The changing of seasons is officially underway up here in Tahoe. The days are rapidly retreating to longer nights and all but a couple of leafs on my young sunset maple tree have fallen to the ground. I've always thought that fall was the best time of year to plan a wedding, and that conviction strengthens which each passing season.
October, specifically early October is typically fairly consistent with comfortable temperatures and beautiful fall foliage. The days aren't too short and the sun not too harsh (even mid-day). Not only that, the crowds of summer are long gone. November is more unsettled, much cooler, and fall colors give way to freshly snow-capped mountains.
I was honored to capture Kieth and Erica's wedding at Edgewood Tahoe last November. I first met Erica when she contacted me to take some family photos when her dad came to town to visit, and then was privileged to take her and Kieth's engagement photos a year later followed by their wedding 6 months after that.
As a photographer I was presented with a few challenges due to incliment weather that pushed their outdoor ceremony indoors. Photograping indoors in itself is a challenge but one that I'm always prepared for. Additionally, there was a stiff and bone-chilling wind coming off the lake that limited our ability to take photos in front of the lake. Thankfully Edgewood's manicured grounds offered us some alternate areas with some protection from the wind. While September and early October weddings can be beautiful and carried out exactly as planned, late fall (late October into November) should probably be planned as an early-winter wedding. In my opinion, it's a lot easier managing expectations if you're pleasently suprised by good weather than caught offguard by cold and inhospitable weather.
All in all, I loved the images we were able to get despite the challenges. The hotel rooms large windows at Edgewood let in some gorgeous day light and a bad weather-days' overcast sky creates naturally beautiful portrait light.
If you have a fall wedding planned and have questions about how to best plan your day I would love to hear from you. You can contact me here or you can send an email to info@cjvarela.photo.
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