First Parish Portland Unitarian Universalist

425 Congress St, Portland, ME

300+ guest capacity

This venue can host 300+ guests

About this vendor

The First Parish in Portland is a beautiful wedding venue in Portland, Maine. First Parish is the oldest place of worship in the city at almost 300 years old. It is an architectural gem, featuring a beautiful stone façade, sweeping ceilings, and a lovely garden. It provides an unforgettable backdrop for weddings of all kinds. First Parish invites couples to host their wedding ceremonies, cocktail hour, and reception on their property. The gorgeous Meeting House is the perfect place for an unforgettable traditional ceremony. It features oak paneled pews, a beautiful altar, and a sparkling chandelier, creating a beautiful space that can accommodate up to 550 guests. After your ceremony, you and your guests can enjoy a cocktail hour, coffee, or a full reception in the Parish Hall. If you'd prefer an outdoor event, you can opt to celebrate in the picturesque Memorial Garden. The team at First Parish aims to help bring your wedding dreams to life. They'll work with you throughout the planning process to determine the best way to utilize their beautiful spaces for your unique celebration. Before your ceremony, First Parish offers a get-ready room for you to prepare and relax in. To ensure that your wedding is what you have always envisioned, they are happy to allow outside vendors to work at your celebration. They encourage interested couples to get in touch to explore their options and visit the historic building.

Amenities + details

Ceremony Area

Dressing Room

Handicap Accessible

Indoor Event Space

Outdoor Event Space

Reception Area

Wireless Internet

Covered Outdoors Space

Liability Insurance

On-Site Accommodations

Business Attributes

LGBTQ+-owned Business
Woman-owned Business

Ceremony Types

Civil Union
Commitment Ceremony
Elopement
Interfaith Ceremony
Non-Religious Ceremony
Religious Ceremony

Guest Capacity

300+

Settings

Garden
Historic Venue
Religious Setting
Church

Venue Service Offerings

Rentals & Equipment
Service Staff

5

out of 5.0

3 reviews

Search reviews

8/08/2022 • Rachael R

Extremely easy to work with and flawlessly executed our ceremony. Lighting, music etc. all worked smoothly and everyone we worked with at the church was lovely and kind to us! Venue is beautiful and historic and serves as a stunning backdrop as well. We’re so glad we chose to get married here.

8/08/2022 • Jennifer R

First Parish was a wonderful, historic, meaningful place for an amazing wedding ceremony. We appreciated everything about the church including the "Black Lives Matter" sign outside and the bells that were rung after our wedding ceremony was completed! The church coordinator, sexton, and musician were all very kind and helpful and made sure the entire things went off without a hitch!

8/08/2022 • ALINA S

We used FP for our ceremony for our June 18th 2022 wedding. We wanted to be married in a church by my (now) husband's family minister. We loved the history and interior of the sanctuary, but ultimately we chose FP because they were responsive, organized and we felt FP supported the causes that are important to us and their stance on social issues and inclusivity for all was key. Working with Hannah was great, my wedding planner even made the comment that this was the most organized church she ever dealt with. From a practical perspective, they have really good lighting (which is key for good photos), internet connectivity and a sound system that all worked without a flaw and are included, as is their technician who helped my planner and co. set up. We did our first look, vows and some photos in the garden, which was great because it is beautiful and fenced in and offered privacy in an otherwise busy downtown. Ringing the chapel bell was also a really lovely moment and a really fun way to end our ceremony.