The Cottage on Lake Fairview in Orlando, FL – Central FL Wedding Venue Spotlight
The Cottage on Lake Fairview, Orlando, FL | Modern Elegant Urban Winery Wedding Venue Review | Best Central Florida Wedding Venues
We shot our first wedding at The Cottage on Lake Fairview in Orlando, FL back in summer 2023, so when we heard this venue had recently undergone new ownership and a fresh renovation, we couldn’t wait to visit again! Lately acquired by local hotspot Quantum Leap Winery, this quaint vintage cottage has been transformed into a modern urban winery wedding venue without losing any of its original charm. With a stunning lakeside wedding ceremony view and an indoor wedding reception space that gives all the Great Gatsby vibes, we love the new changes to The Cottage on Lake Fairview and can’t wait to share the details with you!
The team at The Cottage on Lake Fairview invited us to take a private tour of their lovely wedding venue, and in this post we’re sharing our honest, unsponsored thoughts. We hope to capture another wedding at this gorgeous space in the near future, but in the meantime, we took plenty of photos to capture the most important details of this Central Florida wedding venue review. We can’t wait for you to read all about it!
What it’s like to get married at The Cottage on Lake Fairview in Orlando, FL — Wedding Venue Review
Outdoor lakeside wedding ceremonies at The Cottage on Lake Fairview
The Cottage on Lake Fairview is a lakefront wedding venue property in charming College Park, a historic neighborhood located centrally in metro Orlando. The cottage, built in 1928, has been carefully restored to be the warm, inviting wedding venue that it is today. The grounds of the cottage include over one acre featuring old oak trees, nighttime market lighting, gardens, and of course sunsets right on the beautiful Lake Fairview.
If you’re looking to exchange vows in an outdoor wedding, consider a lakeside wedding ceremony at The Cottage on Lake Fairview. This wedding venue includes a charming pergola, simply decorated or on its own or serving as a blank slate for your own wedding decor, right on the shores of the tranquil Lake Fairview. Seating for guests is included in your wedding day package, which is often an additional cost with other outdoor weddings but not for wedding ceremonies held at the Cottage.
Your wedding day package at The Cottage on Lake Fairview includes full use of the charming cottage, which serves as an elegant getting ready suite for the bridal party. We absolutely loved the privacy of this space for our bride and how classically timeless her getting ready photos turned out with the beautiful decor.
When it’s time to exchange vows at The Cottage on Lake Fairview, you’ll walk down the aisle (or rather, grass) of the cottage’s backyard towards the serene waters of Lake Fairview. As guests are waiting for the ceremony to begin, they have access to the grounds to mix, mingle, and enjoy the lush gardens and sprawling oak trees before taking their seats by the lakeside wedding ceremony site.
If you choose to do a first look before your wedding ceremony, the cottage grounds offer plenty of backdrops to share an intimate moment before your wedding ceremony! Some of our favorite spots to take wedding portrait photos are on the cottage porch, along the wine barrel decorative wall, and among the grounds of the cottage underneath the historic oak trees.
Indoor modern urban winery wedding receptions at The Cottage on Lake Fairview
The recent renovations to The Cottage on Lake Fairview’s indoor wedding reception space are truly breathtaking. Transformed into an artsy, modern, elegant reception venue, the wide room comfortably seats guests at winery-inspired long tables complemented by hardwood floors, crisp white walls and a jet-black ceiling. Eclectic artwork decorates the walls, making a stunning backdrop for the sweetheart table, and a glittering chandelier shines overhead.
Opening onto the main wedding reception room is the cottage’s glamorous bar, complete with modern leather barstools and velvet-upholstered seating perfect for mixing and mingling. We especially love the look of the wood-topped, long bar counter and the market lights overhead!
As if having your own private bar wasn’t enough…did we mention there’s a speakeasy?! Your guests will be delighted and surprised to discover a second hidden bar just off the main wedding reception space—perfect for an end-of-the-night afterparty! Giving all the Great Gatsby vibes, this elegant space is designed as a vintage-luxe hideaway with jewel-toned couches, lush carpet, and gold accents.
