Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year to get married. Let’s face it, in Colorado every season is beautiful! But there’s just something so dreamy about a glowing fall sunset to compliment your wedding day. Sweet Heart Winery provided the perfect setting for us to capture Anastacia and Jace’s stunning fall sunset wedding with an incredible sunset ceremony.
Striking fall colors and comfortable temperatures are a huge reason so many couples opt for this time of year when planning their wedding. You’re probably already picturing you and your new hubby snuggled under a canopy of brightly colored leaves just soaking up the coziness of the season…
BUT, when planning a wedding in late fall or early winter, there are definitely a few challenges that need to be considered when it comes to photography and videography.
Nothing beats Colorado’s gorgeous peaks, but they aren’t always super cooperative when photographing in the fall. The sun sets behind the mountains so early, so the timing of photographs has to be very precise…and FAST!
Should you find yourself in a situation where the light is rapidly fading, it’s important to remember that without adequate light, there’s a chance the look and feel of the images you fell in love with in your photographer’s portfolio might be altered a bit, ending up with a slightly different aesthetic for the final product.
Colorado Pro Tip: Take the official sunset time for your location and subtract 30 minutes. If you’re in even higher elevations, it’s closer to 45! There’s not much wiggle room for taking portraits after sunset without the use of off-camera flash.
We love first looks for all the romantic reasons, of course! But on the practical side, it provides extra time before the sun sets to get plenty of intimate portraits of the bride and groom.
When couples opt for a more traditional wedding day in late fall, including forgoing a first look, it can be challenging to squeeze in all the portraits before sunset. This is why it’s crucial to have a game plan firmly in place for getting the exact photographs you want!
Immediately following the ceremony, the bride and groom should know their meeting spot, as well as the specific order of the photos we’ll be taking. This way we can be super efficient while also being able to have fun and capture all those creative and romantic images.
Typically when a couple goes without a first look, the portraits that must be taken prior to the ceremony would include images of the bride, groom, and each of them with their respective wedding parties. Additionally, if the bride or groom would like portraits with each of their parents or siblings, those are easy to squeeze in as well.
This way, once the ceremony is over, you’ll only have the remainder of family formals, your full wedding party together, as well as bride + groom portraits.
Anastacia and Jace’s ceremony was stunning, and as they said their vows, the warm glow of the setting sun pierced through the thin branches of the surrounding trees. A late fall wedding means most of the trees have shed their leaves, but being near water helps extend the season a bit. This is just another reason why we’re so in love with Sweet Heart Winery and the Big Thompson River wrapping around the property!
VENUE | Sweet Heart Winery
PHOTOGRAPHER | Britni Girard Photography
FLORIST | Reale Events
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