Saying “I Do” at Dusk: How To Have a Twilight Wedding
Sunlight peeking through the trees at just the right angle. The tranquility of evening infusing the atmosphere. The stillness of night lending weight to the joyful but solemn moment of official unification. These beautiful qualities are only possible in a twilight wedding.
Don’t rule out a twilight wedding just because it’s not the norm. More and more couples are choosing this option because, despite its novelty, it seems so fitting.
Twenty Mile House delves into the benefits of a twilight wedding, how to plan one, and other details about conducting this type of ceremony.
Table of Contents
What Is a Twilight Wedding?
A twilight wedding takes place in the early evening and is usually planned to coincide with sunset. Because the time of sunset varies with the seasons, there is considerable variation in the timing of a twilight wedding. In the winter, sunset is as early as 4:30 p.m., whereas the summer sun sets three hours later.
It isn’t hard to imagine why twilight weddings are becoming more popular. Evening tends to invite relaxation and enhances the romantic nature of the occasion. While some people prefer a more formal, active atmosphere of the daylight hours, twilight weddings are perfect for couples who prefer to tone things down and let the beauty of the moment shine with its own light.
Twenty Mile House is a twilight wedding venue in California that offers various natural landscapes as settings for your twilight wedding. Whether you prefer a sunset over the river as your backdrop, or a forested cloak surrounding your ceremony, you’ll find something that suits your taste.
3 Benefits of Having a Twilight Wedding
It’s understandable to feel nervous about trying something as nontraditional as a twilight wedding. But more people are realizing the charm of getting married at night, and there’s a lot to recommend it.
#1: Less Time and Money
Perhaps most practically, a twilight wedding can put less stress on you and your wallet. This is because you’re hosting/entertaining for a shorter time. A daytime wedding, including the reception, generally extends until the evening. If you condense your celebration to fit the evening hours, you won’t have to pay as much to vendors who charge by the hour. You may also pay less for the venue rental, since you’ll be occupying it for less time.
#2: More Relaxed Atmosphere
Preparing for your wedding can be stressful. Once the big day finally comes, you might be downright overwhelmed. Depending on your personality, the formality of the wedding ceremony could worsen your stress. If you just want to relax and enjoy the moment, evening weddings tend to be less formal, take less time, and feel less demanding overall.
#3: Flexibility for Guests
If your guests and vendors don’t have to commit to a whole day, they are more likely to be able to promise availability on the day of your wedding. Furthermore, people who couldn’t commit to attending on a weekday during working hours might make it if the timeline is shifted to the evening.
How To Plan a Twilight Wedding: 6 Critical Steps
#1: Select the Perfect Venue
Just because a venue looks excellent during the day doesn’t mean it will by night. Visit potential venues during the evening to rule out the ones that lose their charm after the daylight’s gone.
Twenty Mile House is one venue that stays enchanting even late into the night.
#2: Choose the Right Timeline
In a twilight wedding, the following events can be arranged as you see fit:
Guest arrival and light refreshment
Wedding ceremony
Wedding photos and drinks for guests
Relaxed dinner
Evening reception
There’s room for variation in the schedule, but the main determining factor in the order of events is the time of sunset and what part of the wedding you want it to illuminate.
At Twenty Mile House, we provide customized wedding coordination as part of our all-inclusive wedding packages. Our experienced team will help ensure each event transitions smoothly into the next.
#3: Find a Photographer
You probably have a few photographers in mind to give you the material that will make your wedding album an object of artfulness and admiration for years to come. But how many of them can:
Work in low-light conditions
Catch the perfect angles during sunset
Make use of artificial lighting in a natural, flattering way
Let the photographer know your timing preferences ahead of time so they can plan to capture the right moments at the right time.
Twenty Mile House partners with a skilled photographer who will render your wedding in modern, documentary-style pictures that faithfully represent the atmosphere so you can relive your wedding over and over again in print.
#4: Set up Appropriate Lighting
It’s important to strike a balance between decoration and practicality when you decide what lighting to use. Besides looking enchantingly beautiful, your lights (whether in the form of lanterns, candles, festoons, or fairy lights) should illuminate the vicinity adequately and set a warm, intimate tone for your evening.
