Where to Take Wedding Photos at the Winery at Bull Run
The Winery at Bull Run is one of my favorite wedding venues in Northern Virginia! Located in Centreville, VA, this stunning winery is the perfect place to celebrate your wedding day. The historic Hillwood Ruins are a beautiful place for a wedding ceremony, and you can’t go wrong with either reception location, in the Tasting Room or the Production Barn.
And one of my favorite things about this venue is how much variety there is for photo location options. All of my favorite spots are higlighted below. It’s important to remember that if you want to take portraits in all of these locations, make sure you budget plenty of time for it. Although everything is relatively close distance-wise, you need a few minutes at each spot in order to capture all your photos. Check with your photographer to see how much time they’d recommend based on the pictures you want!
And the other important thing to consider as you plan where to take your photos is the lighting. Most photographers will agree that the most flattering photos happen when the bright afternoon sun is not shining directly onto your face, causing squinting and dark shadows under your eyes! Some locations will be better utilized closer to sunset when the light isn’t as harsh.
Hillwood Ruins
One of the most iconic photo locations at Winery at Bull Run is the historic site of the Hillwood Ruins! The ruins are from the original estate house on the property, built in the 1800s. It’s the most popular spot for ceremonies to take place, and is a beautiful place to take pictures either before or after the wedding ceremony. Behind the ruins is the main lawn area where winery guests are seated but don’t worry - because the ruins are elevated, it’s easy to avoid getting those people in your photos!
Virginia Wines Mural
Located on the side of the Production Barn, the Enjoy Virginia Wines mural is another favorite spot to get wedding pictures at the Winery at Bull Run. You can stand on the grass to get close to the mural, but there’s also a stone walkway that’s perfect if the grass is wet and you’re trying to keep your feet/dress dry!
Bull Run Wines Mural
The other, newer mural on the property is the Bull Run Wines mural. It’s located in between the Tasting Room and Production Barn. This mural is on the pathway that winery guests walk from the parking lot to the family lawn area, so just keep in mind that you may have to pause in between pictures here as people walk by.
There is a slight overhang from the roof above the mural, which can be helpful if you’re faced with a rainy wedding day! It’s not much cover, but can give you a little bit of relief from the rain.
The Vineyard
You can’t get married at a winery without getting some photos in the vineyard! The vineyard is gated, so just be sure to let your Winery at Bull Run wedding coordinator know what time you’re planning to take photos there so they can unlock it for you.
Hillwood Trees and Fence Line
On a hot and sunny summer day, you’ll probably be looking for a break from the sun! There is a small area of trees right next to the Hillwood Ruins that’s the perfect spot to take some photos in the shade. And just beyond the trees is a fence line that overlooks more vineyards. Although the fence line isn’t in the shade, the sun is at your back so you can avoid the harsh light on your face!
The Barrel Room
Underneath the main Tasting Room is the Barrel Room. It’s a great indoor location for a cold or rainy day, or even a hot summer day if you need an A/C break! This area is often used as the rain plan for ceremonies, and also the space for cocktail hour, so just keep that in mind if you’re planning photos here.
Next door in the Production Barn there is a small Barrel Room as well!
Production Barn Patio
The covered patio outside of the Production Barn is another good option for rainy day photos. Just confirm with your Winery at Bull Run coordinator regarding your reservation and the timing - there may be winery guests still using the patio!
Manassas Battlefield
Not actually on the venue’s property, but nearby is Manassas National Battlefield Park. The Stone Bridge area is right next to the entrance of Winery at Bull Run! The bridge itself, the open fields, and the wooded trails are all beautiful places to take wedding photos. Especially if you are getting married in the summer heat, the plentiful tree cover in the park is a nice cool and shady spot for pictures.
Although currently Manassas Battlefield does not require any photography permits for wedding photos, that’s always subject to change. Make sure to give the park a call to double check any requirements well before your wedding day, but generally they just ask that you are respectful of park rules (stay on marked trails, leave no trace, don’t prevent other visitors from enjoying the park).
Night Photos
If you want some photos after dark, there are a few good options! There is a lit walkway in between the Tasting Room and Production Barn, and I also love the string lights out behind the Tasting Room.
And that wraps up my list of the best photo spots at the Winery at Bull Run! I typically recommend keeping your family photos to just one location. Wedding party photos can be nice to do in a couple spots, but remember that the larger your wedding party, the more time it takes to wrangle them all and move between locations 😂. And the wedding couple portraits are the easiest ones to do in multiple locations because it’s quickest to just move the two of you around!
Again, budgeting plenty of time and being flexible for your photos will be super helpful so you can make adjustments that day and choose your locations based on when the lighting is best at each of them!
See the map below for a detailed look at where all of the photo locations are on the property, and fill out my contact form if you’d like to learn more about working with me!
