For a Luxury Indoor or Outdoor Wedding in Niagara-on-the-Lake
Are you planning a highly anticipated wedding in the Niagara Region? One that you, your friends, and family want to play back in your minds like a classic Nicholas Sparks film? I’ve shot (and attended) hundreds of Niagara’s most stunning weddings over the last decade, so let me give you an exclusive recommendation as a Niagara local and wedding photographer: Kurtz Orchards, a natural gem in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, is a top-tier choice for couples who are looking to host a wedding celebration that is more than just an event, but a dream-come-true experience.
Finding the Best Wedding Venues in Niagara:
Once the ring is sparkling on your left hand and the engagement champagne has been popped, the wedding planning process begins. Selecting a venue is typically the first major decision our couples at Morning Light Photography make at the start of their wedding planning process. For some, the search begins after you say yes to the big question. For many of our clients however, they’ve been planning this day long before their engagement. It’s been a dream in the making for their entire lives (which is why it can feel like such a big decision!)
As a Niagara wedding photographer, I know my way around Niagara’s wedding venues and the best locations for photography at every stage of your relationship. I love being able to use my experience to help our couples at Morning Light find the wedding venue that will live up to the vision they have for their wedding day.
If this sounds like you, your first stop could be any location from our list of favourite Niagara wedding venues. But there is one wedding venue, in particular, I would love to highlight in this post.
This luxury Niagara wedding venue is highly sought-after by Niagara locals and visitors as a location that will provide all the aesthetic, emotional and culinary appeal you could ever dream of for your wedding day. That venue is Kurtz Orchards.
I’ll give you a memorable glimpse into this Niagara venue through the lens of one of my couples, Monika and Adrian, who held their breathtaking summer tent wedding in Kurtz Orchards, Gracewood Estate. What an incredible success it was from start to finish! The day unfolded with ease and elegance in every detail, and I loved watching these two love birds live out their beautiful day in such an enchanting setting they chose for themselves.
What is Kurtz Orchards?
Kurtz Orchards is a grand farm and luxury wedding venue in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, surrounded by acres of stunning farmland. Since 1941, four generations of Kurtz family have been tending the land. Steeped in history and tradition, your wedding location offers that Niagara-on-the-Lake charm that attracts people from near and far. Their onsite culinary team are responsible for an incredible meal of Niagara fresh, farm-to-table ingredients that the foodies on your guest list will rave about!
Venues at Kurtz Orchards:
There are three wedding locations on site for couples to visit when deciding where their wedding will take place:
- Gracewood Estate Weddings: Kurtz’ outdoor wedding venue located in the heart of their magnificent orchard and vineyards – a truly spectacular setting for a tent wedding with trees, gardens and escarpment views. To learn more about Gracewood Estate visit their web page here.
- Kurtz Orchards Weddings: The vast grounds extend into another outdoor venue area, where you can capture photos on their bridge overlooking a fish pond. To learn more about Kurtz Orchards Weddings visit their web page here.
- Kurtz Marketplace Weddings: Kurtz’ spacious indoor venue boasts impressive cathedral ceilings and a warm wood interior for a rustic romantic glow in the evening, studded with edison lights draped across the ceiling for a starlit effect that looks incredible in photos. To learn more about Kurtz Marketplace Weddings visit their website here.
Nature at the Height of Luxury:
No matter which venue you choose at Kurtz Orchards, you get the best of two worlds: the sophisticated elegance of a modern vineyard wedding, and the romantic charm of a farm-to-table wedding amidst the lush orchards.
Think: Tapping the shoulder of your partner as you share your first look in vibrant, intimate gardens. Walking down a tree-lined aisle to the love of your life. Saying “I do” under a canopy of trees. Dancing the night away under twinkle lights or starry skies.
Swoon worthy wedding day ambiance at its very best.
Where is Kurtz Orchards?
In the expansive farmland that runs along the Niagara River Parkway, Kurtz Estates flourishes with orchards, vineyards and their immaculate gardens. You will never run out of incredible photo opportunities at Kurtz Orchards, but if you have any special connections to other areas in Niagara-on-the-Lake, we’re close to The Commons, Navy Hall and the Niagara River.
Picture Perfect Photo Opportunities at Kurtz Orchards Wedding Venue:
The opportunities are truly endless when it comes to incredible backdrops for your wedding photos, but here are a few of our can’t miss photo opportunities at Kurtz Orchards:
First Look photos in their intimate gardens, all in bloom as you share a couple quiet moments together, just the two of you before you share the day with everyone you love:
Walking arm in arm with your parents down a tree-lined orchard aisle (brides can’t get over how magical this feels!)
Sunset photos in the orchards as golden hour pours over the escarpment.
Your peaceful day in the expansive orchards will glow softly into an unforgettable evening laughing and dancing under the stars … and so much romance. Just look at these two!
Monika and Adrian’s Wedding:
When I met Monika and Adrian I knew their summer wedding at Kurtz Orchards was going to be a showstopper. This power couple knew what they wanted for their wedding: an event that would feel enjoyable and seamless to them, and be adored by their guests.
And like we knew they would, Kurtz Orchards delivered. What an incredible day to capture as Monika and Adrian tied the knot in all of Niagara’s vineyard and orchard glory.
