How wedding photography changes with seasons – professional perspective.

“THE QUESTION” has been popped, a celebratory Facebook post shared your surprise and excitement with the world and now the preparation begins. Before you book your dream venue, decide on the DJ or live band, pick your photographer, videographer and spend countless nights trying to figure out the best sitting arrangement, you have to make the most important decision: WHEN is your wedding going to happen.

Here, in the Black Hills of South Dakota, we enjoy unpredictable change of seasons. We can have snow in May and the beautiful 70F in the middle of February. That makes picking your wedding date a little bit of a Russian roulette. So let’s talk about different wedding seasons and styles that go with them.

Have you ever dreamed of a snowy, Christmassy, bright wedding? In that case, Western South Dakota is a place for you. Winter weddings call for bold colors and clear pictures. As an experienced wedding photographer, I always make sure to pack extra batteries for my external flashes, since I know that most of the day will be spent inside.

Winter days are short, so plan for your picture time wisely. Chances are, you can catch that beautiful Golden Hour light before your ceremony even starts. Planning extra time for the first look and a little photo session for just the bride and groom is a smart move.

Spring brings soft colors, warmth and longer days to the Black Hills of South Dakota. For a wedding photographer this means the beginning of the wedding season. While March and April weddings are few and far between, May is one of the busiest months of the year.

I love soft watercolor like editing technique and pastel colors for my spring weddings. As the spring air rings with clarity and freshness, my wedding photography style also gravitates to the light, airy, clear images.

Summer is the most popular time to get married in South Dakota. I attend 60% of all my weddings in June, July, August and early September. As a South Dakota wedding photographer, I am prepared for all weather conditions and always have extra sunscreen and water for myself and to share.

Late sunsets allow Black Hills brides for a relaxed wedding day timeline. The Golden Hour light usually falls right after dinner. I like sneaking my newlyweds away for a private photo session while the guests are eating.

Summer might be the most popular wedding season, but autumn is by far my favorite one. The golden light fills the air and cool night turn trees into the vibrant art. What can be better for the wedding photographer, than a mild, clear fall day. Light cloud cover, common for the Black Hills during the fall, provides the perfect lighting conditions for wedding portraits.

The beautiful yellow and orange tones naturally spill into my wedding editing; however, I remain true to my general light, clean and airy style. As the days get shorter, more opportunities for the creative “after dark” pictures arise. I enjoy bringing my couples’ whimsical ideas to live, whether it is a sparkler send off or a backlit dress or the couple being tangled in the fairy lights.

Truth be told, there is beauty in every season of the year. Your wedding date reflects your personality as much as any other detail of your special day. My job, as a professional photographer, is to make that personality shine and to tell your story through light, smiles and raw emotions.

XOXO, Natalie.