As a good rule of thumb, your wedding ceremony should start at least 90 minutes before sunset.
Having said that, there are several factors to take into consideration:
- If you are doing a First Look, it really doesn’t matter what time your ceremony starts because all of your photos will be done BEFORE the ceremony and we don’t have to worry about daylight after the ceremony for photos
- If you’re NOT doing a First Look, we need at least a full hour of daylight for portraits after the ceremony – which means your ceremony should begin at least 90 minutes before sunset. You’ll want to start the ceremony even earlier, if your ceremony is longer than 30 minutes in length
Natural light is extremely important in creating the types of images you see on my website + in my portfolio. Without ample time to shoot in daylight after the ceremony, those who choose to forego a First Look simply will not have any portraits together in daylight. I’ll be forced to shoot indoors or under a tent/porch/overhang using flash… which I can do, but it’s probably not what you fell in love with when you saw my work.
So please keep in mind the sunset time when you are deciding what time your wedding ceremony should start. Try to give your photographer as much time to shoot in daylight as possible. You will be much happier with your wedding photos that way!
With a well-worn passport in hand, and an affinity for a good cocktail, Dana works with fun-loving and kind-hearted clients around the globe.
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