Choosing your wedding venue is one of the biggest decisions you'll make.
And understandably, most couples start with how it looks.
You find the venue on Instagram.
The ceremony space is beautiful.
The reception room looks incredible.
There's a photograph at sunset that makes you think:
“This is it.”
But as a photographer and videographer, I'm looking at something slightly different.
I'm thinking:
Where are you getting ready?
Where can we take portraits if it rains?
Which direction does the ceremony face?
Where does the sun set?
How dark does the reception become?
How far is everything from each other?
And, especially around Nashville:
How much time are we going to spend sitting in traffic?
A beautiful venue is important.
But the best wedding venues don't simply look good in photographs.
They help the entire wedding day work.
Here are the things I'd consider before signing your Nashville wedding venue contract.
1. Start With the Experience, Not Instagram
Wedding venues are very good at showing you their most beautiful photographs.
That's their job.
But one photograph doesn't tell you what spending ten hours there is actually like.
When you tour a venue, don't only stand at the ceremony site.
Imagine the entire wedding.
Where will you:
Get ready?
Have a first look?
Take wedding-party photos?
Take family photos?
Go if it rains?
Spend cocktail hour?
Have your reception?
Take sunset portraits?
Walk through the day.
That's much more useful than finding one beautiful backdrop.
2. Look at the Getting-Ready Rooms
This is one of the most overlooked parts of choosing a venue.
Couples spend a significant portion of the beginning of the wedding day getting ready.
And those rooms often become the setting for:
Details
Dress photos
Hair and makeup
Candid moments
Parent interactions
Wedding-party photos
Letter reading
Gifts
Look for a space with good natural light if possible.
Large windows can make an enormous difference.
3. Don't Forget the Other Getting-Ready Space
This happens all the time.
One partner gets:
Beautiful bridal suite.
Huge windows.
Furniture.
Mirrors.
Plenty of space.
The other gets:
Storage closet with folding chairs.
If photographs and video of both sides getting ready matter to you, tour both spaces.
4. Ask Yourself Whether You Actually Need to Leave the Venue
Nashville gives you a ridiculous number of beautiful portrait options.
That doesn't mean we need to visit all of them.
If your venue already has:
Architecture
Greenery
Open shade
Indoor options
Sunset
Interesting backgrounds
I'd rather use the venue.
Every additional location adds:
Driving
Parking
Walking
Loading equipment
Unloading equipment
More opportunities to fall behind
You hired us to document your wedding.
Not create a Nashville tourism commercial.
5. Nashville Traffic Needs to Be Part of Your Wedding Timeline
This is one of the biggest differences between photographing a wedding in Nashville and working somewhere more compact.
A location might only be a few miles away.
That doesn't mean it's ten minutes away.
Traffic can change dramatically depending on:
Day of the week
Time
Downtown events
Concerts
Sporting events
Construction
Tourism
If your wedding uses several Nashville locations, build real transportation buffers into the timeline.
6. One Venue Can Make the Day Much Easier
There's a major logistical advantage to having:
Getting ready + ceremony + reception
on the same property.
Nobody needs to move.
Equipment stays relatively centralized.
Guests aren't navigating Nashville between events.
And if the ceremony runs ten minutes late, we haven't automatically created a transportation problem.
That doesn't mean you need an all-in-one venue.
It just means the convenience has real value.
7. If You're Using Multiple Locations, Make Them Worth It
A church ceremony followed by a separate reception can be incredible.
So can getting ready at a downtown hotel before heading to your venue.
Multiple locations aren't inherently bad.
But each location should have a purpose.
If we're spending 90 minutes of your photography coverage traveling simply because the getting-ready location looked slightly prettier online, I'd question whether that's a good trade.
8. Look at the Ceremony Direction
This matters especially for outdoor Nashville weddings.
Where will the sun be during the ceremony?
Are you:
Facing it?
Backlit?
In shade?
Half in sun and half in shade?
One of the hardest situations is when one person is in direct sunlight and the other is in deep shade.
Your eyes adapt.
Cameras see that difference very clearly.
9. Shade Is Your Friend
Couples sometimes assume:
More sun = better photographs.
Not necessarily.
Open shade can be beautiful.
It's comfortable.
Skin tones can look great.
People aren't squinting.
And we aren't fighting extreme contrast.
When touring an outdoor venue, don't judge it only on whether it gets lots of sun.
10. Find Out Where the Sun Actually Sets
“Sunset views” can mean different things.
Ask where the sun falls relative to the property.
Then think about whether that area will actually be accessible during your wedding.
