Weddings at the George Eastman Museum

If you’re looking for a historic and effortlessly beautiful wedding venue in Rochester, New York, the George Eastman Museum should be your first choice.

Built in 1905, this museum is one of the only National Historic Landmarks in Greater Rochester. The house and gardens were built by George Eastman, the founder of Eastman Kodak Company, and this venue features a unique combination of photography and film history along with its extravagant gardens. If you have a special interest in the arts or the history of Rochester, you will definitely appreciate the significance of this location. 

The Gardens

The George Eastman Museum features the most exquisite gardens in Rochester. The East Garden is the museum’s largest garden, and in the springtime, it is always blooming with gorgeous flowers. This lush, blossoming garden will add something extra to your wedding. The garden also provides the perfect backdrop for pictures, from springtime until late fall. 

The museum’s West Garden and Front Hall host most wedding ceremonies. The West Garden is the perfect setting for outdoor weddings from late spring through the fall. The Front Hall serves as an indoor backup location, although please note: it can’t seat as many people as the West Garden, so your wedding may be standing room only in the event of rain.

The Conservatory

Hosting a wedding ceremony in the George Eastman Museum’s Conservatory is a rare and special experience: the museum hosts under five weddings a year in this room. The Conservatory is not only graced by a fiberglass replica of an African elephant that George Eastman brought back in 1928, but you’ll also be surrounded by natural light streaming in from tall windows and a skylight, plants of every size, and one of the largest fully-functional pipe organs in Rochester. The Conservatory seats 120 guests.

Hosting your wedding

The George Eastman Museum is a beautiful wedding venue located on Rochester’s historic East Ave. It’s just a few blocks away from the Strathallan and other downtown hotels, restaurants, and other attractions. Your wedding event will come with a guided tour of the historic mansion and whatever exhibits are being featured at the time for all guests. The museum is handicap accessible so all of your guests can enjoy your special day.

Wedding ceremonies in the West Garden, with the Front Hall as an indoor backup, start at $3,000. Reserving the exclusive Conservatory is $5,000. Please note that the George Eastman Museum does not host wedding receptions on-site; the Strathallan Hotel is a common and easily-accessible reception location for George Eastman Museum ceremonies.

With its historic significance and gorgeous scenery, the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York will serve as an amazing venue to make your wedding day perfect. For information and reservations, contact Allen Buell, (585) 327-4888 or abuell@eastman.org.