There are three factors that go into achieving a ‘light & airy’ wedding: the wardrobe; the background; & the time of day.

The photographer also plays a huge role in this, so make sure the photographer you pick shoots light. If the photos on their website & Instagram are all dark with heavy shadows, chances are they are a dark & moody photographer. Asking them to do something other than what’s featured may be putting them out of their comfort zone, with results not what you imagined. Make sure you are all on the same page with expectations!

Please note: The point of this series 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 who may want the lighter & airier photos & to demonstrate how to achieve that photos.

If you want the darker & moodier style images, my best advice is to do the opposite of everything covered in these posts! :)

Part 1 // The Wardrobe

Part 2 // The Background // coming soon!

Part 3 // The Time of Day // coming soon!

The Wardrobe

Key Point: Lighter clothing, specifically when combined with a light background will give you light photos.

please note:

This series as a whole is geared towards weddings & how to have a light & airy wedding. This post is a bit more specific to your bridal party & your wardrobe for your engagement photos.

I am not telling you to have your entire bridal party wear white (although that is a thing & something I have yet to photograph), & I expect that most grooms & groomsmen out there will be wearing some sort of black or navy or traditional tux color. Except for this groom below which is one of my favorite groom looks to date.

keep it light

When picking bridesmaids dresses or your engagement wardrobe, remember that blushes, golds, neutrals, or anything on the lighter end of the spectrum, when put against a light background, will bring all of the attention to the most important thing, your face.

keep it solid

While I do love a good print or pattern, sometimes these patterns can be distracting. Solid colors or clothes with very subtle patterns are key. If you want to include a bold pattern, keep it small, like a cheetah print shoe for your engagement photos.

Does this mean that all other colors are out?

No.

Include bolder or darker shades, but keep it small & intentional by adding a pop of color with your jewelry, flowers, or shoes, or, for guys, a bright pocket square.

Are you saying everyone has to literally wear all white?

No!

‘Light’ doesn’t mean ‘white.’ Just light!

There is a small debate in photography-world about what the actual definition of ‘light & airy’ is, & while I consider myself to be one, a lot of my clients show up wearing darker tones (we Aggies love maroon!). Because I can’t control what my clients wear, some might say my photographs end up being more ‘light & moody’, which feature richer tones either in wardrobe or shadows. This is fine too! I personally love the contrast of a dark suit or bright dress against a light background.