Today I am going to cover a topic that im sure most of you couples arent really thinking about; Ceremony positioning. What I mean by this is, where are you going to be facing during your ceremony? This is a pretty complex topic so i am going to simplify it a little bit by discussing this in regards to ceremonies that take place within 90 minutes of the sunset (which if you read my last article is the optimal time). So with each venue, they will have set spaces for ceremonies. Just as every venue is different, so is their approach to ceremony positioning. There are all kind of different reasons as to why venues designate specific spaces for ceremonies. The purpose of this article is to educate you on how your photos are going to look. I am going to divide these into 4 different options: Broad lighting, back lighting, Side lighting, and shaded.

So lets dive in!

Broad Side Lighting: This is the positioning when the sun is hitting your guest's backs. It often results harsh (but manageable) light coming straight at you from the perspective of the isle. It can also make for great backlit shots with your guests in the background (as pictured above). This is especially flattering in mountainous environments where we want to retain detail in the mountains around you. 

Back lighting: This is where the light from the sun faces your guests. It can make for a great halo effect in your hair. Its usually easier to make for nice even tones throughout the entire image. You do lose out a bit on whatever your background might be, but thats not always a bad thing. (Obviously you are the main focus anyways) Here in arizona, we are lucky to have some pretty grand lighting this time of day so i am always a fan of back lit ceremonies.

Side lighting: This happens when the isle is facing north or south. So when the sun sets, it will hit the bride or grooms back. This lighting is tough. There is no way around that. Should it be a deal breaker when choosing a venue? Absolutely not. But it should be noted that when it comes to shooting the natural light of a ceremony, this is rough. It CAN be done though, as you can see above. Something to consider, if the walk up the isle is leading you south (like it is in this ceremony) the shadows will be on the grooms face. I personally prefer it when the isle is facing north so that the harsher light faces the groom and the softer shadowed light is on the bride.

Shadowed light: BY FAR my favorite. this is easy, soft, PREDICTABLE light. Youll get this at courtyard style venues, where the ceremony is sheltered in by walls or different types of structure, or in the woods. Shadowed light is soft, flattering, and its easy to shoot from all angles. 

In conclusion: What ever venue you choose (I have shot at all kinds of venues with all 4 of these different ceremony positionings and have come up with fantastic images) I encourage you to consider how you want your ceremony photos to look and get an idea of what you can expect.

Cheers.