The following is the first in a series of posts about planning your wedding with your wedding photography in mind.

For New England brides, outdoor weddings are a popular option for hundreds of reasons. There are the beautiful beaches of Cape Cod, graceful historic gardens, picturesque farms and about a thousand places in between. However, an outdoor wedding can often offer up as many challenges as it does opportunities.

One frequently overlooked variable is the sun, which can dramatically change the look and feel of your wedding and have a profound impact on your wedding photography. So what impact can the sun have and how can you take advantage of your outdoor venue?

Ryan RichardsonJuly 23, 2014outdoor weddings, beach weddings, country club weddings, wedding photographyComment

Jason and Kim: Beauty on the Beach

A Nantucket Wedding: Nicole and John

In the company of their closest friends and family (and their dogs), John and Nicole exchanged their vows on the beautiful little island of Nantucket on May 7, 2011. Although legally married the night before, no ceremony is truly complete until that joy and love is shared with the people closest to you.

Outdoor Weddings II: Sudden Weather

It's often said that if you don't like the weather in New England, you should go inside and wait ten minutes because it's bound to change. Every so often mother nature likes to remind us of her sense of whimsy by dropping some snow in the spring or a rain of toads. The year 1816 was known in New England as the year without a summer because a series of volcanic eruptions across the globe caused temperatures to drop and severe snowstorms to hit the region, in June.

When planning your wedding, especially a year ahead of time, it's important to keep that caprice in mind. June might normally be a lovely time of year but wind, rain or even brush fires can cause the perfect outdoor wedding to become a perfect mess. How do you cope with these weather events?

Outdoor Weddings I: Planning Your Ceremony for the Sun

An outdoor wedding can be a spectacular event. New England summers are vibrant and green, serving as a beautiful backdrop for your special day. The option becomes especially attractive when you find out the quaint little chapel doesn't have air conditioning for your 100 guests.

While every wedding is unpredictable, outdoor weddings add an extra layer of logistics. Nature isn't always cooperative. When planning an outdoor wedding, you need to accept the things you cannot change, prepare for the unexpected and hope for the best. As a photographer, I've seen the good and the bad and I'd like to help you ensure your wedding is the best it can be. Over the next few weeks, as spring finally starts to thaw out New England and wedding season draws nearer, I'll be disucssing a few tips to make your outdoor wedding one to remember (and not as a disaster).

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