Fleisher Art Memorial Wedding

Weddings

Philadelphia is full of non-traditional and unique wedding venues, but the Fleisher Art Memorial blends art, architecture, and color to make a one-of-a-kind experience. With an unexpected history and eclectic interior, this venue is downright rad. Tim and Chelsea’s bright yet sophisticated aesthetic was perfect for a Fleisher Art Memorial wedding. Brick exterior of the Fleisher Art Memorial building

A Unique Wedding Venue in Philadelphia

Once a boys’ school and Romanesque church, the Fleisher Art Memorial is now home to one of the oldest non-profit community art programs in the country. The result is a community-oriented space with a storied past and one-of-a-kind decor. It includes ample space for both ceremony and reception of up to 120 people.

Before the Fleisher Art Memorial existed, there was the Fleisher Yarn Company. In the second half of the nineteenth century, this company was run by Samuel Fleisher who believed in acknowledging the inherent worth of all people. His sister Helen suggested that he offer free art courses to the adults and children of the neighborhood. Since then, the program has existed in some form at various addresses. In its current iteration, the Fleisher Art Memorial serves over 16,000 community members annually.

The bride wears a fur coat in an art studio. The couple poses in an art studio with easels behind them.

A wedding ceremony at the Fleisher Art Memorial is typically held in the church’s old sanctuary. Guests sit in dark wood pews surrounded by green marble and walls and orange pillars. The gilded altars feature church iconography and candles to create a sense of occasion.

Details of the sanctuary include an altar with candles and an organ

Ceremonies typically take place on the steps in front of an altar featuring the Madonna and Jesus. With all of the color and the presence of the art center, the space manages to feel less churchy than interesting and historical. It’s certainly a comfortable place for a non-traditional wedding ceremonies, like Chelsea and Tim’s self-uniting ceremony.

Ceremony photos show the bride's train on the steps and the groom looking at her during the ceremony

Cocktail hour is hosted in the art gallery. Because the Sanctuary still houses original art from the church, the contrast with the original contemporary work on display is striking. Somehow it all manages to work together quite well. The rotating exhibits will definitely make for fun conversations among guests. Reach out to the Fleisher Art Memorial to find out what will be on display during your wedding.

Guests stand in line for drinks at the cocktail hour

During the cocktail hour, the Sanctuary is flipped for a reception. Strings of lights add a playful element to the long tables set out along the Sanctuary. Guests get a chance to enjoy the art and architecture at their leisure during the meal. The Sanctuary is so colorful that it doesn’t require much decoration, but florals and creative tablescapes look amazing amid the bright walls and high ceilings.

Tables are set up in the sanctuary for dinner

Tablescapes include white plates and sprigs of plants

Fortunately, a Fleisher Art Memorial wedding doesn’t have to skip on dancing. The venue can provide a dance floor, so you and your guests can get down and celebrate. Couples can also bring in DJs and bands, which is difficult in some other historic venues.

A Fleisher Art Memorial Wedding

I’ll be honest. Working with Tim and Chelsea was a straight up dream. I love working with artists, so working with a couple who are artists at a church-turned art school was very cool.

The groom poses by some vines while the bride gets ready.

The bride and groom kiss in front of a mosaic wall The couple walks down the street and poses on a corner. The bride and groom pose on the rooftop.

This bride and groom’s story is as atypical as their wedding venue. Both classically trained musicians, they met when the bride hired the groom to play cello. A Fleisher Memorial wedding honored their appreciation for art and music history as well as their love of everything fresh and fun.

The couple walks up the aisle The bride and groom speak during the ceremony

The groom leans on the bride while he steps on a glass.

Although they live in Brooklyn (along with their cat, Buckley), the couple viewed Philadelphia as the perfect fit for their non-traditional wedding. Philadelphia allows self-uniting ceremonies, meaning couples don’t have to have an officiant. They really got to make their ceremony as custom as they wanted!

The couple signs their wedding license

While there were plenty of unique wedding venues in Philadelphia to choose from, the Fleisher Art Memorial captured the couple’s imaginations because it’s so distinctive and unpretentious. Their details reflected this ethos as well! The flowers, feathers, and fabrics used in the bouquets and boutonnieres were unexpected but somehow felt just right.

The couple laughs during speeches The couple shares their first dance Guests raise couples for the horah