Snowy Winter Wedding Portraits

With the month of November around the bend and seasonal festivities about to ramp up, I would hazard a guess there are a host of holiday brides trying to avoid biting their nails when it comes to considering the weather and their winter wedding portraits. Which is why Jodi + Charles' wedding day portraits shot just after New Year's in Montana by Orange Photographie, are the perfect antidote to any winter wedding stress.

Here are a couple tips derived from Jodi + Charles' wedding portraits (and my own personal experience shooting winter weddings in Canada) to keep in mind as you work with your photographer to coordinate amongst frightful temperatures and fresh-fallen snow.

Look for natural colour to spruce up your outdoor session. The red berries featured in these shots colour the backdrop and keep the pale sky from competing with the bride's gown along with the snow. Fir or pine trees, also work beautifully, as does anything that keeps a stark white sky from stealing the show!
Find a naturally-lit, covered outdoor location that allows you to still shoot outdoors, yet provides some warm tones to bounce a rosy glow onto your skin, and keeps you somewhat sheltered from the elements.
Make sure to utilize the best light of the day to ensure you get the best possible images.
Opt for a second indoor location should the weather turn, but also so you can warm up and get cozy. Large windows and natural light will make for images that complement the lighting used for your outdoor shots.
Lastly, if you can, and I say this with all respect for digital photographers, especially as I once was one, seek out a film photographer who knows how to shoot in the snow. You'll notice that in none of these outdoor images does the snow or sky or bride's dress appear to be overexposed and lacking in detail. There's differentiation between them all, and that's as a result of a photographer knowing how to expose for white on white on white, but also how film handles lighting and bright situations as opposed to the digital medium.

For more winter wedding inspiration, check out this snowy wedding from the Canadian Rocky Mountains along with this sumptuous winter wedding inspiration shoot from British Columbia, both featured on Vale + Vine.