Wedding season is in full swing around here! That means that on top of caffeine and late nights, my brain is swirling with lots of phone calls, brainstorming and timeline talk. One of the conversations that I have with my couples very early on is the importance of setting side time away on your wedding day for sunset portraits.

But, Caitlin isn’t that the time when my reception is going on? Yes, that is correct. However, I promise that you won’t miss anything and we’ll be back in a flash. I only sneak my couples out of receptions when there are no big events going on and everyone is in the loop so we’re not missing anything important (ie. coordinators, DJ, etc.) You see, sunset photos are SO worth leaving for 10-15 minutes and I’m going to tell you why!

My friends make fun of me because I’ve talked to them so much about golden hour and now they know what it means to me. They understand that golden hour is the best time to shoot photos and why it’s important. Today I’m going to share that knowledge with you, too!

Below I am sharing the 5 reasons you should make time for sunset photos on your wedding day.

Beautiful Light

A big reason why a lot of my brides have chosen me to be their photographer is due to my style (and I love this fact)!!! It’s not surprise that I love me some glowly and bright images and sunset portraits is where we get this signature look. The light is soft and beautiful at sunset and we can capture those glowly images during this time!

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We can shoot (almost) anywhere

During the day, we are restricted on where we can shoot. The problem with shooting mid-day is that the sun is high in the sky, extremely bright and HARSH. All in all, light in the middle of the day is just not flattering. Nobody wants squinty eyes or weird shadows all over their faces. During sunset, the light is low and there are long shadows on the ground.

Most brides envision photos in a particular, scenic spot on their wedding day. This can be anything from a mountain view, big wide field, a lake, gazebo or something else. These backdrops are often not available to shoot at during the day due to the background being over-exposed and the location of the sun. When we schedule time to sneak out for sunset portraits, we can capture those picturesque spots that you have dreamed of because the light is nice and soft!

Backup portrait time

Weddings are busy and hectic and timelines tend to be very tight. The amazing thing about scheduling just 10-15 minutes of sunset portraits is that we have plenty of time to capture a whole set of photos if we ran out of time earlier in the day. This is also a nice cushion to your timeline if there are any weather interruptions like rain or wind. These few extra minutes can provide you with upwards of 30 or MORE images!

Time alone with your new spouse

Wedding days FLY by quicker than you can even imagine. A lot of that time is spent with friends and family members greeting you, hugging you and wanting to chat about anything and everything. It is very rare to have some time alone on your big day to take a moment and breathe. Chances are you are spending more time mingling with your guests than your very own spouse!

When we take a few moments to capture those romantic sunset portraits, you have the opportunity to be alone with your spouse and talk, look into each other’s eye and really just relax. This is probably my favorite part of wedding days because you can really soak in the fact that you are now MARRIED and your forever has begun! Witnessing my couples share in their wedding day joy and be so in love during this time is such an honor to be invited into.

Extra images

Another benefit to sunset portraits is of course, extra images! Not only will you print your photos for the walls in your home and to share with family and friends, but you will always look back at these photos for the rest of your life. You will see and share them often and with sunset photos you’ll have even more to choose from and they will probably be some of your very favorites!

To view more wedding tips and tricks, click here!