Something Old, Something New: Weddings at The Packing House
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Exposed brick. Soaring ceilings. Industrial windows. Weathered textures. Historic architecture that creates an unexpected backdrop for a wedding.
You might expect to find a wedding venue like this in Baltimore, Philadelphia or another major city. Instead, you’ll find it in Cambridge, Maryland, surrounded by Chesapeake character, waterfront beauty, and the slower pace of the Eastern Shore.
That’s part of what makes The Packing House so interesting.
The restored former Phillips Packing Company building introduces a completely different aesthetic to the region. Original brick, catwalks, towering ceilings and other remnants of its industrial past give the venue a strong architectural identity, while multiple event spaces provide options for ceremonies, cocktail hours and receptions.
For couples who haven’t considered an industrial wedding venue before, The Packing House may inspire a few new ideas about what an Eastern Shore wedding can look like.
Inside The Packing House
The Atrium is the primary reception space, with exceptionally high ceilings, original brick, oversized industrial windows and exposed structural elements preserved from the building’s earlier life. Natural light highlights the texture and variation in the brick, while the dramatic ceiling height creates opportunities to think upward with florals, lighting and suspended installations.
The Atrium reception space at The Packing House
From Ceremony to Cocktail Hour to Reception
Ceremonies can take place at the outdoor ceremony location on the property or inside the Atrium. Upstairs, Merge has a built-in walnut bar, lounge seating and windows overlooking the Atrium below, creating a swanky setting for cocktail hour before guests head back downstairs for dinner and dancing.
Merge can also host rehearsal dinners and other smaller gatherings surrounding the wedding.
Eastern Shore wedding planner Angie Smythe oversees weddings and sales at The Packing House, and she’s already seen couples take the venue in dramatically different directions.
“I’ve seen black tie, I’ve seen boho, I’ve seen vintage, I’ve seen very traditional.”
Angie describes The Packing House as a blank canvas, but what we find interesting is that the canvas already comes with plenty of character. The brick, height, windows and industrial architecture provide a distinctive foundation that can support everything from black tie and traditional to colorful, layered or more eclectic designs.
Merge offers a stylish setting for cocktail hour and smaller wedding gatherings, with a built-in walnut bar, lounge seating and views overlooking The Packing House Atrium.
Wedding Photos With a Little Grit
One of the advantages of a historic industrial venue is the variety it brings to wedding photography.
Inside, the height, windows, brick and catwalks create opportunities for wider architectural portraits. Outside, the historic brick façade, smokestacks and industrial details offer backdrops that look very different from the landscapes more commonly associated with Eastern Shore weddings.
The contrast between formal wedding attire and the weathered textures of the building is one of our favorite visual opportunities on the property.
Photos by Arbor Lane Studios and Mady by Lee Photography
Something Old
The Packing House has a rich history and deep community connections within Cambridge.
The building dates to the 1920s, when it was originally constructed for the Cambridge Furniture Company. Phillips Packing Company purchased it in the 1930s, eventually becoming one of Cambridge’s largest employers and an important part of the region’s economy.
That history is still deeply connected to the people who live here. Amanda Fenstermaker, who manages the Merge community at The Packing House, says you don’t have to go far in Cambridge to find someone with a personal connection to Phillips. Her own grandfather worked for the company labeling tomato cans.
Amanda also encountered The Packing House professionally years before she would work inside it. Through her career in local tourism, she was involved in early conversations surrounding the building’s redevelopment and what it could become for Cambridge.
Preserving pieces of that history became part of its next chapter. Original brick, vaulted ceilings, catwalks and the landmark smokestacks remain part of the architecture couples and guests experience today.
Photos by Made by Lee Photography
Something New
Nearly a century after the building was constructed, weddings are one of its newest chapters.
The Packing House pairs the architectural character of an urban venue with a Cambridge location surrounded by the waterfront experiences and Chesapeake character of an Eastern Shore wedding weekend. Historic industrial architecture, the Chesapeake, downtown Cambridge and time on the water make for an unexpected combination, and that’s precisely what makes it interesting.
Make Cambridge Part of the Weekend
A wedding at The Packing House also puts guests in a great position to experience Cambridge and the Chesapeake.
Downtown offers restaurants, shops, galleries and waterfront experiences, while the surrounding area opens up opportunities for boating, sailing, kayaking and exploring Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Easton and St. Michaels are also within easy reach, giving couples even more options when planning a full Eastern Shore wedding weekend.
Images courtesy of Dorchester Tourism
Amanda’s first recommendation for visiting guests is simple:
“Whatever you’re doing, get out on the water. It’s such a special experience.”
From a welcome gathering downtown to an afternoon on the Chesapeake, Cambridge gives couples plenty to work with when planning the wedding weekend.
Images courtesy of Dorchester Tourism
Planning a Wedding at The Packing House
If you’re considering The Packing House for your wedding, here are a few practical details to know:
- Capacity + Spaces: The Packing House accommodates up to 150 guests, with space for dinner and dancing. The venue includes the Atrium, Pre-Function Space, Outdoor Terrace and an outdoor ceremony location. The Atrium can also serve as the indoor ceremony backup in case of rain, and the venue is climate controlled for year-round weddings.
- What’s Included: Venue rental includes 150 black dining chairs, 15 60-inch round tables, eight 6-foot banquet tables and eight high-top tables, along with on-site parking. Ceremony chairs are rented separately.
- Planning: Professional wedding planning services are required. The Packing House partners with Eventfully Yours for wedding sales and event management, with Boutique Bride available as an additional planning option. Couples are also welcome to bring their own professional wedding planner.
- Catering + Bar: Couples may select their own full-service caterer, with a commercial kitchen located beside the Atrium. Couples may also provide their own beer, wine and spirits, which must be served by a third-party bartending service or full-service caterer.
Photos by Made by Lee Photography
See The Packing House for Yourself
Some of The Packing House’s most distinctive qualities, particularly the height of the Atrium and the relationship between its different spaces, are best understood in person.
Amanda’s advice to couples considering the venue is simple:
“Just walk through the doors.”
Explore Weddings at The Packing House
Learn more about the venue, explore its spaces and amenities, and connect with The Packing House team.
