A few of my favorite North Carolina ceremony and reception venues for wedding photography
My favorite wedding day photography locations in North Carolina, ceremony and reception venues.
As a wedding photographer, I am blessed to have the opportunity to travel all over this great state of North Carolina in search of the best photo moments for my wedding photography clients. I know choosing a wedding venue is sometimes one of the biggest challenges that couples face when planning their wedding day. Many people want to know what their venue might look like on their wedding day (style wise). After all, it can be hard to picture an undecorated event hall or empty barn when visiting a prospective venue for the for first time!
To help you envision the possibilities of what your North Carolina wedding day might look like, I have created this post that highlights few of my favorite venues and places to photograph weddings throughout the state. These places range in properties from restaurants, B&B homes, concert halls, farms, and State Parks to small private Chapels, private farms and grand Cathedrals. I have provided links to each location's website under every photo so that you can visit these sites to learn more about each venue.
If you'd like to see some of the wedding photos that I have taken at each venue, just click on the picture and you'll be taken to the photo gallery that features that wedding venue's location.
Raleigh wedding photography by the Raleigh wedding photographer S. Siko of Silvercord Event Photography.
Ft.Fisher State Park
Kure Beach,NC
https://www.ncparks.gov/fort-fisher-state-recreation-areat
Ft.Fisher Park has these knotty-gnarled trees everywhere that look pretty awesome in photos! Plus it's right next to the ocean which is just fantastic!
:)
Cafe Luna
Raleigh, NC
Hands down one of the best restaurants in downtown Raleigh with an exceptional staff and incredible food. The venue itself inside is warm and inviting.
Simply Divine Dunn NC wedding photography October wedding North Carolina-2
Simply Divine
Raleigh, NC
http://www.simplydivinebedandbreakfast.com/cms/
An awesome B&B nestled downtown Dunn NC. The owner Mary is a fantastic host and goes all out to make her guests feel like royalty on their wedding day. Plus the house is gorgeous anytime of year, inside and out. Perfect backdrop for wedding photos.
Chicora Golf Club wedding photography-75
Chicora Golf Club
Dunn, NC
http://www.chicoragolf.com/special-events
The Chicora Golf Club has southern charm in it's DNA and since it is a golf course, it boast's exceptionally beautiful grounds year round! The inside walls of the reception hall are painted a light neutral color which is optimal for photo's since I can bounce the flash of my camera off of the walls in a most pleasing manner.
Daja’ View Farm
Youngsville, NC
This is an awesome small hobby farm with the most adorablel little chapel you've ever seen. Daja' View is the PERFECT place to get married if your'e holding a small romantic wedding or eloping. There are even guest houses on site so you and a small amount of guests can stay on for a few days.
Delightful Inspirations
Raleigh, NC
http://www.delightfulinspirations.net
If your searching for a large suburban venue that just looks really pretty in photos than this place is it!
Fred Fletcher Park
Raleigh, NC
https://www.raleighnc.gov/parks/content/ParksRec/Articles/Parks/FredFletcher.html
Fred Fletcher Park is a great place to get married if you'd like to have a whole bunch of choices in photography backdrops. There are several different buildings that look great in photos as well as a wide array of pretty gardens throughout the property. Truly one of downtown Raleighs best kept secrets in affordable wedding venue choices.
Barclay Villa http://www.barclayvilla.com
Barclay Villa
Angier, NC
if you've ever dreamt of getting married in a castle than the Barclay Villa in Angier NC might just be the place for you!
This large venue is home to lush gardens, sparkling fountains and one heck of a grand ballroom. Definitely the place to be if you want to party like royalty on your wedding day in central North Carolina.
The Atrium
Wilmington, NC
http://www.atriumwilmington.com
The Atrium is an unexpected jewel nestled in the heart of downtown Wilmington NC. With sparkling lights intertwined with emerald Ivy creeping up the walls of this inside-outside patio oriented venue, the Atrium is a jaw droppingly gorgeous place to tie the knot. Schedule your wedding ceremony to take place in the late afternoon to add the element of golden sunlight which will filter into the main courtyard. Just magical1
Dewberry Farm
Kernersville, NC
Dewberry Farm is the place to book if your interested in having a woodsy-barn-rustic themed wedding but with all of the modern comforts' and amenities found in a contemporary home. The property is exceptionally well maintained as the owners of the Farm take real pride in welcoming their guests into life on this modern Farm.
