Welcome to my wedding planning advice page! I’ve been photographing weddings since 2016, and over the years I’ve learned SO MUCH about planning weddings, making photo timelines, and choosing the best wedding vendors to work with. I’ve worked at venues and locations all over DC, Northern Virginia, and Maryland and have definitely developed favorite spots and insights into the best location choices.

So I wanted to gather that helpful advice into one easy place! On this page you’ll find all of my tips to get the best photos on your wedding day. Whether it’s making a photo-friendly timeline, how to prepare for a rainy wedding day, or what to bring for your detail pictures - I’ve got you covered! And then I also have all of my specific recommendations for wedding vendors and venues in the DMV, as well as my favorite locations for engagement photos.

Take some time to browse around, and feel free to reach out if there if you need any other advice I haven’t covered!

General Wedding Advice

Here is all of my general advice for getting the best photos on your wedding day! And I always recommend talking to your photographer about all of this advice as well - we all handle a wedding day a little differently, so what works best for me may not be the same for your photographer.

How to Choose Your Wedding Photographer
How to Plan Your Wedding Photography Timeline
5 Reasons to Have a Small Wedding
What to Bring for Your Detail Photos
Tips for Getting Ready Photos
15 Tips for Your Sparkler Exit Photos
How to Prepare for a Rainy Wedding Day
10 Tips for Including Your Dog in Engagement Photos

Northern Virginia and DC Venue Advice

I’ve lost count of how many wedding venues I’ve photographed 😂, but there are TONS of beautiful venues in the DC area! Whether you’re planning an intimate elopement/microwedding or a large celebration, you have lots of great choices in DC and Northern Virginia.

Best Northern Virginia Venues
Shenandoah Valley Venues
How to Get Married in Shenandoah National Park
Prince William County Venues
Where to Elope in DC
Where to Elope in Northern Virginia
How to Get Married at the DC War Memorial

DC Area Wedding Vendors

There is definitely no shortage of wedding vendors in the DC and Northern Virginia area. I know it can be overwhelming trying to find the best teams to work with for your wedding day, so I’ve started compiling lists of some of my favorites to help engaged couples in the DMV with their planning.

For any vendor search I always recommend 1) asking for recommendations from your friends/family, venue, or other wedding vendors, 2) reading reviews online (they should have multiple positive reviews easily found on several platforms), and 3) making sure you like their style/vibe/values by setting up a consultation or reviewing their website and social media to see their work and get a feel for their personality.

And if you reach out to any of these vendors, please feel free to let them know you found them through my site! I love to help my “friendors” out, and these are all genuine recommendations of vendors I’ve worked with on previous weddings (no one paid to be on these lists).

Hair and Makeup Artists
Florists
DJs
Cake Bakers
Caterers
Bridal Shops

Photo Locations in DC and Northern Virginia

There are so many great location choices for your engagement photos in DC and Northern Virginia. All of my favorite spots are highlighted in these blog posts. Generally the farther out from DC you get, the less likely you’ll have to deal with fees and permits 😂, though that’s not always the case. I tried to include all cost and permit info in each of these articles, but you’ll definitely want to confirm things with the venues/locations because policies change and my blog may not have the most updated information.

Engagement Photo Locations in Northern Virginia
Engagement Photo Locations in DC
When and Where to Take Engagement Photos in Shenandoah National Park
20 Best Photo Locations in Old Town Alexandria