Ok, so you’re planning a winter wedding but you’re not sure how the photos will look. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. In this post I’ll give you some winter wedding photography tips to help you enjoy your day and get the best results from your photos.

What time should my ceremony be for a winter wedding?

One of the key things to remember when planning a winter wedding is there is less daylight and it gets darker much earlier. If you’re looking for a photographer who embraces the dark and takes photos in a dark and moody kind of style then you may not need to worry about this as much. However if you’re looking for really natural winter wedding photos, which is the style of photography I really like to take, then it’s worth being aware of how my natural daylight you have available. During day light saving here in the uk it can start to get dark between 3-4pm. Once your ceremony is finished you might want to have some family or couple photos taken, and enjoy some time with your guests before it starts to get dark.
For couples who book me for their winter wedding photography, I recommend starting the wedding ceremony between 12-1pm. If you know you’re having a really short ceremony then you could go for slightly later, but I wouldn’t recommend anything later than 2pm, so you still have at least an hour or two of light available after the ceremony.

I have a blog post about planning your wedding day timings which you may also find helpful. You can read that > here < 

Wet weather options for winter weddings

Here in the uk it can rain any month of the year so it’s good to have a plan whether you’re planning a December wedding, or a July wedding!!
When choosing your venue for a winter wedding, one of the most important questions you’ll want to get answered is how much space is there inside for everyone. Is there an obvious place to take photos, if it’s really wet. It might be that there is a room with a nice big window for natural light, or maybe an area outside under cover. Both of these options will be great if it’s really wet. I’ve also had lots of weddings where couples have still wanted to get out and embrace the rain and we’ve just grabbed some nice umbrellas and gone for it. These moments are always really fun and will be so memorable to look back on. I’ve photographed enough weddings to know that the idea of rain on your wedding day, is always worse than rain on your wedding day. > Here’s < a post I put together with some tips on what to do if it does rains on your wedding day.

Fairy lights, fairy lights, fairy lights!

And for the people at the back, fairy lights. With the light going so early at winter weddings it’s always nice to create some ambient light from somewhere else. Ok, so there are other options than just fairly lights. You can have candles, neon lights, fun lamps / bulbs, any way to bring a bit of creative light will give a really cosy feeling to the day and will take your winter wedding photos to the next level.

Tips to keep warm at a winter wedding

Both you as a couple but also your guests will want to stay warm. Brides especially will want to think about this and there are some really good options available. You can go for something cosy to put on over your dress, maybe a faux fur or fluffy jacket, or maybe even a denim or leather jacket. The same also goes for your bridesmaids, you could have matching cover ups or mix it up and give them a scarf or shawl to put on. I’ve been to lots of weddings where there have been blankets wrapped up in baskets for guests to help themselves to if they are feeling a little chilly, and also fire pits outside to gather round. Getting photos of you and your guests like this helps tell the whole story of the wedding day and will be so lovely to look back on.

Do I need winter wedding day shoes?

It’s worth knowing first what your primary wedding day shoes will be. If you think that it’s likely your feel will get wet in those shoes, I think it’s worth having an alternative options to pop on maybe for your couple photos when you may be walking over wet grass. You won’t want to be in a wet pair of shoes all day. If you have a nice pair of wedding day wellies you’ll find it so much easier to walk in them when it may be a lil wet under foot. Also it’s likely that you’ll be lifting your dress off the floor and your shoes will be on show, so a nice pair of wellies can really look the part in your wedding photos.

Sparklers

Unlike summer weddings when it doesn’t get dark until much later (possible once your photographer has left you dancing the night away), as I’ve already mentioned the light goes a lot earlier for winter weddings. This means if you wanted to have a fun sparkler moment you absolutely can. I always recommend speaking to your photographer if you are thinking of having sparklers at your wedding as they will be able to give you the best advice in order for you to get some great photos.

If you’re planning a winter wedding and you’re looking for a fun and relaxed wedding photographer to capture your day in a natural style, I’d love to hear from you. You can get in touch > here <