So often at Bridal Shows I meet Brides, Moms & Bridal Party Attendees who are frantic, stressed, and generally overwhelmed with the idea and process of planning a wedding. But it doesn't have to be that way!
Here are a few tips to consider:
1. USE THE HELP OF A PROFESSIONAL!
Seriously, we are here to help, and we do this all the time, and have a lot of tricks up our sleeve just from being involved in weddings year after year! So even though I'm a photographer, I still can help you plan your itinerary, choose venues & create an overall theme for your wedding. I also have vendor friends such as DJ's, Limo services, Flower & Cake Designers who I've worked with that I'd be more than happy to connect you to. Never be afraid to ask for help!
2. PICK YOUR FAVORITE PERSONALITY!
So you're choosing between 2, 3, 4 vendors...they all have good work, they're all within budget, they're all available...how then do you choose? When you're choosing your photographer, keep in mind how important it is to connect with that person & form a relationship with them. Do you feel safe & comfortable with them? Can you laugh with them & feel like yourself? This may seem like an odd thing to consider, but think about how many hours you'll be spending with this person on your wedding day & how important your bond with them will be in order to make your day as stress-free as possible. In many cases, I spend 8-12+ hrs with my brides on their wedding day. I help them put on their make-up, dress, shoes, I dry their tears & make sure they're fed & give them a pep talk...I see it all! I want my Brides to feel comfortable with me so that their photographs come out looking natural and easy. So choose someone whose personality meshes well with yours, you'll have more fun, I promise!
3. CREATE AN ITINERARY!
This may be the organizer in me coming out, but I think it is so important to have a game plan drawn out for your wedding day, and make sure everyone has that plan in hand ahead of time. Wedding day can be very stressful, often times the hours you thought you'd have turn into seconds, and it's rush rush rush to the alter! But it doesn't have to be that way! I always help my Brides create an itinerary. From the moment they wake up...to breakfast, hair/make-up, getting dressed, travel time, ceremony, portrait session, travel to reception...it's all timed and choreographed. I keep the itinerary with me in order to keep my bride & groom on time, and it helps the whole day flow better. Some may argue that they just want to float through the day without a watch, and that's fine for the Bride & Groom, but the professionals leading the arrangement need a plan to follow. So make an itinerary, and I'll keep you on track so you'll never have to stress at all!
4. HAVE A BACK-UP PLAN!
This tip is for your Bridal Party Portrait Session mainly, but could be for ceremony as well; and that is, plan for weather changes! If you are planning on doing your Bridal Portraits outside, also choose a close-by indoor location in case it rains. Some people think that outside is the only way to go, but think outside of the box for indoor locations such as: a library, museum, church, hotel, movie theater, barn, sports stadium, or even your favorite diner. Rain does not have to ruin your day, but you must plan ahead!
5. CREATE A PORTRAIT CHECK-LIST!
Say Wedding Day comes, I photograph everyone I see at your party, but you get back your proofs and realize there's no picture of you and Aunt Betty! We can't go back and relive the day, so you are left sad and disappointed...which is what I do not want to happen. So my way of making sure that doesn't happen? Create a Portrait Check-list! There is no way for me to know you have a special Aunt Betty & Cousin Joe unless you tell me. And in the whirlwind of your wedding day, it may escape your mind that you had wanted to get a special picture, but if I have that special request on a check-list, I can make sure it happens! It's another way for me to make your wedding day easier & assure that you get everything you want! So take a few minutes, write down your family, special friends, groups of people or certain poses that you must have & I'll do the rest.
So there you have it, my top 5 tips on making your wedding day stress-free! Let me know your thoughts & how I can help!
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