500th review! I have to make it a good one, right? There was one special place that immediately came to mind...the spot I became a Mrs.! (This is less about the history/tours and geared mainly towards future brides/grooms or anyone planning a special day/photos here).
Our dream wedding location was the gorgeous, regal, historic gazebo at Fairmount Water Works. For us, it was THE perfect ceremony spot. This beautiful structure overlooking the river, nestled between Kelly Drive and Boathouse Row, at the foothills of The Philadelphia Museum of Art, not far from the Azalea Gardens is very special to us...
When we lived in the Fairmount/Art Museum area we took walks/jogs on the drive daily, ending here at the gazebo. One day, waaaay before we were engaged he said "wouldn't this be an amazing place to get married?" That's it! I was done! That's all I needed to hear! This was going to be THE spot one day!
-We wanted somewhere we could visit forever with our children and one day, with our grandchildren.
- We wanted someplace we would always have access to as we wished and a place we would be assured would never close.
-We wanted somewhere with rich history and a place that held permanent residence in a city and neighborhood we loved so very much.
-We wanted what so clearly was "our" spot.
I jumped through many hoops to secure this location for us! He got down on one knee October 17th and I had to wait until January 2nd, which for an excited bride is an eternity!! 8am on the second freezing day of the new year, with a money order in hand as instructed, I was at the door of the Fairmount Park Commission up on Concourse Drive in Fairmount Park, diagonal from Please Touch Museum. There, I filled out an application and waited and waited....and waited, and yep, waited, all the way until spring hoping to finally get the thumbs up on approval!! (It was a very long winter that year haha) You see, they give first priority to charities and local organizations and won't schedule weddings/ceremonies on days when there is a regatta on the river. Being that our date 10-10-10 was oh so insanely popular to begin with, I had my doubts we would even get it even if there weren't events going on. I still kept the faith and we did get it!!! The notification that we did for sure secure the space was THE greatest news EVER! Actually, a real dream come true! Well worth the wait!!
Important things to remember :
-The number to call for more information is:
(215) 685-0060
$500 for the gazebo for 2 hrs $150/ hr for photos. (We never pay for photos. We're smart about the times we come ex: mid week, just before sunset. We haven't had an issue in 5 years)
-you may not tie anything to, or alter the gazebo in any way. (We had a hand held chuppah.)
-you will need to order your own chairs. The cost can be very minimal if you shop around a bit!
-you MUST have your permit for the space with you at all times!
The most important part of my review however is this: NO ONE but the Fairmount Park Commission owns the gazebo and surrounding structures! PERIOD!!! If you google it, even go for a tour there, it would appear the restaurant which was then the Water Works (currently Cescaphe group) owns the gazebo. In fact, they will try to tell you you they own it! THEY DO NOT!! NEVER WILL!! This misrepresentation enrages me because it holds many couples and (almost) us from our dream wedding ceremony! We first hand went on a tour where we were told this. We already had our reception caterer booked elsewhere so we had no interest in the reception space. We were ALMOST conned as many are when looking into the gazebo and cocktail space! After a little investigating from an uber determined bride, we came to find that use of the gazebo comes only with reception booking was a lie!!! You do not need to use the restaurant to use the gazebo. If you simply want to rent the gazebo or any aspect of the Waterworks outdoor spaces, you can absolutely do this without booking the restaurant for your reception! We still run into many, many couples who look over the gazebo because one reason or another regarding the restaurant. Despite what it may seem, they are completely separate and always will be!!
After moving from the area, we don't visit here daily anymore, but we absolutely continue to come each and every year for our anniversary. We play our wedding song, the kids run up and down what was our aisle, and of course, I cry! I LOVE looking through these photos of how our little family is growing year after year!
This is a truly beautiful, magical spot and we couldn't recommend it any more for a wedding ceremony or for special photos. The space is elegant and neutral, making for the ultimate perfect backdrop. It's definitely not an easy site to secure for ceremonies, but believe me, it's extremely well worth it! read more