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2023’s best luxury wedding venues in the U.S. range from tucked-away mini rainforests, to unique hotels, to an adults-only island.
Which will you choose?

The USA is full of incredible, one-of-a-kind luxury wedding venues

When any ol’ wedding venue won’t do, one of the nation’s best luxury wedding venues is the answer. From one-of-a-kind residences to gardens and castles, this list of 2023’s amazing (and expensive!) wedding venues in the USA is sure to get your dreaming.

Though there are high-end wedding venues everywhere, many of the country’s richest zip codes lie in specific states: Connecticut, New York, California, Texas, and Florida, to be exact. That said, this wedding venue list includes a good share of luxury wedding venues in those states, simply because there just are more. Why travel when the paparazzi can stay right near you?

In alphabetical order by state, here are the most luxurious wedding venues in the USA – from Hawaii to Rhode Island:

20+ Luxury Wedding Venues in the USA

1. California: Filoli Gardens

Filoli Historic House & Garden, Woodside, California

Think you’re in Italy? It’s actually California, but at the famed Filoli Gardens about 25 miles south of San Francisco, you’ll feel you’re right in Tuscany at this Italian-inspired San Francisco wedding venue. Even Antiques Road Show has filmed here, because its old-world charm, mansions, gardens, and courtyards are perfect for your luxury wedding. Enjoy the 650-acre estate, with 16 acres of formal gardens, painstakingly manicured by the staff and docents near the Santa Cruz Mountains.

2. California: Malibu Rocky Oaks

Malibu Rocky Oaks Estate Vineyards, Malibu, California

What luxury wedding venue list is complete without at least a venue in Malibu? Malibu Rocky Oaks has a stunning and famous venue of a ceremony overlooking the entire valley, floating in the clouds. If you’ve ever looked at SoCal wedding venues, you’ve seen the view from the estate, looking out. See that tiny cement platform on the upper left, near the house? That’s where your ceremony is held, facing out all over the mountains and towards the sea. Its views have seen weddings from celebrities to wine connoisseurs, and having your ceremony here is definitely unforgettable.

3. Nestldown

Nestldown, Los Gatos, California

Nestldown is a famous (and obviously gorgeous!), unassuming wedding venue hides winding gardens, towering redwoods, ponds, fairytale ferns, and more. For those looking for ever-popular redwood weddings in California, this forest wedding venue gives you privacy, quiet, and an escape from the bustling Bay Area vibes. While it’s definitely an expensive wedding venue, you’ll get all 35+ acres of manicured forest, fairy huts, bocce ball courts, passenger train on property, day-of event team, and more. Plus, the setting is drop-dead gorgeous, and located just 45 minutes from my California home. I love photographing redwoods wedding venues, and Nestldown is the ultimate.

4. Colorado: The Little Nell

The Little Nell Wedding Deck, Aspen, Colorado

If you are looking for mountain views for days, The Little Nell is what you’re after. This luxury Colorado wedding venue is the place to beat. Set high up in the mountains of Aspen (over 11,000 feet high, to be more exact), getting married here means your wedding photos will have unmatched mountain views for miles. You’ll take a gondola to the top, though you can get married at the base of the mountain if you prefer. But as one of the most amazing wedding venues with views anywhere, you’d be crazy to have a Little Nell Wedding Deck wedding and not choose this incredible view. Though Aspen is known for its skiing, you may want to reconsider summer in this city after falling in love with this mountaintop wedding venue. And heck, if you can figure out a way to elope with these types of views, do it!

5. Connecticut: Lord Thompson Manor

Lord Thompson Manor, Thompson, Connecticut

Lord Thompson Manor is a quiet, unassuming manor sits in the northeastern corner of Connecticut. It hosts full-weekend weddings on its expansive grounds, from its ivy-covered manor and manicured lawns to the fountains, gardens, wooded trails, and lit walkways. Each room in the manor is different, ranging from the expected bright bridal suites to Ralph Lauren-decorated bedrooms and lavender-colored spaces. In addition to everyone spending the whole weekend together, you have use of all the property, which gives you the feel of 10 different locations. There are so many Connecticut mansions available for weddings, but Lord Thompson Manor is a quiet luxury venue—a little something different.

