Have You Shot at My Venue | Pittsburgh Wedding Photographer

PITTSBURGH WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER

PITTSBURGH WEDDING VENUES

In the midst of proposal season, I am going to be asked a number of popular vendor questions.  I mean, you are likely going to be meeting with a whole mess of us, so I’d like to help you out.  Keep in mind, I’m not here to give you all the answers, but simply some advice.

You are going to read a ton of articles on The Knot, Wedding Wire, and the like.  They are going to tell you all sorts of things from how to pick your dream wedding dress to where you should Honeymoon.  You will find an article in there somewhere giving you advice on photography, likely by someone who isn’t a photographer.  If you’ve landed on my blog then you are in luck.  I’m a Pittsburgh wedding photographer and I’m going to answer one of the top questions asked about Pittsburgh wedding venues.

Now The Knot and Wedding Wire will tell you to ask your photographer if he or she has shot at your wedding venue.  They will also tell you that you need to hire a photographer who has shot at your venue.  Let me tell you something here, that’s some really dumb advice.  Just being honest here!  First off, if you find a photographer who is a perfect fit for you and that you absolutely love, but he or she hasn’t shot at your venue before …. why would that be a deal breaker?  I mean, your photos will be incredible because of your connection, NOT because they’ve never been there before.  Also, in the Pittsburgh area, there are like, I don’t know …. HUNDREDS of different venues.  I am speaking for myself here, and so when I cover anywhere from 25-30 weddings per year, there is NO way I’ll get to every venue in the area.

While I have so many venues where I love working every year, there is always a different level of excitement when going to a new venue.  It lets me be a little more creative.  Sure, being at a venue again – or for the tenth time even – can make things go smoother because I might know where the best pockets of light are, or where the pretty blooms are for the summer time, but it’s certainly not going to ruin your wedding gallery if I’ve never been there before.  Trust me when I say this – IT DOES NOT MATTER!!!

If you are still on the fence about it, here are some tips and advice to navigate the uncertainty.  Google can be our best friend when it comes to wedding venues.  I mean, come on, I’m sure you Googled your own venue as well!!  I personally will visit websites, social media pages, and Google images to get an idea of the space and what we are working with.  I have also met with some of my brides to visit the space prior to the wedding.  We have either walked around (or drove if we were visiting a golf course – golf carts are oftentimes way too fun!!) by ourselves or with the coordinator of the venue to look at areas that would work for portraits.  If our schedules match and the venue isn’t too far of a drive for a quick visit, this is something that can most definitely be discussed and planned.  The most important thing here is trust and communication.  Let’s just simply talk it out.

So just trust me when I say this, having a photographer who has covered a wedding or weddings at your venue should never be your final deciding factor.  Let me tell you this – if you pass up a photographer that you love, but hasn’t been to your venue, well, you could be making a huge mistake.  It is absolutely not going to give you a wedding gallery that you will hate.  It’s a good question to ask, obviously, because it can be a great conversation to have, but your main focus on your wedding day photographer should be connection – not working locations.

 Are you recently engaged and planning your Pittsburgh wedding?!  If you feel we’d be a good fit, I’d LOVE to talk to you!  Please feel free to contact me below or email me directly at AmandaBriscoPhotography@gmail.com.  Let’s set up a time to grab some coffee and talk about the visions of your wedding day!