File:  Wedding

Hi there!  Thanks for visiting my blog site.  Below you will find my favorite tips for creating a stress-free wedding day.  Happy reading!

1. Hire a coordinator for the wedding day

Even if your budget doesn’t allow for a turn-key wedding planner, ask a friend or hire someone to handle all the details on the actual wedding day so that any last-minute questions from vendors or issues can be handled by him or her. This really goes a long way! A lot of couples enjoy planning all the details of their special day, and that’s wonderful. However, there is a time to let go and relax and that day shouldn’t be after the wedding, it should be during the wedding! Give this coordinator all the info they’ll need – wedding ceremony and reception details and all the transportation plans in between. This list names and cell phone numbers for musical vendors, waitstaff leaders, the photographers, and the venue coordinator. This person should have a print out of the days events, timelines, special photograph needs that were shared in advance with your photographer. In addition, let him or her know if there are any special group pictures you want during the reception, such as your college friends, your high school friends, etc. Have the coordinator organize this for your photographers. Give all this info to this person before your wedding day, not on your wedding day. This way, you can relax and know that everything is being taken care of.

2. Hand your phone to someone else

Ouch! I know… difficult to do! But once you do, you’ll be so glad. You need to be present. You need to be engaged with your friends and family. After all, you put a lot of planning into this day. What could possibly be worth looking into your phone? Let your Wedding Day Coordinator take care of any issues that pop up. There’s no reason for you to even know of such issues. Consider giving the coordinator your phone in case they need to answer any texts or phone calls. (And don’t forget to give him or her your passcode to your phone!) If anyone wants selfies, let your friends take care of those, using their phones. Remember, your photographer is going to supply you with all the amazing images you need, so make sure you are fully present on your wedding day.

3. Be sure to hire a photographer who understands the importance of a timeline

Your photographer should understand how important a wedding day timeline is. Yes, the timeline will likely change slightly throughout the day, but having a plan and understanding when specific pictures will be taken are extremely important! This timeline should revolve around the best light of the day, which is 1-2 hours before sunset. Work out such details in advance of your wedding day. Just as important, be sure your photographer has a list of all the pictures that are important to you and your family. All those standard portraits and extended family photos that you want should be listed out.

4. Have the Bride and Groom Get Ready at the Same Location

This is huge in so many ways! Whether at a hotel or ceremony location, your day will run much more smoothly if you and your significant other are preparing themselves at one location. This allows your photographers to capture everything with ease. And, if your photographer doesn’t have a 2^nd shooter and is photographing alone, you risk missing out on a lot of meaningful shots, usually the groomsmen shots.

5. Remember what’s important

I’m sure you’ve heard this before…This is your wedding day. In the end, it isn’t about the party, your make-up, or the flowers. It’s about your marriage to one another, your commitment to a life together and the bond that you share. Know that you can’t control everything. Things will happen! Usually, the things that break down – flower girls crying and refusing to walk down the aisle, popped buttons, bad weather – will make you laugh when you look back on the day. Have fun and know that your attitude as the bride sets the mood for everyone else. If you’re having fun, your guests and wedding party will have fun too. And that’s what it’s all about – celebrating life and love.

I hope you found this helpful! If so, please share with a friend and ask them to visit this site.

Hey, can you join me Friday? I’ll be sharing images from my recent trip to Hawaii, specifically Kauai. Are you planning a honeymoon? If so, you won’t want to miss this blog as I’ll be sharing some of our favorite places to visit in Kauai. You may want to consider this for your ultimate honeymoon experience!

In the meantime, blessings to you!

Peggy