Best Ceremony Start Times by Season in Knoxville

January 31, 2025

Spring Weddings (March – May)

Spring weddings in East Tennessee are my favorite time of the year, especially when everything starts to bloom and dogwood trees pop up all around Knoxville and the Smoky Mountains. Sunsets usually happen between 7:45 PM and 8:30 PM in Knoxville. Because of that, I often suggest starting your ceremony around 4:00–5:30 PM. This gives you enough time for family photos right after the ceremony and still leaves space for romantic couple portraits before the sun goes down behind the Smoky Mountains.

Summer Weddings (June – August)

Summer in Tennessee gets hot. Not just warm — hot and very sunny. Therefore, I always recommend planning your ceremony closer to the evening, ideally around 5:30–6:30 PM. Earlier ceremonies often mean harsh sunlight, squinting, and strong shadow lines across your face in photos. In addition, your hair and makeup will hold up much better when you avoid the peak heat of the day.

Fall Weddings (September – November)

Nothing beats fall colors in Tennessee, especially when the Smoky Mountains turn into warm shades of gold, orange, and deep red. The crisp air and vibrant foliage create the most magical backdrop for romantic wedding portraits in Knoxville. Fall is one of the most popular seasons for Smoky Mountain weddings. However, the sun starts to set earlier in October and November. Because of that, many couples plan their ceremony between 3:30–5:00 PM. This allows enough time for bridal party photos, family portraits, and golden hour portraits before it gets dark.

Winter Weddings (December – February)

Winter weddings in Knoxville may not have all the greenery, but Christmas-time celebrations bring a cozy and magical atmosphere you just can’t beat. Winter sunsets happen as early as 5:30 PM in Knoxville. For that reason, ceremonies usually start around 2:30–3:30 PM. Otherwise, you may run out of natural light quickly, especially for outdoor portraits.

Your ceremony start time affects everything else, including:

• family portraits
• bridal party photos
• cocktail hour
• reception entrance
• sunset portraits

travel time between venues in the Smoky Mountains

A well-planned timeline helps you avoid rushing through photos and gives you more time to enjoy your guests.

The Best Way to Choose the Right Ceremony Time

First, check your wedding date sunset time. Next, decide if you want a first look. Finally, talk to your photographer or planner before locking in the timeline. A thoughtful ceremony start time creates a relaxed wedding day and helps you get the magical, soft-light photos every Knoxville couple dreams about.

Do not Stress about your wedding timeline.

However, don’t worry — your wedding planner and photographer should help you with all of these timeline decisions. They will guide you based on your venue location, the season in Knoxville or the Smoky Mountains, and the amount of photography coverage you choose. If you are still wondering how to plan your wedding day timeline or how many hours of wedding photography you may need, you can read more about it here:

➡️ [How Many Hours of Wedding Photography Do You Need for Your Knoxville Wedding?]