Capturing the mood of your day is so important. Light plays such a big role in your day, especially at receptions. I usually try to go as long as possible without using a flash or setting up additional lighting. Using a flash can be incredibly intrusive to personal moments and is a huge distraction. I can’t be sneaky and get as many great candid shots that way. Adding good mood lighting to your reception space is key! Good lighting can make the most inexpensive venue or decor look luxe. Just remember that a few candles are not enough – if it’s too dark, my camera can’t focus. So try this: imagine lighting your reception as if electricity doesn’t exist yet. What would it look like? You would be relying on as much natural light as possible for as long as possible, and lots of candles and chandelier styled lights. Imagine low hanging chandeliers, candles all along the tables, and soft wall sconces.

It’s best if you try to avoid using fluorescent lights, harsh pot lights, or coloured lights. I’ll be honest here – your photographers and videographers for any events do not prefer coloured uplighting, even if other vendors like planners, venues and DJs suggest it. It does look lovely in person, but it truly just doesn’t translate as well as you’d hope in camera. It often means that whatever colour you choose, you and your guests ALSO turn that colour for your photos! Blue light? You’ll be a smurf. Pink or red? You’ll be tomatoes. If you choose coloured uplighting, please note I will not edit skin tones back to normal. I capture your day as it is, and won’t turn it into something that it didn’t look like in real life! Flash can help neutralize this and can provide great light in the right situations, but it’s just a different style that gives a very clean, sterile look. If I need to use flash, your photos might just lose that certain je ne sais quois, caught-in-the-moment look that you wanted in the first place. A great modern option to create mood with light is using lots and lots of low hanging string/cafe lights, wall sconces and fairy lights and candles on the tables! If your DJ does provide lights, clean white light is always a classic option and looks beautiful, especially for the first dance. Feel free to bring out the coloured lights all you want during the fun dances!

Think of all of the places that you will need light. There are often places at a reception that get overlooked. Are you having speeches? Where are the speakers going to be standing? Place them in front of a background that is well decorated and well lit. I truly can’t count the amount of bathroom signs that have been in the background of speech photos because of where the speaker or podium is placed. Make sure your speaker is placed in an area where you don’t have to crane your head to look at them.



Are you going to be cutting a cake? Your dessert table will also need some candles, and make sure it’s not shoved into a dark corner! As for the head table, make sure there are no pot lights directly overhead. They will cause harsh shadows on the face and are not the most flattering.



I’ll never forget something I’ve heard another photographer say: “Lighting is so often forgotten that we sometimes play a game called ‘which random plus one guest will be seated in the best light while the newlyweds are in the dark blocked by centrepieces.’” Seriously – it happens! Make sure the decor and wine bottles do not block your faces, and make sure you have some lighting on your face that is even and not coloured. Avoid overhead potlights, and try to avoid having the head table raised above on a platform.