Shofuso Japanese House and Garden
Philadelphia, PA
| Venue type | Garden & Conservatory |
| Location | Philadelphia, PA |
| Published price | $1,500 to $3,500 |
| Capacity | Up to 40 guests |
| Setting | Outdoor |
| Event type | Ceremony only |
What the venue publishes
Level One: up to 20 people, 2-hour rental (5:30-7:30pm Tues-Sun, all day Monday), $1,500. Level Two: up to 40 people, 2-hour rental, $1,800. Level Three: up to 40 people, 4-hour rental (Mondays or winter season only), $2,200. Level Four: up to 40 people, 4-hour rental (any day, early closure at 3pm), $3,500.
The source publishes a range of $1,500 to $3,500, so which end applies depends on the options the source lists.
No food or drink permitted inside the historic house; wedding receptions are not offered. Ceremonies must be held after 5pm (Tuesday-Sunday) or on Mondays when the site is closed to the public. A 50% deposit is required at booking; $1M liability insurance required.
Published on japanphilly.org, checked August 2026. Fee schedules change, so confirm before booking.
Where this price sits in Philadelphia
$1,500 is the 15th lowest published starting price of the 17 venues listed in the Philadelphia metro. The metro median starting price is $200, and 2 of the 17 listings publish a higher starting price than this one.
Among the 3 garden & conservatory listings in the metro it ranks 2nd lowest, against a median of $1,500 for that type.
What the capacity costs per guest
The source publishes a capacity of 40 guests. At $1,500, filling the space works out to $38 per guest for the site fee alone, before the license, an officiant, food, or rentals. The median published capacity across the 8 Philadelphia listings that publish one is 92 guests, so this space is smaller than the metro median.
Cheaper published prices in Philadelphia
These listings in Philadelphia publish a starting price below $1,500.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Morris Arboretum & Gardens - Ceremony-Only PackagesPhiladelphia, PA · Garden & Conservatory | $1,200 to $1,900 | not published |
| Fairmount Water Works - Eagle Gazebo Wedding CeremonyPhiladelphia, PA · Park & Pavilion | $500 | not published |
| FDR Park Boathouse Wedding CeremonyPhiladelphia, PA · Park & Pavilion | $500 | not published |
Other garden & conservatory listings in Philadelphia
Same venue type, prices closest to this one.
| Venue | Published price | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Morris Arboretum & Gardens - Weekday Wedding (Monday-Thursday)Philadelphia, PA · Garden & Conservatory | $2,800 | not published |
Marriage license in Philadelphia County, PA
The venue fee above does not include the license. Philadelphia sits in Philadelphia County, PA, and these are the terms that county publishes. Checked September 2026.
| Issuing office | Philadelphia Register of Wills and Clerk of the Orphans' Court, Marriage License BureauCity Hall, 1400 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Room 413, Philadelphia, PA 19107 |
| License fee | $90Regular $90.00; Quaker or self-uniting license $100.00 with a certified copy included; additional certified copy $15.00 at the time of application; replacement license $25.00; correction $25.00. |
| Waiting period | 3 days |
| License valid for | 60 days |
| Who must appear | Both parties, in person |
| ID required | two forms of identification, one of them a photo ID: driver license, state-issued photo ID, international driver license, U.S. or international passport, military ID, or PHL City ID |
| Appointment | Not required |
| Apply online | In person only |
| Same-day issue | Not issued the same visit |
| Ceremony at the office | Offered for $250Philadelphia does not advertise a courthouse ceremony. The city instead runs Wedding Wednesdays at LOVE Park on Wednesday afternoons from March through November. The fee is $250 paid to the Fairmount Park Conservancy, and an ordained minister from Journeys of the Heart officiates unless you bring your own officiant, in which case the fee is the same. You reserve a 20 by 20 foot area in front of the LOVE sculpture by emailing lovepark@phila.gov, and you must hold a valid Pennsylvania marriage license on the day. |
Source: courts.phila.gov, phila.gov, phila.gov, legis.state.pa.us
Both applicants must appear in person and there is no online application. Walk-ins are welcome Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 3:15 pm, and translators need at least one week of notice. The license becomes valid on the third day after you apply and stays valid for 60 days from the issue date.
How the metro prices out
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