Terms like microwedding and minimony have become commonplace in the wedding industry since the pandemic made them a necessity. While wedding sizes are returning to pre-pandemic levels, with an average of 124 guests attending Mid-Atlantic weddings in 2022 according to the Knot, we predict smaller, more intimate celebrations are here to stay. Whether you’re dreaming of a massive party or a cozy celebration, couples have the flexibility—and range of venues—to find the absolute perfect fit for their vision and their budget.
American Visionary Art Museum Café
Host your cocktail hour or say your vows on a covered balcony overlooking the sculpture plaza, wildflower garden, and Federal Hill Park at the American Visionary Art Museum. Set along Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and beloved for its one-of-a-kind artwork and quintessential Baltimore charm, the AVAM’s top-floor café, once home to Cielo Verde and Encantada, offers the same whimsy as its two larger event spaces for gatherings with 50 or fewer guests. The café interior features a copper-clad bar along one wall, while a large, crescent-shaped window allows for natural light. Potted plants and original artwork bring the space to life. Plus, your guests can access museum exhibits during your event. 800 Key Highway, Federal Hill
Artifact Coffee
Enjoy farm-to-table cuisine from Woodberry Kitchen in an intimate setting at Artifact Coffee in Union Mill, a renovated, 19th-century textile mill on the border of Hampden and Woodberry. The warm, stone-walled café can seat 40 guests together at family-style tables. Already outfitted with rustic, mismatched furniture and vintage décor, the space requires little more from the couple than showing up. Hold your ceremony inside, in front of a red-velvet-draped doorway under twinkling lights, or outside on the adjoining patio. 1500 Union Avenue, Hampden
Black Ankle Vineyards
Say your vows overlooking the grape vines at sunset, then toast with award-winning wines produced just steps away at Black Ankle Vineyards in Frederick County. The distinct tasting room, split into two buildings designed by sustainable architect Sigi Koko, features green roofs, prominent poplar tree column timbers sourced from the property, and straw-bale and clay construction. A cozy patio with an outdoor bar nestled between the two indoor spaces hosts intimate receptions for up to 75 guests under shade sails and string lights. 14463 Black Ankle Road, Mt. Airy
Corradetti Glassblowing Studio & Gallery
Blown-glass globes adorn this gallery and active glassblowing studio in the historic Clipper Mill neighborhood west of the Jones Falls River. The 3,300-square-foot space can accommodate up to 80 guests, but still feels cozy with much smaller groups. Bamboo floors, 20-foot-high ceilings, and industrial windows overlooking a nearby Roman-style pool complete the venue’s rustic and eclectic feel. Get your guests in on the glassblowing by arranging a demo or sending them home with custom-made gifts. 2010 Clipper Park Rd. #119, Clipper Mill
The Cottage at Reisterstown
A one-stop-shop on Main Street in Historic Reisterstown designed for couples who want more than a courthouse wedding, The Cottage at Reisterstown offers affordable microweddings for up to 35 guests. White-draped walls and gold Chiavari chairs serve as a backdrop to this intimate space that’s further customized to the couple’s tastes. More than just a venue, the team at The Cottage can also be your officiant, wedding planner, and floral and event designer. 362 Main Street, Reisterstown
The Goldfinch Room at Whitehall Mill
Luxe meets industrial at the Goldfinch Room, a 3,000-square-foot event venue inside the historic Whitehall Mill, a waterfront complex that was once home to the world’s largest producer of cotton duck fabric. Select pops of color bring a playfulness to the otherwise white walls, columns, and polished concrete floors and large, paned-glass windows overlooking the Jones Falls fill the space with natural light. For celebrations for up to 200 guests, the space can be reserved in tandem with the larger Penguin Room at Whitehall Mill. 50 guests | 3300 Clipper Mill Road, Hampden
The Green Room at Bluebird
A big fan of the cocktail hour? A new private event space from The Bluebird cocktail lounge in Hampden brings its award-winning cocktail program and locally sourced food to intimate gatherings in The Green Room. Aptly named for its deep green walls, the first-floor space—outfitted with chandeliers and a wooden Art Nouveau bar—offers a moody backdrop for your big day. With room for up to 50 seated or 75 standing, this speakeasy-inspired space is just steps away from The Avenue. 3600 Hickory Avenue, Hampden
