Weather + Seasons
Winter & Cold Weather Tips
This means that all of your outdoor portraits need to be completed before then to make the most out of the available daylight. The winter is notoriously CLOUDY so really outdoor portraits should be completed an hour before the scheduled sunset for the day. If you google the sunset on your weather day and it says 5:05pm sunset, then plan to be done with outdoor pictures by 4:05.
Late fall and winter weddings are gorgeous! However, they do take some additional planning because the sunset is so early in the day.
A shawl or jacket is a must have for the bride! and a really nice to have for the bridesmaids (it makes a great bridesmaid gift). Other tips to keep warm:
- Bring hand warmers for the whole wedding party
- Encourage bride + bridesmaids to wear leggings under their dresses
- Ladies can swap out their shoes for winter boots before outdoor photos to make navigating the terrain easier
- Plan 5 minute warm up breaks in a nearby building or your car for every 20-30 minutes of outdoor shooting. This is especially true if the weather has dropped below 40 degrees.
Our least favorite background is that part of the fall when the leaves have fallen but there is no snow yet so the trees just look dead and brown. To remedy this, choose a location with evergreen trees or architectural buildings to bring pops of color and visual interest back into the photos.
The three main parts of the day that these flowers get to be featured in photos are during the mass, during the wedding party pictures (90% outdoors), and as decoration for the head table/reception. We don’t want you to worry about the flowers going brown or falling apart during pictures and how that will affect the other parts of the day.
Either using real flowers specifically for the head table separate from the bridesmaids bouquets or going with fake flowers all together will eliminate all your wedding day worries and ensure any real flowers you do invest in will remain vibrant throughout the day.
fall Weather Tips
Most of my fall brides worry about having enough foliage color. I just want to encourage you that all I need is one tree with some color in order to make it look like fall! A little bit of color can go a long way.
We’ll likely be able to find at least a pocket of great color from October 5-20th. After about the 20th it is a gamble on if the leaves are past peak or if one big wind storm knocks all the leaves to the ground.
If the leaves have fallen by your wedding date, plan to choose a spot with evergreen trees or architectural buildings as a backdrop to keep pops of color and visual interest into the photos!
The midwest loves to show off this time of year, so it is no wonder that the fall is our most popular season for weddings and engagement sessions!
Throughout the fall the sun is continually setting earlier and earlier in the day.
Watch out for daylight savings time because the sun might set earlier than you think and cause us to lose the light too quickly.
This can impact your overall timeline and the outdoor photos you want to take. This means that all of your outdoor portraits need to be completed before then to make the most out of the available daylight. The fall also becomes CLOUDY, so really plan for the risk that outdoor portraits need to be completed an hour before the scheduled sunset for the day. If you google the sunset on your weather day and it says 6:05pm sunset, then plan to be done with outdoor pictures by 5:05pm.
spring & summer weather tips
Flowers in bloom add extra romance to every image. If we happen to find any type of blooming tree or plant, it will be worth it to give us a few extra minutes for portraits with it! You’ll LOVE the result!
Snow gone but no leaves on the trees yet?
No one wants their background to be a bunch of dead, brown trees. Aim for choosing portrait locations that have evergreens or architectural buildings that can bring pops of color and visual interest back into the images.
Due to the summer heat, you will want to pack extra water to stay cool and hydrated in the church.
I also love that there is so much daylight which gives you the chance to slip out of the reception for sunset portraits! You will NOT regret this! We aim to do these during Golden Hour which is 45-60 minutes before the scheduled sunset. By this point in the day, most couples feel more relaxed and playful because all the major events are finished. Sunset portraits last 15-20 minutes and usually happen during dinner or opendancing so that no one even notices that you’re gone for those few minutes.
If you or any of your wedding party is strongly affected by seasonal allergies, encourage them to take their allergy medications on the wedding day to make it more enjoyable!
Your photogaLlery
WEATHER TIPS
VIDEOGRAPHERS
DON'T FORGet
Emergency Kit
Vendor recommendations
Sample timelines
catholic wedding tips
delegating
hair + Makeup trials
dress fitting
transportation
florals
VEIL OPTIONS
Overview
tips + tricks
feeding vendor team
cocktail hour
cake cutting
special exits
Out of sight time
Traditions
timing & logistics
Nuptial blessing
receiving lines
aisle Reveals
girls getting ready
guys getting ready
choosing location
detail pictures
special first look
letters + gift exchange
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