6. Florida: Little Palm Island

Little Palm Island, Key West, Florida

For my intentionally child-free comrades, this adults-only wedding venue at the only private island resort in America is for you. It’s called Little Palm Island, and it is designed to be a romantic 18+ only luxury wedding venue in the Florida Keys. In fact, it’s on an island you can only get to by yacht or seaplane. Which will it be? Once you arrive, you have everyone at your service and private, Balinese-style bungalows. I’ve photographed on many different beaches and deserted islands, but as the only true private island resort in America, a full island buyout means nothing can interrupt your day. Stay in your room, explore paradise, eat amazing cuisine, and celebrate at one of the few adults-only wedding venues where you’ll have uninterrupted luxury and peace, whether you’re eloping or celebrating with up to 60 guests.

7. Florida: Ringling Brothers Museum

The John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, Florida

Who would think about the circus when thinking about luxury wedding venues? No one—but I do believe the Ringling Museum will change your mind. We’re not talking about clowns or exotic animals; rather, John Ringling, one of the original family members from the Ringling Bros. Circus, built this one-of-a-kind mansion/museum overlooking the water. What makes it stand out? The ornate and stunning architecture, stained-glass windows, terrace views, and more. It’s truly unique, and often gets looked over based on name alone. Enjoy exclusive art galleries, museum membership, nearby gardens, and gorgeous scenery all around.

8. Florida: Vizcaya Gardens

Vizcaya Gardens, Miami, Florida

Modeled after the ornate architecture of Venice and the beautiful gardens of Tuscany, Vizcaya Gardens offers a lot more than just another garden wedding venue. Lush grounds, historical artifacts, sculptures, manicured water gardens, and unique glass sculptures adorn this is-this-Florida? spot. You may think of more traditional spots around the state, but this Florida wedding venue brings new meaning to seaside luxury. The best part about lush garden venues like Vizcaya, Ringling (above, Florida), McGovern (below, Texas), Filoli (above, California), and others is that your guests can walk around, take photos of plants, take selfies (I mean, I even see groups of grandmas taking selfies these days), and enjoy an activity instead of just a regular ol’ cocktail hour.

9. Hawaii: Haiku Mill

Haiku Mill, Maui, Hawaii

I used to live in Hawaii and still photograph weddings and events on the islands, so I know that there’s a shocking diversity within the landscape. Everyone thinks of rainforests and beaches, but there’s also desert, snow, mountains, volcanos, temperate land, rolling dry hills, cities, 8-lane highways, lava tubes, and so much more. The best of it all is at the vibrant and lush Haiku Mill, a luxury wedding venue in Hawaii that combines adventure with luxury, history with endless greenery. You’ve heard of the Road to Hana around Maui’s Haleakalā National Park (which I once hiked 13 miles around solo in a day!), and this is hidden away near the start of it. It’s like having your Maui wedding in a part-rainforest, part-European-ruins, part-magical-garden greenhouse. Definitely one-of-a-kind, with so much natural beauty—as long as you’re okay with the occasional tropical rainstorm.

10. Massachusetts: Boston Public Library

Boston Public Library, Boston, Massachusetts

The Boston Public Library is a beautiful piece of architecture, hidden in a not-so-suspecting building. Able to be rented out for specific evenings, the tall, cathedral-like ceremony space, a venetian-inspired courtyard option for more intimate affairs, and a central location will have you saying yes. While I love the New York Public Library, which can also be rented out starting at around $60,000 for the night, a Boston Public Library wedding is a bit more intimate, less movie-famous, and equally as grand for less than NYC nuptials. Either is a winner!

11. New Jersey: The Legacy Castle

The Legacy Castle, Pompton Plains, New Jersey

One of a kind? With a capacity of over 1,000 guests and looking like a European mirage off the New Jersey highway, The Legacy Castle is not for your average wedding, not at all. Catering to traditional celebrations, South Asian weddings, and Kosher (Jewish) weddings, this luxury wedding venue in central New Jersey often hosts several weddings at the same time due to having multiple massive ballrooms inside. Make sure you save time for portraits in the evening with the massive lake and castle views in the background! When I’ve photographed here previously, we made sure to take portraits on the ornate staircases, with all the decorations and fountains, and under the massive crystal chandeliers.

