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Golden Hour, What’s That And Why Should I Care? Let Us Teach You!

golden hour wedding kiss

Golden Hour, what's that and why should I care? Let us teach you! If you are confused by why everyone is going bonkers over this "golden hour" thing it is really the perfect time of day that will take your wedding photos from "meh" to "movie magic!" This next couple were lucky enough to catch just the right time of day for their post ceremony photo session and when you see them you will truly understand the difference. 

Keep scrolling down to learn even more about golden/magic hour plus find a fabulous engagement shoot with beautiful golden hour photo examples. But don't run away too fast. This beautiful wedding has plenty more for you to fall in love with. From the deep wine colored bridesmaid dresses to those fabulous florals that brought pops of color throughout the day. You can see even more of these details in the full gallery thanks to the talents of Chloe Luka Photography.

fun calligraphy style wedding invite soft pink wedding ring box tear drop chandelier earrings

strappy gold wedding shoes

getting wedding ready sweet candid photo of the bride

Getting Wedding Ready

From  Chloe Luka Photography:  Katie and Joe's wedding day was a fairytale from start to finish. Katie was surrounded by 11 of her closest friends and family decked out in flowing marsala dresses and gold shoes as they prepared the bride for her big day. We took the ladies photos in Katie's backyard which looked like a woodland dream on a 70 degree day with full sunshine! The lush bouquets brought in her accents of olive green, cream and dusty rose to accent the rich marsala shades that she had chosen and they photographed beautifully! 

From the Bride:  The dress was nothing like I was planning on looking for! When the stylist at Marie Gabriel put me in the dress though I knew it was the one. The cathedral style train and off the shoulder lace sleeves allowed me to truly feel like a bride. 

eucalyptus burgundy and pink bouquet

wedding veil idea deep red bridesmaid dresses bridal party wedding photo pose idea

silver dollar eucalyptus pink red and burgundy bridesmaid bouquet

tuxedo groom and groomsmen with burgundy boutonnieres groom in classic black and white

Golden Hour What?

From  Chloe Luka PhotographyAfter their Catholic mass we went to Cool Creek State Park for bridal party and bride and groom portraits arriving just in time for golden hour filtering through the final blooms of fall colors and changing leaves - just as Katie was hoping for! We spent an hour with them and captured some beautiful, intimate moments as well as being able to show off Katie's cathedral train and bridal beauty. 

So you might be hearing this term "golden hour" being used, but what does that mean? It is referring to the time of day just after sunrise or a little before sunset where the sunlight is warmer and less harsh looking (especially in photos). This time of day will give your images a soft glowing quality that is sure to wow. Want to see more golden hour/magic hour photos? Click here to see this golden hour engagement shoot.

From the Bride: One piece of advice I would give brides-to-be is to not forget why you’re planning a wedding. Beautiful flowers, a jaw-dropping dress, awe-inspiring details are all so good but not the end all be all. Continue to nurture and invest in your relationship throughout the stress of wedding planning and love on your future hubby!

saying "I do"

sweet and happy bride wedding photo wedding veil bride and groom photo

bride and groom wedding kiss at golden hour

golden hout bridal portrait

happy wedding couple sweet smiling groom photo

Perfect Moments & Memories

From Chloe Luka Photography: Their reception was held at the Marriott where the theme of lush florals continued with accents of gold and greenery. Their first dance under the strung market lights (their original idea!) was perfectly romantic. Joe's Irish heritage was also interwoven through the ceremony and reception, as we witnessed a traditional Irish dance that is performed at each of the Moran weddings! 

From the Bride: My favorite moment was when Joe pulled me aside after the dinner, right before the dancing and had us take a mental snapshot. We were able to look from table to table and realize that every person we loved in life was there supporting and celebrating with us. 

Instead of a traditional wedding favor to give our guests we decided to donate in each of their names to an organization that we both love, the St. John Paul II Foundation, an apostolate dedicated to life and love and proclaiming the good news about the preciousness of human life, the beauty of marriage, and the great good that is the family. 

please sign our guest book sign and table

escort card table thank you note from the bride and groom

pink and deep red wedding flower arrangement

romantic bride and groom cake topper classic dip kiss

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