5 Best Wedding Locations For Architecture Lovers, Each Paired With Dressing Tips 

As wedding season unfolds, it’s not just cake and dress designers who are basking in the gratitude – architects enter the spotlight, too! The architecture of a place sets the tone, makes memories, influences the menu, and establishes the dress code. For all these reasons and more, the wedding destination is the first thing that happy newlyweds tackle.

For couples who dream of saying the well-awaited ”I do” in a place that breathes architecture, with centuries-old works of stone, iconic skylines, or soaring arches, the wedding is more than a ceremony. It is an unmatched opportunity to create a fairytale-like wedding entrenched in architectural significance.

From modernist masterpieces to brick-and-beam landmarks, the following five one-of-a-kind locations offer unmatched settings for those looking for backdrops abounding in good taste and everlasting design. Here’s a look at them and some helpful dressing tips to make your entrance just as impactful.

The Guggenheim Rotunda – New York, USA

Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, a famous American architect and designer, and adherent of organic architecture, the Guggenheim Museum’s central pavilion is the representation of bold, endless love. With its famous upward spiral, the ramp allows guests to watch the vow exchange from all angles, and take photos of the happy couple against a background of breathtaking combination of art and space. Few places offer the same feeling and prestige as Guggenheim does. The interplay of light and unadorned white interiors makes even a small wedding feel like a scene from a fashion editorial.

Shameless star Emmy Rossum and Mr. Robot series creator Sam Esmail organized a post-ceremony party each here – a testament to the place’s architectural uniqueness.

Dressing tips

You’ll have a modern, minimalist wedding here, so feel free to embrace a bold color or a neutral hue for your costume. Brides can opt for a minimalist and sleek sleeveless dress, with crisp and clean fabrics like satin or crepe. Grooms could go with monochrome: an off-white or charcoal suit with subtle textures adorned with contemporary accessories like stud sets.

Guests can explore and wear chic, minimalist outfits, like sleek suits or dresses, finished with elegant accessories with creative flair.

Ford Piquette Avenue Plant – Detroit, Michigan, USA

The Ford Piquette Avenue Plant may not be the first thing that pops into your mind when imagining a brick-and-beam setting with an industrial feel. However, this landmark is a favorite choice for couples looking for a peerless and unconventional setting with industrial touches. Exposed timber, aged steel, and original machinery make it look and feel super engineered, textural, and surprisingly romantic.

It’s a great choice if you want a less-polished atmosphere, and why not, a few vintage cars for a dramatic feel.

Dressing tips

Here, you can shine with industrial-chic apparel, distinguished by an interplay of refined and rugged elements. Brides might choose a gown with clean lines but an interesting texture, like crepe or satin, with minimal beading. Grooms, on the other hand, might want a multi-piece suit with bold details in materials like denim or leather. Guests can also go for urban-chic attire and use accessories like statement jewelry and hats.

Çırağan Palace Kempinski – Istanbul, Turkey

Turkey is famed for its architectural masterpieces, so you have a variety of choices to make the most of your big day. The imperial Ottoman palace, Çırağan Palace Kempinski, deserves its spot in this list for the combination of elements that make it one of the most unique five-star hotels.

It fuses modern luxury with royal heritage in a setting that catches the breath with waterfront gardens, grand marble staircases, baroque columns, intricately carved ceilings, and so on, making the place look like it’s designed for fairy-tale vows.

Dressing tips

Brides can choose lavish gowns with long trains and heavy embroidery for a lasting impression, while grooms might opt for tailored tuxedos with an added old-world touch. Guests can wear elegant pieces like floor-length gowns or tuxedos with silk ties. This venue allows for some freedom and creativity, so finding the piece that makes you look your best should be an exciting journey.

Vaux de Cernay Abbey – Cernay-la-Ville, France

Hidden in the Rambouillet forest, around an hour from Paris, the Vaux de Cernay Abbey is an otherworldly Cistercian monastery built in the 12th century that was transformed into a luxury estate. Moss-covered stone cloisters, mounting Gothic arches, and a calm nearby lake create a timeless setting that feels like a romantic movie set.

Suppose you want to exchange vows in an ancient, pastoral spot, with soft light flowing from the medieval windows. In that case, this place might be perfect for you: the stonework and its building offer both majesty and intimacy, ideal for romantics and history enthusiasts alike.

Dressing tips

You can let your love of opulence shine here, adding an old-world touch to your apparel. Brides can consider lace or tulle gowns with sheer, royal veils if they’re comfortable with their heaviness, or a cathedral-length veil for a similarly dramatic feel. A chapel-length veil can bring the same awe-inspiring effect if you don’t want extra-length dragging in the back. Grooms can opt for tailored jackets in jewel tones, or the classic black-tie that offers understated elegance. Guests can wear pretty much anything that’s semi-formal or formal – think flowing dresses for women and linen suits for men.

Ribbon Chapel by Hiroshi Nakamura & NAP – Onomichi, Japan

The Ribbon Chapel, an architectural hill-based landmark in Hiroshima Prefecture, is made of two staircases that spiral upward around each other, using glass and steel to create a light, modern structure with ravishing, panoramic ocean views.

Dressing tips

Go for clean lines and light fabrics, combining refinement and sleek modernism. Brides might choose something flowy in silk or organza with a unique cut, paired with a minimalist hairstyle or a subtle Japanese-inspired accessory. Grooms can keep it relaxed but polished with a pastel or light-gray suit, and ditch the tie should they want to. Lastly, guests can choose understated elegance, with midi or tea-length dresses for women and light-colored suits for men.

Ending note

Choosing a venue with architectural significance will shape the atmosphere and inspire your style, helping create a wedding that will be remembered for years.