Autumn and Winter Wedding Tips

Long gone are the days of wedding season running from May to September. The modern wedding market is spread out across the entire year and in all seasons. The availability of a wider range of venues, the more open approach to timings, varied pricing as well as availability of venues and suppliers, and a variety of other factors all contribute to this.

From a photography point of view, it is a great thing, as it makes the weddng season last longer, and avoids the pressure of trying to cram all the years weddings into a few months. It comes with it’s problems, however, as it is a different proposition to shooting in summer. Light is different, you will more often than not be shooting indoors, the cold weather means you will have to work fast to avoid hanging around in the low temperatures.

In the current climate where wedding photographers are popping up everywhere, it is another one of these areas where experience really does make a difference. Where most photographers can pull off a few decent shots on a perfect day in July, the real challenge is when they are thrown into a tricky venue on a bad day, and have to think on their feet.

So what do you look for when you are booking a wedding photographer? Experience is so important. I cannot reiterate enough how important it is. It is only when something goes wrong that this is apparent. Wet weather, dark venues, equipment failures, you name it, it is how we deal with these issues that make or break the day.

Autumn and winter weddings, although not without their challenges, are fun. The lighting can be brilliant, the autumn colours are always epic, snow and ice can be so romantic, and it alll offers variety from the standard summer photography and scenes.

Some tips for winter weddings:

1: Timings. If you want outdoor photography, get married as early in the day as you can. Certainly in the Highlands it is dark by 4pm in December, so anything after 2pm is going to be cutting it a bit fine. Ideal time is 1-2pm for your ceremony in the darkest part of the year.

2: Accessories. Remember it might be cold, even in autumn months, so consider wearing a small jacket or bolero, or a fake fur stole.

3: Shoes. Footwear is another thing to consider. Wellies or flat shoes for walking around outdoors during the photo session will help speed things up, as well as protect the wedding shoes from mud.

4: Photo Locations. Speak to the venue to make sure there is a space left to do group photographs if the weather doesn’t allow outdoor shooting. This is sometimes overlooked. It is something worth considering before booking. This probably applies all year round, as some venues just don’t have an area for photography indoors if the weather is unpleasant.

5: Transport. Allow extra time for travel if the weather isn’t good. Snow, frost, or even wind and rain can cause delays.  Allow some extra time in your schedule for getting from A to B. Vintage cars may not be as reliable in bad weather, so make sure there is a backup plan.

6: Christmas decorations. If you have a Christmas wedding, it’s lovely to have the venue decorated with festive pieces, but if you are getting married in November you may want to consider asking the venue to take down specifically Christmas related decorations, as we all know how early everyone puts them up now. It is easier to sort this out before, rather than on the day. You will be looking at these photos all year round, so it’s unlikely you will have a Christmas themed photo on your wall.

7: Umbrellas. We all hope the weather will be lovely, but make sure you have umbrellas handy, just in case. Actually, an umbrella is a great addition for the photo session. Not only does it add something to the photos, it allows us to still shoot outside in light rain, albeit under the brolly! They also make great props!

8: Candles. As it will be dark by the time you sit down for your meal, it is always lovely to have lots of candles lit. It really adds to the warm, cosy feeling, and it looks amazing in photographs as well.

9: Embrace the weather. Don’t stress about whether the weather might be unkind. It is autumn/winter in the UK, so the odds are against it. Instead, enjoy it. Take positives from it. The day is all about two people in love, committing to each other, the rest is just part of the day. If you have to spend all day indoors, enjoy the warmth, and make sure you get some amazing indoor images to remember the day. If you have your heart set on outdoor photos at a specific location, ask the photographer about a post wedding shoot. I do a rock the frock session, where the bride gets dressed up again for a fun shoot. It isn’t uncommon for the groom to join in too. Remember, this part of the day CAN be recreated, the rest cannot. So relax and enjoy every moment of the day.

10: Be brave. Even if you only venture outdoors for five minutes, it is worth trying to get one or two photographs which show the day, the weather and the conditions. You might be cold, but in several weeks when you are all warmed up again and looking through the photos, you will almost certainly wish you had a few outside, showing the venue. A good, experienced photographer, with knowledge of lighting, will make this an easy task for you.

I love winter weddings, they can be great fun and a totally different atmosphere to summer weddings. If you want to discuss your wedding photography requirements, please get in touch.

Good luck with the wedding planning!