When you’ve been looking at wedding photos, you’ve probably seen those dreamy, glowy sunset photos and thought, “Yep. I need those in my wedding album”.
And honestly? Golden hour photos are some of my absolute favourites to capture. The light goes soft and the photos have that warm, romantic magic that just hits differently. You’re also normally totally relaxed in the evening once most of the formalities have happened.
BUT…
Here’s the thing nobody really tells couples:
Golden hour is rarely an actual hour!
In the UK especially, it’s often more like 10 very glorious minutes where the light is just right. Sometimes less. Sometimes we get lucky and it hangs around a bit longer. Sometimes clouds appear out of nowhere and disappear again two minutes later.
Which means when I say:
“RIGHT. THIS IS THE LIGHT. WE NEED TO GO!”
…I really do mean now.
Be Ready to Move Fast
Golden hour photos work best when couples are prepared to drop everything for a few minutes and head outside at a moment’s notice.
That might mean:
- sneaking out during dinner
- pausing mid-conversation with guests
- leaving the dance floor briefly
- disappearing during speeches for 10 minutes (if timings allow)
And trust me — it’s always worth it.
I promise I’m not trying to steal you away from your wedding for ages. In fact, one of the biggest things I care about is making sure you actually get to enjoy your day and spend time with your people.
So when golden hour appears, we move quickly, have a little wander, capture the magic, and get you straight back to the party.
The Best Golden Hour Photos Happen When Couples Trust the Process
The couples who get the dreamiest sunset photos are usually the ones who:
- stay flexible
- trust me when I say “NOW!”
- don’t overthink it
- embrace whatever the weather is doing
Because honestly? Some of the best moments happen when we just roll with it.
Windy hair.
Running through a field.
A slightly chaotic dash outside.
Guests cheering as you disappear for five minutes.
That’s the fun of it.
My Advice?
If golden hour photos are important to you:
- build a little flexibility into your timeline
- let your venue/coordinator know we may nip outside quickly
- wear shoes you can move in
- and be prepared for me to appear beside you very excited about the sky
Because those soft, glowy, romantic images?
They happen fast.
And when the light turns golden… we go.
