The moment everyone has been waiting for! The bride is about to walk down the aisle and all your guests, friends and family are about to witness the two of you becoming husband and wife. As a natural light photographer, there’s nothing I love more than a gorgeous outdoor ceremony filled with florals and a beautiful backdrop. However, living in Minnesota, there are so many unknowns with the weather and how to plan accordingly for an outdoor ceremony! So, if you’re planning an outdoor ceremony, here are a few important things to think about!
1. CEREMONY LOCATION / LIGHTING
Ceremony lighting is REALLY important. This is the most important moment of the day! If you get married outdoors at 12pm, the light is going to be incredibly harsh. There will be harsh lines on your face, and that’s not something I can edit out later or avoid! Also, you’ll likely be squinting because the light will be so bright. One of the key tricks to finding a good ceremony location is finding shade. Shade will allow for cooler temps and more evenly lit photos. If direct sun is unavoidable, just make sure the sun is positioned to your backs during the time of your ceremony.
2. HAVE A BACKUP PLAN
Most venues are already on top of this, but the last thing you want to worry about the morning of your wedding is what you’re going to do if it rains! Ideally, the venue will be able to do a quick flip of a room inside if by chance they need to move chairs. Knowing that they have this covered will be such a relief to you, so I recommend asking the question when you book your venue, so you know you’re covered. If there’s no option for an indoor ceremony and you see rain forecasted the week of your wedding, think about buying a bunch of umbrellas on Amazon Prime for your guests, or contact a rental company in advance to see what the possibility would be of renting large tents.
3. NO CELL PHONE RULE
You hired your photographer and videographer for a reason, right!? There’s nothing more distracting than seeing a gorgeous photo of the bride and her father walking down the aisle, or the groom’s genuine reaction to the moment, than seeing a big phone sticking out into the center of the aisle. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to nudge people to get out of the way so that the photo isn’t obstructed. It’s not uncommon for there to be an “Unplugged Ceremony” sign upon the entrance of the ceremony, or for the officiant to make an announcement once the services begin, but I always advise clients to make sure an announcement is made BEFORE you walk down the aisle. This is so important!
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