5 Key Things To Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Venue

5 Key Things To Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Venue

5 Key Things To Consider When Choosing Your Wedding Venue

Being nervous about choosing your wedding venue is something that every person getting married goes through. Don’t worry, you aren’t alone if you’re agonizing over the perfect spot to have your big day. Planning a wedding is difficult enough as it is, so we want you to know these five key things to consider when choosing your wedding venue so you can keep everything straight in your head.

Venue Size

Whether you plan on having a massive affair with everyone you know or you want a smaller, more intimate wedding, the venue’s size will be a huge deciding factor in where you’ll hold the event. It’s a good idea to decide as soon as possible how big you want your wedding to be so you can immediately narrow down your list of venues. Knowing what size venue you’ll need eliminates any option that might not be big enough or is too big to be worth it for a smaller wedding.

Guest Accommodations

Not every wedding venue will be a place that can accommodate guests from out of town. If you have a lot of people coming from all over the world, they’ll need places close by to stay at while they’re in town. If your venue can accommodate guests because it’s a hotel or something similar, fantastic! You just need to make sure you approve of the accommodations. If the venue can’t accommodate guests, you’ll need to make sure that there are satisfactory places to stay nearby that make it easy to get to your wedding when the day arrives.

Coordinated Wedding Theme Aesthetics

Obviously, your decorations will do most of the aesthetic work, but if they clash with the venue itself, you might end up with a look you don’t really enjoy. If you don’t want a traditional black-tie affair, all the more power to you! However, you may want to stay away from venues that look a little too stuffy or old-fashioned.

Pricing and Budget

Although it isn’t the most fun part of planning, the venue’s price point is one of the most important things to consider when choosing a wedding venue. The important thing to remember here is that a more expensive wedding doesn’t automatically equate to a “better” wedding. Be realistic with your budget when choosing a place for the ceremony and reception. If you’re on a tighter budget, a more affordable venue will allow you to focus more of that budget on other fun things, such as the food or the entertainment.

Photograph Opportunities

Your wedding is a big day, and you’ll want to remember it for the rest of your life! Take this opportunity to choose a venue that will give you incredible pictures that allow you to remember the day. Your New York wedding photographer can help you find the best backdrops and angles to create incredible pictures that recreate the magic you’ll feel on that special day!

Beautiful Brooklyn Wedding-Greenpoint Loft-New York

Beautiful Brooklyn Wedding-Greenpoint Loft-New York

Wedding Prep at the Box House Hotel, Brooklyn

An old friend from my restaurant days referred Chelsea to me, and I am so glad he did!! The first zoom call I had with Chelsea and Kerel, I knew we were gonna have a blast. She had so many great ideas, she knew what she wanted and she was super organized. Ahhh the perfect Bride!

I showed up with my 2nd shooter Chris at the Box House Hotel and we grabbed a bite to eat (one dude running all the tables and killing it, and delish breakfast!) while we discussed the plan for the day. The Box House is amazing. I can only hope to shoot a full wedding here one day. So many little awesome spots for photos, including an old-school NYC Yellow Cab out front.

I went up to Chelsea’s Bridal Suite. It was obviously beautiful and overflowing with light. Chelsea was there with her MOH and I got started doing what I love! Chris went down to join Kerel and his boys. Besides the very colorful conversation, I loved watching Chelsea read Kerels note and opening her gift. Apparently she has a thing for Gnomes and he found her a Bride & Groom set. It was fucking adorable!

Ceremony & Reception at Greenpoint Loft-Brooklyn Wedding-NYC

We headed to Greenpoint Loft, another first for me. (2nd coming later this year) What an amazing venue. Big open space, lots of windows. Very rustic/industrial, with lots of old barn-like wood and brick and sliding metal doors. There is a 2nd level that looks down on the first floor and a large outside with great views of Manhattan. The staff here was flawless! We did a first look with Chelsea’s bros and Dad, banged out the family formals and were able to get a few shots of the B+G, although I wish I’d had more time with the two of them, sooo many good spots to shoot in this space and outside (this is the min reason I always suggest a 1st look for B+G Pre-Ceremony)

The ceremony was genuine and funny and just very heartfelt. I watched Chelsea’s Mom go from laughter to tears in a matter of what seemed like seconds. The vows were so wonderful and they topped it off a Broom Jump, always fun to photograph!

