Finding Your Cincinnati Wedding Venue — Kenyatta Davis Photography

I’m guessing you are newly engaged (and congratulations) and looking for resources on where to start or what is even available around you. The first item on most engaged couples’ to do list is finding their dream wedding venue. The venue is what typically sets the tone and theme for your wedding day. More often than not, the wedding venue is the largest single payment expense in the wedding budget. It is a very crucial decision in the wedding journey.

If you live in Cincinnati or it’s sounding areas then you are in luck. There are more than 150 wedding venues to choose from. This number may seem very overwhelming at first glance but I assure you there is no reason to be scared. With a little research you can easily narrow your options down to something more manageable. I suggest starting your research online and decide what style of wedding you are looking for. In the Cincinnati area the main style of wedding venues are: art museums, parks, manor houses, hotels, country clubs, repurposed historical buildings, and breweries. Once you have decided which style of venue matches your personal aesthetic you have, more than likely, already narrowed your search down to your top five contenders.

The best way to further narrow your search is to schedule wedding venue tours. Wedding venues routinely host day and evening venue tours, wedding fairs and a lot of venues will accept walk-ins or schedule private tours. Note: Dates for these events are usually posted on the venues’ website or social media accounts. My biggest piece of advice when preparing to tour a wedding venue is to have your list of questions ready to ask while with your tour guide. Not sure what to ask? Here are 10 Questions To Ask During Your Wedding Venue Tour. Tours are vital and the venue staff will be able to answer your questions and you’ll get to see exactly what the space looks and feels like.

The View Cincinnati - Modern Wedding Venues in Cincinnati, Ohio

3 Main Factors to Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Venue:

There are a tone of things to consider when choosing your dream wedding venue, but here are the 3 main things you should consider when making your final decision.

The Feel

Just like choosing your dress or buying a home the right “feel” for your venue is very important. If there is something not sitting right in your spirit or you aren’t getting the tingling butterflies in your stomach about the venue, then maybe it isn’t the right wedding venue for you. One of the many questions I ask couples during our first meeting is, “why did you choose this specific wedding venue?” More often than not the bride will respond with, “because it just felt right”. When touring a wedding venue you should always keep in mind that this is possibly the place where you and your partner will become one and it will be forever marked in history that this is the place where you all joined your lives. This is a pretty BIG deal, so while touring wedding venues take your time to get a feel of the place and ask yourself these questions:

Can we picture ourselves getting married here?
How do we feel walking through here?
Does this venue feel like “the one” and are we excited about it?

Budget

Awww! The B word, that many of us wish we didn’t have to play within. Undoubtedly so, your budget plays a huge factor in the wedding venue you ultimately choose. Although the feel of a venue is very important, you need to be strategic and realistic about the wedding budget you have to work within. Most venues, if not all, will provide some sort of pricing guide on their websites that you can view before ever scheduling a wedding venue tour. After all, what is the point of touring a wedding venue that you already know is far outside of your budget? The goal is to find venues that you think you may love that are within your budget or slightly above. Nobody, especially, a bride-to-be wants to visit a wedding venue and fall in love with it knowing it is far out of their reach. With this said, here are a few questions to add to your list of questions for the wedding venue staff:

Are there any fees or add-on costs that have the potential to come up later?
What is the deposit and payment plan schedule?
Are there any deals or discounts for booking a wedding date in off peak season or on non-traditional wedding days?

Don’t be afraid to ask questions about discounts and special rates, especially if the wedding venue is one that you love but is slightly out of the wedding budget. With a few discounts and or a special rate, the wedding venue might just fall within your budget.

Location

One of the biggest regrets I hear from couples is not taking the location of their venue into consideration when choosing their wedding venue. Some things to consider about the location of your wedding venue:

When you look outside or around the venue are there picturast areas for your wedding pictures?
If you have a good amount of guests coming in from out of town, are there suitable lodging accommodations nearby?
If guest of travelling by airplane, how far is the venue from the airport? Is there reasonable transportation that can easily get them from the airport to their accommodations and to the wedding venue?
Finally, if the venue is in a location where parking is not on the property (think about downtown or remote locations) is transportation to and from the venue to the parking areas available?

Will The Ceremony & Reception Be Held At The Same Place?

