9 things your photographer wants you to know for a stress-free outdoor wedding (rain or shine)
There’s something intrinsically magical about getting married outdoors. Whether the wedding is a backyard bash or a scenic ceremony, it makes sense that saying “I do” while surrounded by nature is becoming ever more popular.
As a wedding photographer and videographer in Central Florida, I’ve shot my fair share of outdoor weddings: and have seen plenty of mishaps along the way. Whether it’s makeup running during the noonday heat or nighttime parties with no lighting, while none of these incidents caused any major damage to the wedding day, they did each impact my ability to give my clients the absolute best wedding photography and videography experience.
If you’re considering holding your intimate micro-wedding or elopement outdoors, you’ll want to read this list of 9 things your wedding photographer wants you to know for a stress-free outdoor wedding: rain or shine.
PS: Read all the way for a bonus tip you won’t want to miss!
9 THINGS YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER WANTS YOU TO KNOW FOR A STRESS-FREE OUTDOOR WEDDING (RAIN OR SHINE)
1. Have a plan B for bad weather
I know they say rain on your wedding day is good luck, but if you’re exchanging vows in a downpour, trust me you’ll feel anything but lucky.
While having a weather contingency plan may seem obvious to some planning an outdoor wedding, you’d be surprised at how many weddings we’ve shot where the couple had no plan B for bad weather. (*packs poncho in camera bag*) If rain or storms would put a damper on your wedding ceremony, it’s a good idea to find a venue with a shelter nearby or to book an indoor backup location. It may be an added expense, but you may thank yourself later.
However, weather contingency plans don’t just mean rain. As a Central Florida wedding photographer and videographer, I can assure you that even a bright, sunny day can be a hazard to saying “I do.”
Summer is off-season for weddings here in Florida, and rightly so: in July and August, a typical afternoon can see a high of 90ºF (or above) with high humidity. Holding an outdoor summer wedding in Florida means that at best, you and your beloved will be dripping sweat at the altar (not a cute look for your wedding photos) or at worst, you risk someone in your bridal party passing out due to the heat.
However, if a summer outdoor micro-wedding or elopement in Central Florida is on your list, consider changing up the time of day to a morning or sunset ceremony so you’re beating the heat or finding a shady spot. Here are a few great venues that incorporate both indoor and outdoor spaces to make for the perfect, summery, small or micro-wedding in Central Florida!
2. Plan around natural lighting
The beauty of getting married outdoors is that there’s lots of light. Good lighting = great wedding photography and videography, as soft outdoor lighting is not only flattering to you as the subjects but also allows us photographers to shoot at more optimal settings (which results in better quality photos).
If you are planning an outdoor micro-wedding or elopement, you’ll want to collaborate with your photographer and videographer about planning your ceremony and bridal portrait session times around the best lighting conditions.
The best outdoor lighting conditions are diffused light, such as a cloudy day or underneath some shade. If you’re not a photographer, you might be thinking, But what about a sunny day? Isn’t that more lighting?. Actually, taking your wedding photos in bright, direct, overhead sunlight can cast unflattering shadows and give a harsh look to your photos. (Don’t worry: this happens often, and we do have secret ways to make sure you look your best no matter the lighting!).
“Golden hour”, the 30 minutes before and just after sunset, is another ideal time of the day to plan into your wedding photography timeline. The sun casts a romantic, warm glow, and the angle allows for more diffused, indirect light: meaning your wedding photos will look like an absolute dream.
Lastly, if you’re planning to dance the night away under the stars, be sure to communicate this early with your wedding photographer and videographer.
In order to capture every moment of your nighttime celebration, we’ll need to set up lighting on stands and bring a few different flash units.
If you’re not thrilled about flash lighting interrupting your dance moves (although one could say it adds to the rave effect…), you’ll need to either send your photographer and videographer home before the party starts or consider starting the festivities earlier while there’s still enough natural sunlight.
One couple, two portraits: Here’s our stunning couple Sofie & Donnie in bright, direct sunlight during their bridal portrait session. In order to work with the lighting conditions and ensure the bride and groom still looked incredible as ever, we posed them facing towards the light, turning their faces to ensure the light cast flattering shadows, and chose a more edgy pose to complement the tone set by the harsh lighting.
Here’s Sofie & Donnie again in diffused, shaded lighting. You can see their skin looks more soft and glowy due to the lack of contrast cast by bright light + harsh shadows. The soft lighting gives an ethereal glow and the time of day—getting close to golden hour—provides a warm, romantic glow.
3. Consider permits and regulations
One of Central Florida’s most popular towns to get married at is historic Winter Park. But what many hopeful engaged couples may not know is that much of its famous scenic spots—Rollins College, Kraft Azalea Garden, and downtown Winter Park, to name a few—all require permits for not just holding your ceremony, but even for taking wedding photos.
