Planning Your Lehigh Valley Destination WEDDING with trusted Vendors
The Lehigh Valley has quietly become one of Pennsylvania’s most sought-after destination WEDDING locations for couples from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Long Island.
Not because it’s loud about it. Because it’s rare gold.
This corner of eastern Pennsylvania delivers what so many city couples are craving right now: the polish of historic estates and architectural gems, the romance of rolling countryside and working farms, and the ease of a getaway that feels like a true “destination” without the cross-country production. It’s close enough for guests to arrive comfortably, yet far enough to feel like you’ve discovered a hidden gem worth traveling for.
And here’s the sophisticated truth: the value is real. Many couples find their budgets stretch further here than they would in the city—often translating into more guest experience, more venue character, and more room to invest in the details (and the documentation) that make the weekend feel elevated, not just expensive.
Over the past fifteen years, we’ve worked with dozens of couples who chose the Lehigh Valley for exactly these reasons. They wanted a WEDDING that felt editorial yet honest—set against backdrops with genuine history—and they needed a calm, trusted team offering seamless photography and videography (plus content creation) that makes planning from a distance feel simple.
Why Discerning Couples Choose the Lehigh Valley for their Destination Wedding
The Lehigh Valley isn’t trying to impress you.
It just does.
There’s no manufactured charm here, just authentic Pennsylvania history, preserved architecture, and landscapes that have been quietly stunning for generations. Venues like Vault 634 in Allentown bring 1911 grandeur to life inside the former Lehigh Valley Trust Building, complete with stained-glass ceilings and marble columns. Glasbern Inn offers 150 acres of working farmland turned luxury estate, where rustic meets refined without a hint of contrivance. Miller Symphony Hall provides theatrical drama with its grand architecture and stage-like setting, while Wilbur Mansion and The Dery Mansion transport couples back to the Gilded Age with meticulously restored interiors and manicured gardens.
These aren’t cookie-cutter wedding venues. They’re spaces with stories.
For couples traveling from metropolitan areas, this distinction matters. You’ve likely seen dozens of urban lofts and hotel ballrooms. The Lehigh Valley offers something different: historic character, natural beauty, and the kind of refined elegance that photographs beautifully and feels timeless decades later.
It also offers a quieter kind of luxury—space to breathe, room to host well, and a setting that feels curated without feeling crowded. And compared to city pricing, many couples find meaningful cost savings here while still creating a high-end experience for their guests. The result is that rare sweet spot: a weekend that looks and feels editorial, with a budget that’s working for you—not against you.
The location itself is strategic. Situated between Philadelphia and the Poconos, the Lehigh Valley is accessible via major highways and close to Lehigh Valley International Airport. Your guests from Manhattan can arrive in less than two hours. Your family from Connecticut won’t need to take a full day to travel. And you, planning from out of state, can visit the area multiple times without the logistics becoming overwhelming.
Planning Your Destination WEDDING from Out of State
Here’s what we’ve learned after fifteen years of working with couples who are planning Lehigh Valley weddings from New York, New Jersey, and beyond: the process can be surprisingly straightforward with the right team in place.
Distance doesn’t have to mean disconnection.
Technology has transformed how we work with out-of-state couples. Video consultations, detailed planning timelines, vendor coordination, and digital galleries mean you’re never out of the loop. But beyond the logistics, there’s something more important, trust. When you’re planning from hundreds of miles away, you need a photography and videography team who functions as an extension of your vision, who understands the venues intimately, and who can guide you through decisions with confidence.
We’ve photographed weddings at nearly every significant venue in the Lehigh Valley. We know which ceremony sites offer the best natural light at 4 p.m. in October. We understand how sound carries in Vault 634’s soaring spaces. We’ve worked through timeline challenges at Glasbern Inn and captured golden hour portraits in every season at Monterre Vineyards.
This institutional knowledge matters when you’re planning remotely. You’re not just hiring photographers, you’re gaining local experts who can answer questions your NYC-based planner might not know, who can recommend the best getting-ready suites for natural window light, and who can troubleshoot last-minute timeline adjustments with calm confidence.
Our multi-generational family team brings another advantage: consistency and continuity. You’ll work with the same people from your first inquiry through your final gallery delivery. No rotating cast of strangers. No wondering who will actually show up on your WEDDING day. Just our family, who will feel like your family by the time we’re celebrating together at your reception.
The Full-Service Advantage
Destination wedding planning has enough moving parts. Your photography and videography shouldn’t add to the complexity.
We offer a seamless team approach that includes photography, videography, and content creation, all coordinated under one umbrella. This isn’t just about convenience (though it absolutely helps when you’re planning from out of state). It’s about cohesion—and about protecting the feeling of the day.
When the visual team is unified, the energy stays clean. The coverage feels intentional. And you don’t lose time to vendor friction or competing priorities. It’s one connected, editorial vision—executed calmly, with fifteen years of experience behind it.
Our photographers and videographers work in tandem, never competing for moments or blocking shots. Our content creator captures the behind-the-scenes magic and social-media-ready moments that keep your guests engaged and give you material to share immediately. Everyone understands the timeline, anticipates key moments, and moves through your day with choreographed ease.
