The Carnegie

•Ratings include Zola and Google reviews

Full wedding (ceremony and reception) pricing

Starting at $3,000

About this venue

Stirring feelings of nostalgia and romance, The Carnegie is the idyllic backdrop for your wedding ceremony and reception. With spacious gathering rooms, a large bridal suite, a groom’s billiards and game room, and (an upcoming) speakeasy cocktail lounge, we've crafted an environment as unique and special as your love story. Nestled in the heart of downtown Elwood, The Carnegie stands as a beacon of history and elegance. This former library, built in neoclassical style with the aid of steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, now serves as the ultimate destination for weddings, corporate events, and special celebrations. Located conveniently within 30 miles of Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Kokomo, Muncie, and Marion, The Carnegie opens its doors to guests looking for a unique event space enveloped in nostalgic charm and romance.

Seated guest capacity

Venue type

  • Historic Estates, Mansions

Venue setting

  • Indoor
124 N 16th St, Elwood, IN 46036

Our event spaces

Catering Kitchen

Designed for seamless culinary execution.

Our catering kitchen is fully equipped to handle the culinary needs of your event. This space allows for seamless food service, whether you're hosting a small gathering or a large wedding.

Guests often feel this space is

“Functional and spacious.”

Bridal Suite

A luxurious, super-spacious private retreat to prepare.

The spacious bridal suite provides a tranquil place for the bride and her party to prepare for the big day. This space is designed with comfort and elegance in mind, providing an ideal setting for pre-wedding preparations and getting ready snapshots.

Guests often feel this space is

“Spacious, comfortable, serene.”

Included in this room:

Full LED mirror wall; large full-length mirrors; comfortable furnishings; mini-fridge and microwave; women's bathroom directly across from the space

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Groom’s Billiards Room

The ultimate lounge to relax and celebrate.

The large groom’s billiards room offers a relaxed, masculine space for the groom and his party to prepare for the event. This room is equipped with a billiards table, providing an enjoyable pastime for your party.

Guests often feel this space is

“Entertaining, stylish, inviting.”

Historic Dining and Reception Area

Timeless elegance for an unforgettable celebration.

The Carnegie's historic reception area is a unique space that maintains the charm of the original library. Its main feature is the original oak octagonal circulation desk, which has been repurposed to serve as a unique bar or food service area. This space is fully climate controlled for the comfort of your guests. The space is characterized by high ceilings, grand windows that allow natural light to flood in, and original architectural details that add to the antique charm.

Guest capacity

Up to 150 Seated

Up to 200 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Included in this room:

Dimmers for total lighting customization; all guest tables and chairs; buffet and bar areas; connected catering kitchen

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Catering Kitchen

Designed for seamless culinary execution.

Our catering kitchen is fully equipped to handle the culinary needs of your event. This space allows for seamless food service, whether you're hosting a small gathering or a large wedding.

Guests often feel this space is

“Functional and spacious.”

Bridal Suite

A luxurious, super-spacious private retreat to prepare.

The spacious bridal suite provides a tranquil place for the bride and her party to prepare for the big day. This space is designed with comfort and elegance in mind, providing an ideal setting for pre-wedding preparations and getting ready snapshots.

Guests often feel this space is

“Spacious, comfortable, serene.”

Included in this room:

Full LED mirror wall; large full-length mirrors; comfortable furnishings; mini-fridge and microwave; women's bathroom directly across from the space

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Groom’s Billiards Room

The ultimate lounge to relax and celebrate.

The large groom’s billiards room offers a relaxed, masculine space for the groom and his party to prepare for the event. This room is equipped with a billiards table, providing an enjoyable pastime for your party.

Guests often feel this space is

“Entertaining, stylish, inviting.”

Historic Dining and Reception Area

Timeless elegance for an unforgettable celebration.

The Carnegie's historic reception area is a unique space that maintains the charm of the original library. Its main feature is the original oak octagonal circulation desk, which has been repurposed to serve as a unique bar or food service area. This space is fully climate controlled for the comfort of your guests. The space is characterized by high ceilings, grand windows that allow natural light to flood in, and original architectural details that add to the antique charm.

Guest capacity

Up to 150 Seated

Up to 200 Standing

Ideal for

Wedding ceremony, Wedding reception, Rehearsal dinner, Cocktail hour

Guests often feel this space is

“Surprised and delighted”

Included in this room:

Dimmers for total lighting customization; all guest tables and chairs; buffet and bar areas; connected catering kitchen

Room cost

Included in total venue pricing

Available services that can be provided by The Carnegie

Services & amenities

  • Clean up
  • Dressing room / Bridal Suite

Rentals

  • Linens
  • Standard Chairs

Reviews

Write a review
Rating: 4.6

4.6 out of 5

11 reviews

  • MV

    Matt Vaught

    Rating: 5
    •Google
    •Oct 6

    Awesome space for various event types!

