A Terrain wedding is an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of Southeastern Pennsylvania nature while escaping the crowded city. A couple can enjoy a Terrain wedding that is both colorful and intimate in this unique wedding venue near Philadelphia. Laure and Nicole’s vibrant LGBTQ wedding at Terrain embraced the natural beauty that makes the venue so special.

A Colorful Terrain Wedding

Terrain is a unique small wedding venue for many reasons, including its history. The location has served as a nursery for over 100 years. Whether you’re getting married, doing some gardening, or getting lunch, Terrain is a great destination that includes a retail store and cafe.

A Terrain wedding is BYOB, which is often a great opportunity to make sure your favorite drinks are featured at cocktail hour. Because Terrain has a cafe, they can provide catering using locally-sourced ingredients. This is a nice touch for couples who want to avoid generic fare. 

Although Terrain is a great venue for intimate weddings, it’s still sprawling with over five acres of gardens and several buildings. Couples interested in getting ready on site can use the Mushroom House – yes, a mushroom house! Terrain renovated it to include mirrors and seating, and it can be available two hours prior to the ceremony.

There absolutely is no shortage of options for locations to take beautiful portraits at Terrain. The gardens change seasonally, so there’s always something new to see. Flowering shrubs and groves of trees are perfect backdrops for group portraits. Taking couples’ portraits in the retail store makes for a fun twist on the plant theme. For more romantic poses, vines cover a brick wall and give secret garden vibes. Laure and Nicole rented bright orange couches and a gold coffee table to break up the greens and browns and offer opportunities for seated poses. 

Fortunately, Terrain can accommodate indoor and outdoor ceremonies. Many couples choose to hold their ceremony in the gardens, as Laure and Nicole did. An arch is all you need to set the scene. Seasonal flowers and greenery make the ceremony space feel like a natural part of the surrounding gardens. If you’re hoping for an evening ceremony, Terrain also has strings of market lights to add a festive element and, of course, visibility.

If you’re interested in an indoor ceremony (or weather dictates it), Terrain can host ceremonies in its hot house. The room includes some more modern elements but maintains the lush vibe of the overall venue with its living greenery wall. Strings of lights and lanterns create a sense of magic.

A Terrain wedding reception is typically hosted in the Garden Shed. It sounds rustic, but the building has an elevated feeling. Natural wood ceilings, walls, floors, and furniture warm up the space. Strings of lights twinkle invitingly. With floral arrangements and candles, it’s a cozy space to host a meal and, later, enjoy some dancing with friends and family.

Since Terrain is an active nursery and cafe, there are a few things you should consider depending on the time of year you’re getting married. First, don’t forget to ask what plants will be growing in the gardens on your date. Since the cafe uses locally-sourced ingredients, check out what the chefs will be working with at that time of year, too.

Laure and Nicole’s LGBTQ Wedding at Terrain

Like many couples in the last year and a half, Laure and Nicole’s wedding plans shifted and changed several times as the pandemic progressed. In fact, I was one of the only vendors with whom they met before COVID hit. They had to reschedule and cut down on the guest list. At the end of the day, their Terrain wedding was nothing short of beautiful.

Laure and Nicole’s colorful Terrain wedding was brightened by their bold florals. Their ceremony arch, bouquets, and tablescapes included pink peonies, yellow roses, and white snapdragons. The effect was pretty magical and blended perfectly with the garden and reception space.

Laure and Nicole made use of every space for their Terrain wedding. After their garden ceremony, they held cocktail hour outdoors among flowers and trees. A jazz trio entertained guests from the corner while a bartender kept the drinks flowing. 

Their indoor reception was elegant with cheery lights and more bountiful floral arrangements. Because it was an intimate wedding, guests could enjoy dinner and dancing in the space without feeling crowded.

Are you interested in having me photograph your Terrain wedding? Let’s chat about your wedding!

Vendor Team

Venue/Catering Terrain

Laure’s dress Blush by Hayley Paige

Nicole’s dress Maggie Sottero Designs

Florals Snapdragon Flowers Philly

DJ Stylus DJ Entertainment

Desserts Milk + Sugar Cakes

Invitations Fine Day Press

Furniture rentals Maggpie Rentals