These days, there are many wedding websites that offer bride-to-be advice on what to ask potential wedding photographers during their initial meeting. Some photographers hate getting these questions, but I actually don’t mind them as I would rather my clients feel completely comfortable and educated about my processes! After all, you only get one chance to do this and your Washington, DC wedding photographer should be a perfect fit!

Recently, the question of, “have you worked at my venue before?” has been on my mind because it seems to be a negative in potential client’s eyes if the answer is no. With many photographers accepting 20-30 weddings per year to best serve their clients, there is no way they could shoot at all of the thousands of amazing venues across the DC/MD/VA area. But does that mean they are incapable of shooting at your venue?  I believe the answer is no and here are a few reasons why.

A venue is a venue.
From a photographer’s point of view, a venue is a venue. It doesn’t matter to me if it has a low, wooden ceilings or high, vaulted arches. Whether the altar is back-lit or the reception is exclusively covered in candlelight.  A professional photographer understands how to manage light and will come prepares to handle that in any given situation. 

Light doesn’t strike twice.
Personally, I don’t often visit a venue before the client’s wedding day because light is what determines where we can take portraits. And knowing that the light will never be exactly the same, I instead prefer to arrive early on the day of to location scout. That being said, if I have a client who is nervous for one reason or another, I am happy to walk the property with them in advance, giving advice on potential locations or how I would handle a particular situation. 

This is your story.  
There are many venues I have shot at several times — being a DAR Constitution Hall wedding photographer is one of my all time favorites and I get so excited every time I get an inquiry there! But if you look at the weddings I photographed at DAR, they look almost nothing alike. One was shot in July and the other November. One had a colorful palette and the other much more muted. For me, it was all about telling the story of each individual copy and highlighting what made them unique. The venue is just a background, the couples is what makes the heart of my images. In the end, I believe it’s much more crucial that your photographer knows you as a couple; not the location you are being married at. 

Again, I certainly don’t want to discourage anyone from asking questions as I think they are vital to getting to know your photographer! Just don’t let a “no” in this situation dissuade you from working with someone whom you otherwise think is a great fit! The images in the post were all photographed the first time I ever set foot at a particular venue/location!