Many outdoor venues require a permit to hold your wedding ceremony on their property, and some even require an additional permit for your wedding photographer and videographer, which may be extra cost to you.
Don’t be distressed, as this is quite common for outdoor venues. This is why it’s important to book your wedding photographer and videographer early in your wedding planning process, as they may have insights into the regulations of your chosen venues.
Be sure to also consider noise ordinances, fire safety, or other permitting or regulation considerations. Nothing will throw a damper on your party than having the police show up because your party is too loud for your neighbors (true story, this almost happened at one of our clients’ weddings).
A sweet moment during a bridal session at Kraft Azalea Garden in Winter Park, FL.
4. Keep your guests comfortable
While your wedding ceremony is all about you, don’t forget your guests are also going to show up in your wedding photography and videography as well!
I know that even if you are throwing a micro wedding or small, intimate ceremony outdoors, having your loved ones surrounding you is everything. However, an outdoor wedding means giving a bit of extra thought to their comfort as well as your own. Consider providing comfortable seating (at least for those who may need it), or even fans if heat is a concern. Also, it might be wise to find a venue that has bathroom accommodations nearby to ensure everyone feels comfortable.
Since your loved ones and closest friends are a vital part of your wedding day, making sure they feel taken care of and comfortable will free them to enjoy your wedding almost as much as you do!
5. Watch the time of day
Following the previous points above about weather and lighting, if you’re planning an outdoor micro-wedding or intimate ceremony, consider the time of day.
As we discussed above, getting married during high noon on a bright summer’s day in Central Florida = harsh, overhead lighting and lots of sweat. While Photoshop does exist, it can’t quite undo beads of sweat, racoon eyes (from brow bones casting a shadow downwards), or splotches of makeup staining your dress or your groom’s formerly-white shirt collar.
Consider the location of your wedding and the time of year before settling on a time of day to hold your outdoor wedding ceremony. A noontime ceremony in a hot climate isn’t as much of a concern in January as it is in June; likewise, a summer afternoon isn’t as much of a challenge in Colorado as it is in Cancun.
Just as you’ll need to beat the heat if you’re planning an outdoor summer ceremony in Central Florida, you also may need to hold your wedding earlier if you’re getting married in the winter. As the sun dips earlier and earlier in the afternoon, you may run into lighting issues if golden hour starts at 4pm in your location.
Don’t stress about figuring everything out alone: a good wedding photographer or videographer will be with you every step of the way to help you choose the perfect time of day for your outdoor wedding.
6. Make sure you have access to electricity (if needed)
Spoiler alert: electricity doesn’t come from trees!
Jokes aside, one of the major drawbacks of an outdoor wedding is restricted access to electricity. No, you don’t need technology to get married, but you might need it for your sound system (if you’re planning to play music digitally during your ceremony) or for a microphone to ensure all your guests can take part in the ceremony.
Access to electricity also impacts your wedding photography and videography, too.
In point #2 above, I shared how nighttime receptions often require external lighting, such as flash units, light stands, and more. Unfortunately, without access to power outlets, your party under the stars will stay that way: under starlight only. (While that’s romantic, it doesn’t come across in photography or videography.)
As with the other points, be sure to involve your wedding photographer and videographer in the wedding planning process early so they can help you work around any restrictions your dream outdoor venue may have!
7. Include transport time in your day-of schedule
True story: this totally happened at our own outdoor wedding.
We had a beautiful ceremony underneath a 100-year-old oak tree. Took the family photos, hugged loved ones. And as happens at every wedding, things ran over schedule.
We found ourselves with just 20 minutes to take our bridal portraits AND drive to our own wedding reception.
Most couples planning a micro-wedding or intimate, small wedding are unable to hire a wedding planner and may miss crucial details like these when setting up a day-of schedule. (Or may not have a day-of schedule at all.) This happens frequently with our wedding photography and videography clients: they’ve picked a time for their wedding ceremony and a time for their reception, but have either allowed little time for transport between the two or no time at all to take their bridal portraits.
When we work with our couples, we communicate early and often with you on your day-of schedule—even if you don’t have a wedding planner or coordinator. By having these conversations early in your wedding planning process, we’ll help you make sure that you’ve planned enough time to travel from your wedding ceremony location to your wedding reception location (if they are two separate venues) and find time in your busy day to take the romantic, intimate bridal portraits that you’ll cherish forever.
8. Scout your location early
Of course, before you book your outdoor wedding venue you’ll have already taken a look to make sure it’s the perfect location for your special day. But from a photographer’s perspective, taking a second visit to your location to consider the best spots for lighting and scenic backdrops will ensure your wedding photography and videography turns out as beautiful as it can!