Doubletree by Hilton
Durham, NC
This might be one of my favorite hotels in Durham to take pictures at. From the tastefully appointed rooms, and the awesome outdoor ceremony spot next to the lake, to the huge white even tent that is set up on the back patio, this hotel knows how to host a wedding of any size!
Duke Chapel wedding photography photographer wedding vow renewal-3
Duke Chapel
Durham, NC
https://chapel.duke.edu/worship/weddings
There are no words I could use to properly honor the experience of getting married at Duke Chapel. Anything I could type would fall woefully short in describing the epic emotional, visual and spiritual graundure of this cathedral so I am not even going to try.
Just visit their website and check out the photos from the last wedding that I captured here.
'Nuff said.
:)
Lake Johnson Park
Raleigh, NC
http://raleighparks.org/2011/09/02/lake-johnson-park/
Lake Johnson is a very pretty lake that is nestled just outside of downtown Raleigh. There is a nice spot to get married on the back deck of the boathouse and even a small room to hold a family reception.
Side note, for some reason, every wedding day that I've ever photographed here it was raining outside but maybe that even made the photos better. Love those natural greens, grey's and blues!
Leatherwood Mountgain Resort wedding photography Ferguson North Carolina-1
Leatherwood Mountain Resort
Ferguson, NC
http://www.leatherwoodmountains.com
Maybe a mountain wedding is your thing? If it is, than Leatherwood Mountains Resort is definitely worth checking out. This venue has a number of picturesque spots that are just perfect places to capture portraits after the ceremony. There is even a large indoor-outdoor riding arena that is converted into a reception hall which nails it in the "I need a large space to host my gigantic wedding reception party" category.
Plus, there are horses running around everywhere!
Lu Mil Vineyard
Elizabethtown, NC
http://www.lumilvineyard.com/index.html
This working winery is a fabulous place to get married. The main reception barn is pretty sweet and can accommodate just in case you've got a big guest list. There are a number of private cabins that can be rented out for your guests to stay in too!
Marriot at City Center Raleigh
The Marriot at City Center
Raleigh, NC
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/rdumc-raleigh-marriott-city-center/
This Marriot is perfectly situated in the heart of downtown Raleigh and is the best place to host a your wedding if you'd like to treat your guests to an authentic slice of Raleigh culture. The ballrooms are pretty nice and the food is stellar. There is plenty to do downtown for your guests to enjoy before your wedding and a ton of awesome bars and pub's to hold a fun late-late after-party later.
Paradise Acres
Hope Mills, NC
Paradise Acres is a sweet venue located south of the Triangle in Hope Mills. It's all about wide open spaces and county living at this property. With it's wide open fields and shaded glens, there is room to set up any fun outdoor activity imaginable on your wedding day and the event hall itself is HUGE!
Preston Woodhall House Benson NC wedding photography-1
The Preston Woodall House
Benson, NC
This B&B is a fantastic example of what an elegant wedding day in a small town should feel like! The rooms are colorful inside and there is plenty of natural light filtering through the windows. There are pretty gardens and a small fountain on the side of the main house which are fantastic for serving as couples portrait locations. The backyard is a fine place to get married with it's covered ceremony spot and ample room for lawn chairs to accommodate medium guest lists. Lastly, the main ball room is surprisingly large and serves as a lovely backdrop during the reception photos.
Rand Bryan House
Raleigh, NC
This venue is the perfect spot to hold a wedding day that boasts a country feel yet is conveniently situated just outside the city limits Raleigh. With it's neutrally painted walls, the main house is bright and cheery inside and the property itself is perfect for outdoor portraits since there are a number of attractive trees and sun kissed fields surrounding the home.