Morning Light at Kurtz Orchards:
I have many favourite moments during the wedding day: of course the magical ones, like the first look and walking down the aisle. And then the most emotional ones (father-daughter dances get me every time, especially now as a father of a daughter). But do you know what I think is one of the most underrated moments of the day? The morning preparations. The joy on wedding mornings is truly one of the most beautiful feelings in the world. The movies might make it look stressful and full of mishaps, but truly, my clients are so chill, living in the moment, having fun, soaking in all the goodness around them. I love getting to capture that in photos.
Imagine this: As the morning light pours in through the big farmhouse windows, you can hear the peaceful hum of birds chirping in the orchards around Kurtz. Your wedding planning stress is behind you now and you can safely leave the details in the hands of your trusty wedding planning team who have been preparing for this day with you for months now – wedding planners, venue managers and photographers work together to make your dreams come true while you relax and soak in the moments of the day. You look around and see so many of the beautiful details you’ve carefully hand picked for the day: your favourite songs play from the playlist you curated for this morning; your wedding dress is being zipped out of its garment bag and hung in the sunlight for photos.
Your best friends glide around the room in the matching robes you chose for your bridal party. Your bouquets arrive with the arrangement of florals you spent hours deciding on. Your jewelry is carefully laid out beside your shoes. Maybe you have something borrowed from your best friend, something blue from your aunt, something old from your grandmother, something new from you.
You are the star of the show on this one day, and everyone is here to make you feel loved and supported.
This feeling of peace and happiness in the early hours of the day make for some truly stunning photos, and it was no exception for Monika and Adrian:
The morning began with the bridal party gathering in the Kurtz Orchards farmhouse, where Monika and her bridal party were preparing for the beautiful day ahead of them: hair, makeup, matching dressing gowns, and of course some Prosecco. Adrian and his groomsmen cracked a couple drinks themselves and got ready in style.
I’m a big fan of leaving notes or gifts for your fiancé on your wedding morning, they give you another chance to capture some really pure emotion. Monika and Adrian left love notes and I captured the moment for them to remember.
The most important thing is that the morning felt totally calm, cool and so authentic to Monika and Adrian. I am there to capture the details and moments with candid, true-to-life images.
Your First Look at Kurtz Orchards:
I organized their First Look to take place in the floral oasis that is the Kurtz Orchards gardens: flowers in bloom, mazes of shrubbery, intimate little nooks for quiet moments together just the two of them. Such a peaceful setting allowed for the emotion of the moment to fuel these photos. Their love was the only thing that mattered in that moment.
They joined their parties after to join guests who were filling seats at the ceremony venue. The big moment of the day! As music crooned, the guests swooned over Monika walking down the tree-lined aisle, arm in arm with her parents. She met her husband-to-be at the end of the aisle under a canopy of trees and a floral archway. What a beautiful series of moments that followed from there: Heartfelt vows, a first kiss, a romantic dip down the aisle as flower
petals floated through the air around them. It doesn’t get better than this!
As the guests were delighting in the creations from Kurtz’ culinary team over a cocktail hour, they explored the many garden and orchard areas available for photography.
At a venue like Kurtz Orchards, the natural beauty is your best decor asset. A minimalist aesthetic lets the natural beauty set all the ambience you need! The reception got underway with heartfelt speeches and a dinner that had everyone talking!
With everyone well nourished from an incredible meal as they laughed and cried during speeches, the dancing got underway. And oh wow was it a party! The dance floor was hopping with happy guests, bridesmaids and groomsmen, celebrating life and love together.
And they snuck away for a moment alone together too:
Morning Light Photography Collection from Their Wedding Day at Kurtz Orchards:
Monika and Adrian’s photo collection from their wedding day at Kurtz Orchards is rich with emotion. Bright and airy images of true to life candid shots are how I captured their big day – here’s what they had to say about it!
“Kevin was absolutely fantastic. He truly has an empathetic approach and was a true professional throughout the entire process. He met with us a few times to discuss what was important for us for our day and let me share inspiration photos with him before our wedding (which he had saved on his phone which he referred to at our own wedding). He kept our wedding on time and stuck to the itinerary which he helped create. He was so encouraging and positive the whole day, and even stayed a bit later to make sure he was capturing all of our important moments. Our photos were absolutely breathtaking. We would recommend Kevin to everyone!!! Thank you again Kevin, you really are the best in the biz!”
Conclusion:
Kurtz Orchards is one of Niagara’s top wedding venue locations, high in demand by locals and travelers alike. In fact, it’s a popular spot for destination weddings with out-of-town couples in the Greater Toronto Area, and across the border for American couples looking to enjoy Niagara’s wine country on their wedding day.
My experience photographing here has been truly top-tier: smooth, impeccably organized, and unwaveringly picture perfect, every time. If you’re looking to plan a luxury Niagara wedding that will deliver you an endless supply of natural beauty and farm-to-table charm, Kurtz Orchards should be next on your list to learn more about.
Non-Affiliation Disclaimer: Morning Light Photography is not being compensated by the venue in this blog. I just want to share the amazing experiences I’ve had at these venues so my clients can be supported with first-hand recommendations along their wedding planning journey.