If there are any unique or scenic features of your venue that you’re absolutely in love with, be sure to plan that out and mention these spots to your wedding photographer and videographer during the planning process.
Consider visiting your venue during the time of day that you’ll eventually be getting married (make sure to account for daylight savings and/or varied lighting conditions due to earlier or later sunsets) and perhaps even take a few photos on your phone to get a rough idea of the lighting conditions around the property.
Of course, your local wedding photographer and videographer may have already shot weddings at your venue before, so they may have great insights or suggestions about how to make the most of your outdoor wedding’s natural beauty. If there’s one thing to take away from this article, it’s be sure to loop in your wedding photographer and videographer early into your wedding planning process!
9. Save $$$ by booking separate locations and choosing alternative florals
In our opinion, it’s not a wedding without florals! However, fresh blooms can quickly add up to extra costs—especially when you’re dressing up a ho-hum indoor wedding venue by bringing nature indoors.
But since you’re getting married at a drop-dead gorgeous outdoor venue, you can save some extra cash (which is especially helpful if you’re planning a micro-wedding or small, intimate wedding or elopement) by letting your beautiful backdrop speak for itself!
To save some cash on your micro-wedding without sacrificing the florals of your dreams, consider wood florals: your new favorite budget-conscious, eco-friendly alternative to fresh blooms.
We’ve worked with not one, but two incredibly talented, women-run small businesses who offer stunning wood and dried floral blooms as both assembled arrangements or as cost-saving DIY kits: Evergreen Bride and Teton Wood Blooms. We can vouch for their quality, craftsmanship, and thoughtful customer service… but you can also trust both shops’ numerous 5-star reviews on their websites and Etsy storefronts. (We don’t get a commission from hyping them up: we’re just big fans!).
Beautiful Angelika holding an Evergreen Bride bridal bouquet—named after her!
Teton Wood Blooms’ bouquets are perfect for the classic, elegant bride!
Photography credit: Lamoureaux Images
Another less-known secret is that many of our couples have found booking two separate locations is actually cheaper than booking an all-in-one venue.
Especially if you’re planning an outdoor wedding ceremony with an indoor wedding reception, the access to indoor reception venues near your outdoor ceremony location may be limited to those that are perhaps less popular or less glamorous than all-inclusive wedding venues. However, with some nicely-set tables, guests still raving about your stunning ceremony site, and a party to look forward to, nobody will care!
If you’re saving costs when planning a micro-wedding or small intimate wedding, consider investing those extra funds into adding on a wedding videography option to your wedding photography package.
While your reception is just a few hours, your wedding video is something you’ll treasure forever as a way to relive the most beautiful moments of your life. Trust us, you won’t regret the investment!
BONUS TIP: Allow a bit of extra time for guest photos
Just for fun, we’re throwing in a bonus tip! Now, this last tip is an unconventional one, but it comes from our own experience as guests at a scenic mountaintop wedding several years ago.
We were all dressed up, enjoying a gorgeous destination with some of our closest friends, standing on the top of a mountain on a bright summer’s day: so naturally we guests wanted some photos as well!
Now, given that we are wedding photographers ourselves, of course we didn’t bug the bride and groom’s photographer for photos. We ended up with standard phone photos, which still did pretty well. But imagine if the bride and groom had set aside about 15-20 minutes in their photographer’s schedule to allow him to take photos of their guests as well?
While literally nobody’s wedding day is relaxed with oodles of time to waste (although our couples often say that because of working with us, their wedding day was stress-free and seamless!), it might be worth considering planning a pocket of time after your wedding ceremony—and after you’ve taken your essential family photos—to offer any lingering guests an opportunity to each have a quick photo taken professionally.
Especially if your wedding location is especially exotic or scenic (such as a mountaintop, by a lake, or on the beach), this may be a special occasion for your guests as well, and the opportunity to have your wedding photographer take a quick snap of them in a location they’ve probably spent a lot of money to travel to may be a delightful surprise and a special way to say thanks!
While there are so many more tidbits of advice I could add to this list, I hope you’ve found these 9 things your wedding photographer wants you to know about planning an outdoor wedding helpful. Rain or shine, your wedding day is going to be special, beautiful, and meaningful—no matter the weather, lighting conditions, or size of your wedding.
If you’re looking for a wedding photographer or videographer who’s helped numerous couples just like you capture every detail of their small, intimate micro wedding, we’d love to talk! Visit our pricing page to learn more about our wedding photography and videography packages—created exclusively for small, intimate weddings like yours—or contact us to start a conversation today.
