If you are planning to get married in Raleigh but are clueless about where and how we’ve got your back! Home to a significant history and some of the most happening historic sites, Raleigh is a gem when it comes to weddings and engagements too!
Raleigh was founded in 1792 as the new state capital of North Carolina and is home to a plethora of universities. Raleigh weddings - various boutique stores, riverside museums, and elegant hotels help fasten the beads of culture and history in a thread of love. Initially termed as the City of Oaks, this precious jewel is home to gorgeous wedding venues which ensure that the newly engaged couples have an unforgettable wedding experience.
You could exchange your wedding vows amidst the greens, against the waterfront, or amidst the glamor of a lavish wedding venue. There is no dearth of wedding venues in Raleigh and if you read on, you might as well find the one that suits you! Right here, right now!
Picking that right wedding venue is a lot of struggle. Various things have to be considered such as the look of the venue, the convenience factor, cost-effectiveness, and of course, the capabilities to represent you as a couple. Once the wedding venue is finalized, more than half of the battle is won!
So, coming straight to the point, let’s take a look at some of the wedding venues and engagement locations in Raleigh that we have hand-picked for you. These venues are exceptionally good from a wedding photography perspective too! After all, the day would go by in a jiffy, but your memories would live on, for generations to come. And we aim to make it worthwhile. Read on and take your pick!
Downtown Raleigh
Looking for some iconic Raleigh engagement photography? Hit Downtown Raleigh for a classic Raleigh engagement photo session. The downtown boasts some of the most beautiful backdrops in the city! The cobblestoned roads and exposed brick walls make amazing ways to add the typical historic charm of this classic city in your Raleigh engagement session. How about announcing your ‘save-the-date’ through the screen of the iconic Rialto Theater? The downtown brings along with it a lot of possibilities of photogenic spots. You could head to any cafe or coffee shop for a cozy engagement photoshoot. It could even be signifying your first date there! If you want to have an indoor engagement photoshoot, check out our blog on the best indoor engagement photo locations for more inspiration!
This Raleigh engagement location is home to boundless photo ops to add a unique charm to your engagement photography! The vibrant blooms lend a life of color to your photos like none other! The picturesque gazebos located here teleport you to a seraphic place! As you pose intimately with your sweetheart under the beautiful gazebos, our Raleigh engagement photographers leave no moment to capture the eternal romance between the two of you! Lush greens, forests, and serene walkways provide more backdrops, landscaped perfectly for your love-adorned engagement photo session! You can turn your engagement photo session into a fun session by incorporating various fun elements into it! Take a cue from Katie and Andrew’s engagement session to get more inspiration on your Raleigh engagement photography.
Warehouse District
The Warehouse District is another fave of our Raleigh engagement photographers just for the simple but most important fact - it is full of photo ops! The vintagey exposed brick buildings bring out the old-world charm of Raleigh in your engagement photography. The railroad tracks are another spot to add to the list of backdrops to your classic Raleigh engagement photography! As you and your sweetheart pose along the rail tracks, you could play with various colors that could add a vibrancy that’s contrasting to the surroundings. The vibrant buildings of this area ensure you have a colorful engagement photo session. You can see the colors smiling with life right behind you! This Raleigh engagement location offers a myriad of ways in which you can play with colors!
Yates Mill
Located in Raleigh, this scenic engagement location is all beauty! Our Raleigh engagement photographers recommend coming here for a romantic engagement photoshoot especially during the golden hour as the dreaminess created is unparalleled! Yates Mill is a complete package on its own, with a rustic mill surrounded by the charms of a scenic waterfall, a serene pond, and rocky terrain. While the Mill offers a historic vibe, the pond, and the waterfall adding to the dreamy factor of the engagement photography.
Historic Oak View, County Park
For couples who are looking for an engagement location in Raleigh, but in seclusion and away from the hustle-bustle of the main city, we recommend the Historic Oak View, County Park. Located about an hour from a popular wedding venue, Studio 215, this gorgeous Raleigh engagement session location has the right amount of scenic and historic charm to it. While the white wooden structure of the building makes for a beautiful backdrop for a Raleigh engagement photography, the landscape does not disappoint either. The white gazebo with a brown wooden roof is another spot that our Raleigh engagement photographers simply love!
