7 Tips for a Smooth Wedding Day
Okay, so you're getting married (EEK CONGRATS!!) and you have SO much on your mind! Planning a wedding isn't easy, so your brain is running a mile a minute, trust me I know!
For most of my couples, this is the first time you've planned a wedding, so as a seasoned pro, I have a few tips for planning your wedding day that will make everything run as smoothly as possible and keep your brain a stress free zone.
1) Be Aware of Light!
It's easy to scroll through Pinterest and drool over those gorgeous, golden wedding photos. But if you plan your ceremony at noon, that's not the look you'll get. Your photographer will be immensely helpful with this because we're experts on lighting! Chances are that most of us have a light tracking app on our phones too. If you base your timeline around the kind of light you want for each part of your wedding, you'll most likely be way happier with your wedding photos in the end!
A second place to be aware of light is in your getting ready space. Choose somewhere that has plenty of windows or as much natural light as possible. (No one likes their photos to look yellow!) Your photographer AND your makeup artist will thank you! ;)
2) Give Yourself Plenty of Cushion Time
A huge part of my job as a photographer is helping my couples design their day of timeline. When doing so we always make sure to build in at least 15 minutes of cushion time (sometimes more) between each activity or event. That way if everything's on time then you're early, and if things are running a bit behind, there's no stress! This also gives you time to sneak some quiet moments with your honey, which is what the day is all about!
3) Book an Engagement Session with Your Wedding Photographer
This is actually a little tip for before your wedding day. If it isn't already included, I 100% recommend adding an engagement session with your wedding photographer. This is a good idea especially if you and your cutie are a little apprehensive of being in front of the camera. It gives you the chance to see how your photographer will work with you, to get comfortable with them and their style, AND you'll get some amazing photos for your save-the-dates or invitations!
Also, chances are you haven't had professional photos done of you and your boo, maybe ever! So being able to relax a bit in front of the camera will make you more comfortable and less nervous on your wedding day. You won't have to be worried about you'll look in photos, you'll already know your photographer has your back.
4) Consider Doing a First Look
There are a LOT of reasons why I love first looks, At the end of the day of course, do what feels right for you and your partner. But here are a few things to consider when choosing traditional aisle vs first look.
With a first look, your timeline will be a lot smoother! Once you have your first look, you can actually get all of the bridal and family photos done before your ceremony so that your guests aren't waiting for you to enter the reception. Family photos tend to always take more time than you think, and after the ceremony people scatter everywhere. Having them done before your ceremony will help everything run smoother and prevent the stress of trying to find all your family members.
The second reason to consider a first look is privacy. If you're more introverted like me, it might make you a little nervous to think about walking down an aisle with everyone looking at you. It is so grounding for your partner to see you in private before everyone else does. It usually helps calms your nerves and you get to share that moment with each other first! Trust me, it does NOT take away from the emotion of walking down the aisle. They'll still cry when they see you coming, guaranteed.
5) Create a Family Shot List and Give it to Your Family Members
Okay this might seem like a no brainer, but I wanted to throw it in here anyway. Obviously you'll have a list in your head of what photos you want; you and your sisters, your parents and their parents, etc. I have two tips to make your family photos run as smoothly as possible; make a list of the family members you want photos with and what combinations you want and keep it as simple as possible.
After you narrow down your immediate family members that you want photographed and anyone else important, type it all out on a list with the time and location that the family portraits will be taking place. Then send it to your photographer so they have a copy, but also send it to every family member listed on the paper. This will prevent confusion and chaos on your wedding day (running around trying to find people is the worst) and keep everything on time. (Anyone involved in photos should also have a copy of the timeline you and your photographer create together so that no one has a question of what is happening when.)
6) Have your Details Ready for Your Photographer When They Arrive
I loooove detail shots. I think they help you remember even the tiniest parts of your wedding day and think back to those moments of calm before you married the love of your life. And if you're at all like that, then you probably want detail photos of all those little things. The best way to get these is to have them ready for your photographer as the first thing to do when they arrive. That way they can shoot everything and then return all of the items where they go and you know you got the photos you wanted.
Detail photos can include dress photos, shoes, rings, any special or sentimental items, stationary, florals, vow books, perfume, and literally anything else important to you! Gather all the items in a little basket and give them a designated area and then they're all ready to go!
7) Have an "Wedding Emergency Kit" Ready to Go
As a photographer, I already carry one of these with me to every wedding. BUUUT it's still a good idea to make your own so that you can put exactly what you want/need in it! Grab a cute little bag or box and load it up with bobby pins, safety pins, scissors, band-aids, tylenol, lip balm, kleenex, and anything else you think you'll need! Or if you don't want to make your own, you can purchase a cute one from Etsy that's already ready to go!
So there you have it, seven tips to help your wedding day run as smoothly as possible! When in doubt of course consult the experts! Your photographer, your coordinator, and the venue coordinator are all there to help you! They have lots of tips and tricks to help you on your way, after all that's what we're here for; YOU!
Cheers on your wedding journey my friend,
Riley J