Weddings should be enjoyable! They can, however, become daunting and stressful for couples as they attempt to organise the most important event of their lives on their own, especially when they don't know what the best options are.
Here are a few of our suggestions for making your big day less stressful!
1. Hire a wedding planner
Instead of rushing around trying to do a hundred things at once, you should be enjoying your wedding day!
Instead of racing around setting up the ceremony site, getting the flowers together, laying the wedding chairs just so, and being hounded by your wedding vendors for "what comes next?" you should be able to sit back and enjoy the moments leading up to the ceremony.
All of it will be taken care of by your wedding planner, who will also be the point person for any queries your guests or vendors may have!
And if something goes wrong, it's their responsibility to rectify the situation so you can go about your day without worrying about things that don't really important.
2. Schedule more time than you think you need for your wedding day timeline
What's more, guess what? You don't even need to plan a wedding day timeline when I'm your wedding photographer! I construct one FOR YOU, then combine it with all of your reception items and our timetable to create the Ultimate Wedding Timeline for you!
How are you supposed to know how much time you need to set aside for photos if you've never gotten married before?
"It went by so quickly; I wasn't expecting that!" many couples say after the wedding. I've photographed a lot of weddings, so I like to think I know how much time is required for each part of the day.
One of my brides wanted to be at her church by 11:00am for photos, but she had scheduled her hair and makeup for 9:00am. I explained to her about hair and makeup usually going over which can then push everything back by another hour or two, then of course, traffic on the way since it was a Saturday! We decided that 6:30am was a much better time frame for her to get dolled up.
Plus, if she’s running right on time, this means she can get dressed earlier which = MORE PHOTOS! Who doesn’t want that?
3. Choose the right photographer
Your wedding is going to be one of the most important, special days of your lives, and you want to make sure that you do everything right.
That's why it's so important that you choose the right photographer. Yes, as a photographer myself, I'm biased on this one. But think about it: your photographer is with you for pretty much the entire day and all the details that go into planning a wedding take time and money. If you hire someone who doesn't feel like a good fit, it may show in your photos and cause some major photographic regret down the road.
I've been in the industry for years now and I've seen it all—the good, the bad, and the ugly. My job is to capture your day as it really happens—to capture all those real moments of emotion and beauty that make up a wedding. And if that means getting down on my hands and knees to get just the right angle or making sure that you're comfortable enough with me to be able to be yourself…well then, I'm going to do what I need to do.
Never hire a photographer based on their price.
4. Choose ceremony & reception locations that are close together, if not at the same place
While I know it's not always possible, having your ceremony & reception at the same location really is ideal. It allows you to maximize your photography time (which is SUPER important), reduces stress for you and your guests, and guarantees that no one will get stuck in traffic on their way to the reception.
Think about this: some of your guests will be visiting from out of town and they may not have a car to drive 45 minutes away. There will be traffic (that you can get stuck in). It takes away from your photography time. If you really can't have your ceremony & reception at the same location, try to pick places that are 10-15 minutes away from each other instead. This will cause less stress for not only you, but for your guests…and vendors!
5. Don’t sweat the small stuff!
You're going to lose your mind a little bit during the planning process of your wedding. And that's ok. It's normal and everyone does it.
From all the weddings I've photographed, I've seen people go all-out on their flowers, and then when they get there, they're a little different than what they ordered. The same with their cake, bridesmaid dresses—you name it!
But guess what? You're the only one who knows that. And it's ok because at the end of the day, you're still getting married to the love of your life and that's all that matters!
Ready to book your wedding with us? GET IN TOUCH!