For couples planning from New York or New Jersey, this integration eliminates the stress of coordinating multiple vendors who’ve never worked together. You’re not managing separate contracts, separate arrival times, separate communication chains. You have one point of contact, one cohesive creative vision, and one team who makes your WEDDING day feel effortless.
The Birds Of A Feather Perspective
After fifteen years of documenting destination weddings in the Lehigh Valley, we’ve developed a philosophy rooted in two core beliefs: authentic storytelling and ease.
We also understand the “rare gold” appeal of this place. Couples don’t come here to mimic a city ballroom. They come for a hidden-gem getaway that feels elevated and intentional—and for the kind of value that lets them host with generosity while still investing in legacy-level imagery and film.
Out-of-state couples often arrive at their WEDDING weekend carrying more stress than local couples. You’ve planned everything remotely. You’re trusting vendors you’ve met only once or twice. Your guests have traveled. The pressure to make it perfect can feel enormous.
Our role is to dissolve that pressure.
We show up early, stay calm regardless of what unfolds, and create an atmosphere where you can actually be present. Our multi-generational team, spanning different perspectives and working styles, brings depth to how we see and capture your day. We’re not chasing trends or forcing moments. We’re documenting what’s real: the way your mother adjusts your veil, the quiet moment you share before walking down the aisle, the genuine laughter during toasts, the unguarded joy on the dance floor.
This approach resonates particularly well with couples from metropolitan areas who are seeking something different from the high-production, heavily styled weddings they see constantly. You didn’t choose a destination WEDDING in Pennsylvania to replicate a Manhattan ballroom experience. You chose it for authenticity, for beauty that doesn’t require artificial enhancement, for a celebration that feels both elevated and intimate.
We deliver images and films that honor those intentions, sophisticated, story-driven documentation that will matter as much in thirty years as it does today.
Because we’ve been doing this for fifteen years, we also bring institutional knowledge about the Lehigh Valley that benefits every couple we work with. We know the hidden ceremony spots at Glasbern Inn. We understand how to work with the dramatic lighting at Vault 634. We’ve navigated weather contingencies and timeline adjustments at dozens of venues. This experience becomes your advantage, particularly when planning from out of state and unable to scout locations repeatedly.
Our family-led approach means you’re working with people who are genuinely invested in your experience, not a corporate team managing volume. We take on a limited number of weddings each year precisely so we can give each couple this level of attention and care. By your WEDDING day, you won’t feel like clients. You’ll feel like family.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance should out-of-state couples book their Lehigh Valley WEDDING photography?
We recommend reaching out 12-18 months before your WEDDING date, particularly if you’re planning for a peak season weekend (May through October). Our family team can only take on a limited number of weddings each year, and popular dates fill quickly. However, we occasionally have availability for closer dates, so it’s always worth inquiring.
Do you help with vendor recommendations for couples planning from NY or NJ?
Absolutely. After fifteen years in the Lehigh Valley, we’ve built relationships with exceptional planners, florists, caterers, and other vendors throughout the region. We’re happy to share recommendations based on your style and needs, and we can facilitate introductions to make your planning process smoother.
What does your typical timeline look like for a destination WEDDING?
Most Lehigh Valley destination weddings benefit from coverage beginning during getting-ready preparations (usually 2-3 hours before the ceremony) and continuing through the reception’s key moments. We work with you to create a customized timeline that ensures we capture everything important while giving you time to actually enjoy your celebration. Our experience with the area’s venues means we can recommend optimal timing for portraits, cocktail hour coverage, and golden hour photos.
Can we schedule a venue walk-through if we’re visiting from out of state?
Yes. We encourage couples to schedule a visit to the Lehigh Valley before their WEDDING, and we’re happy to meet you at your venue for a walk-through. This gives us a chance to discuss your vision in person, scout ceremony and portrait locations together, and address any questions you have about the space. If an in-person visit isn’t possible, we can conduct a detailed video consultation and provide insights based on our extensive experience at the venue.
Do you offer engagement sessions for out-of-state couples?
We do, and they’re particularly valuable for destination WEDDING couples. An engagement session, whether in the Lehigh Valley or in your home city, gives us a chance to work together before your WEDDING day, helping you feel more comfortable in front of the camera and giving us insight into your dynamic as a couple. Many out-of-state couples choose to schedule their engagement session when they’re in Pennsylvania for a venue visit or tasting.
What’s included with your photography, videography, and content creator services?
Our seamless team approach means all three services work in coordination throughout your WEDDING day. Photography includes full-day coverage, a curated online gallery, and printing rights. Videography delivers a cinematic film that tells your complete story. Content creation captures social-media-ready moments and behind-the-scenes glimpses. We customize packages based on your specific needs and can discuss options during your consultation.
If you are newly engaged in the Lehigh Valley and are looking for vendors that you can trust- we would be honored to work with you! Our family team can only take on a limited number of weddings each year and we would love for yours to be one of them. Please reach out to me, Tassia- at Hello@birdsofafeatherphotography.com or visit our website at [www.birdsofafeatherphotography.com].
