Hi there! Are you newly engaged? Have you been to your friends’ weddings and seen some interesting and pretty venues in the Philadelphia area but never felt like one was a perfect fit for you? Are you looking for some advice on how to choose the perfect Philadelphia area wedding venue for your celebration? Well you have come to the right place today! ( Check out my site for more info on my wedding photography services including pricing and check out my photos of several amazing area venues ) Really - you will be looking back on your wedding photos for years to come and here is some advice to help you manifest great photos and memories with one of the biggest decisions for your wedding - the location and venue!
My name is Liz from Star Field Wedding Photography LLC . I have been photographing weddings in the Philadelphia area for 18 years and have photographed more than 350 weddings and I am ready to share some secrets on some of the best places to have your wedding and how to select the perfect spot for your Philadelphia area wedding. At the end of this post I will tell you my top 3 reception locations that I would recommend to newly engaged couples looking for a great venue.
Here is my run down of important considerations and questions to ask when selecting your venue.
The Vibes are great at Cecil Creek Farm in Mickleton New Jersey. This is a venue I would highly recommend.
Vibe. I’ve seen it time and time again. The best parties come down to a great vibe in that room. The vibe should be right for everyone at your party all the way through to the employees. Its important to select a venue with nice people working !
Say you have narrowed your wedding venue location down to two awesome spots. At this point I would recommend going with the best vibes. Ask yourself - which venue had employees that were smiling and genuine? This is a good indication if a venue pays their employees well and also an indication that they are fully staffed. Being understaffed can cause stressors to the staff that filter through to you throughout the day.
Ask yourself- which venue tour did you have the most fun at? Venue culture is cultivated from the top management / owners down. You might not talk to the venue manager or owner when you go in to tour a location so you need to make a judgement from the event manager that you meet. This person is appointed by the owners and managers and is a direct reflection of the mangagement. If you meet an event planner that you naturally have fun with 1. Make sure that this is the person who will be supervising your wedding day. 2. Put a check mark in favor of this venue. 3. Vibing well (even the staff at your venue) is part of what makes a wedding party fun. I’ve seen this over and over again and it is a big deal. At the end of this post I can give you my suggestions for the best venues where I am sure that the event staff have a positive energy. I have worked there before.
Incorporate a Philadelphia vibe into your wedding photos! Whether there are cheesesteaks with wiz, Eagles ice fountains, Mummers visits to the reception or Philly pretzels hors d vours make sure to get some Philly feeling into your wedding and take a picture with this element.
Choose a venue that will photograph beautifully with multiple very cool backgrounds in both rain or shine. This is a simple thing but very very important. It will save you some stress if you happen to have inclement weather on your wedding day knowing that you have an awesome backup indoor plan for your photos.
One venue I can recommend for this is located in Mickleton New Jersey. Cecil Creek Farms has everything going for it for gorgeous wedding photos outdoors and inside. They have beautiful fields and a black barn for the outdoor photos and as backup you have a greenhouse for photos and interesting backgrounds in the ballroom to shoot in front of. I have seen nothing but epic parties at this spot in New Jersey in both rain and shine. Click here to see a wedding we photographed at Cecil Creek farms in perfect fall weather. Click here to see a gorgeous wedding we photographed here on a rainy day there. I am a preferred vendor at this venue by the way!
Choose a venue that will easily accomodate the mobility of your most special guests. Do you have elderly guests or several guests that you want to make sure that they can get around easily? Are there a ton of steps all over the place at the venue? Take a good look at this. It can affect the day. One venue that is well situated for ease of mobility is The Hilltop House in Devon PA. Hint Hint ( I am a preferred vendor at this venue Its very pretty! )
Hunting Hill Mansion has great spots for photos both indoors and outdoors. In case of bad weather it is good to make sure your photographer has experience and the equipment to photograph in harder lighitng situations.
Well those are my tips! Hunting Hill Mansion is a great spot for photos both indoors and outdoors.
Venue Vibes are great at Appleford Estate in Villanova PA.
Here are my top 3 Philadelphia area wedding venues. You will get amazing photos at these spot whether it is rain or shine. I have worked at each location and there are great vibes and great parties held at these locations. Terrain and Cecil Creek Farm are probably the best for ease of mobility. Thanks for reading and please feel free to reach out to me about your wedding photography! I am currently booking for 2023 , 2024 and 2025.
Appleford Estate - Villanova
Cecil Creek Farm - Mickleton New Jersey
Terrain - Chaddsford PA
Deanna and Garret’s engagement Photos at the Median at City Hall in Philadelphia. Did you know that you will receive a free engagement session if your book your wedding with me?