Winter Wedding Photography Tips for Brides
Any natural or creative photographer will tell you that photographing a wedding in the winter months is a challenge. With the shorter daylight hours and the unpredictable British weather to contend with, getting those stylized wedding shots can be tricky. However, as an experienced creative wedding photographer, I take this in my stride. Let’s take a look at how you can get those perfect wedding shots even in the depths of winter.
Personally, Winter is my favourite time to photograph a wedding, particularly in Yorkshire. Not only is Yorkshire a wonderfully beautiful place to get married, but the light in Winter can be phenomenal. Yes, you have the risk of rain and drizzle, but let's face it, this could happen any day in the year in Yorkshire! There's also the chance of having a beautiful sprinkling of snow making it possibly the most romantic time to have your Yorkshire wedding!
Set Your Expectations
If you are planning a winter wedding, the first step (once you have a secured a Leeds wedding photographer) is to talk through your expectations for the day. An experienced photographer will be able to offer expert advice when it comes to the best time to take wedding photos and how to prepare for harsh weather conditions. By discussing this early on, you can get realistic expectations of what to expect and decide on which shots are feasible if the weather does take a turn for the worst.
Tweak your Timeline
The chances are you already have your ideal wedding day mapped out in your mind. Be prepared to restructure your day and make your wedding photography a priority to ensure you make the most of the light. With the sun setting around 4pm in winter, you may have to squeeze in your photos before the ceremony and have your wedding breakfast a little later on in the day. The key is making the most of the natural light. Check the sunrise and sunset times for your wedding day and adapt your timeline to suit.
If you are planning a Winter wedding in Yorkshire, have a think about starting your day earlier. Even having your ceremony an hour earlier than planned gives you much more time with your photographer in the precious natural light available.
Location Location Location
A summer’s day is a blank canvas when it comes to wedding photography, but the same cannot be said for the winter. You can still get some stunning shots, but you will have to put a little more thought into the location of your photos. Again, this is something a Leeds based photographer will be familiar with and this is simply another thing to add to your list of things to discuss in the early stages. If you have certain shots in mind, talk them through with your photographer and consider which parts of the venue would cater for them. For example, if you have your heart set on a group shot, is there space inside the venue should the weather prevent you from shooting outside? Do you have a back up plan in place? Do you have props such as umbrellas that complement your colour scheme that could make getting that shot simpler?
Brave The Elements
Lastly, be prepared to make the best of a bad situation. Should the heavens open, go with it and try not to let a slightly damp veil or a dash of mud on your shoe ruin your day. Winter is an absolutely magical time of year for wedding photography, a light covering of frost can create epic photography opportunities but don’t forget to wrap up warm.
As I or any wedding photographer in Leeds will tell you, there are plenty of advantages of getting married in the winter months. Many venues drop their prices during the colder seasons and you can save money on décor as many hotels are dressed up to the nines for Christmas providing the perfect backdrop with fairly lights galore. With careful planning and preparation, the winter weather can have a minimal impact on your day. Be sure to co-ordinate with your venue and follow the expert advice from your Leeds wedding photographer and it will all plain sailing from here.
So don't be afraid to book a Winter date for your Leeds wedding. Not only are venues cheaper during the Winter months, they will also be more available and less booked up! I am currently offering £100 off all wedding packages and an incredible £200 off Winter weddings booked by the end of February 2017. For more information and to discuss your winter wedding plan, get in touch here.