Wedding Venue Photography Tips by Theresa Furey Fine Art Photography

When searching for your wedding venue there will no doubt be lots of questions that will run through your mind…What’s the capacity…? Does the location suit our guests…? Can we have a late licence…? The list goes on! {You can find a comprehensive list of questions for your wedding venue here!}

But, have you considered your wedding photos when searching for that ‘perfect’ backdrop to your celebrations…? What does a photographer look for in a wedding venue and should you be booking in a recce with your chosen photographer ahead of the big day…?

Theresa Furey, Fine Art Photographer, is giving us her thoughts on this very topic with some beautiful imagery to boot! Including some epic photos of our very own Packington Moor. From seeking out the light, thinking about seasonal timings and décor decisions, there are tips galore!

Over to Theresa…

From a photographer’s point of view, the wedding venue is almost as important as the Bride & Groom they are photographing. I did say almost! It serves as the backdrop for just about every photograph captured on the wedding day. The venue will speak volumes about you, your style and the type of wedding you are having. Therefore location, colour and décor are all things you should carefully consider as your photographer will be looking at all of these as a source of inspiration in telling your wedding story.

So what about the venue is so important..?

When I approach a venue as a photographer, the most important aspect I am looking for is available light. Inevitably this relies on the season and time of day for your wedding and I’ll get into that in a bit. Generally though, photographers will be looking for areas at the location that have the best natural light both inside and out. Depending on the style of the photographer you hire, they will either be looking for open shade to give you that soft romantic look or direct sunlight for images with more contrast and edgy feel.

Indoors, most photographers will want to be photographing next to large windows or areas well lit by daylight. The moment that immediately comes to mind is photographing a Bride or Groom in a room during preparations. Photographers will often suggest or subtly direct a Bride or Groom to the window during the preparations to capture beautiful and well lit photographs.

Most weddings will take place between May through to September, so the quality and period of daylight is never really an issue. If you have a wedding from October through to April, you are going to want to check the sunrise and sunset times of the day for your wedding and discuss with your church or the registrar what time you will be married. It’s highly recommended to marry around 11am to 1pm in December to January no matter what your venue, as by 3pm to 4pm there will be little to no more daylight to do portraits or group photographs. If the traditional family portraits are important to you, or you fancy spending time capturing those all-important couple shots, then this is certainly something to consider!

The second item I look at is colour. I consider colours throughout the venue and palettes that are complimentary to that which the Bride and Groom have chosen for their wedding flowers, Bridesmaid’s gowns and Groomsmen’s suits. To me, this is an important consideration as many of my clients order albums and by photographing colours in a complimentary palette, this allows me to later create a beautiful flowing designed album.

Lastly, the décor of your view will be important as this will be in the background of your photographs and will ultimately determine how much you ‘dress up’ your venue. If the venue already has beautiful décor, this may mean you will not need to spend extra on hiring in furniture.

Consider looking at venues that may be slightly more expensive but have all the desired décor and meet your requirements for capacity, catering and style. You may in fact save money in the long run! Remember, the décor should be cohesive with the venue and your wedding style unless you are going for an eclectic look.

Is it important for your photographer to view the venue before your wedding day..?

To close, I’ll discuss this dreaded question… Yes and no is the answer. I think it comes down to the photographer and what they need to be inspired to take great photographs. Let, me explain from my point of view. I personally love having ‘new eyes’ when I walk into a venue. This means I notice everything, all the little details to the more obvious ones.

Aside for assessing the light and the best places in the venue, I look for details that will indicate the time of year, points that capture the character of the venue, what the weather was like and the overall feeling of the environment on your wedding day. So having ‘new eyes’ to a venue is never a bad thing. It’s often how I operate when I photograph destination weddings.

If your photographer has been to a venue before or wants to visit before your wedding, then there is no problem there either. Photographers may want to go look at the layout and let that inspiration soak in before your wedding day. Ultimately it comes down to whom you hire and how they work. If they are a seasoned photographer, they will let you know how they work and what they need to do to get their desired results on your wedding day…

Thank you so much to Theresa for popping by with these tips! Helpful yes…? You can see Theresa in action in this gorgeous Rustic Styled Shoot that featured recently too – it’s a beaut!

If you’re currently on the hunt for a photographer and want romantic and organic images, then you should absolutely hop across to Theresa Furey Fine Art Photography! Just saying.

Lots of love…