12. New Jersey: Park Chateau

Park Chateau Estate & Gardens, New Brunswick, New Jersey

One of NJ’s most popular luxury wedding venues, the Park Chateau offers several different wedding venues within the estate. Whatever you choose,  make sure you take advantage of the manicured gardens and turrets that help it live up to its name. French antiques, architecture, and gardens help this chateau live up to its name. If you’re having your wedding here, you can choose among the Gardens, the Ballroom, or the Chapel for your vows.

13. New York: 620 Loft & Garden

620 Loft & Garden, New York City, New York

This most iconic NYC rooftop wedding venue may not be famous by its name, but you’ve likely seen ceremony photos from this gorgeous and serene spot in the middle of bustling Manhattan. 620 Loft & Garden is Rockefeller’s rooftop wedding venue, and from the ground, you wouldn’t even know it was there. You could rent out the famous Rainbow Room, but why not feel on top of the world, outside? Once you’re in the symmetrical, manicured gardens overlooking St. Patrick’s Cathedral, you’ll feel snug and lush in the middle of New York City’s concrete jungle. It’s a wedding venue unique unto itself, and your guests will rave about the gardens, reflecting pool, and unique views.

14. New York: Oheka Castle

Oheka Castle, Huntington, Long Island, New York

I love photographing in this dreamy castle, which has served as the set for many a show and movie. Perhaps most famous as the set for Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space,” this castle venue features ivy-covered stone, rows of perfect tree-lined ways, symmetrical fountains and manicured gardens, and a balcony that fairy tales are made of. Once inside Oheka Castle, you’ll get more food than you could ever taste in five sittings, a library perfect for portraits, quite a few rooms to rent out, and more. It’s definitely Long Island’s most famous—and deservedly so—luxury wedding venue.

15. New York: The Plaza Hotel

The Plaza Hotel, New York, New York

Home Alone 2 helped make this elite NYC hotel even more famous, and it still remains one of the most well-known in NYC—and even the entire country. The Plaza‘s famous red hallways and marble stairs now also boast a nice basement food court, rentable foyers and ballrooms, and decorations up the wazoo. You can rent several rooms for your ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception, and celebrate with your guests in this iconic building. In the past when I’ve photographed at The Plaza Hotel, we’ll do portraits in Central Park, inside among candles, on the stairs, and in the ornately decorated rooms and balconies.

16. New York: Cipriani Wall Street

Cipriani Wall Street, New York, New York

New York City is full of luxury wedding venues, but it’s the immense space, Greek revival architecture, and incredible ceilings that make Cipriani Wall Street one of my favorites. Not only do you get to look down upon this famous street, but you get to celebrate on multiple levels, with unique lighting, decorations, and music filling the immense hall. The ceilings are 60’- 70′ tall, so the second your guests enter, they’ll know you’ve got this. Similar to Cipriani is Gotham Hall, another luxury wedding venue in NYC with similarly impressive high ceilings, architecture, and lighting. It’s a bit less conducive to large weddings with its wall restrictions and smaller space, but still deserves a shout-out. While there are quite a few Ciprianis around the city, this one is my favorite to photograph.

17. North Carolina: The Biltmore

The Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina

The Biltmore may be the most famous mansion in the USA, even though it feels like it comes up out of nowhere. You’re just driving through cute NC towns when bam, you enter a series of long driveways and gates, with entrance fees that match an IMAX movie. This luxurious estate has several options for weddings, though whatever you choose, you’re really there for THE wedding image: You and your love on the front lawn with the entire estate as your backdrop.

