Maine & NH Wedding Photographer // The Pros and Cons of an Indoor Wedding Venue

Planning a wedding in Maine means embracing unpredictability, but not just when it comes to the weather. It’s a place where the landscape offers everything from vast forests and rugged coastlines to charming, cozy inns with as much personality inside as the natural world outside. The trick is finding the balance of venue and vision. Today, I want to share some insights as a wedding photographer on why choosing an indoor venue could be a great move and when it might not be the right fit.

The Pros

1. Weather? What Weather?

Here in Maine, weather changes on a dime, sometimes even in the span of a single day. Chilly morning, hot afternoon, and near freezing in the evening. Then maybe rain to top it off. With an indoor wedding, weather worries simply fade away. Cold or rainy day? It doesn't matter; you’ll be comfortable and cozy, and so will your guests. That freedom means you can focus on enjoying the day rather than keeping track of temperatures or skies and switching to a different wedding plan at the drop of a hat.

2. Embrace the Interior for Unique Portraits

One of my favorite things about an indoor wedding venue is the opportunity to lean into its unique interiors for portraits. I’ve shoot weddings that are 100% inside, like not a single picture taken outdoors. If you’ve chosen a place with a personality you love, let’s use it! A stunning staircase, a vintage fireplace, architectural details, or interesting textures on the walls make beautiful backdrops for timeless portraits. Every indoor space has its charm, and if you picked it, it’s because it felt like it added something special to your day. We’ll capture that—bringing your vision to life by using the venue as an active part of your story.

3. Convenient Flow for You and Your Guests

An indoor venue typically has a smaller, more intimate footprint than a sprawling outdoor space. Let;’s face it your grandmother does NOT want to take a stroll on the beach and fall on your wedding day. Your guests won’t need to navigate vast distances between ceremony and reception or brave chilly evening air to get to the cocktail hour. Everything is in one place, close by, which makes it easy to enjoy every moment. Plus, who wants to rack up their step count before hitting the dance floor? Keeping things close means more energy for dancing, celebrating, and capturing those joy-filled candids.

Now the Cons

1. Space Limitations for Larger Weddings

While the cozy footprint of an indoor venue is perfect for some, it may feel a bit too snug if you’re planning on a large guest list. Seating, ceremony setup, and mingling areas may feel crowded, especially during high-energy moments like the dance party. It’s worth asking if your venue has any flexible indoor/outdoor spaces that could expand your layout a bit to keep things comfortable.

2. Less Variety in Scenery

Outdoor venues give you Maine’s gorgeous landscapes, and no indoor space can quite capture that wild beauty. If you’re a nature enthusiast or have your heart set on wide-open skies and that fresh coastal air, you might feel limited by indoor backdrops. However, if you love the idea of nature close by, we can still step outside for some quick shots when time and weather allow. I often find ways to combine both: beautiful indoor portraits with a few outdoor captures for variety.

3. Different Kinds of Lighting Create Different Types of Portraits

As a photographer, lighting is always one of my biggest considerations. While I love the way strobe lighting can create a dramatic, cinematic atmosphere, I don’t want all of your pictures to have the same feel to them. My approach is to use both natural light and creative strobe lighting to make sure every gallery that I deliver has a vast variety of portraits to it. If lighting is on your mind, we can talk in advance about how to make it work for the mood and energy you want.

Making the Choice That’s Right for You

Choosing an indoor venue is about embracing a cozy, controlled space where your day is in your hands rather than in the weather’s. But every venue choice, indoor or outdoor, has its own beauty and character. Ultimately, an indoor venue is ideal if you want a more intimate space with thoughtful details, flexibility in any weather, and comfort for guests of all ages.

So, if you’ve chosen an indoor space, know that you’ve made a fantastic choice. We’ll make it a warm, inviting space for your story, and I can’t wait to show you just how beautiful it can be.