The best sunset on the property doesn't help much if:
It's behind the catering tent
Guests are parked there
It's a 15-minute walk away
The venue doesn't allow access during the reception
11. Look for Portrait Variety
I don't need 25 separate portrait locations.
I need a handful of good ones.
Ideally, we can create different looks without making you spend the wedding traveling around the property.
For example:
Location 1: clean architecture.
Location 2: greenery.
Location 3: open landscape.
Location 4: sunset.
That's plenty.
12. Ask What Happens When It Rains
Not:
“Do you have a rain plan?”
Ask:
“Show me exactly where our ceremony happens if it rains.”
Go stand there.
Would you still be happy getting married in that space?
That's the real question.
13. Look at the Rain Plan From a Photography Perspective Too
If it's raining, where can we photograph:
Couple portraits?
Family photos?
Wedding party?
Details?
A covered porch can be incredibly useful.
Large windows can help.
Interesting indoor architecture can save us.
A venue doesn't need an enormous indoor portrait studio.
It just needs options.
14. Consider How the Reception Looks After Dark
This is another huge one.
Touring a venue at 2:00 PM doesn't tell you what the reception will look like at 9:00 PM.
Ask to see photographs from real receptions.
What lighting exists?
Is there:
Chandeliers?
String lighting?
Candles?
Uplighting?
Permanent fixtures?
Or does the room become almost completely dark?
15. Dark Doesn't Mean Bad
Some of my favorite receptions are dark.
Atmosphere matters.
I don't want couples blasting bright white lights across the dance floor just because they think the photographer needs them.
Professional photography and videography teams should know how to work in low light.
The goal is to preserve the atmosphere while still creating clean imagery.
16. Reception Lighting Can Affect Your Wedding Film Even More
Video is constantly recording motion.
That's different from using a flash to freeze a single photograph.
Your videographer needs to understand:
Low-light cameras
Supplemental lighting
Exposure
Color
Mixed lighting
If your reception is intentionally dark and moody, ask potential videographers to show you actual dark-reception footage.
17. Think About Audio During the Ceremony
This isn't something most couples associate with venue selection.
But I do.
If you're planning an outdoor ceremony, consider:
Nearby roads
HVAC systems
Water features
Wind
Aircraft
Downtown noise
Live music
Professional audio equipment can solve a lot.
But knowing the environment helps us prepare.
18. Downtown Nashville Weddings Have Different Advantages
A downtown wedding can give you:
Architecture
Rooftops
City lights
Hotels
Urban portraits
Easy access to nightlife
That creates a completely different visual story from an estate outside Nashville.
Neither is automatically better.
It depends on what you want your wedding to feel like.
19. Franklin and the Areas Outside Nashville Give You Another Look
Move outside downtown and the environment changes quickly.
Couples can find:
Estates
Historic properties
Open land
Barns
Gardens
Tree-lined spaces
You can still have access to Nashville without making the wedding feel like a downtown event.
Again:
Choose the experience first.
20. Don't Pick a Venue Only Because Another Couple's Photos Were Beautiful
This sounds strange coming from a photographer.
But it's important.
Maybe that wedding had:
Completely different weather
A different ceremony time
Different décor
A different season
Different priorities
Your wedding won't be theirs.
Use venue photographs to understand what's possible.
Don't try to recreate someone else's wedding.
21. Ask to See Complete Weddings at the Venue
Instagram gives you the greatest hits.
A complete gallery tells you much more.
If your photographer has worked there before, ask to see a full wedding.
Look at:
Getting ready
Ceremony
Family photos
Portraits
Reception
Night photography
That's how you understand what a venue actually looks like throughout the day.
22. But Don't Assume Your Photographer Must Have Worked There Before
Venue experience can be helpful.
It's not mandatory.
An experienced wedding photographer should be able to walk into a new venue and evaluate:
Light
Backgrounds
Weather
Portrait locations
Timeline
Logistics
I've worked at plenty of venues for the first time.
Preparation matters more than memorizing the property.
23. Consider How Many Guests the Venue Holds Comfortably
There's a difference between:
“The venue can hold 200.”
and:
“200 people are comfortable here.”
Guest count can affect:
Ceremony spacing
Reception layout
Dance floor
Vendor access
Photography angles
Video camera placement
Ask to see layouts for a wedding close to your expected guest count.
24. Vendor Space Matters Too
Where will your vendors work?
Your DJ needs space.
Catering needs access.
Photo and video need somewhere safe for equipment.
Your planner needs room to operate.
Good venue design makes all of this feel invisible to guests.
