I second shot this wedding with Crystal E Photography in Seminole, Texas, and I still think about those rust-orange bouquets against the sage green dresses. The ceremony was at Wesleyan Grace Church, the light was soft, and everyone looked right at home in it.

That’s why I love talking about preparing for a fall wedding. A few simple choices early on can make the day feel calmer and look beautiful. This is the first post in our four-season wedding prep series, so we’re starting with fall. Here are seven tips from this wedding. Photographers, I’ve got a note for you near the end, too.

Tip 1: Start Preparing for a Fall Wedding With a Color Plan

Fall hands you the best colors. This bride chose rust, burnt orange, and sage green, then added turquoise jewelry. Pick two or three colors and repeat them in your bouquets, bridesmaid dresses, and boutonnieres. Your photos will look calm and put together.

Tip 2: Check Your Sunset Time When Preparing for a Fall Wedding

Days get shorter in the fall. This ceremony started at 4:30 in the afternoon, which left plenty of daylight. Look up the sunset time for your date and plan your portraits well ahead of it. Good light does not wait around.

Tip 3: Pack for the Weather

Fall weather can be warm at lunch and cool by dinner. Bring a wrap or jacket, and keep a few spare layers in the car. Cool evenings are lovely, but cold hands make shaky smiles. Have a backup plan for wind or rain, too. Preparing for a fall wedding means planning for all of it.

Tip 4: Gather Your Details Early

This bride had a turquoise necklace and cuff, tooled leather boots, a burnt orange ring box, and her invitation. Set your details together in one spot before your photographer arrives. Grab the invitation, the rings, the jewelry, the boots, and anything with a story behind it. It saves time and gives you pictures that feel like you. It’s a small step in preparing for a fall wedding that pays off big.

Tip 5: Give Your Portraits Room to Breathe

The bridesmaids walked and laughed with the bride, and the groomsmen strolled and teased the groom. Those moments only happen when nobody is rushing. Preparing for a fall wedding includes a little extra time for portraits. Real smiles take a minute.

Tip 6: Let the Flowers Do the Fall Work

Warm roses, pampas grass, and eucalyptus brought the season to life without a pile of extra decor. Flowers are one of the easiest wins when preparing for a fall wedding, and they look gorgeous in warm light. Ask your florist what’s in season, and bring a photo of your dress so everything works together. Choose flowers that match your colors, and your bouquet will carry the whole look.

Tip 7: Expect a Surprise (and Enjoy It)

My last tip for preparing for a fall wedding is to expect the unexpected. A little gray cat wandered through our couple portraits, and I loved it. Fall weddings happen outside a lot, so things pop up. Laugh, keep going, and let the day be yours. Your photos will show it.

Photographers, How Do You Plan for Fall Light?

Y’all, the sun moves fast in the fall. Check the sunset time before you ever show up. Scout the shade, because big oak trees can throw patchy light on faces. Ask the couple for their timeline and talk it over beforehand. When you’re preparing for a fall wedding, this check-in saves everyone stress.

Preparing for a Fall Wedding? Let’s Get Connected

If you are preparing for a fall wedding, I would love to help you remember every part of it. I’m Mary with Mary Wiebe Photography, a Lubbock wedding photographer and Texas wedding photographer for couples in Lubbock, Seminole, Denver City, or anywhere across Texas, including Amarillo, Abilene, and Midland.

Next up in our series: winter!