Maitland Art & History Museums in Maitland, FL – Central FL Wedding Venue Spotlight
Maitland Art & History Museums, Maitland, FL | Art History Museum Wedding Venue Review | Best Central Florida Wedding Venues
If you're dreaming of a wedding day that feels like stepping out of a romantic painting—filled with history, character, and just the right touch of magic—the Art & History Museums of Maitland might be the wedding venue you didn’t know you needed to see. Nestled in the charming town of Maitland, just north of Orlando, this Central Florida hidden gem brings together the beauty of nature, the soul of art, and the timeless elegance of historic architecture.
It’s hard to describe this place in just one word. Is it an art museum wedding venue? A historic garden venue? A micro wedding paradise? It’s kind of all of the above. We’ve had the honor to shoot a few weddings at this magnificent space, and with its ever-growing popularity as a wedding venue in the Orlando area, we’re here to share our unbiased opinion and review what it’s like to get married here. If you’re considering an art museum wedding at the Maitland Art & History Museums, read on!
View Taylor & Mitchell’s micro wedding at Maitland Art & History Museums
View Kristina & Brett’s micro wedding at Maitland Art & History Museums
What It’s Like to Get Married at the Art & History Museums in Maitland, FL — Wedding Venue Review
From the moment you step onto the property of the Maitland Art & History Museums, you’re greeted with one of the most unique wedding backdrops in Central Florida. The venue is broken into several distinct spaces for holding a wedding and/or reception: the Mayan Courtyard & Chapel; West Garden; Main Garden; Germaine Marvel Building; and Rotary Event Plaza. Each offers very different vibes, but together they create a full experience that feels special, elevated, and deeply personal.
Let’s start with the Mayan side, because… wow.
Outdoor garden weddings in the Maitland Art & History Museum’s Mayan Courtyard & Chapel
This area is probably the most well-known and beloved section of the Art & History Museums wedding spaces—and for good reason. The Mayan Courtyard is full of carved reliefs, vine-covered archways, and soft, glowy string lights that make the entire area feel like a fairytale garden that also happens to be drenched in meaningful history. The venue itself was founded by artist and architect J. André Smith in the 1930s, and the Mayan Revival architecture is something you won’t find anywhere else in Orlando.
This is a dream ceremony location for couples planning a micro wedding. The tiny chapel is adorable. It technically fits up to 46 guests, but from our experience seeing real weddings at this venue, we felt it best suited weddings under 20 guests, so it's most ideal for elopements or ultra-intimate vows. However, if you’re planning a small wedding and dreaming of exchanging vows in the Mayan Chapel, definitely ask the staff how they handle seating larger crowds in this space.
But the good news? Just outside the chapel is the Mayan Courtyard, which can easily host a larger group for the ceremony or a reception. Wedding ceremonies can hold 100 guests seated, or your wedding reception in the courtyard can host up to 50 guests. There’s an option for a tent set-up, a big plus if you’re planning a reception outdoors but don’t want to roll the dice with Florida weather. Add in market lights overhead and some soft florals, and you’ve got yourself one of the most romantic backdrops for a Central Florida wedding. However, we’ve also seen couples choose to leave this space unused and opt to take intimate bridal portraits in this stunning setting.
Outdoor garden weddings in the Maitland Art & History Museum’s West Garden & Main Garden
While the Maitland Art & History Museum boasts two stunning outdoor garden areas—the West Garden and the Main Garden—we’re reviewing both together, as they together form the museum’s outdoor space. This area is wide open, with paths that weave through the lush museum gardens and around a koi pond, with art installations and historic structures tucked into every corner. While it’s more spread out and picturesque (amazing for wedding portraits), the outdoor gardens are most ideal for first looks, intimate moments, small- to medium-sized wedding ceremonies, or your cocktail hour. The West Garden holds 50 guests seated for an outdoor garden wedding ceremony, or 100 guests for a standing cocktail hour; and the more spacious Main Garden space holds 125 guests for wedding ceremonies only. The mix of natural landscaping and artistic touches makes every photo taken in these historic gardens pop—your wedding photographer will be obsessed (ask us how we know!).
