VENUE REVIEW // The Bohlin, Newport
If you know me, you know I love a tented wedding. There's something about the string lights and open air… it just does something to a reception that four walls can’t. So when couples ask me about The Bohlin in Newport, my excitement is genuine.
The Bohlin is one of those venues that checks boxes you didn't even know you had. You're physically IN the heart of downtown Newport — cobblestone streets, harbor energy— AND it’s waterfront. It’s also sandwiched between a marina on each side, which allows for the most incredible background noise (BIG boats, yachts, sail boats with massive masts, etc.). Can you get more Newport coastal than that?
PORTRAITS AT THE BOHLIN
For portraits, this can be tricky and super limited on-site, BUT it’s actually what I love about shooting here… so long as we plan for it. With a few conversations, we can plan to start the day off-site for photos. I’ve had a few brides buy a one-hour photography permit for one of the gorgeous mansions nearby. For another, I scouted out a few spots on a historic Newport street and we worked the side walks and dead-end there. Depending on time of day, you could even do the beach! It just requires a little extra planning, but from a photography standpoint? WELL worth it. (And then you also have a really nice variety of photo backdrops and locations come gallery delivery.)
CEREMONY AT THE BOHLIN
The ceremony space is intimate — it's tight by design (again, you are in downtown Newport on the Harbor after all) and depending on time of day you're working with some backlighting, so timeline conversations with your photographer and coordinator matter here.
RECEPTION AT THE BOHLIN
In the handful of weddings I’ve shot at The Bohlin, they’ve all had very different styles, colors, florals and decor so you really can make this tent “your own.” It’s a beautiful neutral pallet to work with so it’s not like you’re competing with an ugly outdated carpet or royal blue drapes. I will say, I don’t know if it’s pure coincident or what, but I have had some of the wildest receptions here 😆
IN CLOSING…
If you're planning a wedding at The Bohlin and you want a photographer who thinks ahead — who will scout locations, come with a plan, and make the most of everything Newport has to offer — I'd love to connect!
I'm a Boston-based wedding photographer who knows when to step in when needed, and step back when moments are naturally unfolding. Newport holds a deeply personal place in my story, and I'd be honored to head back there to document yours.
[Let's connect →] https://www.wearefreebird.com/contact