I was talking to my friend Shelli a few weeks ago about their wedding plans, helping go through their timeline as well as giving some tips for the day of. There was some good info I sent her so I wanted to share with any couples who are currently planning :) If you have already been married and have any tips to share please comment on this post below!

Timeline

As a photographer, I am typically the only vendor who you spend the entire day with outside of a videographer or a wedding coordinator. Oftentimes, couples don’t hire a day of coordinator so I usually step into that role. When you book with me, I will send you a questionnaire to fill out that asks all sorts of questions, the most important being the timeline. I usually am the one creating these for couples or helping them tweak ones they have already created. Whether you booked with me or another photographer, talk to us. We know the flow of a wedding day, we can help with logistics, we can give you recommendations on timing so you get the most out of your coverage. And we help keep you on track the day of to the best of our ability!

Point of Contact

Another question I ask for you on my questionnaire is to have the contact info of your maid-of-honor or best man. I think it is important to have these just in case I need to get ahold of you prior to arriving. If you have a bridal party person or another friend or family member who can act as a point of contact on the day of, this helps vendors get their questions answered without bothering the bride and groom.

Family Wrangler

I did an entire blog post a few weeks ago about family photos that you can read here. But I will share one of the biggest tips I can give for these: choose someone from both sides who knows who the family members are on your list so they can help make sure they are on deck for the next photo or are in the photo. We will have a list of all the groupings you want, but we do not know who these family members are. Having someone who can say Aunt Sue is here or Uncle Bob is in the back of the church is helpful.

Take a Break For Yourself

One of the best things Lex and I did on our wedding day was giving ourselves 10 minutes after our ceremony during cocktail hour to sit in my parents’ house just the two of us. The entire day went by so fast! Especially the reception, so having those few minutes to just hang out was exactly what we needed. I remember prior to the wedding I had said if anyone wants to chat with us, they can chat during our cocktail hour. Or they can come join me on the dance floor. And even still I don’t think I danced at our reception as much as I thought and definitely didn’t dance as much with Lex as I hoped. Its not a bad thing! I still had an amazing reception but I realized about an hour before it was over I had hardly seen Lex. Having that time earlier together was much appreciated.

Bag of Goodies

These are all things I bring on every wedding day. Not every photographer does this but I have found these all to be needed at one point or another. Besides providing a gorgeous gallery of photos or video, I want to make your experience leading up to your wedding day and on the day of as least stressful as possible. So, consider picking up a few of these items especially if I am not your wedding photographer:

-Band aids/small first aid kit

-Small sewing kit

-Small mirror

-Clean and Clear Face Oil Film (trust me, on a hot day you may want to blot!)

Handheld Fan

Lex and I got married on September 1st and it just so happened to feel like one of the hottest days in history. Especially inside our tent. I had initially thought about buying everyone in the bridal party and our immediate family a handheld fan as a gift but changed my mind. I was nervous I would buy them and no one would use them. Well, they were the most coveted items on our wedding day! We had about 6 I think and we all took turns using them. During photos it helped to cool Lex and I down so we didn't overheat or look too red in photos. And then during our reception especially during speeches it helped to have a fan blowing on us. My grandparents stole one as well so they didn't overheat. Looking back, this is the only thing I would have done differently.

Details

I shared a full blog post about wedding details a few weeks ago that you can read here but the big takeaway from that is details are important. They help tell the story of your day. You’ve probably put a lot of thought into them so they should be included in your gallery! If you have an important detail you want photographed, set it aside for your photographer so you don’t have to scramble to find it. I LOVE getting details shots of shoes and jewelry. But don’t worry, even if you forgot to pull these aside we can find them and get them photographed regardless!

Getting Ready

Getting ready looks different for everyone. My biggest recommendation for those who truly want getting ready shots is for us to come just as you are finishing your hair and make up or right before you get dressed. If you have something like fun t-shirts, robes, or flannels everyone is wearing we can get that shot right away before everyone gets dressed. For brides, have those you want to help you get ready and be in a few shots with be in their outfits. For grooms, if you want to be in your shirt and pants before we get there that is no problem. But wait to put on any of those finishing details like ties, shoes, or jackets.

Delegate

I know leading up to your wedding you may want to have a hand in everything or just work on it yourself. But on the day of, delegate! It goes by waaaay too fast. You don’t want to spend your day running around taking care of anything. Your loved ones want to help, so don’t be afraid to give them tasks. And it doesn’t need to be a huge long list, even one thing per person can help you feel less stressed the day of and let them feel more involved.

Nothing Happens Exactly As You Plan It

On your wedding day, things won’t go as planned. Sometimes its a lot, sometimes its a few minor things. But it is important to remember that no matter what happens your day will still be beautiful, memorable, and at the end of it you will be married! And thats what the whole thing is about anyway, right? :)