Ok, I have a lot of favorite venues, not just three. I’m not hard to please – I assume that when a couple selects a venue, they love it. And if they love it and they feel it’s perfect for them, I’m happy to be there too.
But as I enter my ninth (!) season as a wedding photographer, I’ve come to realize that I do have three top favorite Pittsburgh wedding venues. Why? Lots of reasons. But there are three common reasons that apply to all three.
My top three favorite Pittsburgh wedding venues:
- Heinz History Center (photos of Heinz History Center weddings here)
- Kimpton Hotel Monaco (photos of Hotel Monaco weddings here)
- Carnegie Museum (photos of Carnegie Museum weddings here)
The three biggest reasons I love these venues….
1. Plenty of Options for Indoor Photos
I love Pittsburgh, I really do, but let’s be honest…our weather isn’t the best. We have lots of gray days and rainy days. Plus blistering hot, humid days. And days where there’s snow, sleet, rain and sun, sometimes all in the span of an hour or two. When you’re making your wedding plans, it’s essential to have an indoor or at least covered option for photos.
Each of these venues has ample indoor space for photos. And not just space… GREAT space! It’s such a relief to be looking ahead to a wedding where the weather really won’t make a difference, because I know we have plenty of climate-controlled places to choose from.
2. They’re unique and full of character… already
With an inspired vision, hard work, lighting, and decor, any space can be transformed into your ideal wedding environment. While for some people that’s an enjoyable challenge, for most (me included!) it can be intimidating and overwhelming. The Heinz History Center, Hotel Monaco and Carnegie Museum are all completely unique and picturesque…. already. You don’t have to do anything to them. They’re memorable, fun, interesting, and settings that your guests will love and talk about.
3. Fantastic, Team-Oriented Staff
The truth is that there are some venues where we vendors are not treated very well. In some cases, it’s just indifference, but sometimes we can be made to feel like we’re an inconvenience or even unwelcome.
Which is why it’s so wonderful when the venue staff approaches the wedding with a team approach. We are all working with a common goal – providing the couple and their friends and family with a terrific experience. We have the greatest chance of the biggest success when we work together! I love going to a wedding knowing that if I have a special request (maybe I need to drop some lighting equipment off earlier in the day to save time later on, or the couple wants to sneak out during dinner for a few photos) the staff is going to cooperate to help get the couple what they want.
Of course there are many, many more wonderful venues beyond these three here in Pittsburgh. We’re lucky to live somewhere with everything from barns, backyards and ballrooms to choose from! I truly love that diversity and can’t think of anywhere I’ve been that I wouldn’t love to go back to again, whether as a photographer or with my video team, Syncopated Pictures.