…and then there was an epic party!!!

I really do love all my weddings, big or small, but this one was a standout. It was my 1st wedding of the year at two great venues with a couple I genuinely enjoyed. It seems like maybe we are coming out of Covid-times and you could feel a bit of that nervous excitement. But I think what I really enjoyed seeing was a zero-tension union of an interracial couple. These two families were largely meeting for the 1st time and it was seamless. Let’s be honest it could have been bad. It isn’t great all the time right now out in the world, but inside the walls of the Greenpoint Loft in Brooklyn, New York on 3.13.22, it was a beautiful fucking night!!

Thanks Chelsea & Kerel!

Check out the rest of my faves from the night and be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom for a list of vendors!

To see more photos of my awesome couples and their epic weddings click here!

Or just hit me up and lets talk about YOUR Wedding!

Planner: Nico Ramirez

Flowers: Brooklyn Blooms @brooklynbloomsnyc

Hair: Megan Hazard @makeup_by_mae_

Dress: Kleinfeld @kleinfeldbridal & Rivini-@ritavinieris

Jewelry: Oscar de la Renta @oscardelarenta 

Shoes: Stuart Weitzman @stuartweitzman

DJ:Jon Klaft @jonklaft

Caterer: Bassett Caterers @bassettcaterers

Tux:My Suit @my.suit

Photographer-@joecurryphotography

Venues: The Box House Hotel @theboxhousehotel & Greenpoint Loft @greenpoint_loft

Simple Guide To Planning a Winter Wonderland Wedding in NYC

Simple Guide To Planning a Winter Wonderland Wedding in NYC

Simple Guide To Planning a Winter Wonderland Wedding in NYC

Winter weddings are always magical. There’s just something about the snow and all the festivities that go along with it. Maybe it’s the cute and beautiful winter outfits, or perhaps it’s partly due to all the twinkling lights adorning every corner. If you’re looking for a simple guide to planning a winter wonderland wedding in NYC, then you’ve come to the right place. Here we’ll go through four simple steps to help you plan the winter wonderland wedding of your dreams.

Step 1: Dress the Part

If there’s one thing that anyone can tell you about winter weddings, it’s that they need to be filled with snow and ice. That means that if you want your wedding photos to look perfect, you’ll need to make sure that you dress appropriately. Try and find the warmest winter wedding dresses out there. Stay away from anything sleeveless or strapless. If it’s too cold for your arms, then it’s definitely too cold for the guests’ eyes!

As far as men go, you can either rent tuxedos made of heftier materials or rent suits that include more layers. You don’t want to be the guy that gets cold while everyone else is perfectly fine. You can also try matching scarves to your wedding outfits for an extra touch of warmth!

Step 2: Decorate Your Winter Wonderland Wedding

There are many ways you can decorate your winter wonderland wedding in NYC. Every part of NYC is decorated with lights and wreaths during the holiday season. You can also decorate your wedding venue by using white lights, fake snow, Christmas decorations, and anything else you would typically see at a wintertime party. This will ensure the theme stays consistent throughout your entire wedding day!

Step 3: Hire the Best Photographer

You’ll want to capture the most intimate, fun, and glittery wedding moments. If you want to make sure that your wedding photos look professional, hire the best wedding photography in New York that you can find. Wedding photos can help preserve the best memories of your wedding day, so leave it up to the pros!

Step 4: Keep Everyone Warm

The cold weather can cut through anyone like a knife, so if you want to keep your guests happy during their time at your wedding, then you’ll need to make sure that they’re kept nice and warm. For starters, if it snows on your day (which it likely will), try and get a coat check for the majority of the guests. This way, they won’t have to worry about carrying their heavy coats around with them. You can also provide blankets or heat lamps that guests can stay under if it gets too chilly.

Hopefully, this simple guide to planning a winter wonderland wedding in NYC was helpful for you. Making your special day “sparkle” in the cold weather will be a piece of cake if you follow these simple steps.

Joe Curry Photography takes pride in capturing the magic of your special day. Natural, candid shots paired with traditional photojournalism create a timeless look that you can treasure forever. If you decide to work with us, we’ll make sure that each shot taken will tell a beautiful story you can cherish for the rest of your life.