Many decisions need to be made when planning a wedding and a big one is the time of your ceremony. You may have noticed a lot of ceremonies commence in the afternoon, and there’s a good reason for that. Here’s what you need to know about choosing the perfect time to say I do.
While it’s your and your partner’s wedding day and you can get married at any time you choose, there are many benefits to having your ceremony in the afternoon.
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1. Light is softer
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The few hours after sunrise and the few hours before sunset is often referred to as the “magic hours” in the photography world as these times are ideal for taking photos outdoors, and while you could have your wedding at sunrise, isn’t as practical of an option for some. The sun can be so bright during the day – overbearing at times, and this will translate through your photos. You run the risk of people squinting and harsh shadows being present.
2. It’s cooler
If you live here in South East Queensland, you’ll know firsthand how hot and humid it can get in the warmer months. Even in winter, it can get warm out in the sun. If you and your bridal party are wearing formal outfits, walking around in the searing heat during the middle of the day is going to get uncomfortable, fast. Not only that, but sweating can also cause makeup to run and hair to stick to the head and face, which doesn’t look amazing in photos. The afternoons tend to cool off and are much more comfortable, allowing you to relax while getting your photos taken.
3. Leads into the evening
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Having your ceremony in the afternoon allows the fun to continue into the night. The afternoon is a perfectly acceptable time to have a drink or two. Earlier in the day may be a little too early for some. Your guests can unwind and have a bite to eat while they wait for you and your bridal party to come back from photos.
4. Makes for amazing wedding photos
For many couples, their wedding photos are their most prized possession from the big day. As mentioned above, taking photos with natural light in the afternoon is going to give you high-quality photos that you’ll treasure for a lifetime. After all, you only get one chance to capture your day and you want to make sure it’s done right the first time around.
What time in the afternoon?
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This is a good question, and it varies depending on a few factors, such as:
How many guests you have
You need to establish how much time it will take for your guests to greet you and your partner after the ceremony to say congratulations. If you are having a big wedding, this can take up a considerable amount of time, however, it shouldn’t be skipped because it is a special moment and makes for beautiful photos.
How long you anticipate the ceremony will go for
You will need to factor in your ceremony time. Most people these days keep their ceremonies short and sweet rather than dragging them out. This keeps people engaged and sets the tone for a fun evening.
How long you want to spend taking wedding photos after the ceremony
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After the ceremony and the congratulations comes the group photo and family photos, while it sounds straightforward don’t be surprised if everyone isn’t where you want them when you want them to be. Again, if you are having a big wedding, you should allow extra time for this. Next, you’ll move onto your wedding photos with your bridal party. Lastly, photos of you and your partner. For many, these are the most important (and understandably so). You need to have enough daylight left to be able to capture stunning portraits, so make sure you aren’t taking photos with the sun almost non-existent.
It’s important to consider these things because although getting married in the afternoon is ideal, it does come with a drawback, and that is you only have limited time to do all the things you need to do before the sunsets. After that, the quality of your photos may not be what you had envisioned for the day. The last thing you want to do is be rushing everything and missing out on potentially treasured photos due to a lack of time. Once you have worked out how long everything will take approximately, you can work out a time from there. Pro tip – Make sure you allow a bit of time between each to go to the bathroom, get a drink, touch up hair, etc.
It’s ultimately up to you and your finance
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While we have outlined all the reasons why we believe the afternoon is a perfect time to have your ceremony, at the end of the day, it is not our special day, it’s yours and your partners and you need to decide what works best for the two of you. A skilled photographer will be able to take stunning photos regardless of the time. If you are looking for a wedding photographer and videographer for your big day, we’d love to chat with you! Here at FloridoWeddings, we are a highly experienced team that specializes in capturing precious memories. Get in touch today for more information.