After over 10 years as a wedding photographer I could offer my couples thousands of tips to help make their wedding days run so much smoother. Every couple I work with gets access to all these great easter eggs of information but there is one that I just can’t keep to myself. My absolute number one wedding ceremony tip I can’t share enough … PLAN YOU CEREMONY AROUND THE LIGHT! 

Lighting can really make a huge difference in the overall look and feel of a wedding ceremony. Making it so important to consider it as a top priority. Let me break this down. Your ability to utilize the light in any given spot will elevate your wedding ceremony to the ultimate level! 

Here are a few more tips to help you make the most of your lighting:

• Visit your ceremony location at the same time of day as your wedding will take place. This allows you to get a sense of the natural lighting conditions. This can help you determine where your main light source is coming from.
  
• Research the sunset time on the wedding day. If you google ‘wedding date’ sunset ‘city, state’ you will get a to the minute prediction on when the sun will set. This is such an important piece of information to have before setting your ceremony time. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to set your ceremony start time for at least 2 hours before sunset.
  
• Think about where you will be standing and who will be facing the light source directly. Do you really want yourself or your guests to be staring directly into the sun? For the most consistent images from all directions have everyone from guests to the couple in the same light setting. If your guests are to be seated in the shade then you should be too. 

• Consider asking your photographer to do a ceremony site walk through with you before setting your ceremony time. Our entire jobs revolve around the light! We can walk in a setting, and immediately direct what would result in the best images for your wedding ceremony.
  
• If you have chosen a wedding venue with a set ceremony site, don’t be afraid to ask for a change to your ceremony layout if it sets your site up for the best possible experience for you and your guests.
  
• Consider having some beautiful sun shade umbrellas staged throughout the guests seating then pass out wedding branded sunglasses to your guests if the ceremony will be held in direct sunlight.
  

By taking the time to consider your lighting options and create a plan that works for your ceremony, you can help ensure that your wedding day is both beautiful and memorable.

If you’re looking for a photographer in the Virginia area I would love the chance to talk to you. Even possibly getting the chance to be your wedding photographer is wildly exciting.

See Britany & Paul’s full wedding day at Clyde’s Willow Farm