How to Plan a Bright and Romantic Wedding Day

I love every wedding that I shoot. People are in love, people are happy, lots of partying, lots of fun… what’s not to love? However, I’m going to let you in on a secret. As a photographer I have an “aesthetic” that I prefer to shoot. I think most photographers do. And as luck would have it, I have had a lot of brides come my way that share my aesthetic. The most common phrase I’ve heard to describe my style is “Light and Bright”. I often have brides come and say “How do I plan a ‘Light and Bright’ wedding day that looks super romantic and soft and natural?”. Today I’m going to give some tips on colors, venues and other components that you might not think about as you plan your wedding day.

How to Plan a Bright and Romantic Wedding Day

Think about light when it comes to your venues

Yes, photographers bring lighting to the wedding day and are prepared for any lighting situation. But the fact of the matter is if you pick a dark church or dark hall with no windows for your venue, there’s only so much that can be done to make the whole place look lit up. You want lots and lots of ambient light (sunlight).

Here’s what you should look for if you want a super bright and clean aesthetic:

First, think about where you are getting ready. Is it big enough for you to spread out so it doesn’t look cluttered? Are the walls white with simple decor? Are there big windows that let in beautiful light? Are the ceilings low? These are all things that go into getting pretty and white getting ready photos.

Next, think about where your portraits are going to be. I recommend greenery or “marble-ish buildings. So think about a park with lots of trees and good sunlight. A gazebo would be good or gates or anything that classes up the park is a huge plus. When I say “Marble-ish” buildings, what I mean is they have a lighter finish. No brick or wood, just a lighter cement color. I am clearly not familiar with building materials, I’m just a photographer who knows what I like when I see it. Maybe these pictures will help show what I mean.

When it comes to your reception venue, the same rules apply as the getting ready place. Make sure lots of light is coming in, or that it is outside. Make sure the walls a white and that it has a real simple elegance about it.

Color Scheme

I confess, I have a favorite color scheme, and that is pink, creme, and light green. But really any soft pastel colors paired with a white or off-white color would work. You could do a soft blue, a soft green, pink, taupe, gold, or white.

Once you get into reds or dark blues, it gets into a more primary color scheme and it’s harder to be as soft.

Details

The dreamy-ness is in the details. Yes I just up the word dreamy-ness but I stand by it. You don’t have to have the most expensive, elaborate wedding out there. But if you set it up with good colors, good light, and then pair it with good details, you are solid.

Have rings, jewelry, invites, perfume, shoes all coordinated and set up and ready for your photographer to take pictures of when they arrive. These pictures add a level of elegance to the day even if you were just getting ready in your best friend’s house.

When in doubt, add greenery

You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on reception decor. The simplest way to class up a wedding venue is to add a line of greenery down the tables and just pepper in some flowers. It’s super classy ad makes everything look SO good. For round tables, even a few flowers add a real level of bright and beauty.

Hire a wedding photographer that shoots bright

This one should be a given, but it’s worth mentioning. Make sure before you hire a photographer that you have a clear sense of what their style is. If the editing style is all over the place, you don’t want to take that chance. Find someone who consistently produces light and romantic images and talk to them about how they get those images to look the way you do.

With that said, if you have made it all the way down to this part of the blog, that means you probably want a wedding like this and need a photographer who fits the bill. Let me strongly recommend that you fill out an inquiry and we can set up a consultation. No commitment or anything, just a conversation about your wedding and what you are looking for! Click below for a direct link to get in touch with me!