#5: Organize Fitting Entertainment
There are several options for entertainment that are suited specifically for nighttime, including:
Fireworks or cold-spark fountains
Live band or DJ
Karaoke
LED dance floor
Activities like couple trivia or table games
A combination of two or three of these will allow guests to choose an activity according to their mood, so everyone leaves feeling the time was enjoyably spent.
If you are dubious about coordinating entertainment, let Twenty Mile House settle your misgivings. We’ll coordinate the services of a trusted DJ to make your wedding entertainment unforgettable.
#6: Have a Backup Plan
If you’re lucky, the weather will cooperate with your twilight wedding plans. But don’t leave it to chance. Be sure that you have an alternative setting nearby to host your wedding in the event of inclement weather.
You can maintain the feel of a twilight wedding, even indoors, by:
Using soft, layered lighting up against dark, moody backdrops
Adding sparkling or metallic decor
Keeping the start time as close to sunset as possible
Installing scented candles, diffusers, or incense
Frequently Asked Questions About Hosting a Twilight Wedding
How Much Would It Cost To Have a Twilight Wedding?
While savings amounts vary depending on your particular vendor and decor choices, a twilight wedding can be significantly less expensive than a daytime wedding for several reasons:
A sunset background makes elaborate decorations unnecessary.
You can keep the wedding small and spend less on food, drinks, seating, etc.
A venue that allows you to combine the ceremony and reception will cost less for transportation, setup, etc.
You can schedule your wedding on a weekday, a less popular and thus less expensive choice.
Are Twilight Weddings Worth It?
It’s definitely worth it for couples who don’t mind trimming some aspects of a traditional wedding or risking a last-minute switch to an indoor location during bad weather. Especially when you consider the romantic atmosphere and stunning photographs, it’s hard to deny the value of a twilight wedding.
What Kinds of Venues Are Best for Twilight Weddings?
Natural settings where the horizon is clearly visible are ideal, but it doesn’t have to be an outdoor location. An indoor location with glass walls or large windows can allow a sunset view or at least appealing streams of evening light to filter in. Some excellent options for twilight wedding venues include:
Gardens
Parks
Fields or vineyards
Beaches
Rooftops
Terraces
Historical sites
Barns
Courtyards
Farms
Twenty Mile House offers several of these settings as potential ceremony/reception sites.
What Time Should a Twilight Wedding Start?
The ideal start time depends on the season, location, sunset time, and desired amount of daylight. The goal is often to make the most important part of the ceremony (for most couples, the vows) coincide with sunset. This enhances the beauty of the moment and makes the atmosphere more romantic.
Discuss with your coordinator how long it will take to reach the wedding’s climax, and set your start time that many minutes prior to sunset in the region at that time of year.
What Is the Difference Between a Twilight Wedding and an Evening Wedding?
A twilight wedding specifically incorporates the transition from daylight into dusk and nighttime, whereas an evening wedding takes place after the transition has already occurred.
What Should Guests Wear to a Twilight Wedding?
Richly hued formalwear is usually recommended, but consult your invitation for information about the dress code. Guests should bring an extra layer (such as a shawl or blazer) for warmth when temperatures drop after sunset. Footwear should be easy to walk in to avoid falls as visibility decreases.
How Can I Keep Guests Warm at an Outdoor Twilight Wedding?
Consider providing or making available the following for your guests as temperatures drop late in the evening:
Blankets as party favors
Heaters in sheltered areas
Fire pits where permitted
Warm drinks
Planning for your guests’ comfort at your twilight wedding is an important proactive step to ensure their experience is pleasant and they’re not tempted to leave early.
Twenty Mile House: California’s Top Choice for a Twilight Wedding Venue
You have exciting plans for a twilight wedding, and you can’t wait to flesh them out with an actual venue, vendors, and other details. Twenty Mile House will do more than give life to your plans; we’ll exceed your expectations for excellent, personal, and high-quality service.
Our status as an all-inclusive wedding venue makes us hard to beat. Besides overall wedding coordination, our packages include the following services:
Catering
Cake and dessert preparation
DJ entertainment
Floral arrangements
Photography
Choose from among our various wedding locations that will prove gorgeous at sunset:
River
Forest
Garden
Mountains
And more
Call us today to learn more about our all-inclusive wedding packages. We would love to help you plan and execute the twilight wedding that you have in mind, or one even better.