Wedding Photography at the Clay Center

The Clay Center is the best indoor wedding location in Charleston WV. This venue has a myriad of ceremony and reception options for couples that includes:

  • Maier Foundation Performance Hall
  • Walker Theater
  • Founder’s Lounge
  • Benedum Grand Lobby
  • Juliet Art Museum
  • Avampato Discovery Museum
  • Susan Runyan Maier Sculpture Garden
  • Caperton Planetarium & Theater

In our experience at this venue over the years we’ve shot most of our ceremonies in the Walker Theater. Most of the receptions occur in the gorgeous Grand Lobby with its massive floor-to-ceiling glass windows. We especially love how the city lights look through those big windows during night time receptions. It creates a very cool, unique vibe that no other venue in the area can match.

Are you looking for a Clay Center photographer? As professional wedding photographers we’ve been shooting weddings at this location since 2010. The grand staircase in the lobby makes for gorgeous sweeping images, and the surrounding area outdoors has lot of options for edgy, artistic urban wedding photography. The large sculpture in front of the building is a favorite of couples looking for striking portraits.

If your photographer isn’t experienced at using off camera lighting set ups, the tall, dark ceilings of the Grand Lobby can be troublesome. If you’re looking for photographers who understand how to light all situations at the Clay Center please contact us

Activities at the Clay Center

This place is among the most popular attractions in the city. It’s the home of the West Virginia Symphony (Emily’s dad is the principal trumpet!) and hosts many music events throughout the year from diverse artists. The venue also hosts events throughout the year including comedians and dance troupes.

The Clay Center isn’t just a venue for live performances from musicians and comedians- it’s also Charleston’s only art and science museum! The Juliet Art Museum located on the second floor hosts various exhibits throughout the year.

The Avampato Discovery Museum is a great activity for families on the weekend. It includes 2 floors of interactive exhibits focused around subjects like engineering, light, sound, and health. Both permanent and traveling installations are part of the Discovery Museum, so there’s always something new to check out.

In the Caperton Planetarium visitors can watch stunning displays of both earthly and celestial beauty on state-of-the-art technology. Shows are available all day Tuesdays through Thursdays. Some of the subject matter includes national parks and space.

Venue History

The Clay Center was opened in 2003 and represents one of the most ambitious undertakings in WV history. It replaced Sunrise Museum as Charleston’s only arts and sciences center. The venue is named for Buckner and Lyell Clay of the Clay Foundation, who are famous WV philanthropists.

Source: Wikipedia

See photos of Clay Center weddings

Considering a Clay Center wedding? We’ve photographed many weddings here over the years, so we’ve go the scoop on all the cool details! Check out some of our weddings at this classy downtown Charleston WV venue below!

Looking for more places in Charleston get married?

After shooting weddings all over West Virginia since 2009, we’ve experienced many of the wedding venues in the state. Check out our comprehensive guide to West Virginia wedding locations for links to some of the best event venues West Virginia has to offer!

WV Wedding Venue Guide