Indoor & outdoor wedding receptions at Maitland’s Art & History Museums
If you’re also looking to host your wedding reception at the Art & History Museums in Maitland, this historic garden museum offers three opportunities: the outdoor Mayan Courtyard (mentioned above), the indoor Germaine Marvel Building, and the outdoor Rotary Event Plaza. The Germaine Marvel Building is an indoor space holding up to 125 guests for a seated wedding reception, or alternatively it could make a great cocktail hour space for up to 225 guests. We have not yet seen a wedding reception in this room, but we recently shot a private professional event and loved the open floor plan, the Mid-Century Modern architecture, and the decorating possibilities. The room is a blank canvas of white walls and sandy linoleum floors with overhead track lighting, yet the many windows also allow a lot of natural sunlight, giving the space an airy, bright feeling.
If you’re dreaming of an outdoor wedding reception but don’t want to risk the weather, the museum offers a tent-covered wedding reception option on their Rotary Event Plaza! Allowing for the same head count as the above, this option also utilizes the indoor Germaine Marvel Building as a rain back-up. Perfect for a blend of indoors and outdoors, you and your guests can enjoy a covered outdoor wedding reception with the scenic backdrop and views of the art museum’s gardens.
What we most love about getting married at the Art & History Museums in Maitland, FL
Distinctive Atmosphere: The blend of art and history creates a unique setting that's hard to replicate. The Art & History Museums in Maitland have long been a popular wedding venue in the greater Orlando area for good reason: the distinct architecture and scenic grounds make for a completely original and unique place to get married. If your personal style is a bit creative, a bit out of the ordinary, and you’re looking for a wedding venue unlike any other, this is the place for you.
Versatile Spaces: The multiple venues onsite allow for seamless transitions between your wedding ceremony and wedding reception, if you choose to hold both at the Art & History Museums. However, the weddings we’ve shot at this venue (so far) have all opted for offsite receptions, which has allowed the couple to utilize more of the museum grounds and gardens for intimate, romantic wedding photos, first looks, and private dances. We love the many possibilities provided by this wedding venue and how easy it is to hold so many special moments flowing seamlessly from one part of the property to another.
Ideal for Intimate Weddings: The venue's scale is perfect for micro weddings and elopements! Many wedding venues are geared towards larger bashes, which can leave micro weddings feeling overpowered by the sheer scale of the setting. Instead of exchanging vows in a half-empty room, an intimate wedding or elopement wedding feels right at home in the cozy, secluded gardens and chapel of the Maitland Art & History Museums. Plus, their rates for small weddings or elopements are incredibly affordable, making this stunning wedding venue a cost-effective possibility for many couples.
Potential setbacks to consider for a wedding at Maitland’s Art & History Museums
Limited Capacity: Some spaces, like the Mayan Chapel, have very limited seating, which may not suit larger guest lists. As we shared above, this wedding venue is most ideal for small- to mid-sized weddings, although the Main Garden holds up to 125 guests for an outdoor garden ceremony and the Germaine Marvel Building and Rotary Event Plaza each also hold the same guest count for indoor and outdoor wedding receptions, respectively.
Parking Constraints: As with many historic wedding venues in the urban Orlando area, parking can be a challenge, so consider arranging transportation for your guests.
Cost Considerations: While a weekday or off-season intimate wedding at Maitland’s Art & History Museums is surprisingly affordable, a more sought-after day of the week or month in the height of wedding season might be quite pricey, especially for more mid-sized weddings. However, there's a good reason we feature this garden museum wedding venue in our popular round-up of the 10 best wedding venues under $2,000 in the Orlando and Central Florida area. If budget is a concern, with a little flexibility and creativity a wedding at this dreamy venue could very well be a reality.
Final thoughts – Maitland Art & History Museums Garden Museum Historic Wedding Venue
This museum wedding venue is best suited for couples who love character over convention. It’s not a blank slate ballroom—it’s moody, intricate, and filled with creativity. If you’re the kind of person who appreciates a wedding venue that speaks for itself, you’ll love it here. Guests will also walk away feeling like they’ve just attended something truly special. The quiet elegance of the gardens, the warmth of the courtyard, the history in the stonework—every detail adds up to something memorable.
If you're dreaming of an art museum or a garden wedding venue that blends old-world charm with intimate, romantic vibes, the Art & History Museums of Maitland should absolutely be on your list. It’s not for the 200-person ballroom crowd—but if you’re hosting a smaller wedding and want a venue that tells a story, this is the place. Every wedding we’ve shot at this magical venue has been nothing short of unforgettable, and we can’t wait to be back!
