Are you dreaming of a fairytale wedding beautifully captured in a light and airy style? Are you worried that the weather could potentially impact this dream of yours? Weather in UK is so unpredictable but heads up, together we can make this dream come true! There are usually plenty of aspects we can consider when planning a wedding in a light and airy style so read on to learn more about them.

Please note: The point of this post is not to bash the darker & moodier style of photography, nor is it to say that receptions in barns are awful. My goal is to simply educate those brides and grooms who may want the lighter & airier photos & to demonstrate how to achieve it.

The Secret Formula

Ok, it’s not really a secret but you may wonder what the trick is here. Is it the editing? The camera I use or my settings within it?.. equipment and technique will play a role in achieveing light and airy photos but it’s not the main contributor. It’s quite simple actually – to achieve light photos we must look for … the light ✨

Location

Your venue will play a vital role in achieving light gallery. Windows, lots of natural light and white/light walls will help bounce that light beautifully. Dark staircase, dark carpets and small rooms will do the opposite. If you booked your venue already and you think it has a lot of dark elements, there might be ways to imact some decitions when styling it. We can discuss these on a call together if you would like.

For outdoor events, look for lighter lighter colored exterior walls or backgrounds. Outdoor ceremonies, sperry tents and open marquees are usually full of natural light.

Example below was taken few days apart, same camera settings, same editing. The only difference was the material & color on the walls. No amount of artificial lighting can make a orange wall be anything but an orange wall.

Some lovely light and airy venues can be found here

The Wardrobe

If you are wearing a white/cream/ivory wedding dress, we are half way there. The other half will be created by your partner. If your partner is planning to wear a suit than opting for a lighter colour over black or navy will work perfectly. Choose light pastels or dusty shades, creams, light grey, even white. Don’t forget your groomsmen.

Example of lighter coloured suits can be found here or you can check out my Pinterest board here

Season

Summer weddings tend to happen outside more than winter weddings, this means we can utilise that natural day light for longer. However, other seasons are beautiful and absolutely fine too. Sunset in winter is around 4pm. We can make the most out of those beautiful golden hours without having to wait until 9pm.

Styling

Get inspired by Pinterest or these lovely theme boards. You will notice that dark colours are used sparingly.

Tips to help you plan a light and airy luminous wedding gallery by Warwickshire and Cotswolds Wedding Photographer Dita Bowen Photography.

Photographer

Aaaaaand this is where I come in!! My style is light, airy, classy and inspired by traditional film. I am a natural light photographer which means that I rely on the sun 80% of the time to get that clean look that I love so much.

My absolute favorite colors to photograph are any pastels. They are pretty, classy and never seem to go out of style. My recommendation would be to use light neutral colors for a very bright clean look. However, you can honestly do any color palette as long as your wedding venue and photographer have that cohesive light and airy-ness.

Things you can control

Clothing you, your partner and your bridesmaids/groomsmen are wearing. Reception styling, choice of decor, flowers – opt out for colourful flowers and lighter elements over dark foliage heavy plants. Details – your invites and little details used to capture your wedding flatlays. Cake/desert location – place these near a window or in front of light coloured wall. (“noboby puts Cake in the corner”) Bridal/grooms portraits location, couple portraits location, family photos location.

Things you can’t control

What are your guests wearing, Weather, Permanent decor, Church lighting.

There are of course elements that we can’t control and that is ok. It doesn’t mean we will avoid capturing them. But making the most out of things we can control will ensure we’ll bring as much light into your gallery as possible.