Winter Wedding? - Make your Pictures Sparkle!

The weather can, of course, wreak havoc with your winter wedding photography.

Yep - it's cold but you would be surprised about how many brides don't consider the chilly weather when planning outdoor photos.

This time of the year is a beautiful time to get married. The snow so glistening white, the chill in the air — it's all very romantic.

After all, it's not like strappy heels and a sleeveless dress do well in knee-high snowbanks.

Good news - you can mitigate any problems the most wonderful time of the year can cause.

So to make your photos look their very best, consider a gorgeous faux-fur shrug wrapped around your shoulder and very warm boots (just don't hike up your skirt).

You can even throw on a pair of leggings or jeans for under the wedding dress — after all, warmth is really the number one priority!

Whether it's a dreary day or there's a bundle of snow blanketing the ground, bright colors really pop in the winter because there's no natural colors of flowers and foliage competing.

On a rainy day, a brightly colored umbrella can bring an air of festiveness to the photos, and against snow, your bridal bouquet will really pop.

Keep the drinks coming.

Warm drinks, that is, such as hot chocolate, tea or coffee (though we've heard some spirited libations help warm the body). Hot drinks do wonders for helping you warm up quickly when outside in the chill.

Lighting

At this time of the year, besides the weather, lighting is the main issue to consider, both indoors and out. Remember that natural light will not be available for as long as usual as it gets darker earlier and this will effect how much the photographer can shoot.

For example, at 4 p.m. in the middle of January it will be significantly darker than in July.

On a cold sunny day, the sun will be lower on the horizon which may cause glare. If outdoor images are a must - go for an earlier start or make sure that additional lighting can be used.

Inside

Alternatively, plan on having your pictures taken inside where lighting can be pre-arranged. A good photographer will work closely with you and have portable lighting set up and tested beforehand. He/she will have controlled lighting that will produce the desired effect.

Either way, you'll be warm and have images that pop.

See an example

It's a cold, crisp day and the bride had studio portraits just prior to her wedding. Later, family portraits were taken inside the church with lighting that was pre-positioned to speed events along.

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