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9 Great Spots for Wedding Photo Backdrops in Saratoga Springs

Posted under: Photographs

If you’re getting married in Saratoga, you’ll want to embrace one of its many iconic facets in your wedding photos. From the Victorian, Gilded Age charm of the city, to the water and mountains of Saratoga Lake, to the gardens of Central Park and Yaddo, Saratoga Springs is full of beautiful backdrops for your wedding photos. With the help of local wedding photographers, who shared some of their favorite locations and shots, we’ve gathered together some of the city’s best places for wedding photos, from stunning historic venues to classic Saratoga Springs landmarks.

THE BATCHELLER MANSION INN AND CONGRESS PARK

The Batcheller Mansion Inn dates back to the 1870s and is a classic Saratoga Springs wedding venue. The rooms are furnished with its original Victorian decor and its grounds are filled with beautiful landscaping. Pose for pictures in the parlor, on the grand staircase, or on the porch, and your photos will look like they were taken in a museum. With Congress Park right across the street, you can also take photos in the gardens or arrange to take pictures on the carousel. It doesn’t get much more romantic than the natural beauty of the park!

YADDO

Yaddo, a historic estate and artist’s community, features sprawling rose gardens, complete with fountains and statues. The property also has wrought-iron gates, a pergola, ponds, and a rock garden, which can all make for amazing photo backdrops. A sundial in the middle of the writer’s retreat’s terraced garden is inscribed with poetry and is the perfect setting for photographs of your rings.

THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF DANCE

If you love ballet, you might want to have your wedding (and wedding photos) set at the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame. Located on the fringes of the Saratoga Spa State Park and near the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the Museum is surrounded by beautiful grounds. White columns grace both the inside and outside of this venue – and make for a stunning backdrop. (Photograph above courtesy of Trisha Millier Photography.)

HALL OF SPRINGS

Located along the Avenue of the Pines in Saratoga Spa State Park, the Hall of Springs is iconic. The photos from your reception will look elegant framed by the marble columns and vaulted ceiling of the ballroom, as seen in the above photograph by J. Foley Photography. The grounds are equally gorgeous. Outside, the large reflecting pool and arched covered walkways are perfect locations for taking portraits.

THE LODGE

Niki Rossi Photography recommends The Lodge, a wedding venue owned by the Saratoga Casino Hotel. The Lodge is a historic building that dates back over a century, with grounds outside large enough for outdoor weddings (and large group pictures). Although the name “Lodge” makes this venue sound rustic, the house is more of a Gilded Age summer home, with rich wood paneling, carved railings along the upstairs gallery, and stained glass windows.

THE SARATOGA RACETRACK

The racetrack is one of the quintessential Saratoga Springs landmarks, but did you know that you can get married there? Niki Rossi Photography suggests the racetrack as a great spot for Saratoga wedding photos. If you love horses or the races, this might be the perfect setting for your photos. The starting gates make for unique portraits of wedding parties large or small. With the stables, horses, grandstands, and other buildings and grounds, there are tons of other options for interesting photos.

THE SARATOGA POLO FIELDS

If you want your wedding photos to have a hint of the equestrian, but want a less obvious location with a little more open space, the Saratoga Polo Fields are another option suggested by Niki Rossi Photography. Located just to the north of Downtown, they offer venues for indoor or outdoor weddings, with a clubhouse, event tent, and gazebo on their grounds.

THE ADELPHI HOTEL

Niki Rossi Photography also recommends The Adelphi, a hotel on Broadway that dates back to the 1870s. The hotel recently reopened after extensive restoration and is more elegant than ever. Whether you take your photos in front of its iconic entrance, by the railing of the second-story porch, on the grand staircase, in the bright ballroom, or anywhere else in this historic hotel, you’ll feel transported to another era.

CANFIELD CASINO

The Canfield Casino will also make you feel is if you – and your wedding photos – stepped back in time. Its ornate ceiling, elegant columns, and rich wood floors look as beautiful as they must have a hundred and fifty years ago. Canfield is perfect for dramatic portraits, as seen in these two photos taken by J. Foley Photography, which look like they were taken from a scene out of an Old Hollywood film. Canfield Casino is located in Congress Park, another great place to pose for portraits, with its gardens, waters, sculptures, and carousel.