Last week, I headed down to Ponce Inlet with wedding planner Lindsay to scout out the very best location for Jes + Travis’s destination wedding this June. There were so many things to consider when finding the best  spot for their ceremony — the view, proximity to the parking lot, (lack of) proximity to the most tourist-populated stretches of beach, direction of the light, firmness of the sand. The list goes on.

Sometimes there is a lot less for brides (or their wedding planners and photographers) to consider when it comes to setting up a ceremony. Inside a church, for example, there’s pretty much one place where the couple will stand, and only one direction in which to orient the ceremony. Outside, it’s a completely different story. And if you want the very best, most beautiful pictures of your ceremony, there are some things you’ll want to consider photographically as you select your ceremony site and choose which direction to have the ceremony face.

Here are three tips to make your ceremony as photogenic as possible:1. Decide what you want to have as your ceremony’s backdrop
This is usually the first question a couple will answer, and it’s definitely one of the most important. If there is a scenic vista or specific setting you have in mind, where you stage your ceremony might be completely obvious — such as having your ceremony on a lawn in front of vineyards, with mountains in the distance, as Sharon and Harrison did at their Keswick Vineyards wedding. When there’s a backdrop like that to be had, it’s hard to pass up!
2. Figure out where will the sun be during your ceremony
For ourdoor weddings, I’m a big fan of planning the ceremony time around the sunlight to make use of the most beautiful time of day, but of course that isn’t always possible. The most important factor to consider with the sunlight during your ceremony, regardless of the time of day, is which direction the sunlight will come from. Ideally, the sun will be behind or slightly behind and to the side of the couple; the direction you do not want the sun coming from is the far end of the aisle, so that the sun falls harshly on your faces as you exchange your vows.3. Determine whether there are natural landmarks that will help define your ceremony site
See the two huge oak trees behind Amber and her father? They were two perfect natural columns to flank the aisle at her wedding ceremony. They also provided the perfect shade for the guests on a steamy afternoon as they watched Amber and Daniel get married in front of a lush green alfalfa field. If you have natural landmarks to work with at your ceremony site, make use of them!

Those are my quick-and-simply tips for making the most of your outdoor ceremony. Have more suggestions, or some questions? Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

~ Laura