Planning a wedding involves thousands upon thousands of decisions, and just when you cross one off your list, three more pop up in its place. It’s exhausting!
As your wedding photographer, I’m here to guide you towards the decisions that will not only create a fun experience day of (I’m not about that forced wedding portrait misery), but leave you with images that preserve your love story as it happened.
I’ve seen many couples get super Type A about one huge photography decision: The location of their wedding portraits. And I get why! These photos will get framed. They’ll hang on the walls of your living room for years. They’ll get 350 likes on Instagram. You want to love these photos, and the location is a huge part of that!
Not knowing where these portraits will happen makes it difficult to trust in the process, and it feels like too big of a risk to let someone else decide. But I’m telling you:Trust your photographer on this one.
Here’s how I build your trust, take killer portraits, and leave you smiling every time you look at your living room wall.
Starting two weeks from your wedding (okay fine…I send this 8 weeks out, no rush though!) you’ll receive some pretty intense paperwork from me. It has a lot of timeline questions, along with spots for Pinterest links and questions like:
What inspired your vision for your wedding day?
Do you have a theme or color palette?
How do you envision your ideal wedding day?
These non-portrait specific questions help me get a feel for the vision and vibe of your day, which is so important! Your vision helps me figure out where your ideal portrait spots are. I also have form boxes where you can straight up tell me if you have a spot you love!
Many couples can feel overwhelmed with this, but I always suggest letting your venue, color palette, and overall wedding vibe help dictate your locations. This will ensure a cohesive day.
Other ways to help nail down your portrait vision:
- Ask to see some of my galleries from other couples who got married at your venue or a similar venue! Seeing the actual images that I take can be a huge help for what you love and don’t love.
- I personally love to scroll geotags on Instagram for venues to see what other photographers have done there, and couples can do the same!
I’ll take that info, and about ten days before your wedding, I hop onto Google Maps.
I street view the drive between venues (if there is one), note any spots I think might work, determine if we need to go out of the way for the location or specific look you want, and build a more detailed timeline for portraits around it.
Then, 3-5 days before your wedding, I drive it in real life. I go around the time I’d be taking your portraits and scope out:
- Lighting, traffic/roadwork, and–big one–make sure the spots I loved are still there!
- Hunt for spots that catch my eye and have a “wow” factor.
- Consider wedding party size, the variety I can get in my location choices, and the logistic details of the portraits.
- Make sure it all fits in my timeline.
If a client gives me an hour, I pick an hour and a half worth of locations. I’ll rank them in a list of most important to least so I can cut spots if we’re short on time, and add spots if we’re ahead of schedule!
Trust me yet?
Here are some locations I’ve discovered that are beyond perfect for portraits, but might not be as obvious to couples.
Parking garages
Always and forever. Parking garages are a great way to get some city shots with a fun perspective. They aren’t always an option since some have very strict rules, but the ones that look the other way help me make all the magic.
These are perfect for a downtown vibe, but with a twist over the classic North Shore or Mt Washington views.
Public green space
Those little patches of trees throughout the city…that’s what I’m talking about!
Yeah, sometimes it’s only a 5 x 5 space to work between people eating lunch and some gross garbage piled up, but that little spot is where the magic happens!
These little gems all over the city can work for couples portraits or a full wedding party, and are a great way to mix greenery or nature into a bunch of downtown photos!
Inside your venue
You picked it for a reason! It’s usually full of flowers, matches your color palette, is convenient, and of course, it’s super pretty.
This shouldn’t just be a rain plan, either. If you have cocktail hour in a separate area, or are doing a first look and have everything at one venue, this is a great way to not only get great photos, but have a really cohesive look for your day.
A road, alley or parking lot
Obviously not for all of your photos, but if you like a city vibe, this is a quick pit stop that makes for gorgeous shots!
We do it safely, time it right, and it’s a great spot to capture a walking/dancing/spinning/movement filled moment! A parking lot can also incorporate some texture, murals, or something a little funky! It requires being quick, but makes for great gritty shots.
…Do you trust me now?!
I know couples are under a lot of pressure to get the whole ‘wedding thing’ right…now more than ever. If you’re unsure of your portrait locations, take a deep breath, look through my website again, and remember how my photos made you feel before you booked me.
No matter what your wedding vision is, I’ll make sure your portraits align with it. Sometimes it requires finding a field next to old train tracks covered in garbage, or standing at the edge of the venue parking lot, or on top of a garage, but it’ll happen if you trust me!