Intimate micro weddings at The Cottage on Lake Fairview
The Cottage on Lake Fairview offers an affordable, inclusive package for micro weddings from Mondays thru Thursdays. Your mini wedding package involves a 6hr rental time (2hrs set-up, 3hrs event time, 1hr tear-down) which makes a perfect day at this modern cottage wedding venue an affordable reality for more couples.
What we most love about getting married at The Cottage on Lake Fairview in Central Florida
Historic charm for bridal suite photos
The bridal suite is easily one of our favorite features of The Cottage on Lake Fairview in Orlando, FL. Some of our most-loved wedding day photos include breathtaking portraits of the bride getting ready for her special day, and not every wedding venue is able to provide such a gorgeous and elegant space for getting ready. However, we know any bride who prepares to walk down the aisle here at The Cottage on Lake Fairview will treasure these photos for years to come.
Outdoor wedding ceremony & indoor wedding reception: the best of both worlds
When you’re looking to get married outdoors, especially in a metro area like downtown Orlando, it can be difficult to find a venue that allows for a secluded outdoor space AND includes rented seating and a weather-contingency plan. Not only does The Cottage on Lake Fairview provide a serene backdrop to exchange vows, but your wedding package includes seating for your guests (not an included cost with every outdoor wedding venue). Once it’s time to get the party started, you and your guests can slip inside to the climate-controlled indoor wedding reception space, no matter the weather outside! This ability to enjoy both an outdoor wedding ceremony and an indoor wedding reception are just another perk to love about the cottage.
Modern elegance with vintage charm
We really love the new look of The Cottage on Lake Fairview. The historic cottage has been lovingly maintained and used as the bridal getting-ready suite, while the wedding reception space is newly transformed into a modern, eclectic, urban winery wedding reception venue. We particularly love the private cocktail bar and the hidden speakeasy lounge! The new management at The Cottage on Lake Fairview has truly put a lot of thought and care into the new look, and we can’t wait for more couples to experience this hidden wedding venue gem in downtown Orlando.
Potential setbacks to getting married at The Cottage on Lake Fairview in Central Florida
Lack of parking spaces for guests
From what we saw, there is extremely limited parking for your wedding guests at The Cottage on Lake Fairview. Edgewater Drive in College Park is a busy road with numerous businesses neighboring the wedding venue, so your guests might want to carpool or take transportation to your wedding, unless you plan on a limited number of guests. The wedding venue might have suggestions or alternative parking options that we’re not aware of, however, so it’s best to ask them how most other couples navigate this issue.
Small indoor wedding reception space
While The Cottage on Lake Fairview does suggest wedding parties up to 75 guests, the indoor wedding reception space is still somewhat small. From perusing photos of other couples’ wedding receptions at this venue, it looks like many of them either hold an intimate wedding reception with dancing inside or host a bigger party outdoors. We love the romantic charm of the lakeside grounds for an outdoor wedding reception, but if you have your heart set on utilizing the indoor space for a larger gathering, this wedding venue might pose a few challenges.
Final thoughts – The Cottage on Lake Fairview Modern Elegant Urban Winery Wedding Venue
Overall, we love vintage charm mixed with modern elegance of this Orlando wedding venue. From the picturesque getting ready suite to the lakeside ceremony site, this wedding venue really offers the best of both worlds: indoor comforts with outdoor beauty. Many wedding venues lack character and require lots of decorating to transform the space, but The Cottage on Lake Fairview really needs no beautification, as the natural scenery of Lake Fairview and the twinkle lights strung throughout the grounds make this space naturally stunning on its own. We also love the newly-renovated indoor wedding reception space, private bar, and cocktail lounge speakeasy. If you’re looking for an elegant, charming and modern wedding venue in the downtown Orlando area, we highly recommend visiting The Cottage on Lake Fairview!