Before we jump into the venues that the greater Cincinnati and surrounding areas have to offer, let’s consider whether or not you are planning to host your wedding ceremony and reception in the same place. Most locations can easily accommodate both events so it really comes down to personal choice. Living in the Midwest aka the Bible Belt, we have no shortage of churches in almost every neighborhood. Although, many families are still following the tradition of getting married in a traditional religious ceremony, there has been a lot of movement towards having the ceremony and the reception in one location. This is not ideal for some but provides many benefits for those who are considering keeping their entire event in one place. Here are a few perks of opting for an all-in-one wedding/reception venue:

Moving people from one location to the next takes more time than what you actually think. If there is an accident in route from one location to another or simply unexpected road work, it can really alter the wedding day timeline you worked so hard to perfect.
You don’t have to worry about guest of wedding party members getting lost between the ceremony and reception locations.
There is no need to spend additional money on transportation for your wedding party
Bonus perk: Most wedding venues have beautiful bridal suites and an area for the groom and groomsmen to get ready as well. Saving you more money not having to book a hotel or Airbnb elsewhere.

With all these perks in mind, that doesn’t mean you would be wrong for having a separate ceremony and reception location. If this is the route you are taking be sure to plan your wedding day accordingly. My advice for couples who are having their ceremony in a different location from the reception, is to keep the locations within a 30-minutes (or less) radius of each other. This also includes if you are getting ready in another location other than the reception venue. If you are a wedding client of mine, we will discuss your plans during our initial consultation to determine which wedding photography package offers enough time to accommodate the traveling between the various locations on your wedding day.

Insider Tip:

If you are planning to get married in a church or your venue is in the Norwood/Oakley/Hyde Park area of the city, Marriott Hotel in Rockwood has phenomenal and spacious one bedroom bridal suites with floor to ceiling windows along one side of the room. Marriott Hotel is within walking distance to a wide variety of restaurants and shopping. If you have guest needing accommodations for the weekend this is the perfect midtown location to host them. If you are considering booking this hotel for any wedding related needs, ask for Lauren (and tell her Kenyatta sent you) when you call to inquire about your wedding accommodations.

Which Cincinnati Venues Have Outdoor Wedding Ceremony Spaces?

Outdoor wedding venues have grown in popularity since 2020. Not only do they offer space to spread out, but they can typically accommodate a large number of guest and offer beautiful natural backdrop for your wedding pictures. Depending on the time of year, an outdoor wedding in Cincinnati could be the perfect picture perfect wedding. Some things to think about when planning an outdoor wedding:

They are weather dependant and in Cincinnati the weather can change at any time with very little notice. Additionally, there is no way anyone can predict the weather a year in advance. The only thing we can do is hope it’s a nice day.
Make sure your wedding venue has a weather plan to divert to if needed. This means a tint that can comfortably accommodate your wedding guests or an alternative location indoors that can easily be setup with little notice.
If you’re having a mid/late summer wedding, when temperatures can easily reach the 90s, with humidity, consider providing paper fans or umbrellas and water for your guests during the ceremony.

If I can be honest with you, outdoor weddings are more comfortable for you and your guests when they take place in late spring/early summer or the fall. Outdoor summer weddings seem like a great idea in theory, but can be very uncomfortable for you and your guests. Makeup, suits, and multilayer wedding dresses do not make for a pleasant time in Cincinnati’s unforgiving heat and humidity.

Some of my favorite Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Wedding Venues that host outdoor wedding ceremonies:

Brewery Wedding Venues in Cincinnati, Ohio - Kenyatta Davis Photography

Brewery and Winery Wedding Venues In Cincinnati

Cincinnati is known best for two things: our food scene and our bar and brewery scene. Cincinnati being an old German town that was literally built on beer, was once nicknamed the “Beer Capital of the World”. With craft breweries on the rise across the country and with more than 80 breweries between Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky there are no shortages of breweries in the area. If fancy beer is your thing and you’re looking to host your wedding at a brewery then the Cincinnati and greater Cincinnati areas are the places to be. With the rise of craft beers, many breweries have redesigned or built their facilities to be multi-purpose. One of the biggest things they have done is include venue space for weddings and other events. With many breweries being located in very urban areas they offer a wide variety of perks and plenty of opportunities for some great wedding pictures. A few of my favorite brewery wedding venues:

Manor House Wedding Venues in Cincinnati

Maybe breweries aren’t your vibe and you’re looking for something with a grandiose and luxury feeling. Think Bridgeton. This is where Manor House venues shine. Cincinnati has quite a few options if you are going for a “Bridgeton” like feel to your wedding. Reasons why you might consider picking a manor house wedding venue:

Offer a traditional wedding vibe
Lush manicured gardens
A variety of locations on the property for wedding pictures
Privacy. When you book these venues it is only reserved for you and your guests.

