of people, and being able to incorporate your everyday surroundings. City wedding venues tend to be a bit smaller, or distributed on several floors, so make sure that the urban wedding venue you choose is accessible for all of your guests (especially the older folks!) but they can have a very unique layout for a wedding venue, not your traditional all-in-one space which can be neat to explore and take your guests through the experience.
Here is my curated list of the top urban wedding venues that I’ve worked at.
Factory 220
Factory 220, located in Passaic in Northern NJ, is a very similar space to the nearby Art Factory, in style and location. A blank canvas for wedding photographers and art-lovers alike! Providing a raw, industrial space for you to take over with your magic, this venue is highly customizable to showcase your own style and vision for your wedding.It also provides an industrial style setting for your wedding, with metal beams and a darker, moodier vibe to the wedding reception. The space is huge as well, so you’ll have plenty of room for a large wedding if you plan on inviting a lot of guests. Both inside and outside, the locations for photos abound, including a usable rustic rooftop overlooking New Jersey, and several different rooms to move around in, as well as some unique spots that have a cool urban vibe!
Kolo Klub
Hoboken’s Kolo Klub provides a loft-style layout for your wedding reception, in an urban environment, without having to go all the way to the city! The rustic indoor brick facade gives it a unique look, and feels like you’re in a bar! Located in uptown Hoboken, the urban, rustic streets make for some great walking opportunities to discover unique photo locations, if you want to try something new outside of the typical photos at Sinatra Park.
Antique Loft
Antique Loft is a newer venue that provides waterfront and NYC views right from Hoboken. Similar to the above venue, it also has a loft-style layout. Since it also has a rooftop element, guests can graze between indoors and outdoors, making it a unique layout for cocktail hour and reception. It also has plenty of natural light flowing in for a brighter feeling mood. Situated super close to Sinatra Park in downtown Hoboken, the photo locations for wedding portraits are right at your finger tips and are fun to walk to in an urban wedding.
VINEYARD WEDDING VENUES IN NJ
Want a romantic wedding style? Like wine? Consider a vineyard wedding venue as the setting for your perfect day. Vineyards are a great way to enjoy nature, good food and wine, and a more non-traditional setting for your wedding. They are great to become inspired artistically by walking the through the vines, exploring the views, and many vineyard wedding venues are equipped for weddings and events, so they have both indoor and outdoor spaces in case of inclement weather. Vineyard weddings are a great mix of natural and elegant, rustic and polished, a perfect choice for anyone, especially if you’re a wine lover!
Here is my curated list of the top vineyard wedding venues that I’ve worked at.
Alba Vineyard
Alba Vineyard is located in Northern New Jersey and is a peaceful and unique vineyard setting for your wedding that is not as commercial as some other options. Located a bit out of the way, it makes for a private and intimate setting, with a tented outdoor wedding for the reception, and weather-permitting an outdoor cocktail hour overlooking the beautiful vines. Alba wines are also well known in NJ and for wine lovers, you’ll enjoy tasting your way through this wedding!
Laurita Winery
What’s great about Laurita Winery, located in New Egypt, NJ, is that it’s open to the public regularly, and also has lots of weekend activities to participate in! So as a wine lover in NJ, you can come to Laurita for special occasions and check out your prospective wedding venue! It also has a restaurant on-site. Laurita Winery is very prepared for weddings and events, so they’ll have you covered under any situation! The grounds are beautiful and the photo opportunities will be amazing in a vineyard wedding!