And then…don’t forget that I have a million umbrellas, have now worked through a pandemic, and have probably had every curve ball for photos thrown my way.
…Speaking of! Let me just touch on the ways I will crush a backyard portrait session while you’re here! It’s definitely a new set of challenges: Usually the space is much smaller, and not really set up with photos in mind.
What I’ll lean into to get the shot:
- More greenery and natural backdrops.
- Walking down the sidewalk in the neighborhood, and scoping out that abandoned lot down the street, or even some pretty landscaping features!
- Taking advantage of the venue! If you’ve got a porch, a cute sofa near a window in the house, or even a tree-lined driveway, we’re golden.
Worried about portrait spots? Have me come over before the wedding to check things out, or send a bunch of cell phone shots or video of your space!
Despite all of the pits we’ve seen in the wedding industry, I’m still in business taking killer photos. And one day, future couples will pin your portraits as inspiration!
Trust me on that one.
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- Sam & Dan
"Not sure how to give this review because I can not really put into words how amazing Dawn is as a person and a professional photographer. If you are looking for a talented photographer who will make your experience with pictures fun and stress free, Dawn is your photographer. From the moment I found her Instagram page and fell IN LOVE with her skills I have NEVER regretted my decision to book with Dawn. Also, listen to all of her suggestions, DO the engagement shoot, DO the sunset pictures, DO EVERYTHING. She goes above and beyond to make your day as magical as you dreamed it would be. She pays attention to what really matters to her clients! I like to call her my photography unicorn because she seriously one of a kind and is VERY good at what she does. If you don't book her, you will regret it! Side note: I just got married last weekend, have only seen my preview pictures (which I got that night and the NEXT morning) and waiting for the rest. I'm writing this review now because that is just how OBSESSED with her I am."
"I like to call her my photography unicorn"
- Christine & Andrei
"Dawn is incredible!!! She is truly one of a kind – I’ve never seen a vendor go above and beyond for clients like she does! Not only is she insanely talented, but she is incredibly meticulous, extremely responsive and cares about every detail just as much as you do! Weddings can be complicated, especially when it comes to family, but her detailed questionnaire about anything and everything she needs to know put me completely at ease. And if that wasn’t enough, she has an incredible guide that helps you shape your day, answer every question you could ever think of (and ones that you didn’t even know you had or should have!) – all just to make sure your day turns out beautifully. She captured the most incredible shots, worked so fast, and was so fun to hang out with throughout the day! I could never have imagined working with someone so wonderful for our big day – she truly is the best & if you have the chance to work with her, don’t even think twice. Book her immediately!!"
"I’ve never seen a vendor go above and beyond for clients like she does! "
- Samantha & Ryan
"There are not enough positive adjectives to describe our exceptional experience with Dawn Derbyshire. From the initial consultation, engagement photos, wedding pictures, a COVID postponement in between – she made the process enjoyable and easy. She made taking pictures fun and not awkward, often cracking jokes between each shot. She took the time to know us as a couple and what was important for us on our special day. We had periodic check-ins to discuss the process for our wedding day and what to expect, one less stress we had to worry about on our wedding day. Let me just tell you the photos were all AMAZING! We cannot thank her enough for her talented work, we look forward to using her in future endeavors. We highly recommend Dawn; this is one decision you will not regret!"
"She took the time to know us as a couple"
- Paige and John
"Dawn was truly the all star of our entire wedding day. From the time we booked her (over 2 years ago) to the wedding, she was SO communicative, beyond organized, and helpful. She brings such a positive energy while still getting. it. done. She made us feel so comfortable during our engagement session, that by the time we took wedding photos, they felt seamless. Let me also mention her work is PERFECTION. I could not love our engagement and wedding photos more if I tried. I would recommend Dawn 1000x over and if you have already booked her, consider yourself the luckiest!!!"
"Dawn was truly the all star of our entire wedding day."
- Lauren & Chris
"You deserve to have a photographer as amazing as Dawn. We can't stress enough how much we love her and would recommend her a million times over. Not only is she an amazing photographer that gave us thousands of unparalleled photos between our 2 shoots, she's an incredible person and every second you spend with her will be a delight. She made us feel so at ease, made us laugh, we made each other cry for sure—and honestly, she helped make our wedding the success it was. She's professional and dedicated, took charge when we needed it, wrangled our friends and took gorgeous, quality photos of everything we asked for and everything we forgot. Seriously, if you're looking for a wedding photographer, you could not pick a better one than Dawn."