The Ivy Hotel
Your guests dine alfresco under string lights in a courtyard with ivy-covered brick walls. It’s what intimate wedding dreams are made of, and at The Ivy Hotel in Mount Vernon, it can be your reality. The courtyard—enclosed when a 19th-century mansion and two adjacent rowhomes were renovated into what is now a boutique hotel, restaurant, and spa—is the heart of this sumptuous venue, offering couples and up to 54 guests a luxurious experience for a day or an entire weekend. 205 E. Biddle Street, Mount Vernon
Keep Tryst Manor
If you can’t decide between a rustic barn or manor wedding, Keep Tryst Manor brings together the best of both on its five-acre property with an 1804-era home and detached barn. Nestled in the rolling hills of Washington County just outside of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, this property is walking distance from the Appalachian Trail and rocky shores of the Potomac River, offering couples beautiful backdrops for ceremonies and photos in all seasons. This venue, the brainchild of veteran small celebration coordinator The Wedding Niche, was designed with intimate weddings and elopements in mind and offers custom experiences for 10-45 guests. 19414 Keep Tryst Road, Knoxville
Savage River Lodge
Bring your guests along for an adventure in the woods at Savage River Lodge, a retreat in Western Maryland surrounded by 700 acres of State Forest that marries rustic touches with fine dining and luxury accommodations. Take a short stroll along one of the property’s private trails to elope in a stream, then honeymoon in a yurt or rent out all 26 rooms for a weekend of celebration with up to 60 guests. Equally stunning blanketed in snow, fall foliage, or spring flowers, the lodge offers couples the choice between the field or forest for the ceremony and the chance to end the day with guests around the fire pit or cozied up to the fireplace in the grand lodge. 1600 Mt. Aetna Road, Frostburg
Baltimore Streetcar Museum
Make your getaway car an 1896 streetcar and show off your Baltimore pride when you host your wedding at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum, a nonprofit sharing the story of Charm City’s public transit past. Take your pick of the lawn in front of a historic streetcar or inside beneath a streetlight and surrounded by floor-to-ceiling murals of public transit scenes through the ages for your ceremony, then treat your guests to a ride before the reception. Leave time to explore the exhibits, tracks, and grounds with your photographer for whimsical photo opportunities. The icing on the cake? Knowing weddings like yours keep this local organization running. 100 guests | 1901 Falls Road, Charles North
Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar
Your furry family member can be part of the celebration at Blue Pit BBQ & Whiskey Bar, an award-winning spot named for pit barbeque and the owners’ blue pit bull, Sakai. Private events at this Hampden corner bar can spread out across the restaurant’s first-floor bar, upstairs dining hall, and outdoor patio, elevated to ceremony- or dance-floor-worthy status by bistro lights and a vibrant floral-and-geometric mural. Your guests (meat-eaters and vegans alike) will be wowed by Zeke’s coffee-rubbed brisket or pulled jackfruit and slaw paired with a signature cocktail from the spot’s lauded beverage program. 150 guests | 1601 Union Avenue, Hampden
Chase Court
The gothic castle at Chase Court, built in 1897, boasts high ceilings, arched leaded glass windows, the original iron chandeliers, and a 5-foot-tall fireplace in its Great Hall—inspiring more than its fair share of Harry Potter-themed celebration. Step through the library to the garden, where wisteria creeps over a white pergola across from a small pond surrounded by lush landscaping. While the venue accommodates up to 125 for a seated event, Chase Court offers a broad range of customizable elopement and minimony packages for small celebrations with up to 60 guests. 18 East Chase Street, Mid-Town Belvedere
Citizens Ballroom
A refurbished historic bank in downtown Frederick from venue renovator Fêtewell, Citizens Ballroom brings the drama to your celebration with floor-to-ceiling marble, 30-foot coffered ceilings, and the corner building’s original bronze doors. Not only does the grand space’s mezzanine level make a lovely spot for cocktail hour—it also allows photographers and videographers to look down on the couple on the main floor, making for some standout first-dance shots. Lean into the history and use the original bank vault as the backdrop for your ceremony. 175 guests | 2 E. Patrick Street, Frederick
