The day goes fast. Everyone says it, because it’s true. And the best way to remember it is to be in it,not managing it or directing it.

This list highlights five of the most photogenic venues I’ve worked at chosen based on actual experience, not marketing photos. I’ve included the good, the tricky, and a few things you only catch when you’ve spent a full wedding day actually working the space, not just passing through.

Over the past 12 years of working full-time as a wedding photographer, I’ve had my fair share of removing distractions and imperfections to make sure every photo shines in the final gallery. But hands down, the most frequently photoshopped element in my images? The officiant

As a photographer, I always make it a point to capture guest photos during the cocktail hour. After finishing the portraits of the bride, groom, and their inner circle, I immediately shift to photographing the guests. These images might not end up on a photographer’s website or framed in the couple’s home, but they’re just as important.

Weddings are filled with romantic, emotional, and sweet moments and a whole lot of hilarious personalities that make the day even more entertaining for me. Those spontaneous, quirky shots? I secretly live for them and always make sure they’re part of the wedding gallery.