5 Wedding Venue Features for Magazine-Worthy Photos
Hi Friends,
With these week’s focus being about your wedding day storytelling pros, a.k.a your photographer and videographer, I asked one of my favorite photogs for some insider knowledge! Keep reading for advice from a story telling pro on how to achieve magazine-worthy wedding photos!
What to Consider when researching Wedding Storytellers
Last week, my #WeddingTipWednesday Instagram post talked about what to consider when searching for your wedding photographer and wedding videographer team. This included things like editing style, photography style, and cueing style - all VERY important features to think about. You will have these photos for years and years to come. Think about looking back on them 10 or 20 years from now!
Choosing A Wedding Venue Your Photo and Video Team Will LOVE
It’s not unknown that your wedding venue sets tone for your entire wedding, not to mention your wedding photos! Therefore, when you’re touring a venue for the first time, be thinking about your photo and video team and what features will help create the most beautiful photos. What is the lighting like? Where are all of the photo op areas?
Five Features Photographers LOVE in a Wedding Venue
To find out what photogs absolutely LOVE in a wedding venue, I reached out to one of my most favorite photographers - Bree of Sherr Weddings, a husband and wife photo and video team! Below, Bree goes into detail about what to look for in your venue to ensure BEAUTIFUL, magazine-worthy wedding photos to look back on for the rest of your life!
Lighting
When it comes to photographers, it’s no secret that they LOVE beautiful light to flatter you best. There are some specific things to look for in relation to the venue’s lighting. Many times when a couple falls in love with a venue, they fall in love with a specific spot they hope to have photos at. This is where it’s important to know where the sun sets at your venue before settling on the spot! Your goal is to have the sun behind you at all times. This means that during the ceremony, you want your guests facing the sun, and if it is an earlier ceremony, behind trees or buildings to help defuse the harsh light.
Pro tip: Ask your venue where the sun sets before getting your heart set on any photo spots or specific venues.
Getting Ready Rooms
Think bridal suites and groom lounges - and more specifically, how these getting ready rooms look. You want to avoid windowless getting ready rooms if possible, yellow or dark walls, small spaces, or busy room decor. A light, neutral or light, and clean space will make for the best photos helping you and your friends and family be the focal point of the photos.
Options for Indoor Photos
Most couples prefer an outdoor wedding day. Though if you live in a place that’s particularly rainy or has unpredictable weather it is very important that your venue has a rain plan and more importantly has a BEAUTIFUL rain plan! Your venue may have the most beautiful outdoor space in the world but if it’s raining, that won’t matter.
Pro tip: On your venue tour be sure to ask what the venue’s rain plan is. Also ask to see the rain plan space in person as well as photos to make sure you love this option.
Getaway Spaces for Couple Portraits
In addition to the gorgeous grounds, the best venues have lots of additional separate spaces for photos. When you’ve had a hectic wedding day surrounded by people, the last thing you want during your bride and groom wedding photos is everyone watching you. Make sure they have lots of spaces for you and your man to get away for photos.
Pro Tip: Refer back to tip number one to make sure the spots are perfect for sunset. Can you say GOLDEN HOUR?!
A Good Flow of Spaces
An excellent venue understands that they are more than just a wedding spot but rather they create an experience. Everyone at your wedding, vendors and guests alike, love venues that help keep the flow of a wedding day. For example, a ceremony lawn that is directly adjacent to the cocktail hour outdoor terrace that leads into the indoor reception space. Making your guests hike from the ceremony to reception spot is never fun. Having your big day at one venue is logistically beneficial to all who are involved! Photogs will do whatever it takes to support a day that reflects you. Keep in mind the best weddings in a photographer’s opinion are the ones that are all in one place!
Are you Building Your Vendor Team?
Willa Weddings and Events can help you build your vendor dream team. To support my couples, each of my wedding management or wedding planning clients has access to my exclusive Client Toolkit! This collection of resources will support your wedding planning efforts, ensuring that you ask all the right questions and are sticking to your wedding planning timeline. While this toolkit is most beneficial to my wedding management clients, it also includes checklists for pre-wedding event planning like showers and bachelorette parties as well as wedding day checklists to assist partial planning and full service clients!
Your photo and video team will be able to create beautiful photos at most any venue. Though, putting some extra thought and consideration into your venue will seriously elevate your photos! Who doesn’t want beautiful wedding photos to cherish for years to come (not to mention the possibility of being featured by a popular wedding blog!) Be sure to see your venue in person, ask them specific questions, and take note of the spaces available for photos.
Until Next time,
Sam
In the midst of your venue search? Read about finding your dream venue here!
If you’re searching for a wedding venue be sure to read my last blog post about the process of finding and booking a wedding venue. It includes a freebie download (with over 30 must-ask questions and features to look for) to guide you through your initial wedding venue walk through and meeting!
About Sherr Weddings
Bree and Hayes are a wedding and destination photographer and videographer team based in San Diego, California!
See their amazing work at Sherr Weddings and follow Sherr Weddings for the best Reels and most BEAUTIFUL photos on your feed!