The Elm
Tucked away on a residential street in Hampden, the only surviving carriage house from the neighborhood’s mill village offers the intimacy of a backyard wedding with the convenience of a full-service venue. Unique décor—like vintage posters, unexpected pops of color, and perfectly mismatched furnishings—brings personality and signature Baltimore charm to events held in its two-tiered garden and pre-Civil War brick structure. 145 guests | 3100 Elm Avenue, Hampden
Guilford Hall Brewery
Hoist a beer stein and toast to forever at Guilford Hall, a brewery located in the historic Crown Cork & Seal factory in Station North. With a hidden courtyard beer garden space and attached Whiskey Lounge for outdoor ceremonies, and a rustic, second-floor ballroom for the reception, this venue combines more than 125 years of character (as seen in the original wood floors) with modern conveniences such as an elevator, 22-foot LED screens, and a dedicated bar and restrooms. 160 guests | 1611 Guildford Avenue, Station North
The Loom at Meadow Mill
Tucked away along the Jones Falls Expressway in Woodberry, The Loom at Meadow Mill isn’t just another rustic-industrial venue—it’s full of unexpected details. While a lot of the more than 4,000-square-foot space is bright and white, much-needed character comes in the form of striking navy accents and historic features, like a broad brick archway and curving staircase. A 360-degree bar in the reception area, plus a hidden bar off the outdoor patio, keep the refreshments flowing. An outdoor patio with gas fireplace makes a great spot for cocktail hour or a post-dinner lounge. 120 guests | 3600 Clipper Mill Road, Woodberry
Prism Annapolis
Painted in a graphic pastel purple and blue, the façade of Prism, a modern, industrial event venue in the Annapolis Arts District, boasts a 20-foot marquee where couples can share a special message. Meanwhile, its clean, white interior provides a blank canvas for couples to bring their wedding vision to life. Two adjacent spaces (Prism I for up to 100 guests and Prism II for up to 40 guests) can be rented individually or together, providing flexibility for celebrations of all sizes. 100 guests | 49 Spa Road, Annapolis
Puh’tok in the Pines
Make your wedding day a wedding weekend at Camp Puh’tok, where your reservation includes full access to the northern Baltimore County sleepaway camp’s 67 acres along Gunpowder Falls State Park—including lodging for up to 172 guests—from the rehearsal dinner on Friday to the brunch on Sunday. Savor all the in-between moments with your closest friends and family with a dip in the pool, game of foosball, or singalong by the campfire. Hold your ceremony outdoors among the pines or in the tribal-inspired wooden amphitheater. Either way, cue the nostalgia. 200 guests | 17433 Big Falls Road, Monkton
The Vandiver Inn
This brightly painted Queen Anne-style mansion in Historic Havre de Grace was built in 1886 by local businessman and politician Murray Vandiver for his new wife, Annie. Today, the 17-room Vandiver Inn is known for hosting weddings filled with character, from intimate ceremonies by the parlor’s stained-glass bay window to the garden, with its 130-year-old cedar gazebo and year-round pavilion seating up to 175 guests. Customize your menu from six pages of dishes crafted by award-winning chef-owner Susan Muldoon. 175 guest | 301 South Union Avenue, Havre de Grace
LARGE
More than 200 Guests
Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park
A National Heritage Site and museum commemorating the legacy of African Americans in Baltimore’s shipbuilding industry, the Frederick Douglass-Isaac Myers Maritime Park on the waterfront in Fells Point offers multiple event spaces for celebrations big and small. Most spacious of them all, the wooden promenade and red brick courtyard that surrounds the historic waterfront property—home to a large-scale, cast-bronze statue of Douglass’ head—can be tented and accommodate up to 450 guests with views across the Inner Harbor to the Domino Sugars sign. 1417 Thames Street, Fells Point
The Garage at R. House
With more than 6,500 square feet to play with, The Garage at R. House is one of the largest venues in Remington, accommodating 250 seated guests in the warm, industrial space with wood accents. Its 25-foot glass garage door makes setup and access a breeze—and easily accommodates a food truck. This dog-friendly venue has a dedicated outdoor patio, space for your wedding party to get ready, and comes with all the essential furniture you need. There’s even complimentary parking for your guests. And many of the adjacent food hall’s 10 local vendors offer catering, meaning you won’t have to look far for delicious food. 301 West 29th Street, Remington
