It's no lie that outdoor ceremonies are my favorite. I do love church ceremonies but I have a soft spot for a rustic outdoor ceremony. If you are planning an outdoor wedding you will want to keep the light in mind. Below are three different ceremony start times and what to keep in mind.
Early Afternoon Ceremonies
Early afternoon cremonies can be tricky but can still be beautiful. If at all possible you will want to avoid having your ceremony when the sun is positioned directly above you. This causes harsh shadows and although your photographer will be able to minimize them, they will still be present. If you are planning on having a early afternoon ceremony, find out when the sun will be directly above and start the ceremony an hour afterwards. Make sure when you are setting up your ceremony to try to have the sun where it will be shining on your backs and not your face.
Late Afternoon Ceremonies
Late afternoon ceremonies are the ideal! It is best if you can schedule your ceremony time for 3 hours before the sunsets. This will allow you to still have good light during your ceremony but will also allow you to take advantage of the golden light that the sunset will produce for your couple portraits and wedding party portraits after your ceremony. Sunset light is what is known as the golden hour for photographers and it is when it produces that warm golden beautiful light.
Sunset Ceremonies
Sunset ceremonies can be particuarly beautiful especially if you have a location where the sun will be setting behind you. Sunset light is what is known as the golden hour for photographers and it is when it produces that warm golden beautiful light. The thing to keep in mind for sunset ceremonies is your portrait time. Since the sun will be setting you will want to make sure you have your couple portraits and wedding party portraits done beforehand so it will still be light outside. You will also want to make sure you allow at least a half hour after your ceremony before the sun sets so you will be able to do your family portraits.
Here's a website that will tell you exactly when the sun will be setting for your area on any day of the year! This way you don't have to guess! :)
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Wedding Wednesday (formerly Monday Wedding Madness) is a blog series that occurs every Wednesday and answers the questions you have about wedding photography. Have a question you would like to have answered or something that you wish you would have known before your wedding or are you a wedding professional who would like to contribute? Send your questions to jasmine@jasminenorris.com.
