The Most Unusual Places To Get Married In The United States

Some people like to get married in a church, others on a beach, still others at landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Central Park. But if you’re the type who prefers to keep things a little unconventional, these eight off-the-beaten-path wedding destinations just might be the perfect place for you to say, “I do.”

Barboursville Vineyard in Virginia

Barboursville Vineyards, in beautiful hill and horse country in Virginia (less than an hour from charming Charlottesville) sit on an old 900-acre plantation featuring old Palladian ruins from buildings designed by Thomas Jefferson for Governor James Barbour. Bonus: It’ll be easy to decide which wines to serve with dinner.
Barboursville Vineyards, 17655 Winery Rd, Barboursville, VA, USA, +1 832 3824

Paramount Ranch in California

In the Santa Monica Mountains within easy access of Los Angeles, Paramount Ranch was once owned by Paramount Pictures as a studio set lot (fans of Quinn, Medicine Woman, and other classic westerns will recognize the quaint, dusty streets). You’ll need a wedding permit from the National Park Service, but your wedding day will look straight out of, well, a movie.

Paramount Ranch, Cornell Rd, Agoura, CA, USA, +1 805 370 2301

Marfa, Texas

For those who love contemporary art (or the desert), Marfa is an adventurous yet upscale option for a destination wedding. You’ll have an embarrassment of Instagram-worthy riches to choose from in rehearsal dinner and post-party venues, including the Chinati Foundation (a contemporary art museum founded by Donald Judd).

Thorncrown Chapel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas

The woods outside of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, might be one of the last places you’d expect for a destination wedding, but Thorncrown Chapel makes it so. Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright student E. Fay Jones, it is so architecturally significant and unique that it made the National Register of Historic Places before its 20th birthday. The glass-enclosed, open-air space looks especially stunning lit up from inside for a twilight ceremony.

Thorncrown Chapel, 12968 US-62, Eureka Springs, AR, USA, +1 479 253 7401

Treehouse Point in Issaquah, Washington

In the stunning woods of the Pacific Northwest, TreeHouse Point in Issaquah, Washington, offers an array of nuptial treehouses for couples who want to be close to nature (surrounded, really) on their big days.

TreeHouse Point, 6922 Preston-Fall City Rd SE, Issaquah, WA, USA, +1 425 441 8087

National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC

One of many Smithsonian museums to choose from for a wedding venue, the National Museum of Natural History wins points for the décor already in place, including dinosaurs and an elephant towering over the dance floor.

Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, 10th St. & Constitution Ave NW, Washington, D.C., USA, +1 202 633 1000

City Museum in St. Louis, Missouri

A wedding reception at the St. Louis City Museum

With over 600,000 square feet of what the museum describes as “an eclectic mixture of children’s playground, funhouse, surrealistic pavilion, and architectural marvel made of unique, found objects,” the St. Louis City Museum is one of the most unique public spaces in the country. Couples tying the knot here will effortlessly lay claim to best after-party status, which should be made all the easier by the combination of champagne, ropes courses, and Ferris wheels.

City Museum, 750 N 16th St, St. Louis, MO, USA, +1 314 231 2489

Burning Man in Black Rock City, Nevada

For a technology- and distraction-free wedding, Burning Man is a fantastic desert option, especially with the festival’s zero cell service and anti-phone ethos. If you want your I-Dos done at Black Rock City, you’ll need a Nevada marriage license ($60/each), but many couples marrying here focus on the intent behind the ceremony rather than the legality. Plus, excellent EDM DJs for the after-party are guaranteed.

Burning Man Festival, 8 37th St SE, Black Rock City, NV, USA