5 ways to utilize the entire venue and then some.

Let’s be real, all photographers have venues on our “dream” list. The Water Oasis was definitely one on my list and I got so excited when Bri and Ben inquired and shared that that was where they were planning on getting married. I’m not sure about other photographers, but I will not book anyone unless they have a new set because that is the first thing that you need to set a date. Something has to house this beautiful event.

It’s very important to know exactly why your clients picked that specific venue. We all see things differently, and value different aspects of each space. So I’m going to share today five different ways to utilize all aspects of a venue, while still keeping your clients preferences at the forefront.

1. Don’t be afraid to go off site for natural light and ample space —

   The girls knew that they needed a larger space to get ready than what was provided at the venue, so they ended up booking a beautiful Airbnb just a few minutes away. This allowed the girls to sleep there the night before after the rehearsal dinner, and have ample amounts of space, and natural light coming in during the getting ready portion of the day. Not gonna lie I think we all wanted to live in that Airbnb. 

2. Keep in mind what will fit in a single frame —

   Don’t be afraid to use a little nooks and crannies for simple shots. If there’s not a lot of natural light coming into the space we are shooting, don’t be afraid to move the scene. I had my second shooter pull the groom out into a walkway that leads to the parking lot to get his getting ready shots. It looked like a tropical bamboo rainforest, and you would never know, before reading this blog post, that that was just a walkway.

3. Be aware of details specific to the couple and choose locations accordingly —

   Brianna’s dad is from Hawaii and so I wanted to make sure to pull in elements that felt like “home” for her first look with him. This moment was incredibly special because leading up to the wedding they all persevered through the news of a health condition that surprised them all. Needless to say, tissues were needed for this beautiful moment between the two of them.

4. Check where your sunset will be —

   Bri shared with me that the reason why they picked a venue as for the views in the field. Because I got there early, I knew exactly where the sun is going to be setting and I wanted to save that special spot for the sunset portion of the day to give her photos that would just blow her away! If you’re not already showing up at least 30 minutes early to the event, I would advise that you start doing so and use the app Lumos to see where your sun is going to be in all points in the day. This will give you a good idea on how to plan out where to set up all of your portraits. 

5. Give them variety —

   I always look at a venue, and figure out how I can utilize all the different parts of it. I personally don’t like doing all bridal, bridal party, and family photos all in the same spot. The Water Oasis has so many options to shoot at, like this gorgeous beach spot. To take advantage of all the options I made sure that the ladies had a more feminine look to their portraits, the guys had enough room to move, the family portraits were a little bit more formal with the arbor, and then we utilized the epic views with the sun drenching over the couple for their bridal portraits. This also is a great approach when you’re trying to organize to groups at one time. When I am shooting the bridal party portraits, I will send my second shooter over to organize the family in their location so that way I can just move two people over to the next location. It’s much easier than trying to move 30+ people who are all trying to mingle with each other. this also helps you keep everything on the timeline, and your coordinator will thank you for it later!

Remember photographers, it’s your job to have a game plan of where portraits are going to be taking place. Always ask for input from your couple because it is their wedding day, and they picked the venue for a reason. Be sure to get to your venue early so you can scout it out to come up with a game plan so that way you can answer any questions as they come up. Remember to have a plan B just in case something does not go as planned. And just communicate, communicate, communicate what’s happening and it’s gonna make your life so much easier! Oh, and if the venue owner or coordinator wants to show you around, go with them because they may show you spaces you didn’t know about!

VENDORS:

Venue: The Water Oasis

Florals: Table Tops Etc.

Dress: Charlottes Weddings

HMUA: Dosha Salon & Spa 

DJ / Sound: DJ Cutt Entertainment

Catering: Daltons Northwest Catering 

Calligraphy: Minted Weddings

Photo Booth: DJ Cutt Entertainment

Rentals: Wine Country Wedding Rentals