crane cottage Wedding Photographer

The House

The Jekyll Island Club calls Crane Cottage a 1917 Italian Renaissance house, with a sunken garden, fountains and an upper terrace. Its Living Room holds up to 320 guests across 1,231 square feet, and the Library next to it holds 40.

What that means in photographs is simple. Arches throw clean open shade, the courtyard fountain gives every portrait a center, and the gardens stay pretty from the getting ready photos to the last dance.

The Spots I Never Skip

• The arched pergolas, for portraits in soft shade.
• The reflecting pool, for the two of you and the house in one frame.
• The front steps and the courtyard, for the wedding party and the family.
• Twilight in the gardens, right after dinner, when the lights come on.

How I Would Plan It

• Have the welcome dinner under the arches. The white loggia photographs beautifully at night.
• Put the ceremony on the lawn or in the garden with the house behind you.
• Keep the couple portraits for late afternoon under the oaks, then step out again at sunset.