Engagements and Weddings at Citizens Bank Park are Epic!


Its no secret that I'm a biased Philadelphia wedding photographer here. I've been shooting weddings for 15+ years and I have a strong love for the Phillies but I know I'm not the only one out there. For couples who love the Phillies like I do, having your wedding at Citizens Bank Park is a once in a lifetime moment for one the most important days in your life. I get a lot of questions on weddings at CBP and I figured writing a post on this would be helpful for couples trying to plan out what venue they should pick in the Philadelphia area. There are some caveats about planning at wedding or having an engagement session at Citizens Bank Park but if you're flexible and willing to jump through the hoops that it takes to make it happen, you wont regret it.


I want to do so many more weddings and engagement sessions at CBP so I'm here to help make this a reality for my Phillies couples out there. Here are some insights and tips to having a Phillies themed wedding.

A couple shares a romantic moment in an empty baseball stadium with blue seats and string lights overhead.
Silhouettes of baseball stadium structures and spectators against a dramatic sunset sky during a game.
A bride in a white wedding dress poses for photos at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.
A wedding couple embraces on the baseball field at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies, at night.
Wedding party poses together in formal attire in the clubhouse of the Philadelphia Phillies
A couple wearing Philadelphia Phillies jerseys poses together on the baseball field at Citizens Bank Park on a sunny day.
A panoramic collage of baseball stadium views showing empty blue seats and green outfield at Citizens Bank Park.
Panoramic view of empty blue stadium seats and yellow foul pole at Citizens Bank Park on a sunny day.

Picking Your Wedding Date


This is the biggest challenge with the whole process. You obviously have to work with the Phillies season schedule so if you want to get married between April and September, you will need to be flexible. The Phillies only let you pick dates that the stadium is not in use and they will wait as long as they can to try to book anything outside of the Phillies schedule like concerts or other events. So you will not be able to book your wedding day a year in advance which is the average amount of time in advance that people plan a wedding. In this case you will have to wait till 6-7 months before the date of your wedding and the Phillies will give you a small choice of options to pick from. If you were hoping to have an October wedding, which is very popular season with Philadelphia weddings, you are sh*t out of luck. The Phillies always have to keep the entire month of October available due to the possibility of the Phillies making the playoffs (as we all hope for). You have the ability to book a March or November wedding but with the weather and daylight savings, it not as attractive. I dont have any exact costs but all of my past couples have mentioned that the cost is not as outrageous as you might think. Putting it lower than most of the larger wedding venues in Philadelphia.


Here is the direct link to get you to the contact form with the Phillies to inquire your interest in having your wedding at CBP

https://www.mlb.com/phillies/ballpark/events/types/weddings





Scheduling an Engagement Session


Scheduling your engagement photo session in CBP is similar to inquiring for a wedding. You are limited to days available outside of the Phillies schedule but weekdays are more available. The time of the session can be anytime between 10am-4pm and you get 1 hour to take photos. Last I checked the cost for this is $400.



Two people walk along the warning track at Citizens Bank Park with the Phillies scoreboard visible in the background.
Interior panorama of the Phillies team locker room in Citizens Bank Park with red lockers and blue support columns.
A couple in Phillies baseball jerseys smile and embrace while standing in front of a stadium display.
Sports team players and staff sitting together on blue benches in a dugout or sideline area in Citizens Bank Park
A couple embraces on the dugout steps of a baseball field Citizens Bank Park with the Phillies video scoreboard in the background

Locations Allowed for Photos in the Stadium


So this has been changing since the first time I captured a Citizens Bank Park wedding. The consistent spots that we have been allowed to use outside are the stadium seats (field level and upper decks), field warning track, dugouts (inside and on top), and concourses. For indoor locations, lately the only location that we have been allowed to use is the media room. In the past we were able to use the clubhouse and the batting cages but due to a few bad actors, those locations are now off limits. Hopefully they are open for use in the future because besides it being a good photo opportunity, its just a fun experience for all the Phillies fans with us.

