10/02/2026
A little bit about new-to-me wedding venues and my process for navigating them. In a wedding season I am at a new venue 40-60% of the time. As a creative it’s actually really exciting to be at a new venue exploring new angles and backgrounds! ☺️
Here’s a bit about how I review venues as a wedding photographer:
- First look location ✨ this spot needs to be intimate, away from all of the ceremony and sometimes reception set up, and in good light. It often takes place in mid day when the sun is the harshest. A good first look spot is a must have to make sure no one is squinting and we feel secluded from the rest of the activity 🤍
- wedding party/family photo spot! 📸 It’s helpful to know how large the group might be, especially for extended family groups or large wedding parties. Larger groups can make some “go to” spots cramped or unworkable, so I like to have one extra spot set aside as a backup!
- sunset photos ☀️ even if a venue has a “go to” spot that’s well known and recommend, I prepare a couple other spots in case. For example, the ground in the vineyards may be muddy that day, or it may be too far for a couple who wants to enjoy their cocktail hour and reception as much as possible. There are plenty of ways to finesse photo spots, so I always prioritize the way my couple wants to experience the wedding day.
- any must have spots for my couples. For this wedding, it was important to my couple to have some photos at the front entrance (slide 6), which is in direct, harsh sunlight for most of the day. We decided to do sunset photos there for softer light and it was the best choice!
These images are film shots from my site visit to Jacuzzi Family Vineyards , one of my favorite venues from this year! Opted to do a site visit on one of my free days, and treated myself to a lovely day trip to Sonoma 🥰 my favorite corners of this w**ery are the courtyard doors (slide 2) and the bridal suite (slide 3) 🤍 lmk which spot is your favorite!
🔖 Film images from my at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards, Sonoma wedding photographer
