Breathtaking Winterthur Museum Wedding with Alyssa and Joe

I’m so excited to share Alyssa & Joe’s incredible September Winterthur Museum Wedding! This wonderful couple really let the beauty of Winterthur Museum shine through, while still adding some unique touches of their own. If you’re currently exploring wedding venues in the Delaware Valley, you’ll want to check this one out for sure. As a New Jersey wedding photographer, I’m lucky to be in close range to wedding venues in several different states, so I have the privilege of photographing Delaware weddings too! Let's explore everything this breathtaking venue has to offer, and help you see if a Winterthur Museum wedding is for you.

Features of the Winterthur Museum Wedding Venue

Winterthur Museum, as the name implies, is a gorgeous and expansive museum by day, and can transform into the wedding venue of your dreams by night. Located in its namesake town of Winterthur in New Castle County, Delaware, Winterthur Museums has a collection of historic buildings nestled among towering trees. There are several different location options to choose from for each part of your wedding day both inside and outside, from indoor gallery ceremonies to outdoor tented receptions. Alyssa and Joe chose to have their ceremony outside in the sunken garden, and an open-air cocktail hour around the reflecting pool. They brought their reception indoors to the visitor center pavilion. Your Winterthur wedding cost will vary based on the locations you choose, but any spot will be worthwhile and unforgettable!

Reflecting Pool

The stunning reflecting pool was originally a swimming pool, and later it was actually the site of the first Winterthur wedding in the 1930s. There are gorgeous views of the surrounding historic buildings, as well as the gardens and trees. Couples can have their ceremony or cocktail hour here - either option is sure to wow your guests! It’s a wonderful location for couples’ portraits as well.

Sunken Courtyard

A few steps down from the reflecting pool is the beautiful garden courtyard area. Nestled among stone walls and paved in bricks, it’s the perfect area for a cozy, secluded ceremony. With a clean and well-landscaped appearance, it’s also a great spot to photograph your family portraits! Guests enjoying cocktail hour around the reflecting pool can also mingle down to the courtyard.

Castle Tower

If you’re looking for that fairytale wedding element, we can take photos in this unique spot among the Winterthur museum courtyard. The tower itself is actually an open-air sitting room that is gorgeous both inside and out. There is magical light coming through the windows inside that makes for lovely wedding portraits! When we shoot from the outside looking in, the photos look straight out of a story book - or if you’re a swiftie, straight out of the “Love Story” music video!

Tips for a Winterthur Museum Wedding

This first tip is based around the sheer beauty of Winterthur. While I absolutely love floral installations, and I think they enhance any wedding, there are certain areas of this venue that are enchanting enough of their own! Your tables will still need centerpieces, of course, but what if your ceremony is held around the reflecting pool? I think it’s already as stunning as can be! When you choose an impressive venue like Winterthur, there are a few less design decisions to make for yourself.

Another tip I can offer is just to be mindful of any travel time that may occur during your wedding day at Winterthur. The entire Winterthur property is quite expansive, and there may be some traveling in between locations depending on which spots you choose for your event. While I always encourage my couples to schedule time cushions throughout the day, it is especially important to do so when every location may not be within a short walking distance. That said, the Winterthur team will be sure to help you and your guests get around with ease! (Fun golf cart rides, anyone?!) Bonus tip: hire a wedding planner with day-of coordination to help your day go as smoothly as possible.

Meet the Couple

The stars of all of these Winterthur Museum Wedding photos are Alyssa and Joe! They got married at Winterthur in early September, and it was the perfect time of year for them to share their heartfelt vows among the lush greens of the gardens. Alyssa and Joe had a great team of vendors that helped them get the most out of their wedding day. Most importantly, we had ample time planned for their first look and all of the photos, which we were able to complete before the ceremony! That means they got to enjoy their cocktail hour around the reflecting pool with all of their guests. Alyssa and Joe’s reception took place in the visitor center where they added their own personal touches. The coolest detail was their vinyl record guestbook. All of their guests could sign 3 vinyl records which were pressed with Alyssa & Joe’s special dance songs, including their first dance, which happens to be one of my favorite songs - “Baby, I’m Yours” by Arctic Monkeys!

Will You Have a Wedding at Winterthur Museum?

As you’ve probably gathered from reading through this post, having your wedding at Winterthur Museum is something I highly recommend. One more thing I also want to mention is that Winterthur Museum happens to be one of the most European style wedding venues in the Philadelphia region! If you’re looking for French countryside vibes, or even the ambiance of an Italian villa right here in Delaware, this is surely the wedding venue for you. When you decide to book your wedding at Winterthur Museum, I also recommend that you reach out to me for your photography needs! You can check out some more information about wedding photography coverage on my website here, or you can even head straight to my contact page. I can’t wait to be your Winterthur Museum photographer!