5 Tips for Wedding Planning – FYI Friday

I’m at it again, another blog series. Welcome to FYI Friday. I’ll have all sorts of tips, tricks and tidbits for you in these posts. I’m starting it off with 5 Tips for Wedding Planning. Planning a wedding is NOT easy. There is a reason that wedding coordinators do it for a living. It is a job in itself. Add a full time job, hobbies and other commitments to the list, and it can just get overwhelming. I try to help my couples as much as I can. That’s why I have put together these 5 Tips for Wedding Planning! Obviously these are the best tips I can give from a photographer’s point of view, but everyone will appreciate them in the long run.

Think About the Small Things

Small details such as a personalized hanger and pretty hangers for your bridesmaids dresses make a BIG impact on your dress photos! A great place to look is Etsy. I do bring wooden hangers with me to my weddings, just in case you aren’t able to get one though….don’t worry =] But having one that is specifically made just for you is just another way to make your day YOURS. Another great, simple idea is to bring a specific perfume and cologne with you to get ready. “They” say that the sense of smell brings back memories the strongest. When you smell that perfume or cologne years later, it will bring back the memories from your wedding day. My last tip about the small things is to keep all of your getting ready supplies in one corner of the room. All of the bags, food, drinks, keep everything in one place. Not only does this make it easier to move around the room, but you won’t have water bottles and store bags in the background of your getting ready photos!

Have all the Details Together

As a photographer, I LOVE getting great detail shots. You put in all of the thought into every last little detail, and it should be shown off that way! To do this, I need to have everything available when I get there. There are resources online that tell you to have the rings with the best man. Realistically, that isn’t the best option. Using the natural light that is available during the day is important, especially to make those rings really sparkle! The rings can always be given to the best man prior to the ceremony, but it works best to have them with the bride beforehand. Same rule of thumb goes for the flowers. Have your bouquet, your bridesmaids bouquets, the boutineers and any corsages delivered to where you’re getting ready. They will get that same great natural light, and get incorporated into the rest of your details. Also, if your florist can bring a few additional, individual flowers that works great to tie in your flowers with your paper goods. Which brings me to the last item to bring to the getting ready space….your invitation suite! I know that you looked at TONS of different options for your invites, save the dates, everything down to the envelopes. Bring it all with you so that I can document it!

Keep the Moment Sacred

It’s no secret we are living in a digital age. I love good technology just as much as the next person. With that said, your wedding ceremony should be a time where everyone is focusing on the two of you. I have seen where the couples first view of each other is interrupted by someone leaning out into the aisle with an ipad (shudder). Sometimes MY view is blocked when getting those shots of you walking down the aisle together. Let’s be honest, those iPhones aren’t getting ANY smaller. Not to mention it will give your wedding photos a dated feel years in the future. There are all kinds of signs you can make for the ceremony asking for a tech-free moment. I’ve seen it printed on the wedding programs, and as individual cards sent out with the paper invites. All of which are great, and I highly suggest. I will say the thing I have seen that has had the most impact is the officiant asking everyone to just relax and enjoy the experience and that the couple requests that no phones, ipads or other technology be used during the ceremony. He said this before anyone walked out for the ceremony. Y’all, I have seen LAPTOPS be used to take pictures/videos. The madness has to stop!

Hair & Makeup Trial

Your wedding day is a time to not only look, but FEEL your best. I have seen brides unhappy with their hair or makeup, just moments before leaving for their first look or ceremony. Not only did it add unnecessary stress to the day, but it set everything back by about 20 minutes. This is why I recommend doing a hair and makeup trial. It gives you SO MUCH more time to play around with different looks! You want to feel gorgeous, and you deserve to be the one making jaws drop on your wedding day. This is also a great time to do a bridal session. Your hair and makeup will look the same on the big day, so hop in your dress and lets get those one on one photos to show your grandkids one day. We will do a few on the actual wedding day, but nothing compared to what you get from a full session. You’ll get to wear your dress more than once (hello! you definitely spent enough time picking it out), and you can have a portrait to show at your reception. Not to mention, you might see the photographs and decide you didn’t like your hair or makeup. A bridal session and a trial run of hair and makeup gives you a chance to see the whole package put together before there are no re-do’s!

Share the Timeline

I will help you build a timeline in order to get the most out of your day. It’s not about planning when to do which event, it’s more of planning your fun time. Having a timeline and a game plan ensures that you get the maximum of time to enjoy your day. To take advantage of that precious golden light right before sunset, a timeline is crucial. I work with each of my couples to make sure we get that in! The entire timeline helps the day run smoothly. Share it! Share it with all of your vendors, and the family and friends who will be in portraits that day. This lets them know when and where they need to be, helping for a smoother day.

At the end of the day, make the day your own. Soak it all in. It goes by fast. You’ve done all of the work already, sit back and enjoy it! The day is about the two of you. But I hope these tips help! Thanks for reading my first FYI Friday post =]

If you enjoyed this blog series, you may want to check out Motivation Monday!

be silly. be honest. be kind.