It’s time for the first wedding planning post of 2022, y’all! This is one that I’m SO excited to share about… but first, let’s chat: this year, the blog is going to look just a little different! With taking on a full-time job recently (Something I’m SO pumped about!), I’m working on scaling the blog to pack a punch without causing a ton of overwhelm for me on the day-to-day. It’s important to me that I’m able to love my clients well, and blogging is just a small portion of that! I love blogging, so I’m not going anywhere! That said, I’m scaling back just a little bit with the plans to share one helpful post a month (What I love to call “article-style” posts!) throughout the year with sweet clients peppered in between.

Today’s post is wedding-related, and we’re chatting all about something that I want to encourage EVERY couple to look into scheduling on their wedding day: SUNSET PORTRAITS! Simply put, sunset portraits are just portraits that happen at sunset! I’ve recently shared A LOT about timing your ceremony and portraits in accordance to sunset, so if you haven’t had a chance to dive into that mini series yet, I highly recommend that you open this post in a new tab to dive into the entire series after reading this one— they all relate!

Today, I wanted to share a few of the benefits that you can gain from scheduling sunset portraits on your wedding day! There is SO much to gain, so let’s go ahead and dive right in.

Gorgeous Light

There is nothing like the light you’ll get at sunset… I promise! The light is lower, the sun is glowy, and overall, it’s super flattering. If you loved the light during your engagement session, chances are good, you’ll also love the light at sunset! Oftentimes, we’ll take many portraits of you with your partner earlier in the day! While I can find gorgeous light in pretty much any scenario, nothing beats sunset!

Time for the Two of You

Your wedding day will be incredible but fast-paced. I love that sunset portraits are a great time for you to relax and take in the magic as a couple. On most days, sunset portraits occur after you’ve had a little bit of time with guests… which can be more overwhelming than many couples realize! You’ll be able to decompress as a couple, can take in the magic of the day, and can get excited about all the fun that’s to come later in the evening on the dance floor.

Visit More Locations

If there are a few locations on your must-visit list at your wedding venue, sharing sunset portraits is a great way to ensure you are able to hit more of these locations without feeling super overwhelmed by running from spot to spot to spot during your main portrait block. I find a lot of wedding venues can be a bit spread out. This isn’t a bad thing as it allows for your guests to spread out and mingle throughout your event, but it can increase travel time during portraits if there are a number of spots that you want to visit. During your wedding day, it’s a huge priority of mine that we are maximizing the time I have with you in front of the camera which can often look like focusing on a few locations (Rather than many) in one block of portraits. By having a few different portrait blocks, it’ll feel more natural to visit more locations. It’s also important to note that many locations will ONLY work well at sunset too.

Increased Gallery Variety

With more locations and more portrait opportunities, you’ll find a little more variety in your final gallery! I find that sunset portraits are often my favorite portraits of the day, and they are also my couple’s favorite portraits! Chances are good, you’ll already be married, will feel a little looser, and the smiles are always SO genuine. If portraits are important to you on your wedding gallery, you are going to want to prioritize sunset portraits.

Bonus: Moment to Breathe

This goes back to point #2 above, but sunset portraits will give you a moment to breathe on your wedding day! Being around a lot of people that want to hug and congratulate you is absolutely amazing, but it can also be a little overwhelming. If you know you’ll be craving a little break to reset, schedule sunset portraits to ensure you get that break. Yes, it’ll also be a moment to take in the day as a couple, but you’ll also be able to reset and focus in on what matters to you on your wedding day.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like:

CEREMONY LIGHTING TIPS | WEDDING WEDNESDAY

WHAT SHOULD I DO WITH MY ENGAGEMENT RING DURING MY CEREMONY? | WEDDING PLANNING

A SAGE GREEN AND WHITE SUMMER INSPIRED WEDDING AT STONE MANOR COUNTRY CLUB NEAR FREDERICK, MD