Pick a Side: Team Sunrise or Team Sunset? (And why you should pick a sunrise)
What time do you wake up in the morning?
And are you happy about it?
Don’t ask me, I am one of those disgusting morning people who jump out of bed while it is still dark, sing “Goooood morning!” to my dogs, take them for a run in the woods, then come back to make a lovely cup of coffee. All the while, my husband The Honorable Mr. Goldstein burrows further into the warmth of the blankets, trying to catch those last few moments of sleep.
But let me give you some good reasons why a sunrise - not a sunset - proposal should be considered:
Privacy. Go to any location that promises a great vista to watch the sun come up and chances are the only other people there are crazy photographers. You are just not going to see a great many tourists or visitors in the Smokies getting up to watch the sunrise (to grab a table at a pancake house in Gatlinburg, sure). Even fewer folk when the temperatures are low and especially when you are heading to a spot at a higher elevation. If you are looking for privacy and do not like crowds, a sunrise is more likely to give you that.
Quiet. it’s simple - the fewer people, the more quiet it is. Let me tell you, listening to the wind coming through the trees punctuated by birdsong is just magical.
Great Light. You may hear photographers talk about the Golden Hour and most times they are referring to that last hour before sunset. But why? Without getting into the physics and math, the LARGER a light source is to a subject, the SOFTER it is. Now, the sun is the sun is the sun, right? But as it dips towards the horizon, it appears larger and more muted in the sky (come on, you’ve seen this) versus high noon when it is a smaller, blazing hot point above. So being diffused through Earth’s atmosphere, sunlight towards dusk is nicer than midday. And the same thing happens in the morning - at sunrise, the sun at the horizon is a larger ball of light than later in the day and so makes a softer light.
Greater Potential for Unique Conditions. Do you love fog and mist? Consider this: when air temps are cooler in the morning, ground conditions usually are not as cool, especially moving water. So you are more likely to see a mist on the water that gives a dreamy quality and if it gets backlit by the new sun, it can be stunning. In more humid weather, you also have less of a likehood for a thunderstorm unilke an early summer’s evening - depending on where you plan on being, that could be risky (“when thunder roars, get indoors”), not to mention the rain means no sunset.
Scheduled. Does your Beloved have difficulty being on time? Well, time, tide, and sunrise wait for no one. The good news is that traffic should be lighter then so getting to a proposal spot for sunrise is easier and less stressful. TIP - bring a blanket to share a cuddle beneath as you watch the sky grow lighter and surprise them with a thermos of hot coffee.
Symbolism. The start of a new day, the start of a new chapter in your lives. Let a rising sun signify optimism, freshness, and positive vibes to begin your lives as an engaged couple.
Enjoy these sunrise pictures of Dean and Valescia’s sunrise proposal at Newfound Gap on a December morn.
