As a wedding photographer, I like to approach my role as a “built in buddy” for the day. Shooting multiple weddings a year allows you to see a lot, and can help you prepare for common mishaps. Now you may be thinking “oh no, we’re good about time, or I have a planner, etc.”, but let me tell you— you never really know what can happen, especially when emotions are running high, and the goal is a picture perfect day.
I wish you nothing but the best on your big day, here’s hoping you don’t run into any of these issues:
1) Practice tying your bowtie.
I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to send my husband (who shoots weddings with me) to a panicked mother-of-the-bride to help a groom and his groomsmen (or women) to assist with tying a bowtie. It’s funny, because he had issues during our wedding, and after running into the problem at a couple of other weddings we shoot at, it’s now standard practice for us to review it so we can help. Just in case.
2) Have someone set aside your cocktail hour hors d’oeuvres.
During our wedding, people kept coming us to us letting us know how much they loved the crab cakes we served during our cocktail hour. We had them during our tasting, and loved them, and couldn’t wait to grab a bite. The rush of “congratulations”, disappearing to take portraits, and my dad setting aside a plate were still not enough to save the snacks for us. Years later and we still talk about those crab cakes we’ve missed. And time and time again, we see the same thing happen to other couples. Designate someone not to only make a plate for you, give it to you, and make sure you eat it. It’s your wedding day, letting hunger make you irritable or look drained in your pictures is not the move.
3) designate someone to help your “getting ready area” stay uncluttered
Let’s be honest, once the hair stylist, make up artist and all the special gifts and goodies you’re responsible for bringing during the wedding day are all unpacked, things can get *messy*. It’s natural, and understandable. Some of that messiness can make for some cool moody pictures (we’ve all seen the array of make up splattered all over the counter) but more often than not, that’s the prettiest of it. Out of place clothes, packing boxes, your tennis shoes are most likely not what you want in your “getting-ready” wedding pictures, well maybe not all of them. Designate someone to help keep your room uncluttered for those ideal picture moments.
4) be mindful of the light in your “getting-ready” space.
Speaking of getting ready, having a well lit suite can make such a huge difference. Chances are your photographer has suggested a space with a lot of natural light. I wholeheartedly agree, big windows make for beautiful images. If it doesn’t seem like your pre-wedding prep area will have a lot of light, communicate that to your photographer. Likely they’ll come prepared, but sharing this info beforehand can help things move quicker.
5) give yourself more time than you think you need.
As someone who grew up in theater & dance one thing I’m well aware of, is that when things go live, things can go wrong, no matter how much you’ve prepared. Your wedding, most likely, is not a broadway performance, so the likelihood of someone forgetting something, or misplacing it is high. If anything like this happens, keep your cool, and remember it’s normal. The wedding is great, but what is symbolizes is greater. You’re celebrating the beginning of a new way of life.
If you’re looking for a way to stay on the offensive, try and give yourself a little more time than you need. Remember, if you’re hiring a hair or make-up artist, their routine is not yours, and will likely take longer as they are evaluating, recalling and making decisions about your look in real-time. If you have loved ones interrupting you with questions during your portraits, your photographer’s shooting time is significantly less.
Understandably your venue charges by the hour, and you’re likely hoping to stay within your budget. If it’s possible try to tack on a little more time at your venue. If this doesn’t seem feasible consider starting earlier, and getting prepared elsewhere.
6) if your wedding is outdoors, check the weather & have a plan.
Recently I shot a beautiful outdoor wedding, where everyone in the bridal party was constantly checking the whether for rain. They were all certain they were in the clear.
They weren’t.
It rained during the ceremony, during the portraits and the venue did not offer a rain alternative. They scrambled for umbrellas and the mismatched umbrellas kept everyone as dry as possible, though there were times when the party opted to just enjoy the sprinkles.
Conversely, summer weddings outdoors can be just as uncomfortable without proper planning. Older family members shouldn’t be worried about dehydrating, over heating or at the very least sweating off all their make up.
Check out these posts with tips on how to prep for rain or hot summer weddings.
