Spring forward, fall back, dusk, sunset – so many things to think about when it comes to timing your wedding.  If you don’t think about all the factors – you could end up taking pictures in the dark, or not having time to take family shots.

Summer begins the next phase of planning for your fall or winter wedding and finalizing the details for your invitations.  The following questions on timing play a very important part in the logistics of your “moment of a lifetime”.

How long do pictures take?  How long will your ceremony take?  What time is sunset?

Everyone loves a sunset wedding – but what time does that mean you should actually start your ceremony?   There are a few major factors to consider when planning your timing to capture that perfect moment.  In the fall, as we lose an hour – your timing is much earlier than in the spring or summer.  A sunset wedding in November will be at 5:00, while in the summer, that could easily be as late as 9:30.

Are you doing your pictures beforehand?  If you are getting married at “sunset”, when you are finished it will quickly get dark.  If you haven’t factored this into your photographer’s schedule, you could end up losing some beautiful shots.  Doing a “first look” planned shot will still give you the thrill of having your soon to be groom see you for the first time, and allow you to finish all your pictures in the daylight.  If this is something that you do not wish to do, backing the ceremony up by at least an hour is a definite must.  Most importantly, talk to and listen to your photographer!  They know how to capture the light and you in the best way.  They know better and have more experience in knowing how long it will take to do all those family shots and pages of fun shots that you have in mind.  As you are planning your ceremony time, it is imperative that you have thought about the pictures you want.  You must communicate that to your photographer, so you can schedule your ceremony to maximize their ability to capture these moments.

At the same time you are communicating with your photographer, make sure you are asking your officiant how long the ceremony will take.  If you are planning for a 20 minute ceremony, and things run a little late, you will be cutting into precious minutes of sunlight.  Always be prepared and give yourself at least an extra 15 minutes for the ceremony.  That way , if someone important hits traffic and is running behind – you are not at risk of losing daylight.  As I’ve come to learn after 7 years of weddings, when it comes to ceremonies and pictures, things almost NEVER start on time  (mostly due to your guests) and pictures take longer than you think..  So plan accordingly and give yourself some extra moments for the ceremony and pictures.  You only have a finite amount of time to capture your “special day”, so plan ahead and you will be rewarded with memories that last forever and the knowledge that you mastered  “The Delicate Balance of Time”.

Until Next Time……..  Happy Planning!

–Angella