The Ultimate Guide to Taking Your Wedding Photos in Cleveland, Ohio

Wedding Party Photos on East 4th in Downtown Cleveland

Cleveland is THE best city, so why would you not want it as the backdrop of your wedding photos?! There are so many well-known and hidden gem areas to choose from. Cleveland has everything from classic architecture to local landmarks to alleyways to street art to bridges to beaches and lake views. I am going to break down all of my top recommendations with all of the tips I’ve learned over my years coming to Cleveland for work and fun.

First let’s start off with some things to keep in mind when considering Cleveland as your wedding photo destination:

1. It is WINDY and I mean WINDY. You don’t notice exactly how windy until you start dealing with veils and slits.

2. Your wedding day is the most important event to you, but there can be so many things going on. There could be concerts/live music, sporting events, musicals, local festivals, etc. Make sure you look up what’s going on in Cleveland to make sure you know what areas will be the most congested.

3. Parking. This is probably the biggest factor that is going to affect what you can fit into your wedding day timeline. Sure, there are tons of lots and garages to be found- it’s just a matter of convenience and price. That same lot that offers $5 early bird parking before 3:00 pm could be $50 during a Cavs home game.

   **Want to avoid this stressor altogether? Rent a transportation service! Then invite your photo and video along for the ride or have them follow the bus.

4. Are you a HUGE lifelong Cleveland sports fan? Always dreamed of having your photos captured INSIDE the stadium of your favorite team? Wellllllll that may have to stay a dream. The Guardians’ and Browns’ seasons coincide with popular wedding seasons. Unfortunately, they will not let you in on gamedays. It is best to contact the team’s customer service departments as far in advance as possible to inquire as to 1) whether you can even come into the stadium and 2) if there are any applicable permit fees.

5. And last but not least- manage your expectations. This is a hard pill to swallow when you have this dreamy vision built up in your head. Depending on where you choose, it may not accommodate larger bridal parties. More likely than not you can also have random people in the background especially if you hit up somewhere like East 4th Street or Playhouse Square. Some outside areas may be in full, direct sun and will not be ideal for photos. Just be flexible and listen to your photographer’s advice.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get into the fun shit: talking all about the perfect wedding photo backdrops in Cleveland! Each destination will have its own pros and cons list based off of my personal experiences as a self-proclaimed Cleveland connoisseur. Feel free to also apply this information to your engagement photos.

Our first category is what I am going to call the iconic local landmarks. These are places that would pop up if you typed into Google “Cleveland wedding photos.”

1. East 4th Street

   Pros: so many cool lights and buildings, beautiful floral arrangements in the spring and summer, bars to pop into and have a celebratory drink, little alleyways for more spicy photos

   Cons: it can be too narrow for larger bridal parties, definitely going to have random people in the background, nearby parking lots and garages are more expensive, can be hard to maneuver on gamedays

2. The Arcade

   Pros: absolutely stunning architecture, indoors, perfect location for both couple and bridal party portraits

   Cons: there is a permit fee (at the time of writing this blog the fee is $275/hour), popular place for tourists to pop in and look around, may be closed on your date as they host their own weddings

3. The Flats

   Pros: unique views of the Cleveland skyline, on the Cuyahoga River, bars to pop into for a celebratory drink, so many hidden gem spots to fit whatever vibe you are looking for, ample parking

   Cons: there is an east and a west bank which requires driving, boating, or a long roundabout walk to cross; lots of people especially on warm days, on the Cuyahoga River (tons of boaters and kayakers on warm days), the jackknife bridge on the west bank is super popular and you may have to quite literally wait in line to get your photos done there depending on your wedding date, traffic can be difficult to navigate, while there is a variety of spots they are pretty spread out

4. the cleveland museum of art

   Pros: wide variety of backdrops including a beautiful fountain, the pond, the museum building, gorgeous stone steps, and plenty of trees and maintained shrubbery; if there is no event you can pop into the museum atrium for a few photos if it begins to rain, the perfect destination for timeless and elevated photos, close to the cultural gardens

   Cons: very popular tourist and local destination, very popular destination for all types of photo sessions (depending on the season you can be dodging other weddings, grads, families, and even proms), there is plenty of street parking but it can become a hot commodity on beautiful days

5. Playhouse Square

   Pros: the gorgeous chandelier hanging over the intersection, all of the beautiful theater buildings which only look more beautiful at night, perfect for the artsy couple, plenty of parking including places for the bus to put on its hazards to let your bridal party off and on

   Cons: may have to dodge a lot of traffic to get that iconic photo under the chandelier, gets very crowded after a show lets out, disconnected to the rest of downtown

The second category is going to be beaches because not only are we lucky in northeast Ohio to have beaches close by, but we have multiple along the Lake Erie shore.