18. Texas: The Astorian, Houston

The Astorian, Houston, Texas

Texas is full of luxury wedding venues, though The Astorian is a bit different. Dark black and gold-gilded interiors make for a dark, romantic feel in this Houston Art Deco wedding venue. It is, in fact, modeled after Grand Central here in NYC. While the dark, castle-like interiors aren’t for everyone, they stand out with being different and mysterious—and there are several unique architectural features that any wedding photographer would love to capture.

19. Texas: McGovern Centennial Gardens

McGovern Centennial Gardens/Hermann Park Conservancy, Houston, Texas

The formal, stately gardens of McGovern Centennial are right in the middle of the city, and if you’re looking to have a luxury Indian wedding (or Persian, or Pakistani, or Western, or anything!), what better place than a perfectly-kept, symmetrical garden? You have the choice of several different pavilions, gardens, plazas, and lawns to rent out for a short or long time. Because these are stately gardens and less so flower gardens, picking amazing wedding florals is part of the process in which you can place this place your own.

20. Rhode Island: The Breakers

Rosecliff Mansion, The Breakers, Newport, Rhode Island

While Rhode Island is not what comes to mind immediately after hearing the words “luxury wedding venue,” you may reconsider when you think about Newport. Within Newport, Rosecliff gives you gardens, cliff views, a romantic curved driveway, architecture from the Gilded Age, and a central fountain. You can definitely rent the entire beach-front mansion out for your wedding. In fact, Rosecliff was the setting for The Great Gatsby film. Seaside views surround you, and you have a perfectly manicured lawn for celebrating, putting up a party tent, and enjoying your whole wedding weekend.

21. The Ritz-Carlton, U.S. Virgin Islands

The Ritz-Carlton, Red Hook, United States Virgin Islands

The USVI is my second home, and while there are dozens of gorgeous spots to get married on the islands, the Ritz is where most of the high-end weddings take place. The U.S. Virgin Islands has everything from free beaches to say your vows on, to rainforest homes, to meticulously manicured hotels to rent out. At The Ritz-Carleton St. Thomas, however, you’ll have attention given to everything, and can celebrate in style under the swaying palms and blue waters—plus a team of high-end employees to make sure your destination wedding is impeccable.

What IS a Luxury Wedding Venue?

A luxury wedding venue is an event venue where celebrations are carried off in a most impeccable way. From the food to the coordination to the service, experience and backups mean you don’t have to worry about the small things.

That said, high-end wedding venues charge far more than your average wedding venues for a few reasons.

• They’re more experienced when it comes to staffing, quality, expectations, etc. When you book a luxury wedding venue, you know you are THE priority, and your satisfaction is their top concern, whether it rained and your chairs need to be dried, or someone popped a zipper and need alterations, or you need a spare coat/golf cart ride/snack/etc.
• They can. They’re famous, have a brand reputation, are one-of-a-kind, etc.
• Your schedule will go more flawlessly. Luxury wedding venues employ experienced, dedicated staff who know how to deal with every situation
• The food, upkeep, and vibe of the event will be of utmost quality

Can I Have a High-End Wedding Without High-End Prices?

Can you have an incredible luxury wedding at a more budget wedding venue? Absolutely! A lot of weddings can be completely transformed with design elements such as luxury florals, draping, chandeliers, tableware, chairs, etc. So if you want a luxury wedding but live in the middle of a tiny town, you can have designers and luxury florists create absolutely magnificent spaces from nothing.

As a nontraditional wedding photographer who photographs at the most high-end resorts and also backyards, I say this: Go for whatever makes you happy. I’m a luxury wedding photographer, a backyard wedding photographer, an adventure elopement photographer, and a creative wedding photographer. What I mean by this is that my target clients are those who want vibrant, funky, not-your-average wedding photos, so no matter where you celebrate, if that’s you then we’re a match!

Whatever you do, splurge on a place you love, a photographer you love (who can make even a backyard look grand in photos!), and at least one amazing decoration–be that attire, florals, or a special touch–to bring your celebration together.

I’ll add to this list more as I see fit, and for now, enjoy perusing these beautiful luxury wedding venues around the USA.~

Kathryn Cooper Weddings: Luxury Wedding Venue | Destination Wedding Photographer | High-End Wedding Venues USA