Every couple wants to have a smooth wedding day, of course right? Here are some things you can do to help achieve a smooth flow to your day!
Hair and makeup always runs longer than anticipated. Do a hair a makeup run through before the big day to see how long it takes and if you love your look of course! This is the time to change things as needed. Be sure to have your jewelry to trial with hair and makeup to see the finished look.
Have your flowers delivered where you are getting ready. Flowers bring out a lot of color in neutral colored environment during the getting ready phase. I am always taking detail shots of the flowers, plus you may want to pick it up for a quick photo too!
Rules for the venue. Some venues are laid back and some are super strict in regards to photographs. Find out your venues rules for photographs and restricted locations.
Formal photos before the ceremony is less stress, I promise! You'll have time to go to your party after the ceremony without feeling rushed and see all of your loved ones and friends! Plus a lot more time for B&G photos if a "First Look" is on the schedule.
Don't forget to snack while getting ready! I get it, all those nerves severally decrease our appetite, but it is so important to work through those mental blocks and get some food in your belly. It may be awhile before you get to eat, so carry on and keep snacking. You won't grow out of that dress the day of, promise! Most wedding parties are drinking too, so again, I advise, have finger foods to go with! Drink plenty of water and if you're drinking alcohol, try to have sips of water in between your cocktails.
Prepare an emergency bridal kit with clear nail polish, nail clippers, mints, a sewing kit, stain remover, eye drops, safety pins, bobby pins, pain reliever, mini deodorant, and feminine products. Nothing wrong with being prepared for anything!
Buy something cute and comfy to wear the morning of your wedding. Make sure you can get out of it easily so it doesn't mess up your hair and makeup. Wrap arounds or robes are great for this! I encourage cute, comfy, and matching outfits for the bridesmaids too! Everyone matching makes for great photos.
Bridesmaids and Groomsmen, be ready early! Even if you don't want to have a "First Look," it is still a good idea to be ready early for a fun pre-wedding shoot with bright light! Try to be ready about 2 hours before the ceremony starts to allow enough time together. Normally I'll do the bride portraits first, about an hour before the ceremony, followed by the guys. If you have indviduals in your wedding party that are always late, we all have those family members/friends, it's life, PLEASE tell them not to be!
Make a list of posed family photos you want. With a list, this process will happen a lot faster! Its very important to know the family list if we are not doing formal photos before the ceremony. The best thing to do is designate someone to locate the family members needed if not everyone is present. Make sure this individual knows their job beforehand, not the day of the wedding. Communication is key to make this run as smoothly as possible, so you can get back to your party. My suggestion, keep your list to immediate family only. Each pose should take 5 minutes, so decide how long is too long and how much is too much before the big day. I can always photograph non-formal family and friends at the reception.
A few things to think about! Not only do I photograph weddings, but I am also here to help the bride and groom get through any questions they may have regarding their wedding that is not photography related. I am an open book when it comes to this, you can ask me anything!
- Connect with a Wedding Photographer
Your wedding location will have so much beauty to offer for stunning backdrops on your wedding day, and of course, you will want these moments captured. As photojournalist wedding photographers in Northern California, we capture all the smiles and all the raw feels as each moment happens. My goal is to relax, have fun and most importantly, make your wedding day vision come to life.
Call us at (530) 401-0509 or get in touch through our website's contact form. I will be touch with you within 24 hours. You can check out my blog to see more of my wedding photography style and my Instagram has all of my work too, don't forget to follow me! I can't wait to meet you and hear all about your wedding vision!