Exchanging vows, toasting with cocktails, and dining in the glow of a blazing fireplace adds warmth and glamour to a wedding celebration. It also provides a stunning backdrop for photos. Here are 5 venues—from charmingly historic to modern and contemporary—to consider.
Words By Marilyn Odesser-Torpey
Delaware
On the covered patio of Middletown’s Thousand Acre Farm, guests can savor signature cocktails by the outdoor bar, perched beside a refurbished-brick wood-burning fireplace. Waterfront views and glimmering Edison lights add to the romantic ambience, says Shannon Cook, the venue’s owner. The expansive porch accommodates up to 200 seated guests, while an alternative cocktail space indoors is available when the weather doesn’t cooperate. A dramatic ornamental-only fireplace graces the inside of the 8,000-square-foot Amish-built Main Barn reception space. In addition to the fireplace, the barn, which accommodates 180 people, features hardwood floors with a dance area, windows framing water views, and high-arching ceilings to create an open feel for parties of any size. Outside, a waterfront firepit is the perfect place for an after party with s’mores. The farm hosts only one wedding per day, so it belongs exclusively to the couple. 260 S. Reedy Point Road, Middletown, 302-455-8880.
Set on 60 wooded acres of the DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, the Georgian Colonial–style Brantwyn Estate, a former du Pont family home, consists of four major event rooms—the living room, dining room, den, and library—which accommodate between 40 and 70 guests. All are softly illuminated by original wood gas-flame fireplaces, making the already-cozy spaces even more so.
Courtesy of Brantwyn Estate
The estate also features multiple smaller rooms and hospitality suites with operating fireplaces for bridal-party preparation and guest relaxation. Among the distinctive décor are a magnificent gold Versace mirror, a collection of artwork, and built-in bookcases, notes Paige Kovaleski, wedding sales manager. The conservatory offers a white and emerald-green checkered-marble dance floor. For weddings requiring a larger venue, the DuPont Country Club’s main ballroom—located across Rockland Road—features a large marble fireplace (but it’s purely decorative). 600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, 302-654-4435.
Main Line
Merion Tribute House in Merion Station features two wedding spaces—the Lounge and the Legion rooms—boasting regal stone gas fireplaces. Constructed in 1924 in the Arts and Crafts style of the early 20th century, the structure resembles a castle with its majestic façade and arches, but with the interior feel of a cozy, private home. Ornamental iron work and lamps, wood-beamed ceilings, stained-glass windows, and hand-carved decorative figures make Merion Tribute House a one-of-a-kind venue, notes manager Celine O’Neill. Ceremonies for fewer than 100 guests can be held in the Legion Room—which, coupled with the Lounge and a third room, Memorial Hall, provides a perfect setting for cocktails. All three rooms lead to a flagstone terrace, where guests can admire views of the beautifully landscaped 8-acre property. Larger dinner parties and dancing are held in the Ballroom, which accommodates up to 180 seats. The venue books only one event per day, so the entire building is available for the wedding party. 625 Hazelhurst Ave., Merion Station, 610-664-1267.
At Desmond Hotel Malvern, couples frequently fill the grand marble fireplace with flowers or battery-operated candles to add warmth to their ceremonies. Courtesy of Desmond Hotel Malvern.
Fireside weddings abound at the General Warren, a historic restaurant and country inn located in Malvern. Built in 1745, the intimate venue has maintained many of its original features, including the fireplaces—two of which are wood-burning; the others gas-fueled—in its four dining rooms and at the Warren Tavern bar. “The scent of the burning wood adds an extra dimension of warmth to the event, welcoming guests as soon as they enter the building,” proprietor Patrick Byrne emphasizes. “You cannot put a dollar amount on the smell of a wood fireplace.” Choose from two dining rooms—the Main and the Admiral Vernon—depending on the size of your guest list, as well as banquet and station services. Eight individual suites with gas fireplaces provide overnight guests with coziness and comfort. 9 Old Lancaster Road, Malvern, 610-296-3637.
A grand marble fireplace graces Ballroom A at the Desmond Hotel Malvern. While it’s not a working hearth, couples can bring their own light by filling the fireplace with battery-operated candles, says Kim Mullen, the hotel’s marketing director. The ballroom, holding up to 275 people, was recently renovated with modern carpet, sparkling chandeliers, decorative wall sconces, uplighting, and an oversized dance floor. Between the ceremony and reception, guests can enjoy cocktails in the conservatory, distinguished by a full-ceiling glass skylight to create the feeling of being outdoors. A 2,500-square-foot covered deck, featuring plush seating and cozy firepits—is an equally inviting space to sip and mingle. One of the hallmarks of the Desmond, Mullen says, is that it also provides comprehensive packages for wedding weekends—not just a day. 1 Liberty Blvd., Malvern, 610-296-9800.