Romania has a wide range of wedding venues: fortified castles in Transylvania, wine estates, barns in the forest, lakeside pavilions and grand hotels in the big cities. I have photographed weddings in venues across the country, and this page collects the ones I recommend from experience, with notes about the light, the space and the kind of couple each one suits. A venue is half of your photographs, so it is worth choosing with the camera in mind.
Why the venue matters for your wedding photographs
You can have the most beautiful outfits and the best photographer, but if the hall has harsh fluorescent lights or there is no decent outdoor space, the images will suffer. A well-chosen venue gives you natural backgrounds, beautiful light and places that tell a story. That is why I always suggest visiting the venue together, at the same time of day as your ceremony, before the big day.
Questions I ask about any venue: where does the sun set, is there a covered space if it rains, how many people fit comfortably, how far is accommodation for guests, and is there a quiet corner for the couple portraits.
Castles and manors in Transylvania
- Zabola Estate (Covasna County): a castle in a large park, with fountains, a lake and stables used for receptions. One of the most elegant and international outdoor wedding venues in Romania. Read my wedding at Zabola Estate (in Romanian).
- Castelul Haller (Mureș County): a castle with an atmosphere of quiet elegance, and a barn for the party. My wedding story (in Romanian).
- Castelul Teleki, Gornești (Mureș County): historic setting for ceremonies and portraits. Photos and details (in Romanian).
- Castelul Bethlen, Bahnea (Mureș County). Venue guide (in Romanian).
- Cantacuzino Castle, Bușteni (Prahova): a castle in the Carpathians with a terrace for ceremonies. Wedding story (in Romanian).
Estates, forests and wine
- La Forêt – Home of Events (Cluj-Napoca area): an outdoor wedding in the Făget forest, with an elegant hall and a large terrace if the weather turns. Guide (in Romanian).
- Wild Hills (near Cluj-Napoca): barn, glasshouse and rolling hills. Guide (in Romanian).
- Panorama Events (Sfântu Gheorghe, Covasna): a forest venue with a terrace and ceremony space. Guide (in Romanian).
- Petry Estate Winery (Mureș County): a manor house from 1740 with a winery, a park of 2.5 hectares and a lake. Guide (in Romanian).
- Valea Verde Retreat (Mureș County): a retreat among rolling hills, with rooms for guests. Guide (in Romanian).
- Issa Resort (near Turda): one of my favourite places near Cluj. Guide (in Romanian).
Lakeside venues
- Light House SunGarden by the Lake (near Cluj-Napoca): a venue on the water, especially beautiful at sunset. Guide (in Romanian).
- The Island (Târgu Mureș): on the bank of the Mureș river, one of the most spectacular venues in the city. Wedding story (in Romanian).
- Bokaa (Buftea, about 30 minutes from Bucharest): five halls, gardens on 30,000 square metres and a pontoon on Lake Buftea. Guide (in Romanian).
City hotels and classic halls
In Cluj-Napoca I know venues such as Grand Hotel Italia and Wonderland Resort; in Bucharest, JW Marriott, Intercontinental and Palatul Știrbey; in Brașov, Aro Palace and Hotel Kronwell; in Sibiu, the hotels in the historic centre. They suit large weddings, winter dates and couples who want comfort with the guests staying in the same place.
Venues by city
These are my city pages for photographers and couples. The venue lists inside are in Romanian for now, and the photographer pages are in English:
- Cluj-Napoca: wedding photographer · venues (in Romanian)
- Bucharest: wedding photographer · venues (in Romanian)
- Târgu Mureș: wedding photographer · venues (in Romanian)
- Brașov: wedding photographer
- Sibiu: wedding photographer · venues (in Romanian)
- Sighișoara: wedding photographer
I also photograph in Timișoara, Oradea, Iași and Sinaia. If your venue is not on this page, tell me where you plan to marry, because I can work anywhere.
Planning an outdoor wedding?
Read my full guide to an outdoor wedding in Romania, with venues near Bucharest, Brașov, Sighișoara and Iași, weather plans and budget.
FAQ: Wedding venues in Romania
Răspunsuri scurte la ce mă întreabă cel mai des cuplurile. Dacă nu găsești aici ce cauți, scrie-mi.
The venue provides half of the photograph: the light, the backgrounds and the space to move. A hall with poor light or no outdoor area limits what a photographer can do, while a well-chosen venue gives you beautiful images with little effort.
A photographer can work anywhere, but when I know the venue everything flows differently. I know where to place you for the best sunset, which angles to avoid and how to handle the artificial light in that room.
Yes. I photograph in Cluj-Napoca, Târgu Mureș, Bucharest, Brașov, Sibiu, Sighișoara, Timișoara, Oradea, Iași and Sinaia, and I also travel abroad.
There is no universal one, but there is one perfect for you. A small wedding of 50 people needs a different space from one with 300 guests. A couple who loves nature will be happy at a manor with a garden, while another will prefer a five-star hotel in the city centre.
Zabola Estate in Covasna, Castelul Haller, Castelul Teleki in Gornești and Castelul Bethlen in Bahnea (all in Mureș County) are four I have photographed. Each offers a different atmosphere, from large park to small manor.
Any other questions? Write to me and I will reply within 2 hours.Let’s talk
Have a venue in mind? Write to me and I will tell you honestly how it works for photographs.