25. Ask About Photography and Videography Restrictions
Before signing, ask whether there are restrictions involving:
Drones
Flash
Light stands
Ceremony movement
Portrait locations
Property access
Sparklers
Smoke
Open flame
Grand exits
It's better to know before the wedding.
26. Don't Forget Parking
Not glamorous.
Very important.
Think about:
Guests
Vendors
Elderly family members
Shuttles
Rideshare
Downtown Nashville and an estate outside Franklin can have completely different transportation requirements.
27. Your Venue Affects How Much Coverage You Need
An eight-hour photography package can feel very different depending on the venue.
If everything happens on one property, eight hours can cover a lot.
If we're traveling between:
Hotel → church → portrait location → reception
a significant portion of that coverage can disappear into transportation.
That's something I'd consider before choosing your photography package.
28. The Most Photogenic Venue Isn't Automatically the Best Venue
This is probably the biggest takeaway.
If Venue A has a slightly better sunset but creates:
More travel
Worse rain options
Poor getting-ready spaces
Difficult guest transportation
while Venue B makes the entire wedding easy?
I'd give Venue B serious consideration.
Your wedding photographs are important.
But your actual wedding experience matters too.
My Nashville Wedding Venue Checklist
Before booking, I'd want answers to these questions:
Getting Ready
Are there two usable getting-ready spaces?
Do they have windows?
Is there enough room?
Ceremony
Which direction does it face?
Where is the sun?
What's the rain plan?
Are there photography restrictions?
Portraits
Are there several usable backgrounds?
Is there open shade?
Where can we go if it rains?
Where is sunset?
Reception
What does the room look like at night?
What lighting is included?
Are candles/uplights allowed?
Logistics
Is everything on one property?
How much travel is required?
What's parking like?
Are shuttles needed?
Photography & Video
Are drones allowed?
Can we use lighting?
Are there restricted areas?
When can vendors access the property?
Those answers tell me considerably more than a venue's Instagram feed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I look for in a Nashville wedding venue?
Look beyond aesthetics. Consider getting-ready spaces, ceremony lighting, portrait locations, rain options, reception lighting, guest capacity, transportation, parking, vendor access and how much travel your wedding will require.
Is it better to have the ceremony and reception at the same Nashville venue?
It can simplify the wedding considerably by reducing transportation and keeping guests and vendors in one location. However, separate ceremony and reception locations can work beautifully when enough travel time is built into the schedule.
How important is natural light at a wedding venue?
Natural light can be extremely useful, especially in getting-ready spaces and during portraits, but it isn't required everywhere. An experienced photographer should also be comfortable working indoors and in low-light receptions.
Should we choose a Nashville wedding venue with a rain plan?
Yes, especially for an outdoor ceremony. Don't simply ask whether a backup exists—tour the actual backup location and make sure you'd be comfortable using it.
Should our photographer have photographed at our venue before?
It's helpful but not essential. Experienced wedding photographers should know how to evaluate unfamiliar venues, find good light and backgrounds, and prepare before the wedding.
How does Nashville traffic affect wedding photography?
If your wedding involves several locations, transportation can consume a significant amount of photography and videography coverage. Build realistic buffers into the timeline rather than relying on the fastest estimated drive time.
When should we book our photographer after choosing our Nashville venue?
Once your venue and date are secured, photography and videography are usually among the next vendors worth contacting, particularly for popular spring and fall Saturdays.
Choose the Venue Where You Want to Experience Your Wedding
Here's what I don't want you to do:
Choose a venue entirely for your photographs.
That's backwards.
Choose somewhere you can imagine:
Getting ready with your closest friends.
Seeing your partner for the first time.
Getting married.
Hugging your family.
Eating dinner.
Dancing.
Actually spending the day.
Then hire a photography and videography team capable of documenting it well.
At Spencer Purcell Films, I provide wedding photography, videography, and combined photo + video coverage for couples throughout Nashville and Tennessee.
When I'm helping couples plan photography and video, I'm not only thinking about where we'll take pretty pictures.
I'm thinking about how your venue, timeline, light, transportation and weather all work together so you can spend more time experiencing the wedding and less time managing it.
Already found your Nashville wedding venue?
📅 Check your wedding date availability.
📖 Request complete wedding photography, videography, and combined photo + video collections.
📸 Ask to see complete wedding galleries and films—not just social-media highlights.
📞 Schedule a complimentary consultation and tell me where you're getting married.
Popular Nashville spring and fall dates can book well in advance, so once your venue and date are secured, it's worth checking photography and videography availability early.
👉 Contact Spencer Purcell Films today to check availability for your Nashville wedding.