When it comes to Winery vs a Country Club for a wedding it’s a hard decision. There’s a lot of similarities and both are beautiful venue options. At the end of the day, both of these venues have amazing features and you can’t go wrong with either. That being said, let’s dive into the differences and what I love about each venue.

Let’s start with the similarities. Both a winery and a Country Club are going to have great options for green space. This means that there will be a lot of options for really stunning natural greenery for a back drop. This means that we will have plenty of options for family photos, bridal party photos, and photos of you and your partner. This is great not only for you, but also as a photographer. It gives us options to play around and find the best backdrops.

Photo 1: Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, CA
Photo 2: Private Winery in Los Gatos, CA

The second similarity is a hillside. Lot’s of Country Clubs and wineries often have hillsides, which will be perfect for a sunset session of you and your partner. These are some of my favorite photos to shoot during a wedding. It gives us a moment to slip away from the guests, and gives us an opportunity to capture some more intimate photos.

Photo 1: Nella Terra Winery in Sunol, CA (Yes, this is a winery, I promise)
Photo 2: TPC Stonebrea Country Club

The third similarity is the European look. A lot of Country Clubs and wineries pull inspiration from European architecture. Not only is this great for photos, but it’s also financially friendly if a destination wedding isn’t in your budget. If planning a wedding in Europe has always been a dream, but isn’t a possibility a winery or country club will be a great option. You will be able to get the European feel without the stress of traveling internationally. Some of my favorite weddings that I’ve captured have been at one of these locations.

Top Row:

Photo 1: Burlingame Country Club in Burlingame, CA
Photo 2: Toscana Country Club in Palm Desert, CA

Bottom Row:

Photo 1: Leal Vineyards in Hollister, CA
Photo 2: Beltane Ranch in Sonoma, CA

Now to talk about the differences. One geographical feature that is going to be unique to a Country Club is a body of water. I’d say it’s a safe bet that most golf courses have a pond on their property. This gives us the opportunity to play with reflections and lighting! While you will not have water at a winery you will have the rows of gorgeous vines. This give us the opportunity for some intimate photos in the foliage. Both are different features offering us unique photos in each location.
The second feature that will be different is timing. What I mean by this, is that a Country Club is somewhere that you can shoot year round. Golf courses are tended to and meant to be used every day of the year. This means you have more options for wedding dates, and wont have to work off of the venues limited dates. This is not the same for a winery. Wineries are seasonally based, meaning that the look and feel of the venue will change depending on the season. Once the leaves have fallen, a winery does not look as visually appealing. The vines just look like sticks, and no one want so take photos around sticks.

Top Row:

Photo 1: La Rinconada Country Club in Los Gatos, CA
Photo 2: CordeValle Country Club in San Martin, CA

Bottom Row:

Photo 1: CordeValle Country Club in San Martin, CA
Photo 2: Tre Posti Winery in St. Helena, CA

The last feature that I want to point out are the buildings. A Country Club is going to have a club house. Often club houses are very bright. They have big windows that let in a lot of natural light. If you love bright photos this might be a feature that would push you towards a country club over a winery. On the flip side wineries often have a really beautiful barrel rooms. This will be the exact opposite of the club house. There will be darker colors and a lot of beautiful natural wood. Or, you can get lucky and find a country club or a winer that has a tent! All are stunning locations to take photos it just depends on your personal preference. Bright natural light vs warm cozy tones.

Top Row:

Photo 1: La Rinconada Country Club in Los Gatos, CA
Photo 2: Leal Vineyards in Hollister, CA

Bottom Row:

Photo 1: Nella Terra Winery in Sunol, CA
Photo 2: Toscana Country Club in Palm Desert

As you can see there’s TONS of features that are offered at either location. Take some time discussing the pros and cons of each location with your partner and decide what will work best for you!
Check out my other blogs for more wedding tips & tricks!

All photos taken by Paulina Perrucci Photography