Towards the end of a busy wedding season, I was so looking forward to this day! I knew going in that it was going to be so fun, laid=back and that if everyone involved was half as sweet and amazing as Natalie and Nick then it would be the best day. And I wasn’t wrong! They had an absolutely awesome wedding at the Venues at the Factory in Manchester, NH. Every time I turned around they had huge smiles on their faces, as did everyone else.

I’ve spent some time at the Venues at the Factory previously, but I had no idea about all the little spots they have that are great for photos. From the amazing AirBNB suites they have for getting ready (with big windows, great for us photographers), to the cute couches with “the venues” in lights behind them, to the industrial vibes of the exposed brick and cafe lights, and then there’s the charming red phone booth! We had a great time exploring.

Venue: The Venues at the Factory, Manchester, NH

I’ve asked the couple some questions about the wedding, and their answers are throughout in italics.

How did you meet your partner and/or get engaged?

We became friends in high school when we worked at the same job in a retirement community dining room! We were friends for a few years before we started dating in college. Every year, we do the Coppal House Farm corn maze together in Lee, New Hampshire. It’s one of our favorite fall activities to do together! In 2023, Nick proposed in the middle of the corn maze – now it’s even more special going back every year!

Keep scrolling for lots more from this wedding at the Venues at the Factory!

light green sage wedding invitation suite with his and hers vows book save the date flowers, perfume and jewelry flat lay wedding photo

close up of wedding rings on top of wedding invite

bride looks in mirror happily at her wedding makeup and bridesmaids in their pjs smile behind her

groom gets ready in suite with industrial vibe bricks, groomsmen help him get his coat and tie on

groom flatlay with shoes, socks, cufflinks and sunglasses; groom gets his shoes on

coke and diet coke bottles with wedding rings on top

Do you have any suggestions for other couples who are planning their weddings?

Start planning early! We had a two-year long engagement, which was the perfect amount of time for us to plan without feeling rushed or overly stressed. We also got to work with the vendors that we really wanted to because we booked them early!

Take time for yourselves! Build in time to your day to spend together – whether that’s a first look, private cake cutting, or a moment away to take sunset photos. The day goes by so fast, and it’s so important to share as many moments together as you can!

First look & formal photos before the ceremony! One of the best things we did timeline-wise for the wedding was doing a first look and formal photos before the ceremony. It allowed us to get out all our pre-ceremony nerves and enjoy extra time with our family and friends, while getting formal photos done at the same time! Because we did the photos ahead of time, we also got to spend cocktail hour visiting with all of our other guests!

wedding dress hangs from back of closet, bride and her bridesmaids in white and black pajamas on the bed laughing

bride first look with her bridesmaids; bride has joyful smile, bridesmaids smile and exclaim in excitement

bride and groom on leather couch under sign that says "the venues" in lights

It’s hard to pick the most special moment because everything felt so special, but we really loved doing the first look and would recommend it to any couples getting married! Getting to see each other ahead of the ceremony really helped us both feel at ease going into the ceremony. We got all the tears out of the way, and we went into the rest of the day laughing and smiling surrounded by our family and wedding party! From a timeline standpoint, it was also so great to have that time before the ceremony to take formal photos so that we could spend cocktail hour with our guests!

wedding party photos outside the venues at the factory with exposed brick in the courtyard

wedding photos at the venues at the factory outside with red phone booth and then bride and groom on stairs with wooden door behind them

As soon as we got our engagement photos back, we knew without a doubt that we made the right decision! Working with you was easily one of the best decisions we made for our wedding day – the photos captured the love and joy of the day, and your photography is beautifully vibrant and timeless! Our parents haven’t stopped telling us how beautiful all the photography turned out!

bride and groom see guests before the ceremony

This was a fun moment! Some of the guests who arrived early were heading to a nearby brewery and found us doing photos - love everyone’s reactions!

the venues at the factory wedding reception area set up with cafe lights, round tables and candles

We picked the Venues at the Factory in Manchester, New Hampshire for a few reasons! We were looking for a venue with a more modern and industrial feel, that allowed us flexibility in terms of the vendors we worked with (specifically catering and bartending services). We also loved that the venue had space for getting ready, accommodations for our wedding party and families on-site, and that the venue included a dedicated day-of coordinator.

natalie and nick exchange vows during their wedding ceremony at the venues at the factory

We chose to do a first look ahead of the ceremony, so by the time we were at the altar all the nerves were gone! We were excited to read our vows to each other (having each practiced many times) and make it official in front of all of our family and friends!

guests and the groom have emotional reactions during the wedding ceremony, laughing and crying

wedding ceremony with green and white flower arch as the focal point, flowy white curtains behind them with cafe lights shining through

nick and natalie put their arms up and cheer at the end of their wedding ceremony

I love how the Venues at the Factory can be configured in multiple ways for the ceremony and reception. Natalie and Nick chose to have them pull the drapery out to separate part of the space for the ceremony. Love Emmie & Co provided the flower arch, and then the curtain with the cafe lights shining through behind it makes the perfect backdrop.

bride and groom kiss halfway down the aisle after ceremony

wooden sign etched with the name and wedding date of the couple as a sign in book for guests

dessert bar set up a the venues at the factory in front of the flower wall

I’m also obsessed with this flower wall! And the dessert bar was pretty cool too!

cocktail hour at the venues at the factory, with guests enjoying all the different areas

What were your goals for your wedding day? (ie, what was your vision, what did you care about most?)

What was most important to us was prioritizing time with our family and friends who came to celebrate with us! We tried to spend as much of the day together as we could, including a few moments alone after the ceremony, and a moment away to have dessert together. When people say the day goes by fast, they’re not kidding!

nick and natalie arrive into their reception cheering

wedding first dance at the venues manchester nh

The thought of the first dance was a little nerve-wracking, but we loved having that special moment together.

natalie covers her face as her maid of honor gives a toast

couple have private moment to exchange cupcakes rather than doing a cake cutting

This was such a cute moment - instead of doing a cake cutting (since they didn’t have a cake), they did a private cupcake tasting in the grotto at the Venues.

golden hour photos at the venues at the factory with the brick exterior, big windows and cafe lights behind the couple as they dance

What were your first reactions to the photos?

We were so surprised how quickly you got up the super sneak peeks! We were barely even awake the morning after the wedding when we got a first look at our photos! Natalie loved them so much that she started crying!

We absolutely loved working with you for our wedding (and engagement!) photos! We were both a little nervous about being followed around and photographed all day, but you put us immediately at ease, giving us direction when needed and capturing the most beautiful candid moments! You made us so comfortable that we were able to enjoy every moment of the day! You were present throughout the entire day, but not in a way that was overbearing.