Bay St. Louis Outdoor Ceremony
Michael Caswell Photography

Bay St. Louis Outdoor Ceremony

This was an outdoor wedding that took place on a piece of private land near the beach in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. The reception was held at the nearby Bay-Waveland Yacht Club. I love the bride's peaceful and confident demeanor as she listens intently to the officiant's words, while the groom looks down at her hand in his.

The pleasant, soft lighting of this image is another great example of the importance of choosing the right time to start an afternoon/evening wedding ceremony outside if natural light images are important to you. Planning to start right at sunset will have nice light for the first few minutes, but depending on the time of year, the light can drop off very rapidly.

Although I am equipped to shoot in any lighting conditions, it's an inescapable fact that better quality of light means better images. Starting about 20-30 minutes before sunset will provide the best light, though if formal group shots are planned outside after the ceremony, a start time of about 45-60 minutes before sunset will ensure we still have some natural light to work with afterward..

Location: Bay St. Louis, MS.