Where to shoot wedding photos on Long Island
Tying the knot and looking for a unique spot to compliment your big day? Nassau and Suffolk county are filled with picturesque locations to commemorate your storybook wedding.
A picture's worth a thousand words and the perfect location can make all the difference. Here are 20 scenic areas to consider for your photo shoot.
Montauk Point Lighthouse
Credit: Doug Kelley
INFO: 2000 NY-27 Montauk Hwy., Montauk; 631-668-2544, montauklighthouse.com; Wedding photographs by appointment only; parties must contact 631-668-2544 to arrange a date.
Lavender by the Bay
Credit: Carol Hannon
INFO: 7540 Main Rd., East Marion; 631-477-1019, lavenderbythebay.com, Pictures are encouraged at the site but any extensive photo shoots require a site fee. Professional photographers must be insured, naming Lavender by the Bay as an additional insured, and parties must contact Lavender By the Bay at least one week before your desired shoot date.
Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park
Credit: Daniel Brennan
Located at 1395 Planting Fields Rd in Oyster Bay. Surrounded by a wide variety of camellias, the park offers scenic photos to anyone so long as you obtain a photo permit before hand by calling 516-922-8605 or 516-922-8604 or downloading an application here.
Port Jefferson
Credit: John Griffin
INFO: Port Jefferson; http://portjeff.com/; The quaint New England-style village of Port Jefferson combines a walkable downtown with scenic views of the Long Island Sound.
Bayard Cutting Arboretum
Credit: Randee Daddona
INFO: 440 Montauk Hwy., Great River; 631-581-1002, bayardcuttingarboretum.com; Permit is required for all types of posed and/or professional photography at the site.
Oheka Castle
Credit: Newsday / Thomas A. Ferrara
INFO: 135 West Gate Dr., Huntington; 631-659-1400, oheka.com/; Considered one of the most elegant wedding venues, Huntington's Oheka Castle is fit for a princess. This castle has formal gardens, beautifully decorated rooms and impeccable service -- could you really want anything more for your wedding day? Since it has a maximum capacity of 400 guests, you can invite everyone you know to your fairy-tale affair.
Argyle Park
Credit: Amy Onorato
INFO: NY-27A, Babylon; 631-669-1500, villageofbabylonny.gov; Permit required to take professional photos at Argyle Park, no charge for village residents.
Shadmoor State Park
Credit: <a target=new href="http://bit.ly/1U0mq14">Kevin via Flickr (CC BY-SA)</a>
INFO: 900 Montauk Hwy., Montauk; 631-668-3781, parks.ny.gov; Shadmoor State Park will have your wedding photos looking straight out of magazine or movie because of its breathtaking views.
Castle Gould, Sands Point Preserve
Credit: Yvonne Albinowski
INFO: Sands Point Preserve Conservancy, 127 Middle Neck Rd., Sands Point; 516-571-7901, sandspointpreserveconservancy.org; Outdoor photography on the Preserve's grounds, must be approved in advance ($350 for a two-hour period); Indoor photography inside the historic Hempstead House is $450 for a two-hour period. The interior permit includes a third hour for outdoor photography on the grounds.
Avalon Park and Preserve, Stony Brook
Credit: Nicole Schenck
INFO: 200 Harbor Rd., Stony Brook; 631-689-0619, avalonparkandpreserve.org; Parties must contact the parks office at 631-689-0619 to take photos and the staff will send you a card that may be presented to security; All professional photographers need permission to take photos and must contact 631-689-0619 during office hours.
Old Westbury Gardens
Credit: Jim Large
INFO: 71 Old Westbury Rd., Westbury; 516-333-0048, oldwestburygardens.org; Permits are required to take wedding photos and must be requested at least eight weeks in advance.
Wolffer Estate Vineyard
Credit: Gordon M. Grant
INFO: 139 Sagg Rd., PO Box 9002, Sagaponack; 631-537-5106, wolffer.com; East end wineries provide a classic scene for any wedding or engagement photo shoot.
Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead
Credit: Newsday / John Paraskevas
INFO: 431 East Main St., Riverhead; 631-208-9200 ext. 426, longislandaquarium.com; A great way to incorporate your love for the sea is by getting married at the Long Island Aquarium and Exhibition Center (part of Atlantis Banquets and Events) in Riverhead. Though it may seem an unlikely choice at first, the indoor waterfall, the view of the Peconic River and its capability of holding up to 650 guests may change the way you see this venue.
Jones Beach State Park
Credit: Heather Walsh
INFO: 1 Ocean Pkwy., Wantagh; 516-785-1600, parks.ny.gov; Permit needed for wedding/engagement ceremonies and photos.
Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium
Credit: /
INFO: 180 Little Neck Rd., Centerport; 631-854-5579, vanderbiltmuseum.org; The grounds of the Vanderbilt Mansion in Centerport are not only breathtaking, but are also available to rent for your big day. From its gorgeous courtyard to the big celebration tent, the grounds of this venue allow 30 to 250+ guests, depending on where exactly on the grounds you choose to hold your event.
Cradle of Aviation
Credit: Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.
INFO: Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, Garden City; 516-572-411, cradleofaviation.org; This one-of-a-kind space will have your guests feeling out of this world. The maximum capacity for an indoor ceremony at this location is 300 guests and the maximum capacity for an indoor reception is 1,000 guests.
Bailey Arboretum
Credit: Marisol Diaz
INFO: 194 Bayville Rd., Locust Valley; 516-801-1458, baileyarboretum.org; Permit and fees are required for all professional photography.
Robert Moses State Park
Credit: National Park Service
INFO: 600 Robert Moses State Pkwy., Babylon; 631-669-0449, parks.ny.gov; Permit needed for wedding/engagement ceremonies and photos.
Boardwalk and beach In Long Beach
Credit: Patrick E. McCarthy
INFO: Long Beach; longbeachny.gov; The bride and groom will be glowing with the beach as the backdrop of their wedding photos on the boardwalk.
Eisenhower Park
Credit: Howard Schnapp
INFO: 1899 Park Blvd., Westbury; 516-572-0348, nassaucountyny.gov; Permit required for wedding photos at the park.
