6 EARLY DECISIONS WHEN PLANNING A WEDDING
There are few things more exciting than planning your own wedding. Many people have thought about their dream wedding way before they even meet the person they want to marry. It’s a task that is as exciting as it is overwhelming… but before making any decisions, there’s a few things to think about that can have a huge impact on your big day. I’m talking about the most basic of choices, some of which you already know the answer to without a thought. The when, the where and the how basically. Here are some of my thoughts on some options that are worth thinking about in the early stages of the wedding planning journey. These factors have a huge impact on a wedding day and are sometimes overlooked, so getting these decisions right early on is super important.
1. What time of year should we have our wedding?
Aside from the venue itself, the time of year of the wedding is one of the biggest factors to consider. This influences so many aspects of a wedding day, some obvious, some less so.
The weather is probably the first that springs to mind and although English weather is unpredictable to say the least, it is worth factoring into your plans. If you envisage you and your guests to be outdoor on your wedding day enjoying the sunshine, then it makes sense to have your wedding in the Summer. If you dream of a winter wedding with cosy indoor settings, open fires, and festive vibes, choose autumn or winter for the perfect atmosphere.
The time of year influences most wedding decisions, including the theme and colour palette. Bold, bright and colourful palettes are usually more popular with Summer weddings. Autumnal tones like burnt orange and deep emerald greens tend to work better with weddings between October and December. It’s also worth thinking about whether your wedding date is close to any occasions like Halloween, Bonfire night or Christmas.
All these factors naturally shape the photographs captured on a wedding day. It’s therefore important to remember how different everything can look from season to season. Not only in the styling and colours chosen for a wedding but also in the outdoor settings. In late spring a venue is likely to be lush with greens and colourful blooms whereas the autumn will bring those beautiful autumnal oranges browns and reds.
It’s also worth bearing in mind when the sun will be setting at a particular time of year. Less hours of daylight at a wedding generally means less time for outdoor photographs. This can however open the door to different types of photo opportunities. Night time portraits, sparkler exits and firework displays are fantastic additions for you and your guests and make great photos!
‘2. What time of the day to get married
Planning a wedding involves many decisions, and the ceremony time plays a key role in shaping the day’s flow and your wedding photography. I consider the ceremony time a crucial early decision since it shapes the schedule and influences the day’s energy and key moments.
There’s no right or wrong time to hold your ceremony, and sometimes external factors determine the schedule. However, if you have control over the time, it’s worth putting thought into how it aligns with your wedding day plans. Early ceremonies can leave gaps during the day, so incorporating entertainment can help keep the energy flowing and guests engaged.
From a wedding photography perspective, timing influences the quality of natural light, which plays a crucial role in capturing authentic, beautiful moments. For my own wedding, we opted for a 4:00 PM ceremony to avoid downtime and ensure a smooth flow straight into the evening celebrations. This worked well as the momentum continued without a lull, and we were able to capture stunning golden-hour wedding photos.
3. DIY or wedding venue
Do you book an existing wedding venue or host and accommodate your big day somewhere yourself? A DIY wedding is exactly what it sounds like. A ‘do it yourself’ wedding, where you do it all yourself! Although this isn’t an option for everyone, it is definitely a consideration for those who have the choice.
They can be planned around marquees, tipis, yurts, barns, cowsheds and even boatyards. I’ve shot weddings on family farms, family restaurants, village halls and even the couples back garden. I actually had my own wedding in my Dad’s boatyard which was incredible.
DIY weddings are a lot of work and require immense planning, but they’re so rewarding. There’s definitely something special about hosting your wedding at a place of personal significance. Personally I love a DIY wedding, I’ve shot many over the years and no two have been the same.. If you have the option and want to create a truly personal wedding, doing it yourself is an amazing choice.
On the flip side opting for a wedding venue is an equally great option and is definitely more straight forward. A wedding venue is purpose built for weddings meaning that the majority of the logistics are taken care of from the start. The array of different types of wedding venues these days and the options couples have to put their stamp on them makes them super versatile.
Couples often make this decision before wedding planning begins, but considering both options carefully is still worthwhile. For many a DIY wedding doesn’t even come into the equation but for those who it’s a potential option for, it’s a great one to have.
4. What type of venue should we choose
If you are booking a venue for your day, you’ll likely have an idea of what venue type you want. There’s so many different options out there, from manor houses to tipis and castles to barns, the list goes on. The setting for a wedding is everything and is the biggest factor in determining the vibe of the day.
From experience I know that the atmosphere varies massively between different venue types. For example a wedding at a castle is usually very different to that of a tipi venue. Castle venues generally generate a more formal mood whereas a tipi wedding has a very laidback almost festival like feel to it.
For me, choosing a type of venue which best reflects you as a couple is a good rule of thumb. If you’re an outdoorsy and adventurous couple then a tipi or barn venue might be a good fit. Couples who enjoy the finer things, wining, dining and grand architecture will probably prefer their wedding in a manor house or castle style venue. You can check out a few different types of wedding venue in my Yorkshire Venues post by clicking here…
5. Small & intimate or a full on party
The scale of the wedding is obviously a decision which is made very early on in the wedding planning process. Having a clear idea of the size of wedding you want will make your decision making easier moving forward. Weddings are something that can escalate pretty quickly, so making a plan and sticking to it is important. A small and intimate wedding day is just as special as a full blown party with 100+ guests. Of course there’s always the option to elope, in which case it could just be the couple and witnesses present. This is a great option for couples who aren’t bothered for a big celebration and just want to marry the person they love. What’s important is to do your wedding how you want to do it, at the end of the day, it’s your day!
6. Where should we get married?
Do you have your wedding close to home? make a weekend of it and venture further afield or even make a holiday of it and marry abroad? This is a probably a pretty straightforward decision, but it will have an effect on other elements of your wedding. Whilst hosting your wedding locally could make it easier for the majority of your guests to attend, getting married further afield is a good way to make a weekend of your big day and even extend the celebrations over a few days. Generally speaking the further away the wedding the more logistics there are to consider, so careful planning is a must for weddings which aren’t close to home.
Much of the above are choices and decisions that will probably be made without much deliberating. A few may be decided upon naturally, without an alternative even coming in to the equation. Some may seem obvious, but how they can affect a wedding day isn’t as clear and can be overlooked. For me, some of these early decisions are the most important and are the first steps to a great wedding day! By considering the affects of these factors and working out what you want for your wedding day you can start to plan the day that you want for your wedding.
LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?
Head over to my wedding photography portfolio page for more beautiful wedding photos. Here you can browse a collection of my photographs from various weddings throughout the years.
