It’s finally feeling like Summer-time, and I must confess as a wedding videographer here in Kilkenny, this is one of my favourite times of the year. In terms of filming, I am given much greater scope for filming the outdoors. Filming is made easier by the fact that the bridal party can spill out into the grounds of their wedding venue, at ease and relaxed in the summer heat. I pride myself on filming my wedding parties in a discreet manner, a skill I have been working on for years. When the wedding guests come out into the sunshine, they relax and my job is made that little bit easier and even more pleasurable. When the sun shines, everyone unwinds, their shoulders drop, and they smile and enjoy the day that little bit more. The extra hours of sunlight also mean I have a bigger window to obtain great footage.

Get ready for 2016

Naturally, summer-time is my busiest time of year. If you’ve recently become engaged, now is a great time to start making preparations if you intend to marry in summer 2016. My diary for next year is filling up quickly, so I think it’s best to prepare as much in advance as possible, which will also minimise stress during preparations. Competition for venues and churches is greatest at this time of year, so you will need to start putting plans and ideas together, and make bookings soon. It may seem obvious to most but here are a few great reasons for booking a summer wedding for 2016.
                                                             Let’s Go Outside!

In recent years I’ve watched many young couples make the most of the summer weather by moving their celebrations outdoors. This is a great way to keep expenses down and can create a wonderfully relaxed and casual feel to the day. Despite it being summer-time, our weather in Ireland is not always dependable. However, having a wedding in summer-time can give you greater freedom in terms of choosing a wedding venue. Outdoor weddings are still not licensed in Ireland, but if you are having a civil ceremony at a hotel or registered venue, you may consider venturing into the grounds of the venue for the entire reception or once the meal and speeches have ended. Summer-time can give you greater creative freedom in terms of choosing a venue. Most hotels will have maintained their gardens well and at this time of year they will be in full bloom and looking their best.

                                                            A garden wedding

I’ve filmed wonderful family weddings held in the grounds belonging to the bride’s parents. Marquees are becoming increasingly popular and can be borrowed or rented and erected in the back garden. This works particularly well for smaller weddings and is a great way to help keep your wedding under budget. The only possible downside is that the party can go on until the small hours of the morning! And with all that space, you’ll easily be able to accommodate your evening guests as well. When planning your garden, don’t forget you’ll need a generator and lights for the evening-time!

                                                                                                                                                    More Guests
Summer-time weddings tend to have a greater turn-out. More of your guests will be free to book time off work and they will be booking time off work anyway. The kids will off school, so families won’t be tied to the school calendar either. Family members who are living abroad are more likely to travel for a summer wedding and will make the trip their summer vacation. So you will have greater freedom to choose a week-day for your wedding and be less restricted to choosing a Saturday.

Get Creative!

Having your reception outdoors can put your creativity to the test. Recently I filmed a wedding reception in a marquee and the bride had decorated the inside with bunches of flowers called baby’s breath, Bristol fairy, or its proper name – Gypsphila. This delicate flower has been popular for as long as I can remember, but now more than ever it has become extremely popular – now it is used for bouquets and centre-pieces simply on its own. The result was fabulous and an inexpensive option. Summer weddings have a much larger colour palette and so give great freedom of expression in terms of colour – summer wedding really pop with colour, usually the brighter and bolder the better. I’ve also noticed brides and grooms becoming more creative over the summer months by wearing outfits slightly less conventional, for example – brightly coloured evening shoes and jewellery for the bride and coloured braces for the groom.

Great video and photos

The summer weather means, we can travel together to great locations for filming after the ceremony and with our incredible landscapes here in Tipperary, we really our spoiled so we should make the most of them. I’ve filmed some beautiful scenes of the married couple walking through a meadow or down a path beside a stream. These are only a few of ideas for filming during summer! If you want to discuss your wedding ideas for filming your wedding, please get in touch and we can have a chat. If you would like to know more about choosing a wedding videographer you can read more about what I do here.
Best of luck with your wedding plans! ~ Joe