Oh my goodness, y’all I am SO excited about this brand new mini-series that I get to bring you right to this very blog! As you may have guessed from my Wandering the District posts, I really love to explore new places… especially with a camera in hand. It fires me up and makes me feel creative in a whole new way. A few months ago, I realized that I have a few weeks that are a bit quieter in between my hectic summer season and the whirlwind that is going to be my fall. So I thought… why not visit a few incredible wedding venues to keep my creativity sharp and momentum going?!
We’re making it happen, and you get to see each visit right here on the blog!
There are so many amazing wedding venues in the DMV that I have been dying to visit, and I am SO thankful for the amazing events’ staff & owners at each venue that have generously offered to allow me to visit them during one of their workdays! So much goodness is coming your way, y’all! First up: a visit to The George Peabody Library!
The George Peabody Library was the first on my calendar, and oh my goodness, what a way to kick off this adventure! I was immediately greeted by their kind and helpful events team and know that any couple having a wedding here will be in great hands!
The Library plays host for beautiful wedding ceremonies and receptions on the ground floor of the library, surrounded by SIX floors of stacks and over 300,000 books on every possible subject. The Peabody Library opened its doors in 1878 and offers historical charm and elegance like no other venue I’ve seen before. This place is UNREAL, y’all! Typically with historical event venues, I anticipate a darker space, but not this Library! The giant skylight allows for so much amazing light to stream in during the day… it was so beautiful!
The George Peabody Library is centrally located in Baltimore, Maryland… right near historic Mount Vernon Place (the PERFECT park for portraits!!). Wedding ceremonies are hosted indoors on the ground level of the stacks, amidst hundreds of thousands of books (and all of your friends and family, of course!). After the ceremony, guests head over to the Exhibit Gallery, a beautiful & large room just off of the main library, for cocktail hour! I was pleasantly surprised at the ample space in the Exhibit Gallery, ensuring that guests have enough room to both enjoy a drink and conversation PLUS the historical items from the Library’s collection. Catering staff transforms the stacks into a reception space straight out of a fairytale, bringing in dinner tables, dance floors, decor items & anything else needed for the perfect party! Guests will enter back into the main library from cocktail hour for the remainder of the night!
Quick Stats:
Location:
- Baltimore, MD (17 E. Mt. Vernon Place, Baltimore, 21202)
Website & Contact:
- peabodyevents.library.jhu.edu | privateeventsoffice@jhu.edu
Capacity:
- Seated with dance floor: 170
- Seated without dance floor: 200
- Standing: 350
Included with Rental:
- Brown wooden folding chairs with black pad
- 60” round tables
- 36” high top tables
- Venue manager
- Security
- Preparation suite: available one hour before the start time of the ceremony through the conclusion of cocktail hour
Parking:
- Recommended valet parking or hiring a shuttle service, as there is no parking provided or affiliated with the Library
A huge THANK YOU to the amazing staff that allowed me to stop by! Shall we dive into just how GORGEOUS this space is?! I think we should!
I was a little early to my visit, so I took some time to explore what’s around the Library! It is located just off of Mt. Vernon Place (a gorgeous park) and is surrounded by so many cute city streets. There are so many great spots for outdoor portraits!
The architecture is just so gorgeous, inside and out!
The first stop on our tour was the preparation suite! This is available one hour before the start time of a ceremony, through the conclusion of cocktail hour.
This is the Exhibit Gallery (AKA cocktail hour space!!). I loved the historical items sprinkled throughout the room in display cases! 
Onto the stacks! I swear… this place took my breath away! I have never stood in a library that feels THIS grand before. 
For weddings and events, these tables will be cleared and the party will be held on the main floor!
The architecture is UNREAL! 
