Weddings: Creating The Perfect Sunset Or Sunrise Wedding

The brilliant sun setting after a long, glorious day; the sun rising on a new day, pure and untouched; these are simple and very satisfying moments of the day. Perhaps the sun is setting on your old life, the one where you were growing up and part of a family. Perhaps the sun is rising on your new life with your new spouse next to you every day. Creating a wedding that honors these beautiful moments can be one of the most ideal and romantic things that you can do. While it does take some pretty interesting planning and careful coordination, you can definitely make it everything you want it to be.

While getting married at sunset or at sunrise can be a truly moving experience, you also have to take into account just how challenging it can be. There are some technical difficulties of doing so. Of course, timing is a key element in the entire event. You have to know when the sun is going to go down and that depends on the location that you are in, of course. It means making sure that the wedding is on time and happening as you planned it to be. When you can pull all of the strings together, it will work out, magically.

Perhaps the first thing that you need to do is to determine the beset place to get married. You could have a ceremony in your back yard, if you would like to and that would be just fine. Or, you may have a local facility, lake, beach or other location you want to use. These are all prime locations for you to enjoy a sunrise or sunset wedding. Yet, many people are looking for something a bit more exciting and interesting. This is definitely available to you! For example, perhaps you would like a sunset wedding on the coasts of Mexico or your favorite Caribbean Island. You can get married in virtually any destination you would like in this manner, with some planning.

When you are planning this type of event, start out with knowing what you expect. The location of the wedding is important. Do you want to be indoors, overlooking the sunset? Or, are you planning to be outdoors right on the beach or in the park? You will need to be sure that the location that you wish to be married at, whether a beach, park or facility is available. Most importantly, timing the weather is a necessary element. Just a few clouds can ruin the entire experience. Use past year's weather to determine the best time of the year to have your wedding for clear and warm skies. With the location set and the timing determined, the next goal is for you to determine how to make your family approve of it and to get them there, on time.

For a sunrise wedding, which can be the most difficult to plan with a large group, you will need people to arrive at the location at least 30 minutes before the sun is rising and to be in their seats within 15 minutes. This could mean sitting in the dark or candle lit area very early in the morning. Many people will not be able to handle this time of the day.

Or, if you would like to, you can always make it a small get together of only those people that are most important to you. This can make it comfortable and enjoyable for everyone involved. After the ceremony, you can serve your guests a meal and have a get together right then or plan for it to happen later in the day if you feel it more suiting. You can create the type of atmosphere that works for your day as well as your evening here. If you plan to have a reception later in the day, do realize that you will either need to send guests home after you are married and to come back later or you will need to entertain them throughout the day.

For a sunset wedding, there is a bit more flexibility. In most cases, guests are brought to the event and given hors d’oeuvres or even a full course meal before the actual wedding ceremony happens. Some will serve a small meal after the ceremony as well. In the case of a sunset wedding, mostly adults will be in attendance. You may also want to plan for sleeping arrangements for guests that do plan to stay until sunrise with you. Also, note that at this type of event, you will want to have everyone in their seats and ready to go at least 15 minutes before the wedding happens. Since the sun sets fairly quickly, you only have a small window to get those great photos that you want.

In most cases, your wedding guests are more than willing to do whatever it takes to please you including having a wedding in the darkness. Yet, it is up to you to make sure that they are given everything that they need to be happy while they are there.

No matter where you are getting married whether it is locally or internationally, consider hiring a professional company to help with the planning of your sunset or sunrise wedding. The reason is simple. They can be sure to know what's going to work and what is not. They will help you to pinpoint any flaws in timing and in execution. Down the road, you want to know that they have everything in line and ready to go when the time comes. Since most people do not do this more than one time, having someone that has been through the process can be very helpful.

If you do hire a professional to help you, be sure that they are experienced in wedding planning such that you want. These ceremonies can be very unique and difficult to plan for someone that is new to planning them. It is made even worse when the wedding is a destination wedding in which the wedding planner is unfamiliar. Nevertheless, there are companies that specialize in this type of wedding planning. Hiring them to help you can make all of your wishes happen.

As romantic as planning a wedding is, planning one at sunset or at sunrise is even more amazing. With the soft glow of light behind you both, you can exchange vows and start a new time and new life together. This magical experience may be a bit more challenging to plan, but in the end, it is worth every moment of it.

by Julie-Ann Amos, professional writer, and owner of international writing agency www.ExquisiteWriting.com

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