Determining Your Ceremony Start Time | Trump National, Jupiter | Jupiter Wedding Photographer

There are so many decisions to be made and nuances to think about when planning your wedding. And determining your ceremony start time is one of them. There are a lot of factors to think about when determining your start time and it’s important to get your photographer in on the conversation early so we can help guide you! Here are a few things to consider:

SUNSET. This is probably one of the most important factors to consider. Depending on what time of year your ceremony is held, the sunset will be different. Summertime weddings have a much later sunset than winter weddings. Consider what time the sun sets when determining your ceremony time because your photographer will definitely want to do some Just Married Sunset Portraits following your wedding ceremony!
CEREMONY LENGTH. Are you planning to have an hour long ceremony or a ten minute ceremony? Depending on your answer, will play a role in what time your ceremony should be held. The longer ceremonies should start earlier, allowing more time between the sun set and the start of the ceremony, whereas, the shorter ceremonies can start a little later.
FIRST LOOK. If you decided to do a first look or not (if you’re still on the fence about doing one, check out this blog post for 4 reasons why you should). If the answer is yes to first look, then we will have gotten most of your important portraits out of the way already! YAY! I’m talking about bride and groom portraits, bridal party portraits and most (if not all) of your family portraits! This leaves us more wiggle room after the ceremony to allow you to enjoy some of your cocktail hour and focus on bride and groom sunset portraits. If you didn’t opt for a first look, we may need a little extra time after the ceremony for photos (especially if you have a big bridal party or family).
YOUR VENUE. If your ceremony and reception are at the same venue, then most likely, your venue wedding package includes a certain number of hours at your venue (usually 5 or 6 hours is standard). The amount of hours you are allowed to spend at your venue will play a role in how early or late your ceremony can be held.
INDOOR VS OUTDOOR. If your wedding is going to be held indoors, you can have your wedding earlier in the day and not have to worry about the sun beating down on you or your guests. If it is an outdoor ceremony, closer to sunset is recommended for better lighting and less Florida heat! Typically, for an average 30 minute ceremony, an hour and a half to two and a half hours is a good range for starting your ceremony.

I hope this info was helpful for you! If so, check out one of my other favorite tips relating to your ceremony – The Perks of an Unplugged Ceremony.

XOXO, Savannah