If you’re looking for a venue to host a grand affair (or an intimate wedding) that give you a royal feeling then you should have a look at these Cincinnati Manor House wedding venues:

Museum Wedding Venues in Cincinnati

Just like Manor House Wedding Venues, Museums will offer a similar vibe and aesthetic for your wedding day. Cincinnati and it’s surrounding areas have a variety of museums, from historical museum building to more modern buildings. Each of them offers something a little different, but all of them provide a unique experience for you and your guest. Some reasons to consider a museum center for your wedding:

The buildings themselves are a work of art
Contemporary and modern design
Can host larger weddings
Accessible to nearby accommodations and other unique landmarks

Some well known museum wedding venues located between Cincinnati, Ohio and Columbus, Ohio.

Hotel Wedding Venues In Cincinnati

We mentioned earlier that having a venue that isn’t far from local accommodations for traveling guests is always something that should be taken into consideration when choosing a wedding venue. But what if the accommodations were in the same building as the wedding itself? That is exactly what you’ll get if you choose to host your wedding at a hotel. Again, Cincinnati shines when it comes to accommodations and venues. The city offers several styles of hotels, from historical to modern to more quirky hotels. There is literally something for everyone. And just like Museum wedding venues, most of these hotels are located in the city center or downtown. A few reasons to consider a hotel for your wedding venue:

Everyone is in one place. From the ceremony and reception to the guest rooms and pre-wedding events. No need to worry about coordinating between multiple locations.
Amenities galore. Fitness centers, spas, and pools that the wedding party and guests can enjoy during their stay.
Hotels often have connections with local vendors and are very knowledgeable of the area surrounding the hotel and what is going in the city for entertainment.

There are so many hotels in the Cincinnati area but here are some of my favorites and make amazing All-in-one wedding venues:

Cincinnati Park Wedding Venues

Cincinnati is home to 377 parks. With this many parks it comes as no surprise that many of these parks make great places to have a wedding. I’m pretty sure open air wedding venues have always been popular venues to host weddings, but after 2020 they grew in popularity amongst couples wanting to get married in Cincinnati. Cincinnati Premier Parks is the organization responsible for arranging majority of Cincinnati’s park weddings. Many of these parks come with covered pavilions that can easily be used to host the wedding ceremony and quickly be turned over for the reception. The parks that don’t have a pavilion offer tint setups for ceremonies and receptions. Reasons to consider one of Cincinnati’s Premier Parks to host your wedding:

Stunning natural settings with lush greenery, blooming flowers, and scenic views of the city and or river
Unique wedding picture opportunities
Offers a more casual and laid-back wedding celebration that is more relaxing and informal than a traditional wedding setting

My favorite park venues to host a wedding:

Historical Wedding Venues in Cincinnati

Cincinnati boasts a rich history, reflected in the numerous historical landmarks that have been converted into stunning wedding venues. Many of these locations have the honor of having a beautiful history behind them. Getting to know the history behind these historical wedding venues is part of the charm and reason why many people choose these locations for their weddings. With each of these historical venues it’s best to research their history, capacity, and offerings to find the perfect match for your dream wedding. If a wedding venue with historical meaning and character behind it is what you are looking for, here are just a few that are loved by brides and grooms to be:

Non-traditional wedding venues in Cincinnati - Emmett Ridge Farm

Honorable Mentions

The Greater Cincinnati area and Southern Ohio have many wedding venues to choose from, so it goes without saying that there are too many to list in this one blog post. However, I did want to mention a few honorable mentions that didn’t really fit into any of the categories above but are still very popular amongst couples getting married in Cincinnati.

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