St. Francis of Assisi Garden on Millbrook Raleigh wedding photography-342
The Garden on Millbrook
Raleigh, NC
http://www.thegardenonmillbrook.com
The Garden on Millbrook is an awesome venue in Raleigh that is all about Berean elegance. There are mirrored walls and black and white tiled floors which match the grand piano which greets you upon entering the main hall. A perfect place to host a large wedding reception, this venue is top notch.
The Stockroom at 230
Raleigh, NC
http://www.thestockroomat230.com
If your into that old world charm which echoes a simple time of golden years and romantic urban southern living, the Stockroom at 230 is just the right place to get married. The time worn brick walls of the venue are painted a simple white and the golden wood floors creak when you walk. The natural lighting in this space is just incredible as the afternoon sun coming in through the large windows just sets this whole place aglow.
The Barn at Woodlake Meadows
Bear Creek, NC
This is by far one of the coolest barn venues I have ever photographed in NC. The Farm itself is beautiful and there are a bunch of adorable animals grazing in the pastures that surround the property. There is a large clear blue lake with a dock set up for hosting a wedding ceremony but if rain is a threat one could certainly hold the wedding inside the HUGE barn with room to spare.
The Carolina Inn
Chapel Hill, NC
The Carolina Inn is the very definition of historical colonial style charm, that which just simply epitomizes the term "Chapel Hill elegance".
The Country Squire Restaurant Kenansville, NC
http://www.countrysquireinn.com/ordereze/default.aspx
This venue wears it's Scottish love on it's sleeve with it's incredible Olde World style restaurant and lush green vineyards to complement this Country Inn's fine rooms.
The Farm
Selma, NC
http://www.thefarmnc.com/index.cfm
When you've positively got to have an enormous space available to hold your wedding reception than it dosen't get much bigger than the Farm in Selma NC. This venue is an actual concert venue where musical acts from round the country come to preform for crowds here in central NC. The rooms that are set aside for the bride and groom to get ready are actually the backstage areas for the bands that preform here which is kinda neat!
With it's skylight overhead, there is plenty of room inside the cavernous main hall to host an indoor wedding and reception. Outside there is even a space for an outdoor ceremony and a lovely stand of trees with a swing hanging off one of the branches at the end of the field behind the main building. The owners are super nice and are truly dedicated to delivering a wonderful wedding day experience.
The Oaks at Old Salem
Apex, NC
http://theoaksatsalem.com/gallery/weddings-events/
I love it when my couples tell me that they have booked The Oaks at Old Salem as a wedding and reception venue. From what I can tell, the main house is large enough to accommodate a large wedding party's "get ready" area and the rear patio (with event tent set up) is the best spot to hold and outdoor wedding reception. There is a large tree in a field on the other side of the pond in the backyard that works out great as romantic ceremony spot!
Bonus, the owner used to be a wedding photographer so she painted all of the walls inside the main house a neutral color so that the wedding photos taken inside aren't complicated by weird color casts or busy decor.
Great choice in a suburban wedding venue if you'd like that "backyard wedding feel" but with a nice touch of refinement and contemporary southern charm.
Vizcaya Villa
Fayetteville, NC
The tastefully decorated mediterranean inspired main event hall of Vizcaya Villa sits along the banks of a large sparkling pond complete with a fountain and a small footbridge that goes over a winding creek. The grounds are well maintained and designed to accommodate larger groups while still maintaining an intimate "wedding in the woods" kind of feel. This wedding venue is simply gorgeous and gets my vote as being one of the best locations in Fayetteville for wedding photography!
The Washington Duke Inn
Durham, NC
https://www.washingtondukeinn.com
What a beautiful Hotel! There are plenty of nice spots throughout the property that serve as nice backdrops for formal portraits (even if it's raining) and the ambiance set in the dining rooms decor is just the right combination of timeless and contemporary romantic southern culture.
This list will be updated throughout the upcoming year so check back in a few months to see more examples of some of the interesting wedding venues in North Carolina that I have photographed.
If you have any questions about my photography, the venues featured in this post or would like to discuss the possibility of me photographing your own wedding day here in NC please contact me anytime!