Today’s article is going to be a little different as we’re going to be taking a look at one of my favorite wedding venues in Indiana. As you probably could tell from the title, I am of course talking about the stunningly beautiful Indiana Statehouse. The Indiana Statehouse, found in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, is a wedding venue like none other. I mean that in the most literal of senses. From the immaculate architecture, to the unique experience that only a place like the statehouse can provide, there is so much that makes this space one of the best places to elope or have your wedding in all of Indiana. Let’s take a look at what makes the statehouse so great & what you need to know if you plan on celebrating your love here.
What Makes the Indiana Statehouse Such a Great Wedding VenueA Fantastic Setting
The first area I want to cover about what makes the Indiana Statehouse such a phenomenal wedding venue is of course the breathtaking setting of the building itself. The statehouse consists of two atriums, north & south, connected in the middle by a central room with the most incredible stained glass ceiling above. The building’s Doric architecture consists of beautiful chandeliers, a balcony surrounding the atriums & central room, & marble flooring & pillars which really tie everything together. It’s a fantastic interior that feels as historic as it does gorgeous, & is the perfect space for a wedding or elopement ceremony. The appeal extends beyond the beautiful interior & décor though, as the exterior of the Indiana Statehouse has some of the most beautiful backdrops for both natural & cityscape photos.
Fit for Any Size Celebration
There is SO much more to the Indiana Statehouse as a wedding venue than just its beauty though. For starters, the venue is a fantastic space for any & all celebrations. You can have a small elopement ceremony like Ryan & I, an intimate wedding like Kyleigh & Tyler, or even a massive wedding of up to 400 guests. The Indiana Statehouse really does feel perfect for any sized wedding ceremony!
Wonderful Location
Not only is the Indiana Statehouse a beautiful location & venue for your wedding day, but it also is in an ideal location for the rest of your festivities. As mentioned earlier, the statehouse is in the center of downtown of Indianapolis, so there are a TON of options in the surrounding areas for hotels to stay at & restaurants to celebrate at. I’ve alluded to this already, & we’ll cover it more in depth later, but the Indiana Statehouse is only available as a ceremony space. This makes being located near so many other wonderful reception venues ideal as you & your guests won’t have to travel far to keep the party going.
The Accommodations
When booking a wedding ceremony at the Indiana Statehouse you will have to pay a facility fee, something that we’ll cover later on in this article. This fee comes with an array of accommodations that help to make the Indiana Statehouse the excellent wedding venue that it is. These accommodations include:
- A Ceremony Rehearsal (depending on availability)
- Assistance with Setting Up the Electrical Needs for Your Day (sound system, lighting, etc.)
- Assistance with Set Up, Tear Down, & Clean Up
- A Designated Staff Member to Assist Throughout the Wedding
- Parking Spaces for 200 Vehicles
- A Stage & Sound System
- A Table for the Stage
- Banquet Tables, Cocktail Tables, Linens, & Chairs
- Access to Waiting Areas for the Bridal Party (this is not a getting ready space)
Things to Know When Planning a Wedding at the Indiana Statehouse
As you can see, there’s a lot of factors that make the Indiana Statehouse a fantastic venue option for your wedding day celebrations, but there are some other details to consider when making your decision. Let’s go through those now.
Availability Based on Wedding Size
First up is the availability, which varies depending on the size of your celebration. Elopements offer the most flexibility, as any elopement under 10 people is able to have their ceremony during open hours on Monday through Friday. Keep in mind these are open hours, so there’s a very good chance that other people will be present at the time. For gatherings of more than 10 people, an official reservation is needed, which requires the fee that I mentioned earlier to be paid. We’ll cover the specific cost details in the next section.
The last thing I want to mention here though is that I recommend you book your wedding at the Indiana Statehouse early. Typically the statehouse books out around a year in advance, sometimes ever further for more popular dates. Book your wedding ASAP so you get the date you want.
The Cost
Weddings larger than 50 guests must take place between 7:30 am & 5:00 pm for both weekdays & weekends. The cost of booking your wedding celebration is $1,450 for the years of 2024 & 2025, for future years be sure to check out the Indiana Statehouse’s website if you plan on booking the wedding venue in the future. The venue will not hold a reservation until at least a partial payment is made, with the full payment being due “30 days following your original Use Agreement due date.” This reservation is for a 4 hour time slot, which is the longest you may book the statehouse for.
The venue does offer a smaller package for micro wedding ceremonies, which they consider to be 50 or fewer guests. This smaller package costs $750 for the years of 2024 & 2025, & includes the previous amenities. The main difference is that the rental is only for 2 hours rather than 4.
Cancellations
If you have a change of plans for your wedding, be it a change in venue or date, & need to cancel, the Indiana Statehouse is pretty flexible. Any cancellation will cost the couple a $250 fee. Apart from that, the state house will provide a full refund if the reservation is canceled more than 6 months out from the original date, & a 50% refund if it is canceled between 3 & 6 months out from the original date. Any cancellations within 3 months of the original date, or a no show are not eligible for any sort of refund.
Getting Ready Spaces
Something I briefly mentioned earlier is that there are no getting ready spaces available at the Indiana Statehouse. This generally goes against my recommendations for wedding venues, as I LOVE when my couples are able to get ready on site since it makes things so simple & stress free. The good news is that with the incredible location of the Indiana Statehouse it is quite simple to find a getting ready space nearby, be it a hotel room or Airbnb. This thankfully makes this small challenge practically a non-issue, & considering all the other areas where the Indiana Statehouse excels as a wedding venue, it’s worth the extra effort!
Catering is Allowed
The final note I want to make is that catering is allowed for your wedding ceremony, even though receptions are not allowed at the venue. The Indiana Statehouse makes it clear that all catering must be provided by a licensed caterer in Indiana, & only finger food or appetizers are allowed. This means you can technically have your cocktail hour here, though it would have to be a dry cocktail hour as no alcohol is permitted inside the Indiana Statehouse.
That just about covers everything you need to know about the one of a kind wedding venue that is the Indiana Statehouse! I’m sure you can tell from this article just how much I love this space as a wedding venue, & I hope you are at least considering choosing this fantastic venue to host your wedding or elopement ceremony. For more tips on planning your elopement in Indianapolis you can check out this guide, & to book me as your wedding or elopement photographer be sure to head over to my contact page.
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