Do you know those dreamy, swoon-worthy wedding photos you see all over Pinterest & Instagram?
You know, the ones that were captured from the perfect angle with glowy lighting, and have the bride and groom seem like an out-of-this-world ultimate fairytale couple.
Sunset portraits are literally the BEST 10 – 20 minutes of portraits you’ll get on your wedding day. Trust me, they are WORTH IT and are those dreamy, swoon-worthy photos you see all over the internet they’ll be the photos you want to see first in your album.
Just remember that on a typical wedding day timeline this will be your first and only chance (unless you do a first look) for couple portraits together so up until this point you have NO portraits together. So I’m happy to sneak out for 20 mins but ideally we want to use the whole hour to create a beautiful collection of photos of just you two.
Of course you will get some kick arse photos, BUT it also gives you a chance to slow down and connect with each other, away from the chaos of your big day!
Well, I’m here to tell you that you can have photos just like that – or even better – on your wedding too.
So, I’m here as your – favourite wedding photographer from the Albury Wodonga area to give you my top 4 tips on how you can get the best wedding photos ever by being in the right place at the right time to take some of your wedding portraits.
The best time for breathtaking wedding photos is golden hour
Wedding Photography is part planning, part skill – and part luck, too. But when it comes to taking some of your best wedding photos ever, timing is everything.
After all, golden hour is literally the best time of day to take some Instagram-worthy wedding shots of the two of you. Now, while it is true that there are two golden hours a day (at sunrise and sunset) I’m guessing that you don’t want to get up that early – which leaves us with just the sunset.
Golden hour starts about an hour before sunset – that’s around 7:30pm onwards in Aussie daylight savings time, and around 4:30pm in Aussie non-daylight savings time – give or take. That’s when the sun’s golden light floods the horizon with soft sunset colors, which are more “golden” in the summer, and more of a “red” in the winter.
This flood of softer, natural light is the best light to take some of the best shots of your entire wedding. Imagine all the long shadows, mysterious silhouettes, and deep colors. Just imagine all the incredibly flattering & infinitely romantic photographs of the two of you.
So, let’s chat and plan your wedding timeline in a way that allows you at least 20 minutes for the two of you to break away from the hustle & bustle of your wedding – and take full advantage of the setting sun.
Generally, this will usually be well after your ceremony, and family photos, and bridal party photos, it’ll either be right before your reception or we will sneak out in between speeches mid reception.. Depending on the time of year, and your reception timeline.
Taking your sunset portraits can take as little as 20 minutes, or as long as an hour. This depends on how much sunset photos are a priority to you, how much time do you want to dedicate to this section of your day? However, I can say that my couples always seek out these photos first in their wedding gallery, so if you can only spare 20 minutes because you are keen to get back to the party then we can still create magic in that time.
No matter what though, we’ll plan around sunset to ensure everything aligns perfectly. I’ll make sure you don’t miss those swoon worthy photos.
Plan ahead with your location
Once you’ve got the timing right, it’s important to nail the location too!
Now, the good news is that you can get amazing sunset wedding photos even if you’re not at some epic location – like on the beach, on the top of a mountain, or at the edge of a cliff – or even if you’re planning an indoor wedding.
All you need to do is go outside. Alot of couples love their venue and want to site on site as much as possible. So I’ll have all this organised in my pre-wedding scout for you both. I’ll select a backdrop or setting that looks beautiful so you both look incredible, so all you need to do on the day is enjoy.
Now, this location can be anything, anywhere…
…it can be in front of a building – like your venue or your chapel.
…it can be out in nature – like in a nearby vineyard, in a forest, on a field, on a hilltop, or at the beach.
…or it can even be literally on the stairs of your venue or next to your decorated car, or popping a bottle of champagne.
The secret is to go outside, consider where the sun will set
– and find the perfect setting for your perfect sunset wedding shots.
If you have any ideas or requests, I’m keen to hear them!
Relax so your wedding photographer capture your candid moments
Loosen up and just have fun together throughout your sunset photos. Don’t be afraid to get goofy, emotional, or weird – in the light of the setting sun, you’re going to look incredible no matter what you do!
After all, wedding photography is about documenting your authentic moments of pure joy, eternal love, and overwhelming emotions. And the more you embrace the moment, the more you live in the present, and the more you set yourselves free – the more candid moments I’ll have to immortalise for you.
The best most authentic photos are the ones where you two are just authentically yourselves. Good news is we have spent the whole day together at this point, you two are pro’s..
I’ll create a space where you two can step away from your guests for a moment. Enjoy your time together. Embrace in long hugs. Dance together as the sun sets far away. Or walk hand-in-hand, laughing, smiling, or glancing at each other with loving eyes along the way.
Laugh, kiss – just be you, authentically & beautifully you. And enjoy it to the fullest! After all, this is YOUR moment
– I’m just there to capture it for you and if you need any guidance I got you.
Embrace whatever nature gives you during sunset
Nature has its funny ways sometimes…
You might get an amazing sunset with beautiful clear skies without a single cloud.
Or you might get some overcast and even rain on your wedding day.
But even then, I’ve had SO MANY overcast or rainy weddings that ended with a beautiful surprise sunset! So it’s best not to worry about things out of your control – especially on your wedding day – and focus on all the love & joy surrounding you on this magical day instead.
Besides, we can handle whatever nature throws at you. After all, it will be unique. And it will be truly yours.
So embrace it – own it. If you get your perfect sunset photos, then great! But if we end up getting some overcast, or even some rain at dusk, we’ll still make the most of it and create breathtaking shots of you on your wedding day. After all, overcast and/or rainy weddings are beautiful too (even without me working my “photography voodoo” and other superpowers).
If you see rain, snow, or clouds on the weather forecast, don’t worry. Just come prepared for almost any weather, and everything else is gonna be okay. Now, this might include making sure that your attire matches the weather, or that you have something to wear if the weather outside turns out to be anything other than ideal.
Maybe pack some spare shoes or boots, a warmer set of clothes, and a matching handkerchief. I’ll also come prepared with beautiful clear umbrellas and other cute (but practical) props for your sunset shots, just in case the weather takes a turn for the worse.
So whether it’s cloudy, rainy, or clear skies – prepare to sneak away for at least 20 minutes to get some epic portraits no matter what…
And there you have it, my top 4 tips to get the best sunset shots on your wedding or elopement. Now, in order to use my tips it’s crucial to actually schedule time for taking photos about an hour before sunset. I mean, you’d probably want to make sure you have your date booked in before going into how you’ll make the most of it.
So, if you don’t have “sunset photography” as part of your wedding day timeline just yet, make sure you add “sunset photos” to your shot list. Trust me, you’ll end up with some of your favourite photos from your whole wedding!
P.S.: Booking the right photographer for your wedding ahead of time will save you tons of headaches down the line. So, if you’re still looking for the perfect wedding photographer to take your perfect golden hour wedding shots (and all the other shots of your fairytale day, too), then feel free to reach out to see if I’m still available on your date!
