If your wedding fantasies include an affair in the p.m., then you’re a bride after our own hearts. We absolutely adore nighttime nuptials in nature. You really can’t compete with a wedding illuminated by candles and stars. However, getting married outdoors in the dark can get a little tricky. So here are the most important things to keep in mind to make sure your nighttime wedding is all dream and no nightmare!
For your bridal photos…You will want to set time aside before the wedding to take your couples photos. You’ll want some that are well lit, capture all the details of your attire, and don’t necessitate artificial lighting or a flash. Get a few just before twilight and then some more as the sun descends. There is nothing more epic than a photo taken just at sunset! It will give your photos a dreamy, golden wash, no filter required!
For your bridesmaids…Keep your girls stylish AND ready for the night in a long dress (you don’t want your leading ladies to shiver!). You’ll want to avoid super slick fabrics like satin or taffeta because they’ll appear super shiny if your photographer uses a flash or if they are near any light sources. A chiffon, lace, or tulle dress is perfect for a nighttime wedding.
For your ceremony…Make sure you have plenty of lighting during the ceremony so your vows are visible! You can get great lighting by hanging a chandelier overhead and having the nearby trees wrapped in lights. Make sure you use lights that provide a warm, natural glow and not a bright white light (the strings of lights and bulbs that you want will be labeled Warm White). You want to imitate the glow of candles, not that ugly department store florescent light!
For your aisle…Light the way! Denote the ends of each aisle with a cluster of candles. This will guide your guests safely to their seats while framing your aisle in all kinds of beauty. If you are using actual candles, make sure they are in secure holders or that your aisle is extra wide so your train or veil won’t knock them over or catch fire!
For your reception…Go for both low and high lighting. Talk your lighting specialist about the best ways to illuminate your wedding. Hedges or draperies that can reflect light will add to your decor while brightening up your reception. Also, the more votive candles, the better! These tiny, flickering lights can be placed at each table and hung in glass holders from trees or arbors. In order to enhance the candlelight, consider putting your centerpieces in mirrored vases. These will double the lighting effect. Everyone will dance all night–as long as they can see what they are doing.
For your guests comfort…If your wedding is at nighttime and you plan to serve a full dinner, make sure you time everything out accordingly. Your guests will be hungry so serve lots of appetizers at cocktail hour and have dinner served promptly (because no one wants to eat at nine o’clock at night!). Also, the weather might drop drastically once the sun goes down so consider bringing in heat lamps and having shawls or blankets for your guests to use. Hot drinks, like cider or Irish coffee, will keep guests warm inside and out.
With these things taken care of, all you’ll have to worry about is dancing the night away!
Photographer: Mike Olbinski Photography//Event Planner: BTS Event Management//Event Planner: BTS Event Management //Equipment Rentals: Classic Party Rentals Phoenix//DJ: Desert House Productions, Inc.//Floral Designer: Flower Bar//Cake Designer: La Dolce Pesca//Lighting: Latest Craze Productions//DJ:Party Crashers//Cake Designer: R?že Cake House//Reception Venue: The Phoenician Resort//
Submitted via Two Bright Lights