Walnut Hill
How have you envisioned your wedding? Is it amidst the beauty of nature? Surrounded by lush greenery and serene water? Do you want your Raleigh wedding photography to be imprinted by the scenic beauty of nature? Walnut Hill is the answer to all your wedding dreams. With a newly constructed beautiful white barn, this gorgeous Raleigh wedding venue is like a blank canvas on which you can paint your love! This 400-acre dreamland comprises the picturesque barn, a photogenic gazebo, a serene pond, and various other spots where your Raleigh wedding photography will look stunning! There are four event spaces for your wedding ceremony to choose from, both indoor and outdoor. How about saying your wedding vows while being surrounded by lush greens and with the sun adding glamor as its rays fall on the pond right behind you, making it sparkle magnificently!? Is this what your Raleigh wedding dreams are made of? This gorgeous Raleigh wedding venue can accommodate up to 200 guests, providing a natural and rustic ambiance to your Raleigh wedding photography. The venue is just about 20 minutes from downtown Raleigh and has an old-world charm that makes for stunning wedding photography. The lawns are manicured to perfection and set a perfect backdrop for your first look. In case you are not up for it, our Raleigh wedding photographers would love to capture those precious portraits of you and your parents. A daddy’s little girl would always be a daddy’s little girl, but as you enter a new phase of life, it’ll be a milestone of an occasion to capture those precious moments with your daddy dearest! The gazebo also makes for a great prop for your Walnut Hill wedding photography, as it offers romantic backdrops while you and your man relish in the joy of your big day! Check out our blog on how you can have a perfect summer wedding at such a scenic and rustic wedding venue. If you decide to have the wedding outdoors, there is a lot that can be done to make your wedding photography unique. Take a cue from our blog!
Bay 7 at American Tobacco District
This Durham wedding venue is 10,000-square feet of rusticity and grandeur, combined in one! Located in the suburbs of Raleigh, the Bay 7 at American Tobacco District can accommodate up to 400 people, offering a lavish wedding celebration without overdoing it! You could also opt for an intimate wedding of as little as 70 guests, looking equally charming and grand! The exposed brick walls give the wedding venue a rustic and historic look and add an element of old-world charm to wedding photography. It’s a registered historic site, so you can imagine the timeless vibes that it lends to the wedding and wedding photography! The huge windows of the building offer panoramic views of the surroundings to the guests, making every second of theirs spent at your wedding worthwhile! The indoor balcony adds more space to the celebrations and another dimension to your wedding photography. Our Raleigh wedding photographers love capturing the newlywed couple relishing the sights of their guests enjoying their big day! The venue calls for a lot of glam and glitter which will perfectly match up with the rustic industrial vibes of the venue. Bay 7 at American Tobacco District is a blank canvas and can be dressed up just as you want. You could adorn it with string lights or with satin drapes, better still - both, any which ways, the effect will be romantic as heck! The dim-lit ambiance adds more romance coupled with the adorned high ceilings. The whole vibe of the interior looks stunning and makes for a classic Raleigh wedding photography. The exposed stone walls and wooden accents everywhere add a unique old-world charm to your wedding photography. Our Raleigh wedding photographers love capturing all the little details along with the celebrations! On an occasion, this big, the tiniest of things mean the world. Considering the uniquely rustic tones of the wedding venue, we recommend you play a little with the wedding cake! How about a naked cake? Click here to get more inspiration! The hardwood floor is enormous and ensures everyone has a gala time shaking their legs! As you dance with your partner, under the warm glow of the sparkling chandeliers, our Raleigh wedding photographers would love to capture all the romance that’s floating in the air.
