12 of the Best Venues & Locations for Small Weddings in Louisville, Kentucky
This Kentucky historic home is charming and located off Frankfort Avenue in a convenient location. It feels private without being out of the city at all! The gardens are beautiful with so many spots for photos and your ceremony. The indoors is beautiful, too. They have several rooms to get ready in, so that both the couple and their wedding parties or families can get ready together. That means you can get ready, get married & have a reception all at the same space! I’ve been served dinner from their caterer, Clementine Catering, many times now and every single time it was delicious. They served dinner family-style at a recent small wedding I did which I thought was extra adorable!
2. The Louisville 21C Art Museum Hotel
If you’re looking for a modern and creative vibe, 21C Museum in Louisville might be the place for your small wedding! You can get ready in one of their hotel rooms or the getting ready suite, then have a rooftop ceremony and the reception in the art galleries downstairs. It’s such a unique spot and they also change the artwork in their galleries seasonally — so every wedding looks a little different. View Aubree & Sean’s wedding by clicking here.
In my opinion, Whitehall has some of the most beautiful garden grounds. They really keep up with making sure everything looks lovely. Though they do a lot of large wedding events as well, it’s also a great spot for smaller weddings. They have a stunning getting ready space (for both parties!) as well — so again, you can have everything at one location.
This tiny chapel is in Crestwood, Kentucky and a perfect spot for a small wedding or elopement. Whether you’re religious or you just want the gothic feel this church has, this is a great spot to get married. They have two (tiny!) getting ready rooms.
I’ve taken the CQ Princess’s tour cruise several times for weddings. Each time it’s been such a fun experience to see Louisville from the water! It feels like an adventure. If you have a small guest list or just wanting to do a reception, but want to treat your guests to a tour of the city by water, this might be the spot for you. You’ll need another spot to get ready at, but I’ve seen people pull off doing their ceremony on the boat - it’s cozy but doable!
If you’re up to travel about two hours outside of Louisville, Red River Gorge is so worth it! There are so many different spots to get married there. There are plenty of incredible trails if you would like to elope or just have a few guests there. If you’re looking for a slightly bigger event, there are plenty of airbnbs to rent like this one as well as venues like Hemlock Springs, Cliffview Resort and Sunset Ridge.
6. Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest
Bernheim has so many breathtaking nature spots and it’s only about half an hour from Louisville. They have a few different options for small events, but you can also just get a photo pass and take photos of the two of you if you’re eloping.
While Mellwood Art Center does host bigger weddings, they have a new event space, the Pigment Gallery, for small events. It’s a fun space and they have an open vendor policy which means you don’t need to book a specific caterer through them! They also frequently change the art on the wall of the Pigment Gallery, so your photos will be unique.
Below is a video my husband, Document Wedding Films, took of a ceremony at the Pigment Gallery.
8. The Filson Historic Society
The Filson has the perfect blend of modern and historic in their rental space. They have several options for different wedding sizes and indoor & outdoor options. Another perk is that it’s in the heart of Old Louisville, so you can walk around and get photos with all the old homes. They have great, gorgeous getting ready spaces for everyone. Their sunroom porch is a personal fave!
I don’t have any photos from a small wedding here, because I haven’t done one (yet!). I think it would make the perfect spot for a small wedding though or even an elopement. There are two beaches on the lake where you can have your ceremony. There are also many adorable airstreams that you can rent! You can stay in an airstream and get ready in one the day-of the wedding, or use their getting ready space.
A perk is that you can spend more quality time with the people that are at your wedding and enjoy “glamping” together. It’s a venue that creates community, but also has nature trails so you can wander off if your social battery runs low. I saw a blue heron when I was there last time. (:
10. The Conrad Caldwell House Museum
This one is for the moody weddings! The dark staircase is unique and is a neat spot to stand for your ceremony. You can also have your ceremony out in the courtyard, or even just go out into St James Court afterwards for photos. There’s one small getting ready room. There are multiple historic Old Louisville tours in this area, too, so your guests would have something to do!
10. Patrick O’Sheas Penthouse & Rooftop Garden in Downtown Louisville
O’Sheas have multiple locations in Louisville, but I’ve done small weddings on the rooftop and it’s such a unique spot. It’s tucked away on Main Street downtown - you’d never know! There’s a small getting ready room, but you’re also downtown with many cool hotel options to use. This is another moody spot with a staircase and the food is oh-so-good.
11. Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya - Cancun, Mexico
Okay, I know I said this post is for venues in Louisville. Hear me out! An all-inclusive resort that does weddings can actually be a cost effective option, compared to renting a venue in Louisville. It can also help narrow down the guest count. You’ll get more quality time with the guests who are there - folks can make a vacation out of it! You’ll also get treated like royalty, especially if you go to the resort linked above. My clients got married there in 2021 and had a wonderful experience!
12. Your backyard (or a family member’s backyard)
Last but not least, backyards and family farms also make wonderful spots for weddings. If you know someone who has a beautiful home or you have one yourself, at least consider having your wedding there. It can be so special and meaningful to get married in a place that’s close to your heart.
I hope you’ve found this post helpful in planning your small wedding! If you have any questions or suggestions for this post, email me at hello@kendrafarrisphotography.com.