Choosing the right Connecticut venue
Choosing your wedding venue is probably one of the first big decisions you’ll make after getting engaged. And living in Connecticut, we are lucky because there are SO many beautiful options. Estates, farms, waterfront venues, historic buildings, traditional ballrooms, and even event spaces that can be completely transformed for a wedding.
But as a Connecticut wedding photographer, I want to encourage you to look beyond how beautiful a venue is on a perfect sunny day.
Because your wedding day might not be a perfect sunny day.
I’ve photographed enough weddings to know that rain, wind, extreme heat, cold weather, or even a last-minute change in plans can completely change how a venue needs to function. A beautiful venue can absolutely still work, but the question I think more couples should ask is:
Will I still love this venue if we have to use Plan B?
Don’t Just Ask If There Is a Rain Plan. Ask to See It.
Almost every venue will tell you they have a backup plan for inclement weather.
My advice? Ask them to actually show it to you.
Where would your ceremony take place if it rains? How many guests comfortably fit there? What will that setup look like? Is it a space you genuinely like, or simply somewhere the ceremony can happen?
Your ceremony backup shouldn’t feel like something you would be disappointed to use.
And think beyond the ceremony. If cocktail hour was supposed to happen outside, where does it move? If we planned to use the ceremony area for family and wedding-party portraits afterward, will that still be possible?
These are the kinds of things that can have a huge impact on your wedding-day timeline and your photographs.
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Where Are You Actually Getting Ready?
A bridal suite is something I don’t think couples always consider when touring venues.
Some venues have beautiful, spacious getting-ready areas with plenty of natural light. Others are primarily event spaces and may not have a dedicated bridal suite at all.
That doesn’t automatically make it the wrong venue.
It just means you need a plan.
Maybe you originally planned to get dressed at a hotel or Airbnb and travel to the venue afterward. But what happens if it’s pouring outside? Would getting dressed at the venue make more sense?
Ask whether there is a private space available and actually look at it. Is there enough room for you and the people helping you get ready? Is there natural light? Is the room cluttered? Are there mirrors? Is there somewhere to hang your dress?
And from a photography perspective, think about what that space will look like in your photographs.
If it isn’t quite what you envisioned, that’s okay too. Ask yourself what would be needed to make the space work.
Event Spaces Can Make AMAZING Wedding Venues, But Build the Right Team
There are some incredible event spaces in Connecticut that weren’t necessarily designed specifically as wedding venues. With the right vision, they can be transformed beautifully.
But there’s a difference between booking a full-service wedding venue and booking a space where you’re responsible for bringing more of the wedding together yourself.
If you’re considering an event space, ask exactly what is included.
Who sets everything up? Who manages your vendors? Who handles transitions throughout the day? Who makes sure the ceremony starts on time? Who handles a problem while you’re getting dressed?
This is where having the right wedding professionals around you becomes incredibly important.
Wedding Planner vs. Venue Coordinator: Know the Difference
This is a BIG one.
A venue coordinator and a wedding planner can both be incredibly valuable, but they do not necessarily have the same responsibilities.
A venue coordinator typically represents the venue. Their focus is making sure the responsibilities of the venue are handled properly.
A wedding planner works for you.
Your planner is looking at the entire wedding day, communicating with your vendors, helping manage the timeline, troubleshooting problems, keeping things moving, and taking decisions off your plate.
And if your venue doesn’t provide much coordination, having an experienced wedding planner becomes even more valuable.
I also strongly recommend that your planner or coordinator be someone who is actually working your wedding rather than someone who is simultaneously expected to be a guest.
When something unexpected happens, you want someone whose job in that moment is to handle it so that you don’t have to.
Think About Your Photos Before You Book
Obviously, this is the photographer in me speaking. 😂
When you’re touring a venue, think about where your photographs will actually happen.
Where can we take family portraits after the ceremony? Is there enough space for a large wedding party? If cocktail hour is happening nearby, will guests constantly be walking through the portrait area?
And most importantly:
Where will we take photographs if it rains?
Ask to see the indoor areas available for portraits. Look for covered outdoor spaces, large windows, interesting architecture, clean walls, staircases, porches, and other areas that could work even when going outside isn’t an option.
If you absolutely LOVE the outdoor photographs you’ve seen from a venue, ask yourself whether you’d also be happy with what your gallery could look like if we couldn’t use those locations.
The Best Venue Isn’t Just the One You Love on a Sunny Day
Your wedding venue doesn’t need to check every single box.
Some of the most beautiful weddings I’ve photographed have happened in spaces that required a little creativity. That’s completely okay.
What matters is knowing what you’re booking and building the right team around it.
So when you’re touring Connecticut wedding venues, absolutely pay attention to the beautiful ceremony space, the view, the reception room, and all the things that initially made you fall in love with it.
But also ask the less exciting questions.
What’s Plan B?
Where do we get ready?
Where do we take photos if it rains?
Where does cocktail hour move?
Who is actually coordinating the wedding day?
What will we need to bring in ourselves?
Because Connecticut weather is going to Connecticut. 😂
And if Plan B still feels beautiful, comfortable, and like your wedding, you’ve probably found a venue that’s worth seriously considering.
As a Connecticut wedding photographer, my job isn’t just to photograph how your wedding looks. It’s also to anticipate the things that can affect your photography experience and help you build a timeline that gives us the best opportunities for beautiful photographs, no matter what the weather decides to do.
