I have been wanting to create this list for awhile to share with couples getting married. All of these tips help make the day run smoothly or are just things sometimes people forget! Which is totally okay. Planning a wedding is a huge deal. It isn’t necessarily the way they portray it in movies. So if you are feeling stressed out, you are not alone :) I promise. And make sure if you have questions or need help reach out to your vendors!

Getting Ready Details

Are detail photos important to you? Then something that really helps elevate stress and helps with time management is making sure all the details are together and in a box or bag before I arrive! If everything is together, you or your wedding party don’t have to waste time running around looking for it! And then I can knock out those detail shots and get back to candidly documenting your getting ready.

And if you don’t want detail shots, just let me know! This is not a requirement. No photo on a wedding day has to happen. I am more concerned about what is important to you and how you want your wedding day story to be told!

Family Formals

One of the more stressful parts of a wedding day are the family formals. You make a list of everyone you want in the photos, you set aside time and the list ends up being way longer than you expected, you are tired of smiling, family members keep disappearing or adding their own groupings in the moment. You want to be done and either finally get married or join cocktail hour.

Make sure anyone on your family formal list knows they are needed for family photos. You might be thinking this is obvious but sometimes family members have no idea they were supposed to be somewhere at a certain time or stay behind after the ceremony.
If we are doing family formals prior to the ceremony, tell family members to be there a little earlier than they are needed. Better to be safe and have them there 5 minutes prior.
Doing family formals after the ceremony? Have the officiant make an announcement before the ceremony starts and before it ends asking anyone who is supposed to be in the photos to stay behind and not join cocktail hour. My goal is to get you to your cocktail hour if I can but if we spend 20 minutes trying to get an uncle back from the bar, you two might miss it entirely.

Special Photo Requests or Special Photo Moments

Do you have a photo in mind that you have always wanted from your wedding day? Or doing something special like branding a whiskey barrel or sabering a whine bottle? Both are important to note in the questionnaire I send out once you are booked. If you haven’t included it, that’s okay! Having a hands up with wither a photo inspo board or making a note you need me to pull you two aside for a private moment helps me keep track of these photos so you don’t have to :)

Feed Your Vendors

If a vendor is with you or will be with your for several hours of your day at your reception make sure to get them meals. I don’t take photos during dinner anyway ;) No one wants a photo of themselves eating so I pause and save the candid moments for when the forks are put down. Usually for myself, day-of-coordinators and DJ’s, we have already been with you or will be with you for the rest of the night. Vendors need to eat too! Shoutout to all my wonderful couples who have provided us meals and a place to sit. You rock.

Getting Ready Rooms

This one can be tricky because I know everyone plans to send their hotel rooms when they check in but the 24 hours leading up to your wedding are busy. So if you remember, send your vendors your room numbers. And if you don’t, I’ll be texting you the morning of. No biggie!

Time for you two

Your wedding day goes by so quickly! It feels like its takes forever for it to get here and then you blink and the DJ is calling out its the last song. I think one of the best things you can do is set aside time for you and you partner. Even if its just 10 minutes to sit after the ceremony alone with a drink and a snack. You may not get time alone again the rest of the night or even get to hangout much together.

Day of Tips and Tricks for Your Wedding From your Wedding Photographer