"You deserve to have a photographer as amazing as Dawn.
- Julia & Matt
"We highly recommend Dawn Derbyshire for your wedding photography. She was definitely one of our best vendor decisions for our wedding day. We cannot speak highly enough of Dawn as both a photographer and as a person. We're so grateful that we found and hired Dawn to photograph one of the most important days of our lives. She truly exudes creativity, passion, and professionalism. From our first meeting to our engagement session and our wedding day--Dawn completely understood our vision and made us feel at ease. She was able to capture the genuine, candid moments of the day, the spirit of our relationship, and all of the little moments that elicit big emotions. We will truly cherish every detail shot, every portrait, and ever candid she took of our day. Dawn's expert planning, organization, and attention to detail ensured that we never felt rushed but kept things moving so that we were able to fully enjoy our wedding. We took her advice and enjoyed a moment away from everyone for sunset photos--I'm so glad that we did. She went above and beyond to make sure we had every possible shot we wanted and more."
"We will truly cherish every detail shot, every portrait, and every candid she took of our day"
- Kaitlin & Reggie
"I'm so happy we chose Dawn for our wedding photos! She is so easy work with, organized and incredibly talented. We decided to have an intimate wedding due to COVID. Even though it was such a small wedding, Dawn made us feel so special throughout the whole process. She took the time to meet with us virtually before our wedding to get to know us as a couple and listened to what our dream vision was for our wedding photos. I don’t usually like to have my picture taken, but I never felt so comfortable in front of a camera before. Dawn’s energy and outgoing personality helped calm my nerves. Our photos turned out beautifully and we couldn’t be happier! Dawn is incredibly talented and her work speaks for itself. I definitely recommend choosing Dawn as your photographer. She is so easy to work with and your photos will turn out beautiful. Thank you for making our wedding day so special Dawn!"
"Dawn made us feel so special throughout the whole process"
- Laura & Zach
"I can't begin to come up with enough amazing words to say about Dawn.. but I will say that I knew shortly after getting engaged there was something about her photography that really stands out. From the perfect details, to the genuine feeling you get from the couple she shoots. When we had our first meeting with her she emphasized wanting to be the right fit for us. Between her details, organization, "thinks of everything" questions, her incredible work, and her positivity; we knew she was the right choice! We did our engagement session and wedding with her and can't tell you how happy we are with the pictures that we will treasure forever. Dawn might be the hardest working woman I've ever met and my guests were shocked when she delivered a preview of our magical photos in 24 hours. If you are searching for a photographer who will shine a true light on your day, Dawn is IT!"
"Dawn might be the hardest working woman I've ever met"
- Kathryn & Tony
"As other reviews have said - Dawn is the absolute BEST !!! We had an absolute dream team of vendors and Dawn was the leader of the pack. Her photos are absolutely gorgeous but take a look at her website or Instagram and you already know that. What set her apart for us was her awesome personality. I will openly admit I am very "type A" and planning a wedding made me a little crazy. I sent her about a hundred messages asking for input on suit colors, day of timing, my makeup, etc. I'm sure other vendors would not have been nearly as patient as Dawn. We received our wedding photos last week and all I can say is wow. There have been endless compliments and multiple people have told me that they look straight from a bridal magazine. I am over the moon and will treasure these for many years to come"
"We had an absolute dream team of vendors and Dawn was the leader of the pack"
- Mallory & Andy
"Dawn is so absolutely amazing! She was recommended to us by a friend, and we are SO glad we booked her! Dawn is very accommodating and understanding. We told her that my fiancé didn’t like getting his picture taken. She posed us and snapped the pics efficiently and quickly. The photographs from both our engagement session and wedding are absolutely stunning. Dawn is very quick to respond and willing to help you with anything she can. She gave me recommendations for other vendors, provided feedback, gave advice and was a listening ear when we needed to vent. We got married in September 2020. Many of our plans changed due to COVID-19. Dawn was so empathetic and helpful throughout. I got ready with just my mom and Dawn in the room. Dawn was a stand in friend and bridesmaid to me. I will never forget those special moments. We have received nothing but compliments on how beautiful our pictures are and how fantastic Dawn is. She has a super fun personality, kind heart, and exquisite photography skills. We cannot say enough about the wonderful Dawn Derbyshire!"
"Dawn was a stand in friend and bridesmaid to me"
