Parasol for outdoor portraits? (and a question about reflector size)

[OceanHorizons]

In a few weeks I'll have the chance to meet up with some out-of-state family and friends and take their pictures in an oriental style garden. The main subjects with be a couple - my sister and her boyfriend. They know I'm new to photography as a serious hobby and this is practice.

I've been to the garden before - there are some good shaded spots but there are also really neat areas out in the open. Because we will all be traveling to a central location we'll be meeting early/mid afternoon (I understand it's not optimal but it's the only chance we'll have).

If it's sunny do you think having my sister hold a parasol would keep the light from being too harsh on their faces?

I was thinking about ordering this cloth parasol: Amazon.com: White Cloth Parasol #40WH: Clothing It doesn't state what sort of cloth it is made out of - would it matter?

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Also, I'm thinking about ordering a collapsible reflector - currently I use white-backed cardboard but I don't suppose that's the easiest to tote around outside. I'm dreaming of a 5-in-1 40 x 60 inch, but how hard is that to handle outdoors? (I don't have a reflector stand. I'll have another family member I can recruit to hold it, but that just sounds huge...) Could I use a smaller size and still fill in two faces?

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[SusanH1970]

I don't know about that parasol, but I handle that size reflector on my own. A bit tricky on windier days, and you said you'd have someone to help, so go for it.

[scootermcq]

Don't forget, if you expose for the faces in the shade, everything behind them will be blown out. If you meter for the background, the faces will be too dark. You will also need a reflector to bounce light back onto the faces, or a flash for fill

[OceanHorizons]

Susan - thanks for the feedback. I've ordered a 40 x 60 so I'm crossing my fingers that it isn't too windy that day!

Scott - thanks for the reply. I'm hoping to get in some practice using a reflector outdoors before my practice session - right now I need all the practice I can get!