Edgewater Beach, Cleveland, Ohio

1. Edgewater beach

   Pros: lots of variety including the beach, willow tree, dock, and rocks; second elevated area that includes a Cleveland sign and trail leading to an amazing skyline view; plenty of parking

   Cons: super busy during the summer; there are three different parking lots- 1 by the dock, 1 by the beach house with direct beach access, and 1 by the script sign; not the cleanest of the Cleveland beaches

2. Mentor headlands

   Pros: very clean and expansive, there is a unique area with a boardwalk leading through tall grasses to the water and a lighthouse, wooded areas for a variety of setting

   Cons: since it is so expansive there are several parking lots along the beach, it is a long walk from the parking lot to actually get to the water, about 20 minutes outside of downtown Cleveland

3. Huntington beach

   Pros: very clean, once you get down to the beach the water is right there, ample overflow parking across the street from the main parking lot

   Cons: steep narrow stairs to climb to get to the beach, lifeguards will yell at you to get off the rocks, much smaller than Edgewater so it can become overcrowded quickly in the summer

   **I love taking my family and friends to Huntington Beach to hangout, but I honestly do not recommend this beach for your wedding photos. Too much maneuvering for the payoff.

4. Main street beach, vermilion

   Pros: short walk from the street to the beach, there’s a cool red and white lighthouse, green grass hill that overlooks the lake, within walking distance to the boat docks, a quick drive to downtown Vermilion which gives the perfect small town square vibe

   Cons: extremely limited parking, no restrooms only port o potties, smaller beach which can become crowded quickly, about 20 minutes outside of downtown Cleveland

Shifting gears from beaches we are moving to some photo spots to consider in the heart of downtown Cleveland. Looking for classic, city romance? This is the section for you!

Wedding Photo in Public Square by the Soldiers and Sailors Monument and Fountain

1. Public square

   Pros: so much variety, home to iconic landmarks including the Terminal Tower and Soldiers and Sailors Monument, unique water feature for awesome reflection photos, beautiful cherry blossom trees that blossom in the spring, perfect for larger bridal parties, bus drop off in front of Tower City, within walking distance or a super short drive of East 4th Street, beautiful greenspace surrounded by classic Cleveland architecture

   Cons: only city buses can drive directly through the middle of Public Square, definitely lots of people and traffic in the background

2. Fountain of eternal life

   Pros: wide open paved area great for all size bridal parties, within walking distance to Public Square, within walking distance to the Cleveland Public Library which is a great reprieve from rain for some elegant couple portraits, parking garage right next to it and plenty of spots for bus drop off, across the street is a wide-open green space with cool features including some mirror sculptures and a view of First Energy Stadium

   Cons: fountain is not on year-round, can experience direct sunlight in the middle of the day

3. Voinovich Park

   Pros: you get the best of both worlds with beautiful lake and skyline views, within walking distance to both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and First Energy Stadium, unique large stone steps similar to the Solstice Steps in Lakewood, home to a Cleveland script sign, perfect for bridal parties of all sizes, so cool at night especially with the lights and the museum lit up

   Cons: limited parking, may have to wait in line to take a picture with the Cleveland sign, with the museum so close by this is a popular tourist spot

Fountain of Eternal Life

Wedding at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Looking for a breath of fresh air in the city? Check out the Cleveland cultural gardens. I love the variety of the different landscapes with touches of native florals, greenery, fountains, stone steps, and other notable architecture. Plenty of street parking all along the gardens allows you to drop off and garden hop. Honorable mentions to look into include the Italian garden, Hungarian garden, and Syrian garden.

Last but certainly not least let’s talk about some unconventional wedding photo locations. These are perfect for more fun, candid photos as well as moody and creative.

1. parking garages

   My personal favorite in located on Huron Road across from Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse and the Gateway East Garage. You get a great view of the Terminal Tower and the “For the love, for the land” banner on the Sherwin Williams headquarters. Grab a bottle of champagne for a champagne spray with just you two or the whole crew.

2. cleveland public library

   With gorgeous marble staircases and golden accents, this location is ideal for your couple portraits. Just imagine your train cascading down the marble steps. Imagine your new spouse pulling you closer in the gold elevator. I love this because it’s absolutely stunning, free, has restrooms, and is inside.

3. The bars and alleyways of east 4th street

   Not only is the whole street shot just quintessential Cleveland, but this is also your sign to venture into the street. Stop in one of the bars for a celebratory drink. Pop into one of the alleyways for some intimate portraits. Snag some paparazzi style photos of you crossing the street. Give your photographer creative freedom and you will be surprised what they can capture.

Blue Agave alleyway entrance on East 4th Street

Now that we have broken these hotspots down into pros and cons, let’s organize them into more concise lists to determine which suits your wants and needs best.

• Most variety of backdrops

  • Public Square, cultural gardens, Cleveland Art Museum, Voinovich Park, Edgewater Beach, the Flats

• easiest access

  • Edgewater Beach, East 4th Street, Cleveland Art Museum, cultural gardens, Fountain of Eternal Life, the Flats

• best for larger wedding parties

  • Public Square, rooftop parking garage, Cleveland Art Museum, cultural gardens, Voinovich Park, Edgewater Beach, Mentor Headlands, the Arcade

No matter what vibe you are looking for Cleveland will have the perfect backdrop for your wedding photos. Cheers to you and starting your new chapter in the greatest city in the Midwest!

Wedding Portrait on the rooftop of the Jack Casino parking garage in downtown Cleveland