Because natural lighting will change as the day progresses, there are sources of artificial lighting that a professional photographer uses to deal with the constant shift. Both your photographer and videographer should come prepared with the proper equipment to shoot in any type of light.

Natural ambient lighting works best; however, professionals rely heavily on electronic flash when ideal natural light isn't available. For an evening wedding outdoors, your photographer will have to supplement the sunset with a flash, especially as the sky darkens. For dim lighting in churches and dark reception halls, a “shoe flash” mounted on top of the camera is used. They should also bring in a “swing bracket" -- a pivoting arm that holds the shoe flash unit so that it can be swung in the proper position over the lens. Background flash units and strobes are also a way to eliminate dark backgrounds.

Videographers also face lighting challenges. While some professionals use lights on their cameras, others feel that flash can intrude upon the mood of the wedding. Ambient lighting or a stand-alone soft-box light works best for videographers because they can get clear shots without having to shine harsh bulbs. If you don't want your videographer to use a flash, make sure they have a superior video camera with low-light filters. This will enable them to capture quality shots despite settings with dim lighting.