Emotions range from excited to nervous to happy and stressed. There is so much that goes into a wedding day between planning, problem solving and then watching everything unfold as you commit your life to the person of your dreams. I know when I speak to my brides, there are several things I mention to help them get the most from their wedding day and help minimize the stressful component of getting everything to work perfectly together so they can enjoy their day. If you’re in the market of getting married or have some friends who are on their way to saying “I do,” I hope this information can help you as well.
Tip #1: Set all of your details aside at the first part of your wedding day. This is so helpful to your photographer if he/she decides to photograph your details at the beginning of your wedding day. as everything is together in one place. There are several advantages to this – first, the details don’t get forgotten in the rush of the day. Second, you make sure you have everything together that you’d like to have photographed in the beginning so you’re not worrying about forgetting something after the fact. Third, it helps thing move fast because you’re not trying to track down various pieces: i.e the rings, your shoes, veil, etc. Details are a way to personalize your wedding and make it unique to who you are as a couple. This is why I love incorporating them into couple’s wedding day albums so they can tell the story of your day.
Tip #2: Have a wedding day timeline. I have found this to be one of the most critical pieces to making a wedding day go as smoothly as possible. You can create one a variety of different ways – if you have a wedding day planner (an amazing investment by the way!) they are paramount in making sure everything is handled, moves smoothly, communication is streamlined between vendors and everything turns out beautifully. I had the privilege of working with a wedding planner earlier this summer and it was awesome (read more the advantages to wedding planners) If you don’t have a wedding day planner, a good photographer can also offer this service, as they have the best perspective of how long each element will take. What’s great about this is that time can be built into each part of the day so that if things don’t go perfectly (as they often don’t) then you have some leeway on when things need to happen to keep your day running smoothly.
Tip #3: Let your photographer know if there are any awkward family dynamics. There is nothing that can make a day feel more stressful or off than when guests and family members aren’t getting on well. The time when this becomes the most evident is when it’s time to take family photos. If you let your photographer know that Uncle Bill and Aunt Ann don’t get along, then he/she can make appropriate judgment calls when getting the family together for images. It also helps to know dynamics to ensure nothing crazy will happen during the ceremony or otherwise throughout the day. The more you keep your photographer in the know, the better he/she can help diffuse tense or awkward situations by not asking those individuals to come together for photos and memories.
Tip #4: Save an adequate amount of time for couple’s photos. There are so many things going on on a wedding day and so many individuals to visit with, it can be hard to take a moment for yourselves just to breathe. Saying that, giving a fair amount of time to photograph you all as a couple can be really special and a moment to reflect that you’re now married. Often, these are the images you’ll choose to print and put on your wall, so I’d vow to argue that they’re some of the most important of the day. Truly, when you look back on everything in 10, 15 or 20 years down the road, the ones of you together are going to take you back to how you felt when you were so in love and in the middle of one of the best days of your life.
Tip #5: Relax, have fun, and don’t sweat the small stuff! No doubt, there are hundreds of pieces that have to come together to throw one of the biggest parties of the year, even if it’s on the smaller side of just gathering 20-50 of your favorite people to celebrate your marriage. And after so much planning, you want it to be perfect. But at the end of it all, the most important part about you all starting your life together in a new beautiful beginning is what matters the most. If the cake leaned a bit or was the wrong flavor, it truly won’t matter later on. If the venue or rental company didn’t have the long tablecloths you wanted and instead did shorter ones, in the end, it won’t matter. Your wedding day is your own and has it’s own feel and vibe to it which makes it yours. Enjoy it. Have fun and celebrate that you get to be with the person you love and you get to start a new life together as two.
If you or someone you know is looking to tie the knot, I’d love to talk with you about your story and helping you capture the wedding day of your dreams. Contact me today to inquire about photography services and ways I can help you on your wedding day!
