7 tips for choosing a photogenic wedding venue
7 tips for choosing a photogenic wedding venue
Selecting the right wedding venue is a long process that can raise many questions along the way. While you might be most concerned with budget, catering, and decoration, don’t discount the importance of your venue’s ‘look’, as this will make a huge difference to the quality of your photos. After all, your wedding photos are an important memento of your special day. That’s why we’ve come up with 7 tips to keep in mind when choosing a venue to help you get the best shots of your dream wedding.
When booking your wedding photographer you will of course share your vision with them, and they will be able to translate your vision into reality. However, there are a few things to be taken under consideration when you begin to hunt for a venue for your wedding that will make the process easier for everyone involved.
Setting
When scoping out venues, it’s important to take in your surroundings and get a feel for the area’s atmosphere and charm. If you can’t picture yourself there then it will be very difficult to feel at ease on the day. Trust your gut and try not to accept anything less than the very best, it is your special day after all. As well as that, it’s important to be clear on the kind of photos you’d like and whether the venue has what you need - it’s no use wanting photos in nature if the restaurant or cafe only has a tiny garden, for example.
2. Landmarks
While you’ll want every photo to come out nicely, there are certainly some that are more important than others. For special shots with your partner, family, and best man or maid of honour you might want to search for some impactful landmarks and private spaces that will serve as the perfect location. It’s also vitally important to remain transparent when looking for these landmarks as what might be perfect for one couple may be entirely different for you. Different venues will appear differently to everybody, so be clear on what it is you’d like from your million dollar shots and choose accordingly.
3. Venue capacity
When looking at your venue, one of the most important things to do is take into consideration the capacity of the venue in relation to the size of your guest list. Not only will this determine what kind of atmosphere the wedding will have, it also has a huge impact on the quality and look of your photos. While a venue may seem full of photo opportunities prior to the wedding day, this outlook can change completely once crowds of guests appear. Knowing this, it’s vitally important to try and picture how the venue will look when all your guests are there and figure out which spots are the very best for uninterrupted photographs that will capture each moment perfectly.
4. Decoration
Different venues have different policies when it comes to decorating the venue, which can have a major impact on the photogenic nature of your wedding space. Whether it's ceilings, walls, or tables, the way in which the venue is decorated has the potential to transform your wedding and your photos. While some venues provide their own decoration, others give you free-rein to decorate as you please, letting you add a personal touch to your surroundings. Be wary however that certain venues, such as listed buildings, outdoor spaces, and large spaces have more restrictions when it comes to decorating. Depending on your preferences, choose a venue that will follow your vision and provide you the opportunity to dress your venue as much or as little as you wish.
5. Venue restrictions
Before starting your search for the ideal vantage point, or spot with perfect lighting, it's incredibly important to converse with your venue first. Establish if there are any restricted areas or no go zones, or even specific areas that may or may not allow flash photography. By doing this you’ll have a clear idea of where you’ll be able to go and take photos, which will make planning a whole lot clearer in advance of the big day.
6. Check them out online
Take a good long look at the photographs offered on the venue’s website, but also be sure and take advantage of venue marketplace sites such as Tagvenue.com or others, which have dedicated pages for weddings in cities such as Sydney and Melbourne. Postings will offer photographs of venues, often already decorated for weddings that could give you a very good idea of how your venue of choice could potentially appear and may even give you some great ideas for your own event.
7. Consider the fine details
It’s easy to think you’ll have all your bases covered regarding your decoration and set-up, but if you’ve failed to take a look at the fine details these can be glaringly obvious to the camera. Table set-ups should be consistent and classy, any left over rubbish or bric-a-brac from setting up should be cleared, and flowers should be nicely arranged to ensure you get the best shots that impress in every aspect.
Author bio: Christian Schramm is a content writer at Tagvenue.com, an online platform that helps users book their dream venues in the UK, Australia, Singapore, and Ireland.
