8 questions to ask potential wedding venues (the ones beyond the basics!)

As soon as you’re engaged and ready to start narrowing down your wedding venue, you might quickly find it overwhelming - there are SO many unique and different wedding venues in the Baltimore, Maryland area!

No matter which aesthetic or vibe you’re after, your venue will have specific policies in place to ensure your best day ever is fun, efficient, safe and beautiful for not only you, but for your guests and the vendor team as well.

Knowing the answer to these as far in advance as possible, will allow you to:

1. Save money by knowing the elements of your day you’ll need to possibly budget for differently.

2. Share this information with your vendors in advance, so the entire team is on the same page.

3. Be more creative with your decor and layout since you know the parameters you’re working with!

HERE ARE 8 QUESTIONS TO ASK POTENTIAL WEDDING VENUES:

• How long do we have access to the property? When can we / vendors arrive on site?

• Are we required to hire a wedding planner? NOTE: A venue manager and wedding planner are not the same thing! But that’s a topic for a future blog post… ;)

• Are tables and chairs included in our rental?

• Are pets allowed? For a few epic photos with your #urbanrowpup of course. ;)

• Any restrictions or limitations on decor / exits? Candles? Sparklers?

• If we want to get ready at the venue, what types of spaces do you offer?

• Are there any noise restrictions? Is there a time that the music needs to stop?

• What is the rain plan and how far in advance do we need to make the call to move inside / under cover?

Let me know if you have specific questions about any of these venues or if you’ve found one that you absolutely love and want to work together at… if there’s one thing that gets my creative juices flowing, it’s finding new places to photograph genuine love stories! ;) Oh and if you find a venue I haven’t been to before, visiting and touring it in advance of your wedding day (either with you or on my own), is one of my favorite things to do!

Until then, happy venue hunting!!

xo,
Naomi

guienen + ed | a romantic summer mini wedding on the bay

Guienen and Ed were married at Herrington on the Bay during one of the hottest days of the year, but you’d never know it! They were such an incredibly patient couple with all of my ideas for portraits at this beautiful garden venue on the Chesapeake Bay… July weddings aren’t for the faint at heart when it comes to the humidity and heat!

I loved this spot for their first look - Ed was such a calm and cool groom waiting for his beautiful bride!!

Sadie, was the best flower pup in all the land! She set the bar high for all future #urbanrowpup wedding party members; we couldn’t have done it without the help of the Furever & Fur Always dog care team!!

Guienen’s bridesmaids wore stunning summer sage green Jenny Yoo Inesse dresses in a watercolor floral print paired with bouquets of a single flower variety: ranunculus, lisianthus and roses to complete the modern, elegant and romantic bayside look.

The beaded detail on Guienen’s Enaura gown was absolutely stunning while shimmering and sparkling in the sun; the pattern added a soft, subtle, whimsical touch to her bridal look!

I loved Guienen’s color palette and vision for the intimate dinner tablescape; farmhouse tables paired with white chiavari chairs, white vases, white flowers and white hand-lettered (all by the bride!) hosta leaf escort cards, brought the modern bayside look together in an understated and elegant way! The focaccia provided just the right pop of mustard yellow to coordinate and compliment the vases.

Cheers, newlyweds!! Can’t wait to celebrate together even bigger next July!

xo,
Naomi

gown: Enaura Bridal Style #Beau from Garnish Boutique
bridesmaid dresses: Jenny Yoo Inesse dress in Morning Mist Multi from BHLDN
flowers: Love & Luster Floral
groom and groomsmen attire: Tuxedo House
hair and makeup: Up Dos for I Dos
wedding day dog care: Furever & Fur Always
Sadie’s flower collar + ceremony scrapbook: bride’s mom, Colleen Barrett
venue + caterer: Herrington on the Bay
personalized family name sign: mrc wood products