    The Carnegie•Oct 7, 2026

    Thank you for the 5 star review of our library, Matt! It really is a hidden gem in Indiana for those wanting to hold a wedding or other event in a beautiful historic space!

  • MD

    Mary-Cate Dowdy

    Rating: 5
    •Google
    •Oct 6

    I don't have a single bad thing to say about The Carnegie or its owners. The venue is exceptional with such an interesting history for any other book and library lovers out there. The bridal and grooms suites are huge and more than comfortable to get ready in. Greg and Jennifer were a breeze and dream to work with from start to finish, making sure any needs were met. They were so kind and personable, we genuinely enjoyed our tour- not only to see the space but Greg was very informative and actually recommended the caterer when ended up choosing! We aren't from the area so we truly appreciated their assistance with vendor recommendations. The work done to renovate this library is just exquisite and every inch of this space has so much character and beauty. It is the most stunning place to get married, we could not have been happier to have spent our day at The Carnegie with our loved ones and get to be apart of its history. Bonus points for donating your favorite book to the venue for its library, the perfect way to leave the library with a piece of you!

    The Carnegie•Oct 6, 2026

    Thank you so much for your amazing review of the library, Mary Cate. We were honored to host your wedding here in this historic place!

  • JA

    Jalyn Arnold

    Rating: 5
    •Google
    •Sep 18, 2026

    When planning my wedding, I was trying to keep to a tight budget. I typed in “affordable wedding venues near me” to google and The Carnegie was the first to pop up. I immediately fell in love! We booked the whole weekend and had it all to ourselves, they set up table and chairs making decorating very simple. The owners are very kind and quick to respond. Along with that, they had a preferred vendors list that made planning that much easier. 10/10 recommend The Carnegie!

    The Carnegie•Sep 25, 2026

    Thanks for the great review, Jalyn! We were honored to host your wedding at the library!

  • J

    Jami

    Rating: 5
    •Google
    •Aug 29, 2026

    Beautiful place. Nice wedding venue.

  • EJ

    Ellie & Jesse Triplett

    Rating: 5
    •Google
    •Jan 4, 2026

    Highly recommend the Carnegie!! Awesome owners, had recommendations and offer flexibility and freedoms at their venue. Easy process as well. Absolutely beautiful place, you walk in and feel a part of something bigger than yourself. The best bridal suite! Best price for the quality!!

More wedding services from The Carnegie

Quick responder
Venue
Wild Blackberry Farms
Rating: 5.0 (38 reviews)
Fortville, IN
Starts at $6,450
Your rental includes 15 hours of exclusive access to the property (8:00 AM – 11:00 PM). You also receive a one-hour window prior to your wedding day for a ceremony rehearsal (subject to availability) and one on-site pre-event planning meeting.
We supply banquet-style dining tables and chairs for up to approximately 150 guests, along with designated buffet and catering tables. We also provide an 84” x 72” copper pipe arch for your ceremony (florals not included).
The venue features a large, fully-furnished bridal suite with an LED vanity mirror wall, as well as a fully-furnished groom’s suite and game room complete with a pool table, foosball, and darts.
We offer coordination of your linen service for your convenience at a discount through our trusted third-party vendor. You are also welcome to rent or purchase your own linens.
Modern restrooms are located on both the main and basement levels. Due to the historic architecture of the building, there is no elevator or ramp; however, a battery-operated stair climber is available on-site to assist guests with entry and exit as needed.
April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December
January, February and March
There is plenty of street parking all around the library as well as a small parking lot adjacent to the alley alongside the building, which is available during weekday evenings and on weekends.
Modern restrooms are located on both the main and basement levels of the library. Due to the historic architecture of the building, there is no elevator or ramp; however, a battery-operated stair climber is available on-site to assist guests with entry and exit as needed.
Set up, tear down, clean up, tables, chairs, ceremony arch
Your rental includes 15 hours of exclusive access to the property (8:00 AM – 11:00 PM). You also receive a one-hour window prior to your wedding day for a ceremony rehearsal (subject to availability) and one on-site pre-event planning meeting.
Yes. We require special event/host liability insurance for all events, including liquor liability coverage when alcohol will be served. Our rental agreement outlines the specific coverage requirements, and we can connect you with a provider that offers our couples simple, affordable coverage.
Your date reservation deposit is non-refundable. If you cancel within six months of your event date, the remaining rental balance is also due in full. Our rental agreement does include force majeure protections for certain circumstances beyond your control.  
Yes! Couples may purchase their own beer, wine and canned cocktails (under 21% ABV) when using an approved, properly permitted bar service. If you’d like to serve spirits/hard liquor, Indiana law requires a licensed alcoholic beverage caterer, who must provide the alcohol being served. We’re happy to help you understand the options!

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