Allow me to work in a new location and I’ll love you forever. For real. I’ll even let you in on a little secret: I have a bucket list of locations and details. If you tell me that you’re planning your wedding at a beach, at a cottage, in the mountains or forest, or in one of several other less-common locations, there may well be a discount available for you because I want to be there with you.
The inspiration that comes from using a new location can be simply unreal. For those of you thinking about asking me to head out of town, DO IT. I’m in. Cornwall’s a small city with a fairly limited number of options for existing venues, so I realise that choosing a location can be a serious hurdle for folks who want to get married here in town. But really, I don’t need to show what the St Lawrence Room or the Marc Garneau Room (or whatever it’s called now – De Havilland?) looks like AGAIN. I’ll happily be there for you and will show you some great nooks and crannies so that you can get photos as unique as your day, but if you’re still looking for a spot…. Let’s get creative.
Consider getting ready at Chesley’s Inn. How about a cottage? Have you thought about a wedding at Sand Road? What about Ponderosa Ranch? Do you have a great backyard? Cottages and inns often have great spaces that don’t include visual clutter like exit signs, ugly air conditioning units, or bland furnishings. Homes include personal touches like family photos hanging on the walls. A great location should not only take you somewhere different, but also give you great light. For the record, “somewhere different” shouldn’t include any room with small or non-existent windows…. There are lots of spots that let you tick the box not just for a creative location, but also for great light. When you’re looking for spots, see if you can swing a visit at the time of day that you’ll actually be using them (most typically noon-2pm for prep; 4-5:45pm for portraits). That’s not always practical, but if you’ve got bright overhead sun on the day you’re visiting your prep venue, have a look around – see any pockets of sunlight? Is the room bright with the lights off?
New locations let me try new things AND they give you unique photos. Worth thinking about.
I’m Ang – a Cornwall, Ontario-based photographer with a passion for finding light and documenting real life for families in Cornwall, Ottawa, Montreal, and around the world.
