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Once upon a time people had their ceremonies, then they rented a hall, banquet center, or lavish hotel roof deck for their reception. Then someone had the crazy idea to dust off an old warehouse and use it as a wedding venue. A few of these crazy, but very smart people, opened Brick South. It was once a forgotten railroad warehouse space located where the Fore River and Casco Bay meet in Portland, Maine. The brick, high ceilings, and industrial beams make it a unique site for a wedding, or any event for that matter. The blank space allows for a lot of flexibility in hosting HUGE along with smaller events, and allows the hosts to bring any vision to life.
As a Maine Wedding Coordinator, I have fallen in love with the look of Brick South, which totally makes sense since I love ANYTHING old and vintage. Like… if I could magically add a brick wall in our house, I would... and then I would German schmear it (I watched too much Fixer Upper… sorry). But really, I love the vibes this venue has to offer. I even toyed with it as a venue for my own wedding. Unfortunately, it was in the beginning stages of the renovation and not even thought of as an actual venue yet. It just looked sooo awesome driving by and seeing it start to take shape! My first look at the inside (that didn’t include peering through windows), was when the Vintage Bazaar was hosted there. I spent more time looking at the venue and all of its details, than I did the items that were for sale. On a positive note, my distraction was probably better for my bank account anyways. I’ve now coordinated and planned for several couples at Brick South and witnessed the beautiful ceremonies and receptions that can be done there. If you are up for an industrial vibe, check it out!
And if Brick South isn’t your thing, there are some other industrialized venues in the Portland area as well. One of the new players in the game, is Halo at The Point. Located just across the parking lot from Brick South, it is a smaller space, but is a venue that I believe is more suitable for those who want the look but can’t really fill Brick South with the size of their wedding. Other popular sites include O’Maine Studios and Rivermill in Dover, NH. In addition to old mills and warehouses, some breweries offer some cool venues as well. Check out Ox Bow and their Blending and Bottling location in Portland. Nothing like getting married with a backdrop of wood barrels!
As you search, don’t be afraid to look outside of the norm. There are many wedding venue options out there. Many styles that allow couples to show off a bit of their personality.
Happy hunting for your perfect place!