Should You Elope at Sunset or Sunrise? | Sunrise Elopement in Prentice Cooper National Forest Chattanooga, Tennessee
Sunrise? Sunset? Deciding what time of day you should Elope can be difficult!
I like to think I’m a morning person but that’s not entirely true. Sleeping in on weekends really does feel good, so I totally understand why some people are shocked when I mentioned starting at (or before…) the sun begins to rise.
Shooting at Sunrise will mean not only getting to the location before the sun peaks over the mountains but also getting ready (hair, makeup, etc.) at that early hour. My heart always sinks a little when I set it for 4:30 am because it really does feel sooooo early!
And yes, shoot after shoot, Elopement after Elopement, I keep suggesting sunrise nearly every time.
Before you shake your head and call me crazy, let me explain why eloping in the morning often works better than the evening.
Everyone hates early mornings.
Yes, I know I just talked about “morning” people, but the vast majority of people find getting up at 3:00 or 4:00 am is just too early. No one wants to be hitting the trail before there’s even light...EXCEPT us! Beating the crowd, especially in popular destinations in National Parks, helps you avoid an elopement with countless onlookers.
If your elopement location is well known as a hiking, backpacking, or vacation spot, mornings will be your best bet for a private ceremony. While I can never guarantee an exclusive experience unless it’s on private property, planning the most intimate moments of your Elopement day for the morning will give you the highest chance of being the only ones.
Should You Always Elope at Sunrise?
Nope! There're plenty of locations that work best in evening light so planning your Elopement at that location for a weekend or during off season can help to avoid crowds but still get the amazing view you’re hoping for. Creativity in location planning is something you can rely on your photographer for as you create your timeline. They’ll help explain the pros and cons of each location depending on the time of day.
Sunrise at Prentice Cooper National Forest Chattanooga, Tennessee
For Giselle & Christian, shooting at sunrise was a must! Famous throughout Tennessee, I knew we’d need to get there early and plan on a weekday to make sure we could have an intimate and memorable experience for the two of them. With the sun rising behind them, this location truly is one of the best locations in Chattanooga to Elope.
We arrived at the overlook in Prentice Cooper State Forest 25 minutes before the sun was scheduled to rise. After snapping a few shots with their headlamps on, we quickly unloaded our packs and got ready for them to exchange vows as the sun rose behind them. Those 15 minutes before the sun finally peaked above the mountains were my favorite! Soft light in cool morning air!
A morning elopement can’t be complete without breakfast so we arranged a scrumptious meal of waffles and fruit! Maybe in the future I’ll make another post about how to plan for a picnic because besides the actual experience, imagining and planning for it was seriously the best.
Hiking back with their sweet puppy Kaya, we took a few final photos by the wet-weather stream. During our whole adventure, we only saw 3 other people. Had this been planned for a weekend or at a popular Sunset location, we’d have been tripping over other photographers trying to photograph other couples. While we may have felt extra tired as evening arrived, the peace and tranquility of the Sunrise in Prentice Cooper State Forest made that early morning wake-up call 100% worth it!
What’s the earliest you’ve had to wake up for a shoot? Was it worth it? I’d love to hear your story in the comments below!
Location: Prentice Cooper State Forest
Florals: Blluum
Second Shooter: Victory Dawn Photography
