I've been fortunate enough to have seen or a thing or two in my time documenting weddings. With a little help from friends here's 6 things that always seem to tie into everyone's wedding day.
1. Allow For More Time Than You Think You Need.
Even the most organized couple with the most well thought out timeline can find themselves a little behind schedule on the big day. Sometimes things don’t go exactly as planned. People can get caught in traffic, a dress can malfunction and….as a rule of thumb, everything will take a little bit longer than you expect. Adding an extra 15 minutes to your getting ready time, travel times and portrait time will help keep things running smoothly. If you don’t need it there’s absolutely nothing lost. Sit back and enjoy yourself!
Hiring a wedding planner to help plan your day and make sure that everything runs smoothly on the day of is a great idea.
2. Do a First Look.
If not well organized, this could be the biggest time suck of the day! Think about this, one person or multiple people have to coordinate to get the couple to the spot. If it's a "no look" or "first look" getting everyone in position and getting the camera ready to capture the moment just right is a process. In order to avoid that, make sure to provide your photographer with a detailed list of the groups you want portraits of. Similar thing for the videographer. Reminding those people the night before where to be and when, as well as asking them not to leave that spot (this happens 99% of the time) until the photographers are finished, could save you your sanity. It’s also helpful to have a family member (or even one from each side) on hand to find missing family members. Your photography team doesn’t know who people are so they are not the best ones to track down people for family and group photos!
3. Transportation.
Booking a party bus, limousine, or being positive who the driver will be if you have to travel on a wedding day keeps your whole party together without having to worry about anyone getting lost, broken down, etc…Fuel Up or charge your Electric Car. Also, make sure that you communicate ahead of time with your driver exactly where they will be taking you, addresses and all GPS info saved ahead of time!
4. Skip the Receiving Line.
Unless you have your heart set on shaking the hands of 200 plus guests, which in the world we're in now should probably be a naaaawww, feel free to skip this super time-consuming tradition. If you are able to go to your cocktail hour, that is the perfect time to mingle with your guests and doesn’t take up any extra time!
5. Trust Your Vendors.
When selecting which companies you will be hiring to make your wedding day perfect, it is of the utmost importance that you are able to put your full trust into these professionals. Micromanaging your own wedding can actually cause a delay in the timeline because you have to focus on all the details instead of celebrating your marriage.
6. Prepare For The Little Things Literally!
Even the most carefully planned day can have a minor hiccup or two. Don’t let something like a loose button on the groom’s shirt or a broken strap on a bridesmaids dress turn into a bigger problem than it is. A well-packed emergency kit is a must-have! Things like double-sided tape, a lint roller, safety pins, band-aids, extra bobby pins and a sewing kit will keep your day on track.
Here is one of the best Wedding Essentials lists that I've seen.
That's it for now! My best tips for rocking your wedding day timeline and having a stress free, fun day! I hope you’ve enjoyed it! If you found it helpful and would like to talk to me more about your wedding photography needs just visit this inquiry page and check out my work.
-Yeager
Wedding Photographer
& Videographer