Absolutely! One of the key features of Erlowest is the ability for both parties to get ready on site. There are several unique suites located in the main castle that provide beautiful backdrops for getting ready photos and the newly built salon is perfect for hair/makeup prep. For your partner, the Sun Castle condos are just a short walk from the venue and feature bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and deck overlooking the lake. They are a great space for large wedding parties to get ready as well.

Recommended ceremony times differ on the time of year you'll be getting married. In the summer, we recommend a ceremony around 4 or 5pm - the heat of the day will be lessening and the North Point always gets a nice breeze. Keep in mind that the later the ceremony time, the more shady the ceremony site at the North Point will be (this is important for hot summer days). If you are planning a winter wedding, you should plan an early ceremony at least 2 hours before sunset. With an early sunset time, you'll want to leave time for photos in the daylight post-ceremony.  Keep in mind that Erlowest is on the east shore of Lake George - which means the mountains will block the sun earlier than "sunset time." Want a sunset wedding? Plan to have a first look and take your formal photos pre-ceremony so you dont need to worry about losing daylight for photos.

The Erlowest has many great options for family photos. If you are having a ceremony on the North Point, its also a great spot to do family photos. Located right next door are the wooden docks as well - another great option. Are you having the ceremony up at the Inn or have family or guests who aren't mobile? The back woods and upper deck are great options for family photos as well without the need to travel down to the lake.

There are many beautiful photo opportunities on property, so we recommend scheduling your first look at least 2 hours before your ceremony. This provides ample time to travel around property and get photos in all of the best locations. Setting the first look this early can also assure we'll have you tucked out of sight by the time your guests begin to arrive.

Yes, the Erlowest allows sparkler sendoffs on their stone patio outside of the main ballroom. If you have photography coverage until the end of your reception, a sendoff can be a great way to bid your guests farewell and get some end of the night photos. If your photography coverage does not go until the end of the reception, you may want to consider a faux exit - a sparkler exit scheduled before the end of the reception with just family and/or the wedding party. This way you'll have beautiful sparkler photos without having to interupt and then restart your dance party.

We recommend scheduling at least 1.5 hours of time for portraits. This provides ample time for couples photos (about 45 min to an hour) as well as family and wedding party photos (20 min each). If you are not doing a first look, your formal photos will take place during your one hour cocktail hour. It is important to note that photos during cocktail hour will require the full hour (30 min couples, 15 min wedding party, 15 min family). To help with this, you may consider allocating extra time during your getting ready time to capture individual family and wedding party photos without your spouse.

Here are several quick tips that help make the photos run smoothly:

- Keep the getting ready space clean. Set aside a space for wedding party belongings that is out of the way so you have a clean photo environment for photos. No one wants to see half eaten food and drinks in the background of a beautiful makeup photo.

- Make a list of the family members you'd like in photos. Make sure to tell these people to wait to go to cocktail hour until after their photos have been taken. Remind them. And remind them......and remind them again. 

- Make a simplified timeline for the wedding party and family. Provide copies they can refer to if they have questions about when/where they should be. They don't need to know when your florist or DJ arrives, but they DO need to know when to be ready for photos!

-Trust your photographer! We know the venue like the back of our hand and can make a plan to travel the property in the most efficient way in the timeframe provided for photos. We also know the best lighting in any given location at any time - we have a lot of location planning going on behind the scenes!

-Let us take the lead on family photos. It may be tough but randomly calling out family combinations allows for too many cooks in the kitchen and only delays photos and creates stress. Discuss the photos you'd like with your photographer before the day and they will help you to make a plan. This is also a good time to discuss any family dynamics we should be aware of. Make it clear to friends and family that your photographer is in charge of the order of photos taken. Don't worry - we'll always double check we've gotten all the family photos combinations you'd like!

- HAVE FUN! It may seem obvious, but it's easy to get swept up in planning and coordinating on the day. Let your vendors take care of the logistics so you can relax and enjoy the ride. Plus, couples look the most beautiful in photos when they are happy, relaxed and enjoying one another on the day.