A winter wedding.
Wedding season does not end in September. From October to March the light is low, the Oise châteaux change face, and dates are still there to choose. Here is what winter changes for your photos, hour by hour, drawn from the 0 off-season weddings we have photographed and told.
When night falls
Sunset in Beauvais on the 15th of each month. The day is built around this time: usable light for outdoor portraits ends about half an hour earlier.
- October 19h04
- November 17h11
- December 16h53
- January 17h18
- February 18h09
- March 18h55
Computed for winter 2026-2027, local time. Earliest of the year: 16h53, mid-December.
What winter changes for your photos
Golden light all day
In December the sun never climbs high. The low light you wait for until 8 pm in June is there from the morning: at the Château d'Auvilliers, Angie and Marouane's 10.30 am arrival already happened in a cold, side light that sculpts faces.
Architecture finally visible
Bare trees, no foliage in the gaps: venues show their stone. At the Abbaye royale du Moncel in February 2024, the cold brought out the raw medieval architecture, the grand staircase and the cloister, with nothing to distract.
Interiors that can be prepared
In winter the ceremony is often indoors, and that is a chance for photos: a controlled space, candle and window light that can be anticipated. That is what Anne-Flore and Thomas's ceremony gave at the Domaine de la Croix Sauvalle in February 2025.
December's décor
Christmas wreaths with red ribbons on the carved wooden door, white lanterns on the steps: at the Château de Pontarmé in December 2025, the setting almost arranged itself. A winter wedding is anything but quiet: Angie and Marouane's ended with a Moroccan band at 11.30 pm.
How we plan the day
- Outdoor couple photos happen before nightfall, so often before the ceremony: a first look in early afternoon settles it, and you then enjoy your drinks reception. In December the window closes around 16h53.
- Group photos are taken where there is light and shelter, scouted in advance. If the weather turns, we switch to plan B without losing time, as at the Domaine de la Muette in the October 2025 rain.
- The evening is photographed with the venue's own light: fairy lights, candles, chandeliers. At the scouting visit we tell you what will be missing and what just needs switching on.
- The day after remains an option: when the day flies by, a day-after session in an Oise forest catches up the portraits winter cut short.
Frequently asked questions
Is a winter wedding in the Oise a good idea for photos?
Yes, provided the day is organised around the light. In mid-December the sun sets at 16h53 in Beauvais: outdoor couple photos happen in early afternoon, or before the ceremony with a first look. In return, winter gives low golden light all day, venues stripped of foliage that finally show their architecture, and decorated interiors summer never offers. We have told 0 October-to-March weddings on this site, two of them in December 2025.
What time does it get dark on a winter wedding day?
In the Oise, the sun sets around 17h11 in mid-November, 16h53 in mid-December, 17h18 in mid-January and 18h09 in mid-February. Usable light for outdoor portraits ends about half an hour earlier. We plan the couple session accordingly, and the rest of the day is photographed indoors, where the light can be prepared.
What if it rains or it is very cold?
We plan for it at the scouting stage: every venue has its shelters, galleries and windows. On 4 October 2025 at the Domaine de la Muette, rain moved the group photos to another spot found on site, and the day lost nothing. For the cold, outdoor portraits are kept to short windows, with a coat within reach between shots.
How much does a winter wedding photographer cost?
Our prices are published on the Pricing page, from €1,080 for photography. What mostly changes in winter is availability: winter dates are far less in demand than June ones, and there is often still a choice of day.
Can we have a photo booth for a winter wedding?
Yes, and it is a large part of our work: 42% of our booth bookings take place outside May-September. In winter the booth is set up indoors, runs all evening, and the guestbook is included from the 200-print package.
Our prices are published on the wedding photographer pricing page. For a winter date, write to us : we reply with that day's sunset time and the schedule we recommend.