Montauk is the last stop. The train ends there, the highway ends there, and after the long drive out from the city it feels like the rest of the week ends there too. We first came out in 2010 and have been finding reasons to go back ever since.
Why Couples Get Married in Montauk
It’s a beach town that never fully dressed up, and that’s the appeal. Your guests can surf in the morning and put on black tie at night, and nobody thinks it’s strange.
Marni and Michael picked Montauk because they wanted everyone away for the whole weekend, like a small getaway with all their people. Their wedding morning started with a group Soul Cycle ride in East Hampton. The night ended with glow sticks on the dance floor and the groom doing a musical number in costume. That’s a Montauk wedding.
Montauk Wedding Venues We’ve Photographed
The Crow’s Nest. A restaurant and inn on Lake Montauk, on the harbor side of town. Danielle and Michael married here in June 2023, under a flower arch with fishing boats moving behind them.
Gurney’s Montauk. Right on the ocean and open all year. Marni and Michael married here in December 2016, black tie at the beach during the holidays, with Marni’s brother Jesse officiating and Mimi Brown’s flowers on the chuppah.
Montauk Through the Year
Summer is when Montauk is most itself. Long evenings, warm water, a full town. Book guest rooms early and leave room in the timeline for traffic on the way out.
June and September sit on either side of the rush. Danielle and Michael married in June under a grey sky, and the light was some of the softest we’ve had out there.
Winter is the season people overlook. Marni told us Gurney’s in winter felt untapped, and she was right. The town is quiet, the rooms are easy to book and the sun sits low over the water all afternoon. See our spring and summer Montauk guide for more on timing.
Where We Take Portraits in Montauk
Most of the time we stay close to the venue, because there’s no need to go far. At the Crow’s Nest there’s sand at the water’s edge, marsh grass and fishing boats, all a short walk from the tent. At Gurney’s there’s the ocean deck and the stairs down to the beach, where Marni pulled Michael in by the chin.
Wind is part of every Montauk portrait session. Our beach wedding photography tips cover how we plan for it.
About Us
We’re Trent and Dara, a husband and wife team based in New York. We photograph every wedding on 35mm and medium format film alongside digital. BRIDES named us one of the 50 best wedding photographers in the world, and our work has run in Vogue, Town & Country and The New York Times.
If you’re getting married in Montauk, we’d love to hear about it. Tell us about your plans at trentbailey.com/inquire or call 212-243-2000.
