Let’s Be Real
There are better times of the day to elope out in nature.
But am I saying you can’t say your vows at a completely different time of day? Absolutely not, in reality this topic is subjective. Each time-slot presents it’s own look that may speak more to you than what wedding and elopement experts might claim is the “perfect” time of day.
You will want to keep in mind that there are certain times of the day that may have more cons than pros. Harsh lighting at midday can create harsh shadows across faces. But at the same time it can also create a more dramatic, bright look.
Another thing to keep in mind is that each time of day will yield different results with different photographer’s editing styles (i.e golden hour creates softer, warmer hues, while midday creates bright hues with more contrast). My best bit of advice when searching for your photographer is to do lots of research. Sift through some of their previous outdoor elopement galleries. Also get an understanding into how they edit throughout different times of the day and their comfortability. This might sound obvious but the more experienced your photographer, the better. You won’t regret that midday elopement if your vendor knows what they’re doing.
Written below is an inside look into the perks of having your ceremony at each time of day and how best to approach each circumstance.
Peaceful Morning Elopements
There are two ways to approach morning ceremonies.
The first are the dreamy sunrise elopements. Yes, getting up super early for the day can be a struggle and you will have to prep makeup, hair, and travel all into the early hours. But you cannot beat the vibrant and most fresh time of the day for your elopement lighting.
You get to start off your adventurous wedding day by saying your vows as the sun rises and greets the rest of the world. A huge bonus to this is you will have most things to yourself. You won’t have to deal with any crowds, traffic, or parking limitations at trailheads. The stillness of the morning will be utterly tranquil. You’ll hear the birds awake and sing to one another as your first kiss takes place without dealing with any laughter or noise in the distance.
From there the rest of your elopement day is yours to do as you wish. Hike, relax, get more photos of your intimate wedding day together. Or you can just start your honeymoon straight from there! The list is endless.
If you want a little more time to rest before your elopement ceremony, the other option would be later into the morning. When looking at locations, you’ll want to keep in mind what direction the sun is rising from. If you want a mountain-scape or lake as the backdrop, make sure the sun is behind you while saying your vows or close to it (or even stick to a shaded area). This will help with shadows across faces and keeps the morning glow behind you rather than directly on to you both. With this morning lighting option, you’ll still have time for you and your partner to enjoy a nice morning breakfast picnic alone. You’ll both be able to take in the morning and know you started your wedding day fresh and with time to relax and/or explore more later.
Light-Filled Midday Elopement
This would be by far the harshest lighting of the day. You and your elopement photographer will have to coordinate and plan what angles and placement will work best.
The first is to move the ceremony and vows directly into the shade. This way you won’t have any harsh shadows on your faces or squinty eyes in your photos. Any backdrop that might be behind you out of the shadows will look very bright in comparison, however.
The second is to make sure the sun’s lighting is as best behind you as possible. Even when it’s directly above you, you’ll want to keep in mind how the sun is going to start setting. Make sure as time passes while saying your vows, it stays behind you and your partner. You don’t want to be completely at an angle away from the sun. It will, again, create harsh shadows or harsh sun beams across your faces.
In the complete opposite direction, you can fully embrace the harsh sun and have it be directly on you during your elopement ceremony. There will be a completely different look to it, and will present a fun, summery setting. The main thing you will have to pay attention to is keeping eyes closed, wearing sunglasses, or keeping eyes down and away from the light. It is possible, there will just have to be more creative posing. 😉
Romantic Evening Elopement
Of course subjectively the best time of day for many who want to elope outdoors would be around sunset during golden hour. You would ideally start your elopement ceremony and vows a half hour to a full hour (timeline dependent) before the sun sets on the horizon. This gives you abundant time to quietly read your private words to one another and embrace all the emotions. Plus you’d still have time leftover for wedding portraits as the sunset hits peak lighting.
Be aware that a location with mountains or any tall hill range will make the sun set earlier than you might think. A great way to check this is on Google Earth. They offer a sunlight slider option to see what time and where the sun will be setting in the sky. And after that sun sets right behind the horizon, this gives you ample time for dreamy blue hour lighting (listed below).
To many couples looking to elope, not much compares to the premium dreamy lighting of a golden hour elopement.
For a more in-depth look, check out this golden hour adventure elopement.
Finally, a personal favorite of mine is blue hour lighting. This is the hour directly after the sun goes down behind the horizon. It creates dramatic, moody blue hues for end of the day photos. This is a great option to mix with golden hour. As a bonus, if there are sporadic clouds around, the sunset will be extremely dramatic with bold colors.
Many couples choose to have a little of both during their outdoor elopement. They get the creamy, warm lighting of sunset during their vows and moody, dramatic cool tones during portraits.
What If the Weather Isn’t Ideal?
Sometimes you just can’t control the weather on your wedding day. Clouds roll in or rainfall takes over. Luckily cloudy weather makes for more even lighting for your nuptials. You won’t have to hide in any shadows or worry too much about which standing position is better. There might still be brighter parts of the sky to watch, but overall cloudiness can still yield amazing results for your elopement ceremony.
And in terms of the rain, I always say to embrace it!! You could run together hand-in-hand enjoying the rain with a fully wet photoshoot. You also have the option to use see-through umbrellas that your elopement photographer (I offer this option!) should be able to provide. With this option, you’ll be able to capture some truly romantic moments and have a fun story to tell. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to get a little creative together! Honestly, a rainy elopement can be more memorable than a perfect lighting one.
See how this we handled this cloudy outdoor elopement day.
Working Your Elopement Into Nighttime
If you want that dark starry evening aesthetic, ending your adventurous elopement day with star photos is the way to go. Many couples don’t even realize this is an option. But for many stargazers (like myself), they crave the epic night views of the starry sky. For this beautiful wedding venture, make sure you hire a photographer that knows how to capture the astrophotography sky (one of my specialties). You can also add extra lighting like lanterns or a campfire for a fun, romantic accessory to your outdoor photos.
No Matter What You Decide
Don’t let any trend or person make you feel less for what time of day you pick for your outdoor elopement. Every person has a preference and a look they want to achieve on their wedding day. Or maybe you don’t have an option as to what time of day is best due to time restrictions with a venue or weather complications. Don’t fret. Get creative and communicate with your elopement photographer for what you’re looking for. Any time of the day will yield some incredibly amazing and creative results.
If the elopement experiences I’ve been lucky enough to document speak you, I’d love to help capture your dream elopement day.
