What time of day is best for wedding photos?
A huge advantage of hiring an experienced, professional wedding photographer is they are able to create beautiful photos anywhere, any time. Having said that, there are certain times of the day that are better than others and there are a few things you can do to help maximise these opportunities for the very best results on your wedding day!
So, what time of day is best for wedding photography? There is no one correct answer. Each photographer will actually prefer different times of day, depending on their style and how they like to work.
Of course, a wedding is an all day event so there are going to be parts of the day where you nor your photographer have control over when certain photos will take place. However…
Best time of day for wedding portraits
It is always best to avoid the harsh, midday sun. Photographing outside when the sun is slightly lower in the sky gives a more flattering look and is easier to manipulate for stunning portraits. For our style, this means planning your portraits about 2 hours before sunset. Note: this is a different time for each season of the year.
Some couples plan to have two portrait sessions on their day. Following the ‘typical’ wedding day timeline, couple portraits usually take place after the ceremony. This often hits the 2-3pm mark which in summer is not the optimum time. So, we do 20 minutes after the ceremony, with an additional 15 minutes in the evening after the meal and speeches. This is often a much better time for outdoor portraits. It also allows the couple to spend more time with their guests during the drinks reception rather than being away for too long.
Quick answer: Summer ~ 7pm. Winter ~ 2.30pm
Best time of day for outdoor ceremony
In the UK, it is common to hold a wedding ceremony at about 1pm. If you are dreaming of an outdoor ceremony, we highly recommend you push it back to 4.00pm in the summer months. This maximises your chances of receiving beautiful photos plus, it ensures your guests aren’t sitting in the intense midday sun, burning up. Even better… the portrait session for the two of you will fall at a more appropriate time too! Win, win, win.
These timings conflict with the ‘traditional’ wedding timeline and the schedule your wedding venue co-ordinator might suggest, but if the photos are important to you, we highly recommend considering these. Weddings are becoming more and more unique, flexible, and a representation of the couple, so don’t be afraid to think outside of the box.
Written by Eleth Mageehan, (c) 2023, all rights reserved.
