Guides
Okanagan wedding venues, from behind the camera
Every venue website shows you the place at its absolute best, usually in perfect evening light, usually empty. That is not wrong, it is just not the whole picture. This is what I notice as the person photographing the day: where the light actually falls, which spots work when it rains, and how long it really takes to get from the ceremony to the good backdrop.
None of this is a ranking. There is no best venue in the Okanagan, only the one that fits the day you want. If your venue is not here, that genuinely is not a problem, I photograph weddings all over the valley and beyond.
What a photographer is actually looking at
If you are touring venues, it is worth borrowing this list. Four things make more difference to your photographs than almost anything else, and none of them appear on a venue brochure.
Which way the ceremony faces. A ceremony spot pointing straight into a low afternoon sun means you and your guests spend the whole thing squinting, and the light is harsh in every photograph. The same spot two hours later can be the best light of the day. Ask what time weddings usually start there and why.
Where you get ready. Getting-ready photographs live or die on window light. A room with a large window and pale walls will look calm and natural. A basement suite with overhead lighting will not, no matter who is holding the camera. Ask to see the actual room, not the suite in the photos.
The wet-weather plan. Ask to see it in person rather than being told it exists. A covered patio you would happily stand under is very different from a conference room with a low ceiling. In the Okanagan you are unlikely to need it, but the year you do, it matters enormously.
How far apart everything is. Ceremony to portraits to reception. If those are a ten-minute walk or a shuttle ride apart, that time comes out of your day, and it usually comes out of the portrait block. Walk it while you are there.
Kelowna & West Kelowna
The city has the widest range in the valley: lakefront hotels, hillside wineries, gardens, and beaches you can walk to. More detail on the area is on the Kelowna wedding photographer page.
Summerhill Pyramid Winery
[Notes to come.]
CedarCreek Estate Winery
[Notes to come.]
Sanctuary Gardens
[Notes to come.]
Manteo Resort
[Notes to come.]
Hotel Eldorado
[Notes to come.]
Knox Mountain
[Notes to come.]
The Okanagan Lake beaches
[Notes to come.]
Penticton & the South Okanagan
Vineyard country, and the part of the valley where the light gets genuinely dramatic late in the day. More on the region on the Penticton wedding photographer page.
The Naramata Bench wineries
[Notes to come.]
Poplar Grove Winery
[Notes to come.]
God’s Mountain Estate
[Notes to come.]
Linden Gardens
[Notes to come.]
Skaha Lake
[Notes to come.]
Munson Mountain
[Notes to come.]
Summerland and Okanagan Falls are both comfortably in range as well.
Vernon & the North Okanagan
Kalamalka Lake, mountain air, and the resort venues. More on the region on the Vernon wedding photographer page.
Sparkling Hill Resort
[Notes to come.]
Predator Ridge
[Notes to come.]
The Rise
[Notes to come.]
Kalamalka Lake
[Notes to come.]
Ellison Provincial Park
[Notes to come.]
Silver Star
[Notes to come.]
The Lake Country wineries sit between Kelowna and Vernon and are easy to reach from either.
Questions worth asking on a venue tour
Take these with you. They take two minutes and they shape your photographs more than any decision you will make after booking.
- What time do ceremonies usually start here, and which way does the ceremony area face?
- Can I see the actual getting-ready room? How many windows does it have?
- Where is the wet-weather ceremony option, and can we stand in it now?
- How long does it take to walk from the ceremony to the reception?
- Is there anywhere on site that stays in shade in the late afternoon?
- What time do we need to be off the property, and does that include the photographer?
- Are there any restrictions on where we can go for portraits?
If a venue cannot answer the ceremony-direction question, that is worth knowing too. The ones who host a lot of weddings always can.
Still Choosing?
Happy to talk it through
If you are deciding between two venues and want an honest opinion on how each one photographs, just ask. I would rather help you pick well than sell you anything.