The Knot Names America’s Most Unique Wedding Venues

4 days ago

Make a statement with these out-of-the-ordinary locations

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It’s the age-old question for all brides and grooms: how do you make your wedding stand out? Of course you can pepper personal touches throughout, but choosing a unique venue is a sure-fire way to set your special day apart from the rest. Fancy saying ‘I do’ in a New York bookstore surrounded by literary classics? How about a whimsical redwood forest nestled within the Santa Cruz Mountains? Or perhaps sailing along the Savannah River on a cruise?

You’ll find all these ideas and much more on The Knot Vendor Marketplace, which has recently launched its Unforgettable Venues Collection: a curated list of 54 wedding locations across the US which you never knew existed.

‘Planning a wedding involves making hundreds of important decisions, with the venue being one of the first and most significant. Every couple wants their wedding to make a statement that reflects their unique relationship, and choosing the right venue is key,’ said Kiara Kempski, Vice President of Consumer Marketing at The Knot. ‘Whether you’re seeking an intimate gem, breathtaking backdrop or grand landmark, The Knot Unforgettable Venues Collection showcases how The Knot Vendor Marketplace has a venue for any couple’s vision.’

The Knot’s Unforgettable Venues Collection

Find Your Dream Wedding Location With The Knot

Wedding marketplace The Knot should be on the radar of every savvy bride and groom. Since being founded in 1996, it has become the go-to website for event planning, with tools covering everything from personalised websites to invitations to vendor ideas. And now, the brand has grown its offering to include inspiration for unusual wedding venues.

Offering an array of options for weddings of all styles, budgets and sizes, the Unforgettable Venues Collection has been carefully selected by industry experts, separated into six key categories.

Photo credit: courtesy of Zion Red Rock National Park

Keen to tie the knot in the footsteps of movie stars? The As Featured In section is for you. This includes glamorous settings which have appeared on screen, such as The American Theater, the Charleston landmark where Allie and Noah share their first date in The Notebook. The historical Art Deco inspired venue features a grand ballroom, a cinema and a vintage marquee, plus a screen and projector.

The Knot’s Unforgettable Venues Collection

If you’re a Friends fan, consider having your ceremony at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas: the place where Ross and Rachel get hitched. There’s plenty for Swifties in The Knot’s collection too, including Housing Works Bookstore in New York, which is featured in the ‘All Too Well’ music video, and Oheka Castle in Huntington, a majestic estate eagle-eyed fans will recognise from the ‘Blank Space’ video.

Photo credit: courtesy of The Emerald Forest Theater

The Picturesque Places section, meanwhile, focuses on venues with impressive architecture and views. At the Chicago Botanic Garden, for example, you can get married amid a beautiful setting filled with waterfalls and flowers, and dine under botanical canopies. There’s also the Kualoa Ranch Private Nature Reserve, a 4,000-acre, open-air location in Oahu, Hawaii, set at the base of the Kanehoalani Mountain peak. Alternatively, head 11,053 feet above sea level to the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, a sky-high venue with space for up to 250 guests.

Photo credit: courtesy of Mammoth Mountain Ski Area

Planning a small wedding? The Keep It Intimate category offers ideas for venues for 150 or fewer guests, including some for 50 people. 620 Loft & Garden at Rockefeller Plaza in New York, for instance, is a chic rooftop wedding venue overlooking Fifth Avenue complete with its own manicured garden and reflective pool.

If castles and museums are more your vibe, check out the Historic Hotspots section, which includes Sands Point Preserve, a glitzy, Gatsby-style venue set on the grounds of the Guggenheim Estate. Or for something totally different, there’s the Indianapolis Public Library, a building dating back to 1917 which offers various spaces for weddings of all shapes and sizes – both outdoor and indoor.

Photo credit: courtesy of Yankee Stadium

The final two categories are Zoos and Aquariums, offering plenty of inspiration for animal lovers, and Unique Spaces, which range from the Uptown Theater in Kansas to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Whatever your wedding vision looks like, you’ll find the venue to match in this creative directory, guaranteeing an event that you (and your guests) will remember forever.