The Millenium Center
This classic Raleigh wedding venue is located in the Winston-Salem area of NC, in the suburbs of Raleigh. This historic wedding venue in Raleigh is everything Raleigh-y! If you and your partner wish to incorporate the history of the gorgeous city into your wedding, The Millenium Center has served many weddings since its inception as a wedding venue in 1994. It offers limitless photo ops for vintage wedding photography. The historic ballroom is an epitome of Raleigh’s history and makes for a unique wedding venue in Raleigh. An erstwhile government building, The Millenium Center offers various event spaces to choose from. Beginning with the lower level, the Speakeasy and Garden Room are ideal for up to 150 guests. While the upper level is home to the Historic Courtroom and Grand Jury Room, both suitable for up to 150 guests. The main level houses the Millenium Room with crystal chandeliers and maple hardwood floors and the Grand Lobby with marble floor and a 30-foot high domed ceiling, both being ideal for a larger wedding of up to 400 guests. The state-of-the-art lighting and sound provide a soothing romantic vibe to the wedding celebrations. The effect also reflects on your Millenium Center wedding photography as it looks cinematic. The huge chandeliers provide a warm cozy glow, making the whole ambiance dreamy! Our Raleigh wedding photographers love capturing the romance of a newlywed couple amidst such dreamy settings. You could also add holograms or initials to the decor as they not only add glamor to the celebrations but style as well! The exterior of the Millenium Center is worth capturing as a perfect backdrop to your romance too. The timeless architecture adds a feeling of eternity to your love! There are various ways in which you can add more mystique and vintage touch to a venue like this. Click here to get more inspiration!
The Barn at Valhalla
This wonderland is located in Chapel Hill, towards the suburbs of Raleigh. It’s a dream wedding venue, aimed at making your wedding celebration nothing short of a dream! Spanning a whopping 35 acres, this beautiful wedding venue houses a rustic barn, woodlands, and water features. For your wedding and reception, you can pick from three event spaces - the barn, the lodge with a hearth deck, and gazebo. The barn is the most sought-after event space, accommodating up to 250 guests. The rustic vibes here are unmatched, offering a perfect blend of vintage and urban charm. The wooden log walls and wooden floors make for ideal backdrops for your rustic Raleigh wedding photography. When it comes to romantic wedding photography, The Barn at Valhalla boasts what it houses! Apart from the old-world charm of the countryside barn, the pond is our absolute favorite! Our Raleigh wedding photographers love capturing dreamy silhouettes of newlywed couples against the pond as the sun goes for a slumber! The gazebo is another place where you can get romantic wedding portraits clicked with your partner. The views of the water from the gazebo are breathtaking and make for spectacular backdrops for your Barn at the Valhalla wedding photography.
Studio 215
Located in Fayetteville, this is an offbeat and chic wedding venue with industrial vibes. This unique Raleigh wedding venue is located in downtown Raleigh and spans an area of 6,000 square feet. An erstwhile warehouse, Studio 215 belongs to the era of the 1930s and boasts a wonderful event space and gorgeous photo ops! This Raleigh wedding venue can accommodate up to 240 guests, offering a lot of space for the wedding celebrations! The venue houses two balconies and a private patio, all of which provide great space for your Studio 215 wedding photography. While the exposed brick walls form a brilliant backdrop for your wedding ceremony, it also adds a unique industrial charm to your wedding photography. Take a cue from Hanna and Connor’s wedding to see how the blend of industrial charm and romance can transform a wedding into an unforgettable affair! The bistro lights add glam and glow to an already beautiful venue, taking the look a notch higher! At Studio 215, you could have both an intimate and a lavish wedding as it caters to all sorts of guest counts. The 25-foot ceilings are adorned with exposed wood and lend industrial charm to your Raleigh wedding photography. The spiral staircase - the showstopper and an absolute favorite of our Raleigh wedding photographers, is a perfect prop for your romantic wedding photography. You could use this spot for photos with the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Need more ideas, click here to discover more about getting that perfect shot of the groom and groomsmen. For the wedding ceremony, you could also get creative with the arbor as the backdrop invites you to get creative and design it according to your style.
Raleigh is full of options when it comes to wedding photography and engagement photography. The wedding venue and engagement locations hugely depend on the kind of personalities you both have, less individually and more as a couple. Did we exaggerate there? Okay, we agree, when it comes to weddings, ladies take charge. How? Browse through our collection of wedding inspirational blogs to get more ideas on making your wedding a classic one!
We at George Street Photo and Video provide an exceptionally talented wedding photography team and offer highly competitive packages. Click to know more about our wide range of wedding photography and video packages by scheduling an appointment with us!
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