Wedding couple poses on baseball field with stadium seats and green grass visible in background.
A couple embraces in front of a large Philadelphia Phillies logo display with the city skyline visible in the background.
A red Phillies baseball team banner hangs against a backdrop of Citizens Bank Park signage and logos.
Vintage black and white photograph showing a bride walking on the benches of the Phillies home dugout.
Couple walking along the top of the Phillies dugout in Citizens Bank Park with the stadium seating in the background

Location For Your Ceremony


There isnt a more exciting spot that I've shot a ceremony for than in Citizens Bank Park and thats because if you get married here, your alter is home plate. You get to process right out of the Phillies dugout and walk right up to home plate while all of your guests are sitting in the CP Rankin Club seats right behind home plate. You even have video being captured by the stadium video crew and have it all projected on the stadium scoreboard screen in the outfield. All very cool details for a Phillies wedding.

A bride and her father walk out of the Phillies home dugout to walk down the aisle to her groom for the ceremony.
A panoramic collage of five baseball stadium views showing different angles of Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
A wedding couple shares a playful moment at home plate on a baseball field during their special day.
Panoramic view of an empty baseball stadium with wedding party arranged on the field for photos.
Wedding party poses for photos on a baseball diamond with stadium seating and Phillies scoreboard in background.

Cocktail Hour


The popular location option that the Phillies offer for cocktail hour is the Hall of Fame Club in the mezzanine. Lots of the food has a ballpark feel but also plenty of other quality food that you wouldnt expect in a baseball stadium. Plus guests are able to go out in the seats to have a skyline view of Philly as well as the field. Again, nothing boring about these details.

Close-up view of multiple white leather baseballs with red stitching arranged in neat rows.
A couple embraces in silhouette against a sunlit baseball stadium backdrop during a romantic photo session.
Wedding party in formal attire poses together on baseball field at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
A couple in formal attire shares a romantic moment together on a wooden bench at an event venue.
Wedding party members in formal attire seated in rows of empty blue stadium seats at a sports venue.
A couple walking together on a baseball field with the bride wearing a flowing white dress and groom in dark suit.
Wedding couple standing in empty stadium seats at Citizens Bank Park baseball stadium in Philadelphia.
A wedding couple shares a romantic moment in a baseball dugout at Citizens Bank Park with Phillies decor in the background.
A couple wearing matching Philadelphia Phillies baseball jerseys smile at each other in front of a wall of baseballs.

Reception with the Phanatic


The final location for the night is the reception which is held in the CP Rankin Club in the concession area behind home plate. It does have a baseball stadium feel versus most wedding venues with a bunch of TVs scattered around the room and dance floor area but there are plenty of stylish Phillies decor that doesnt give you reception of feel of sodas and hot dogs. You also have plenty of space to work with as well, which is always a challenge with plenty of wedding venues. Again, guests also have the ability to go outside of the reception room to the stadium to take it all in at night with a great view of the field and the skyline in the distance.


And of course with every wedding here, as long as it works with his schedule, a visit from the Phanatic is a must to add on. Its roughly a 20 minute visit by the Phanatic that gets even the most curmudgeoned relatives out of their seats and onto the dance floor. Selfie opportunities for everyone. Including your photographer.

Party guests react with excitement as someone falls onto colorful decorations during a lively indoor celebration event.
Wedding reception guests dance and celebrate at a lively party with red lighting and Philadelphia Phillies mascot Phanatic.
Empty tables and chairs set up in a dimly lit event space with blue ambient lighting and floral centerpieces.
Wedding guests dance and celebrate on a crowded dance floor during a lively reception party.
Newlyweds sit at a wedding reception table decorated with red and green holiday decor and white floral arrangements.
Green Phillie Phanatic mascot performs with red boxing gloves in a dark stadium setting.
A green furry puppet character appears in multiple shots alongside someone in a purple shirt.

The Night Shot


Through all my years of being a wedding photographer in Philadelphia, I always like to take a couple outside from their reception to get a bold, creative shot once the sun goes down and for weddings at Citizens Bank Park, the backdrop could not be more perfect. So with a little coordination and scheduling with the security crew at the reception, we can go down to the field for one more epic shot to finish off the night.

A couple in wedding attire embraces on a baseball field at Citizens Bank Park at night with stadium lights glowing.
Baseball players celebrate in the rain during a night game at Citizens Bank Park.
Dramatic nighttime wedding photo on an empty baseball field with stadium lights illuminating the dark stadium interior.
A romantic wedding couple poses on a baseball field at night with stadium lights illuminating the scene.
A couple poses for wedding photos on the baseball field at Citizens Bank Park stadium at night.