The Great Room at Savage Mill
The tented deck at this 1820s-era textile mill on the National Register of Historic Places overlooks the Little Patuxent River and a last-of-its-kind suspension bridge that once carried trains along the B&O Railway. Today, The Great Room at Savage Mill is part of the 175,000-square-foot complex of renovated space, home to antique dealers, restaurants, and boutiques. It has room for 300 guests and the 14-foot-tall windows and skylights allow natural light to flood into the space, which retained its character after a renovation, thanks to original wood columns, 25-foot ceilings, and white-painted brick walls. 8600 Foundry Street, Savage
Greektown Square
Channel Baltimore’s famous St. Nicholas Greek Folk Festival and end your wedding day by dancing under the stars with up to 800 of your closest friends and family at Greektown Square, in the heart of Baltimore’s historic Greektown. Anchored by the outdoor pavilion with a raised stage, large dance area, and barbecue grill station, this venue accommodates large parties across multiple spaces—from the more intimate, 175-capacity Celebration Room with a private bridal suite and direct access to the outdoor area, to the 400-capacity Grand Ballroom, with a stage, large dance floor, and balcony overlooking the pavilion, which accommodates 800 seated. 700 South Quail Street, Greektown
Kylan Barn
Eastern Shore photographer Kyle Hughes channeled his experience shooting hundreds of weddings into designing his family’s wedding venue, which centers around a custom-built white barn. The photographer’s eye comes through in every detail, from the many ceremony backdrops—the woods, the barn, or the pond—to the airy feel of the structure’s white-painted interior, further softened by white draping and café lights. There’s even a growing collection of décor, from arbors and vases to antique lounge furniture, available to rent on-site. 240 guests | 30603 Dusty Lane, Delmar
M&T Bank Exchange
The restored 1887 Eutaw Savings Bank in Downtown Baltimore is the newest venue from the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center. After a $20-million renovation, the M&T Bank Exchange retains its most beautiful historic features, like Tiffany windows and ornate brownstone façade, while adding a mezzanine level and high-end sound and lighting capabilities. Since opening in summer 2023, this new venue attached to the Hippodrome Theatre makes the latest technology used by performing arts venues accessible to events with up to 550 guests in Baltimore—allowing you to transform the vibe of the space with the flick of a switch. 12 N. Eutaw Street, Downtown
The Tannery Barn
After more than 20 years in floral and event design, Victoria Clausen is taking her couples’ experiences to the next level with The Tannery Barn, a rustic-modern venue in Carroll County’s historic Taneytown for up to 240 guests. Multiple indoor and outdoor spaces, from the early 1900s-era barn’s cozy balcony to the sprawling gardens surrounded by farmland, offer flexibility and the perfect flow for your event, no matter the weather. Wooden beams on the vaulted ceiling and stone accents bring warmth and character to the bright, white space, just asking to be dressed up with beautiful floral installations. 61 Frederick Street, Taneytown
USS Constellation
As iconic to Baltimore’s waterfront as Domino Sugar or Natty Boh, the USS Constitution can host your wedding celebration across her four yellow pine decks. Built in 1854, she’s the last sail-only war ship built by the U.S. Navy and the only remaining Civil War-era vessel still afloat. Some fabric draping and café lights transform her top deck into a cozy reception area for up to 250 guests, surrounded by antique details and the twinkling lights of the Baltimore skyline as the sun sets. Really want to channel nautical life in the 18th and 19th century? Hire the Ship’s Company Chanteymen musicians to serenade your guests. 301 E. Pratt Street, Pier I, Inner Harbor
Westminster Hall
A restored 1882 Johnson pipe organ is the focal point of Westminster Hall, known as the final resting place of Edgar Allan Poe. Constructed in 1852, this Gothic Revival-style church has carved oak detailing and floor-to-ceiling stained-glass windows along the sprawling hall that accommodates up to 250 guests. Add a macabre touch with a tour of the adjacent burying ground and catacombs—some of the oldest in the city—featuring several 18th-century tombstones. 519 West Fayette Street, Downtown
For a more comprehensive list of venues, check out our Venue Guide.