Make Your Wedding Run Smoothly
I bet you've already lost track of the number of hours you've spent thinking about your wedding day. But you'll only get married once, so this is the first and last wedding you'll plan. I've helped keep many wedding days on track as a wedding photographer. I want to share some easy ways to have a relaxed wedding day.
The most important thing for you is to enjoy your day. A wedding isn’t a photoshoot; it’s about celebrating your undying love for one another. The most important thing is to find a professional photographer who shares your values and whose work you love. That said, there are some small things you can do to make your wedding photos truly incredible.
Stay Close to your venue
If possible, both of you will want to stay at your venue, although sometimes they don't offer accommodation. If you can't stay on-site, I'd suggest staying within fifteen minutes, especially when your ceremony and reception are in different places. You'd be far more relaxed if you were close to your ceremony venue. You can take it easy into the late morning and not stress about silly things like traffic, and you'll forgo the headache of transporting the whole bridal party from A to B.
Go Big
Try to stay somewhere with a little more space than you need. The room you get ready in often fills beyond the bursting point with excited friends, make-up artists, hairstylists, photographers (👋) and videographers, beautiful dresses, dapper suits, nieces and nephews, and proud parents.
It's easy to get frustrated with your loved ones when you're under each other's feet. Having more room takes the pressure off the morning's preparations, especially if you have a larger bridal party.
Ceremony Time
Days run smoother when you schedule your ceremony a little later. Everyone will probably skip lunch to travel to and attend your wedding. When couples schedule their ceremony earlier in the day, there's a lot of standing around, waiting to be called to your wedding breakfast. Guests get bored and hungry quickly. They'll probably be drinking, and canapes are lovely but won't hit the spot.
I advise that if you're planning a summer wedding, aim for a ceremony after 2 PM and around midday if you're tying the knot in the winter. These start times will give you enough time before your wedding breakfast to chill with your loved ones for a while and get a few family photos if you like.
Outdoor Weddings
A summer wedding can be super romantic, but the UK weather can be an unwelcome variable. If you're planning a ceremony outside, then keep safe. Suggest your guests dress for the weather. If it's boiling, take care to avoid getting sweaty and sunburned. Lose some formality and dress a little lighter. Get someone to keep an eye on your elderly relatives. Getting some huge sails to provide shade for you and your guests is wise. An added bonus to sails is you'll also have some relief if it rains.
What I said in the 'Ceremony Time' section becomes even more vital if you plan an outdoor wedding. A midday wedding in the height of summer can be uncomfortable, and the harsh light will make you and your loved ones look like squinting pandas in your wedding photos. Trust me, later is better!
Consider Travel
Maybe you've already booked a Rolls Royce and a chauffeur to get you from prep to the ceremony. But, if your day will take place over multiple locations, you should consider organising travel for your guests between venues, especially if parking is tight at your ceremony. A wedding bus can be fun to get from the church to your party.
If you want your guests to get loose and drink with you, consider finding a party location with enough accommodation for those needing it.
Groups Photos
There's usually a little time between your ceremony and wedding breakfast. It's your first opportunity to spend time with most of your family and friends on your wedding day. It's also the only available time to get some posed group portraits. Ahead of your wedding, I'll work with you to plan a sensible number of posed family formals.
“Focus on the important groups and spend quality time with your guests instead of doing group shots.”
You don't want too many groups. Each photo takes five to fifteen minutes, depending on how quickly you jump in and out of the shots. But more often, guests will walk off and disperse. You and your guests will get bored of standing in groups, and most couples with a longer list will bail out before we finish their list. If you bail, you'll naturally miss out on some groups on your list. Less is more. Focus on the important groups and spend quality time with your guests instead of doing group shots.
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Incredible CONFETTI
Everyone wants that amazing confetti photograph. There are a few important variables to getting breathtaking confetti. The biggest thing to remember is that confetti is light, so it won’t hurt you. Many confetti photographs aren’t as good as they could be because one or both of the couple are flinching. Just enjoy the moment and have fun. The other thing that can push your confetti to the next level is getting as much good-quality confetti in the air as possible. I like the London-based store Proper Confetti because their products are all bio-degradable, the little circles take a while to fall, and they come in many different colours.
Speeches After Dinner
I've written a specific guide on writing speeches. That article is worth checking out if you plan to have speeches at your wedding. Don't worry; I won't repeat myself here. Feel free to share that link with your loved ones who will be speaking on your day.
The most sensible time to arrange your speeches is right after your wedding breakfast. Your catering team and venue staff will thank you for not planning speeches between courses. Also, it's far easier to get lovely, consistent photographs of speeches if they're one after another.
LET YOUR GUARD DOWN
I’m a stoic guy; I don’t show my emotions easily. But remember, everyone at your wedding is there for you to share your day and celebrate your relationship with your life partner. You don’t need to hide how you feel because everyone knows already. Letting go of your defences will let you enjoy your day even more. It almost goes without saying, but if you're wearing your emotions for all to see, your photographs will be all the more honest.
Slow Down
If you take nothing else from this guide, this should be the one thing you absorb. You and your loved ones will fondly relive your wedding day for the rest of your lives.
“All that excitement will make the day fly by faster than you could imagine possible.”
I know people who started dreaming about their wedding day as children.
Tension builds as you rack up hundreds of hours of planning the biggest party you'll ever throw, not to mention many thousands of pounds on the table. All that excitement will make the day fly by faster than you could imagine possible.
Be present, slow down, and enjoy your day.
