Brick House at Shelburne Museum Wedding

The Brick House at Shelburne Museum sits on a ridge above Lake Champlain in Shelburne, Vermont — a Georgian Revival home built as the summer residence of Electra Havemeyer Webb, founder of one of North America’s most extraordinary museums. The property is huge, the light is extraordinary, and there are so many distinct portrait locations on site that you could spend an entire day without repeating a backdrop. I shot Debbie and Matt’s wedding here on a warm early fall day and it was everything a Vermont wedding should be.

The first time I ever went to Shelburne was a few years back — a dear friend of mine lives in Vermont and when I went to visit her we spent several days on the banks of Lake Champlain, right next to the Shelburne Inn, sifting through rocks and laying by the water. Coming back as a wedding photographer, I fell even more in love with this area and its wonderful history.

About the Brick House and Shelburne Museum

Shelburne Museum, founded in 1947 by Electra Havemeyer Webb, spans 45 acres and 39 distinct buildings — one of North America’s most diverse collections of art, design, and Americana. The Brick House is the jewel of the property: Electra’s own Georgian Revival summer residence, set on a ridge with panoramic views of Lake Champlain, filled with European and American antiques, oriental rugs, and fine art from the Webb family’s private collection. More at shelburnemuseum.org.

The Venue

The Brick House itself — with its elegant Georgian interior, the family’s art collection, and the historic architectural details — provides a backdrop unlike any other wedding venue in Vermont. The ridge setting means Lake Champlain views in multiple directions from the property. And the surrounding 45-acre museum grounds give couples and photographers an extraordinary range of portrait environments: historic structures, open lawns, mature trees, garden spaces, and that light — the Vermont light on Lake Champlain — which is genuinely unlike anything I encounter in a typical wedding season.

The Photo Locations

The Brick House Exterior and Ridge

The Georgian Revival facade and the ridge setting with Lake Champlain behind it. This is the establishing shot for the day — grand, specific, and completely distinctive. No other venue in the region has this combination of historic architecture and mountain lake views.

The Brick House Interior

The family’s art collection, the antiques, the historic rooms — intimate portrait spaces with a warmth and specificity that generic ballrooms can’t touch. The interior light through the original windows is beautiful.

The Museum Grounds

Forty-five acres of diverse settings. Historic structures brought to the site from across the region. Open lawns. Mature trees. Garden spaces. The sheer variety means that no matter the season, the time of day, or the weather conditions, there is somewhere extraordinary to make portraits.

Lake Champlain Views

The ridge position gives you sweeping views of the lake and the Adirondack Mountains beyond. Golden hour from this vantage point — the light dropping over the mountains and across the water — is extraordinary.

Nearby

Shelburne Farms is adjacent to the museum — a 1,400-acre working farm with its own inn, walking trails, and lake views that are equally spectacular. Couples staying at the Shelburne Inn have some of the most beautiful getting-ready spaces in Vermont. The town of Shelburne and nearby Burlington offer excellent dining and accommodation options for guests traveling from out of town.

Frequently Asked Questions: Brick House at Shelburne Museum Weddings

Where is the Brick House at Shelburne Museum located?

6000 Shelburne Road in Shelburne, Vermont — approximately 7 miles south of Burlington, on a ridge overlooking Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. More at shelburnemuseum.org.

What is the Brick House at Shelburne Museum?

The Georgian Revival summer residence of Electra Havemeyer Webb, founder of Shelburne Museum. Built in the early 20th century and set on a ridge above Lake Champlain, the Brick House is filled with the Webb family’s art collection, antiques, and fine furnishings. It’s one of the most distinctive wedding venues in Vermont — historic, specific, and photographically extraordinary.

What makes the Brick House distinctive as a wedding venue?

The combination of the historic interior, the ridge setting with Lake Champlain views, and the 45-acre museum grounds with dozens of distinct portrait locations. Most Vermont venues give you one strong visual story. The Brick House gives you an entire property’s worth — and the light here is extraordinary.

What are the best photo locations at the Brick House?

The Brick House facade and ridge for establishing portraits with the lake behind you. The interior rooms for intimate portraits in warm historic light. The museum grounds for variety — historic structures, lawns, garden spaces, mature trees. And the ridge at golden hour when the light drops over the Adirondacks and across Lake Champlain.

What is the light like at the Brick House for photography?

The Vermont light on Lake Champlain is genuinely extraordinary — particularly in late afternoon and at golden hour when the sun moves over the Adirondack Mountains and the water goes warm and golden. The interior light through the historic windows is soft and beautiful throughout the day. Fall weddings in particular benefit from the combination of foliage color across the museum grounds and that late-day lake light.

What time of year is best for a Brick House wedding?

Early fall is extraordinary — the foliage across the museum grounds, the warm late-day light on the lake, the comfortable temperatures. Late summer works beautifully. Spring brings fresh green to the grounds. Winter weddings have a particular drama with the lake and mountains in the background. The venue operates seasonally — confirm current availability directly with Shelburne Museum.

Is there accommodation nearby?

Shelburne Farms, immediately adjacent, operates a historic inn with exceptional getting-ready spaces and lake views. The town of Shelburne and Burlington (7 miles north) offer a range of hotel options for wedding guests. Burlington is a small, walkable city with excellent restaurants and accommodations.

Do you photograph destination weddings in Vermont?

Yes — Vermont is one of my favorite places to work and the Brick House is one of the most beautiful venues I’ve photographed at anywhere in New England. If your wedding is here, I’d love to hear about it. And for more on my destination work, my destination wedding photographer post covers what that process looks like.

The Brick House at Shelburne Museum is one of those venues that stays with you. If yours is here, I’d love to be there for it.