Wedding DJ at Union Trust in Philadelphia, PA

The Space

Built in 1888 by architect Willis Gaylord Hale, Union Trust is a restored bank building on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia’s Historic District, substantially reworked between 1923 and 1929 by Paul Philippe Cret, who gave it a new facade, a new roof, and reshaped interiors. Over its long life the building carried several names, among them Commonwealth Title and Trust, the Singerly Building, and Quaker City National Bank, before Finley Catering took it over and rebuilt it into the event space it is today.

The main gallery is the building’s centerpiece: engraved ceilings rise 65 feet and are lit from within, ornate marble columns line the room, and arched windows look out over the Historic District. A wraparound mezzanine balcony circles above the floor, and a grand stone staircase serves as a ceremony entrance, dramatic enough that photographers often position themselves on the balcony above to shoot the processional from a bird’s eye view rather than from the floor.

Capacity & Layout

Union Trust holds up to 190 guests across its four indoor event spaces, with a seated dinner capping out around 180, numbers that put it in the intimate-to-midsize range rather than the large-ballroom category. That ceiling matters for planning: a couple with a guest list near the maximum will fill the main gallery close to comfortably, while a smaller wedding has room to spread across the mezzanine and private rooms without feeling like it is rattling around an oversized space.

Beyond the main gallery, the four spaces include private rooms suited to breakout moments such as a receiving line or a smaller family gathering, plus a dedicated bridal suite for final preparation before the ceremony. The grand staircase functions as a natural transition point between floors, so a wedding here tends to move guests from cocktails at one level to dinner and dancing at another rather than keeping everyone in a single room all evening.

Amenities

Finley Catering runs Union Trust exclusively, handling food and a full in-house bar that includes house wine, premium liquor, and specialty beer and wine, so a couple is not sourcing catering separately from the venue. The standard event runs five hours, with an additional hour available for a setup fee, which is worth knowing early since it affects how tightly a reception timeline needs to be planned against vendor load-in and breakdown.

There is a private bridal suite on site for hair, makeup, and the last hour before a ceremony, and the building’s entrance is wheelchair accessible. Parking is available in an adjacent lot, and the venue also offers in-house valet as an add-on, which is a real convenience downtown where curbside drop-off for a wedding-sized guest list is not always practical.

Location & Getting There

Union Trust sits on Chestnut Street inside Philadelphia’s Historic District, close enough to the city’s colonial-era landmarks that out-of-town guests can walk to see Independence Hall or the surrounding blocks before or after the wedding. Philadelphia International Airport is roughly ten miles away, a manageable drive for guests flying in, and the Historic District setting means the neighborhood itself, not just the building, becomes part of the backdrop for photos taken outside.

We’ve worked a reception in the main gallery, and the space asks for a setup that respects its architecture: 65-foot engraved ceilings and marble columns are hard, reflective surfaces, so sound is placed to cover the dance floor directly under the mezzanine rather than aimed up into the open ceiling, which keeps the music clear on the floor instead of washing out into the balcony above.