Wedding Words of Wisdom...
Wedding planning can be so stressful. Let me try and help with that! I am happy to help anyway I can and would love to provide some ease through the process with a little less pressure. Here are a few tips I'd like to share.
- A timeline will be a huge help! Make sure you have enough allotted time for all of your important moments. Some couples don't want all the fluff or don't have many traditions or specific practices for their big day, and that is totally fine. That is what my smaller packages are for! Just keep in mind that you also don't want to feel rushed. Even without all the added traditions, you still want to make sure you have enough time for all the details that are most important to you. Your guests are absolutely important, but it is YOUR day. I'll provide a list at the bottom of this post to give some examples of things you want to make sure to include in your timeline!
- Sticking to your timeline - I don't mean you need to count every minute. We don't want to interrupt great moments just to make sure we do everything on the dot. Let's think of it more as a guideline. As long as you stay relatively close without stressing or feeling like you're missing photos (or moments you don't want interrupted by me!), you're good!
- Consider a short photo slot around sunset if your plan allows. These really do make timeless photos that you won't regret. I think that says it all!
- Bring your best, quirkiest selves. This will help you stay positive and excited instead of stressed. It will also make for the best results for your photos! Inside jokes, light and good fun, and of course, those romantic sparks that got you there all help to loosen things up for photos and not feel so under pressure.
- Last but not least, EMBRACE the unexpected. While we try to use a timeline and want things to go as planned, I believe it's just in the nature of weddings for there to be hiccups. And that is OKAY. The best way to handle it, is to just stay positive and know that you will still be getting married, you will still have your day, and that is the important part.
I hope these tips feel helpful and ease some of the load. Check out my list below of the examples you might want to include in your timeline. Keep in mind, you do not have to include or need all of these for your wedding; these are just the things I have experienced being important to other couples and may be items to consider. Some also might seem obvious!
• Getting ready
• Bridesmaid group and individuals
• Groomsmen group and individuals
• Wedding party all together (often done after ceremony)
• Family photos with each side individually (before or after ceremony)
• Ceremony
• Formal family group photos with both sides of the family (usually after ceremony)
• Couple-only photos (can be shorter or longer)
• Grand entrance or announcement of couple into the reception
• Toasts
• First dance, father daughter, mother son, etc
• Party time! Any other events during reception (bouquet toss, cake cutting, etc.)
• Grand exit
Happy planning!
