5 tips for planning a winter wedding in the North East.

Autumn & Winter weddings are absolute gems; sure you have to deal with colder weather and there may not be as much daylight, but there are ways you can make them work and be just as epic as a summer wedding. Mulled wine, a blanket and a fire pit sound ideal to me!

The North East has some amazing venues that are well equipped to deal with winter weddings. Such as Healey Barn with its heated flooring and fire pits. Le Petit Chateau is a warm, cosy venue with plenty of areas to shelter from the elements. There are also the likes of Barn On The Bay, Middleton Lodge, Doxford Barns, and Ellingham Hall which are all great venues for winter weddings.

Just a quick note to say ALL of the images used were either shot in Autumn or Winter… Some of them look like Summer time right?!

That being said, that takes care of people being warm and cosy but what else do you need to think about when planning a winter wedding? Or an autumn wedding for that matter?

There are so many factors to think of when planning your autumn or winter wedding that many don’t think about. A lot of it affects your photography so with the tips below you can get the most from your photography and know you’ll have a kick-ass day with minimal stress.

The shorter days and grey weather normally last from October through to April. Of course, this is the UK we’re talking about, so it can happen all year round but at least in the warmer months, there’s more daylight and more chance of it improving throughout the day.

1) Will your photographer be comfortable shooting in low-light scenarios?

Some aren’t and will only book weddings throughout the spring & summer. Autumn and winter not only have fewer hours of daylight but the quality of light is different too. You’re a lot more likely to get complete cloud coverage which means even less light available (the silver lining here is it’ll be a more flattering light!). I like to think working in low light is one of my strengths and I’ll either work with what I’ve got or add my own lighting.

Personally, I prefer shooting with natural light or lighting that’s already available. I feel I can capture the atmosphere of a wedding better this way and it’s more akin to what your eyes will be seeing, therefore more likely to trigger memories when you look back through your photos. If it’s too dark though, I will bust out the flash guns and be more than capable of using them.

Jenny & Jake strolling through Newcastle quayside lit by the street lights and available light around them.

If it worries you, there are plenty of nerds photographers that will ensure that your photographs are perfectly lit in every frame. Of course, there are no right or wrong ways, what’s important is your photographer is confident they won’t miss a moment when the light isn’t ideal. Your preference of how they do so is up to you. It’s an important aspect to remember when you come to book a photographer for your winter wedding.

If my style doesn’t quite do it for you, just pop me a message and I’m happy to recommend others.

2) Talk to your venue about an earlier ceremony.

In Autumn, you may still get away with an outdoor ceremony so you can take advantage of the daylight you do have. For Tanya & Kieran, it was mild and the sun shone all day. If this is an option you’re considering, make sure your guests are going to be comfortable sitting outside in potential nippy weather!

Venues can be little tinkers, sometimes… They can push for a 3pm ceremony in December and I’ll be blunt… it’s a total pain in the arse. Even if your ceremony only lasts 20 minutes, it doesn’t leave a lot of breathing room. The sun will be setting at around 3:45pm so that only leaves you with 25 minutes for group shots, couple shots, candids and detail shots.

I usually suggest between 8-10 group shots and this takes around 20-30 minutes… Now, I don’t want to stress anyone out, but there’s ALWAYS a delay to the ceremony. Even if it’s only a couple of minutes - it’s fashionable to be late on your wedding day right?

Even just one hour can make the world of difference but between 12 & 1pm is perfect. It allows time for error, and any travelling that needs to be done and allows your photographer to take a breath and get all the shots you want. The last thing we want is to disappoint you so it’s worth talking to all involved to see if anything can be done with your ceremony time.

Don’t fret though, there are alternatives if it’s not possible and that brings me to my next point:

3) Consider a first look.

It’s kind of an American thing, and I get it can seem a bit cheesy but with time so limited, they can make the whole day run a lot smoother. Who needs tradition anyway? More and more couples are breaking away from tradition on their wedding day, and with good reason.

A first look basically means that you see each other before the ceremony. It does mean you’ll both have to be ready earlier but there are so many advantages to a first look. A lot of my couples who have done this have done so to ease their nerves before the ceremony as well as give them more time for photographs. I’ve had a fair few say they wish they’d done it too.

Not only does it help with nerves, but it’s a perfect opportunity for some couples portraits. You’ll both be relaxed, happy and glad to see each other so it’s a perfect moment to capture some shots there and then. This means that should we run out of time later or the weather turns bad then we already have photos of the two of you, and there’s nothing to worry about later in the day.

This works best if you’re getting ready close to one another - The first look and a quick portrait session needn’t last more than 20-30 minutes. You’ll get some lovely moments during the first look as well as some gorgeous portraits of you both looking fresh and ready to celebrate.

4) Your outfit will get dirty. deal with it.

I’m sorry, I know it sounds harsh but if you’re considering a long train, then we need to be realistic. You’ve booked an autumn or winter wedding in the UK. The weather is, most likely, going to be grim. Northumberland… Well, generally the North East, is full of amazing venues with amazing scenery around it - the bad news is, to get that gorgeous backdrop, you’re probably going to have to walk through some woods or a field.

Bring some wellies and embrace the weather! It can create epic photos and your dress/suit can be cleaned! It all adds to the memories anyway!

5) Can you get comfortable in cold weather?

It might be an odd question, but it’s legitimate. Even if everything else is perfect; the sun is shining, early ceremony, etc etc… Then are you going to be comfortable standing around for photographs? There are ways and means around the coldness; outfits with winter in mind to keep you warm, fire pits nearby (although not too close ha!), hot water bottles between shots, etc.

Ideally, your group photographs will take no more than 20-30 minutes. This is why I advise no more than around 6-8 group shots, as the more you have, the longer it’ll take. I also try to keep your portraits short by taking you for a couple of 15-minute sessions. I don’t want you getting too cold or being away from your guests for too long. On the flip side, you will appreciate the small pockets of time to yourselves 😊

Conclusion

Winter is tough for weddings. They’re growing ever more popular and the expectation is it’s less work and not as stressful when in reality winter weddings are a lot harder and a lot more stressful.

Find a photographer that is happy to shoot in those conditions. Someone confident in shooting in low-light situations will find it a lot less stressful than someone who isn’t. Again, whether using flash or natural light doesn’t matter but knowing what to do when things aren’t ideal will ensure you have great photography to look back on for decades.

Chat with your venue and registrar, priest, etc, and make sure they know how important it is to get the photos you want. Getting a suitable ceremony time is key. Failing that, a first look is your best bet. I’d give this serious thought if ceremony time is going to be later in the day.

Your suit/dress will probably get dirty. Don’t let this deter you from getting photographs with your other half. Embrace the weather and use it to your advantage.

Ensure you’re comfortable standing in the cold for periods at a time. It’s going to be nippy. I don’t mind hanging on to a hot water bottle between shots, nor do I mind waiting a few minutes while you get your wellies on. I’ll do what I can to make it as quick, painless and stress-free as possible.

Enjoy it. Embrace it. Party into the night. It’s going to involve a lot of planning but it’ll all pay off when you get those amazing photographs back.