104 venues, all real weddings

Find your wedding venue

Every venue here is one we have photographed and filmed, across Maryland, Virginia and just over the line in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Search by town, filter by guest count, setting and rain plan, and heart the ones you like. Send us your list and we will tell you how each one photographs.

Browse by area

Wedding venues by area

The venue finder

Search every venue

104 venues

Sort

The photographer's guide

How to pick a wedding venue that photographs well

The pretty venues are easy to find. What we look at is different: what the place looks like at four in the afternoon in October, where everyone goes when it rains, and whether there is somewhere beautiful a short walk from the party.

Here is what we check, in the order it matters on the day. Every venue we mention below is one we have shot, so you can open it and see the point in real weddings.

Light comes first

Outdoor ceremonies look best when the sun is low or behind trees, not straight overhead. Ask the venue what time ceremonies usually start, then look up sunset for your date. When we build your timeline, we put the portraits in the best light of the day.

Inside, windows beat chandeliers. A getting ready room with big windows does more for your photos than any amount of decor.

See it at: Ceresville Mansion, The View at Bluemont, Big Cork Vineyards

Look behind the ceremony spot

Whatever is behind the two of you is in every photo of your vows. Trees, water, hills or a clean wall all work. A parking lot, a road or a row of tables does not.

On a tour, stand where you would stand and look past where your guests will sit. That is the view in your ceremony photos.

See it at: Kurtz's Beach, Historic London Town & Gardens, Raspberry Plain

Ask for the real rain plan

Every outdoor venue says it has one. Ask where the ceremony actually goes, how long the switch takes, and when they make the call. A chapel, a barn or a covered pavilion is a real plan. A tent you rent at the last minute is a different conversation.

Use the rain plan filter in the finder above to see the venues that list an indoor or covered backup.

See it at: Bluebird Manor, Historic Rosemont Springs, Silver Swan Bayside

Getting ready rooms

This is where your family and friends are with you before anything starts, and some of our favorite photos of the whole day happen here. Look for windows, room for everyone who wants to be there, and a door to somewhere pretty for a first look.

If the venue has no suite, a nearby hotel or house works too. Tell us where and we plan the morning around it.

See it at: Ceresville Mansion, Springfield Manor, Poplar Springs Manor

Portrait spots close by

The best portrait spot is one you can walk to. When it is close, you get all the portraits you want and still get back to your party.

Ask the venue which parts of the property you can use for photos. Gardens, a tree line, a field or a dock all count.

See it at: Glen Ellen Farm, Airlie, Tranquility Farm & Winery

The reception room after dark

Most venue tours happen at noon. Your reception happens at night. Ask what the room looks like after dark, and look at real weddings there instead of the venue's marketing photos.

String lights, candles and a dance floor in the middle of the room all help. So does a venue that lets the party spill outside.

See it at: The Winslow, Catoctin Hall at Musket Ridge, Walker's Overlook

Guest count, honestly

A venue's biggest number is usually standing room or no dance floor. Ask for the seated number with a dance floor, and pick a room your guest list fills. A full room looks like a party in photos. A half empty one does not.

The guest count filter in the finder uses the largest number each venue lists, so treat it as a starting point and confirm on your tour.

See it at: 48 Fields Farm, The Mansion at Strathmore, Bowling Brook Mansion

Somewhere to stay helps

When there are rooms on site, getting ready, the first look and the late night photos all happen in one place, and nobody is driving home at midnight.

Use the stays on site filter to see the venues that list rooms, cottages or an inn.

See it at: Airlie, Springfield Manor, Chesapeake Bay Beach Club

Questions couples ask us

Wedding venue questions

How do I find wedding venues near me?

Pick your area above, or type your town into the search. Every venue on this page is one we have photographed and filmed, so each venue page shows real weddings there, not the venue's marketing photos. Heart the ones you like, send us the list, and we will tell you how each one photographs.

What makes a wedding venue photograph well?

Good light, a ceremony spot with something pretty behind it, a real rain plan, getting ready rooms with windows, and portrait spots you can walk to. The guide on this page goes through each one.

What should we ask on a venue tour?

Where the ceremony goes if it rains and when they make the call. What time ceremonies usually start. Where you get ready. Which parts of the property you can use for photos. And what the reception room looks like after dark.

Should we book the venue or the photographer first?

Most couples book the venue first, since it sets the date. Once you have a date, send it to us and we will tell you if we are open.

Do you shoot weddings at venues that are not on this list?

Yes. These are the venues where we already have real weddings to show you. We shoot all over Maryland, Virginia and DC, so send us your venue and date either way.

Can we see a full wedding at a venue before we decide?

Yes. Most venue pages have full galleries from real couples, from getting ready to the send off, and films you can watch with the sound on.

What does the heart on each venue do?

It saves the venue on this device so you can compare your favorites. When you are ready, tap the button to ask us how they photograph, and your list comes along with your message.