Love is in the air! Fall officially began last week, so we are in the throes of the autumn wedding season. Although the summer months have traditionally been the most popular for weddings, autumn weddings have steadily risen in popularity and nowadays, you’re just as likely to receive an orange maple leaf save-the-date as you are a frilly invite with a flower border.

But as we all (should have) learned in elementary school, when the seasons change, the angle of sunlight touching the earth changes as well, resulting in a different quality and duration of sunlight. While many people prefer the more “golden” tones of autumn afternoons (especially photographers!), it can certainly be challenging to keep your special day well-lit when the sun begins to set. But never fear! Here is a list of four ways lighting can save the day on your big day.

If you can, hire a lighting designer for your wedding. Great lighting can be the difference between a spectacular party and a “well, they tried hard.” Acclaimed lighting designer Extreme Productions) how glamorous professional wedding lighting can be. If you can afford to go all out, you won’t be sorry.

The reason lighting at a wedding is so important is it can really make or break a venue’s ambiance. Whether you want a romantic vibe, like in the picture, or more of a warm, casual family feel, lighting can make a huge difference on how successful you are in achieving the aura you desire. You will want to look into professional lighting design, especially if your wedding takes place outside. Many venues have pre-approved lighting designers familiar with their codes, so make sure to find out when venue-hunting.

But if hiring a lighting designer is these awesome DIY wedding lighting tips from the blog at Wedding Window.

It’s incredibly easy to forget about “minor details” like lighting while planning your wedding, but you can go nuts trying to come up with last-minute lighting solutions. Since lighting has such a big impact every part of the wedding, make it a priority!

3. Make a list early on of things that need to be well-lit, and plan accordingly.

Do you want your new monogram spotlighted on the wall at your reception? Or pinhole light above your wedding cake or centerpieces? Maybe fun, moving lights for the ceiling above the dance floor?

Research some of the lighting elements that have worked well at past weddings and make a list of everything you want at yours. It’s okay if you have to scrap some of your ideas, but the process of writing it out will help you make sure you don’t miss anything you’ll regret later.

If you’re doing your own lighting, this step is crucial to planning for what kinds of lights you want where, and what crafting you need to finish beforehand. Taking the time to plan ahead will save you all kinds of trouble at game time.

4. Crappy venues can’t defeat you!

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The term “light box” can mean a few different things, but from a lighting perspective it typically refers to a backlit display panel. Light boxes are most commonly used for advertisements or other commercial displays. You’ve probably seen them in trade show booths, restaurants, airports, nightclubs, offices, hotels, museum exhibits, and retail shops. That’s right, light boxes are everywhere.

One of the most common uses for light boxes is the commercial advertisement. You see these in large spaces like terminals or outdoors at bus stops. They capture the attention of passers-by and create lasting impressions. The light box pictured below is one of the biggest I’ve ever seen.

One of the most obvious places you’ll see light boxes are along the walls inside and outside of movie theaters. Sometimes lines of light boxes stretch incredible distances, advertising all the movies being shown in large theaters.

In fact, light boxes can be a fun addition to any home and can be used for as many purposes as you can imagine. Sure, you could illuminate a movie poster of your daughter’s favorite movie. But you could also make a custom sign saying whatever you want. I really like the light box below, created at home for home.