As a wedding photographer and a former bride, I’ve learned a thing or two about the recipe for what makes a wedding day go smoothly. I put together a short list of helpful hacks to make your special day a breeze!
Here are 5 simple ways to make your wedding day easier:
1) Do a “First Look”
I can’t tell you how much stress and anxiety this shaves off the day. Getting your portraits done before the ceremony, plus having a bit of alone time with your fiancée before the chaos of the occasion rolls in, can be what makes all the difference for the remainder of your wedding! Not convinced? check out my post on why you want to do a “first look,” here.
2) Have a designated “Group Photo” Administrator
“I can’t wait to spend lots of time trying to wrangle family members for photos!”...said no bride, ever. It’s literally the most un-fun part of the entire day and you want it done quickly so you can go off and enjoy your party! This is the perfect time to make Loud Aunt Barb or Bossy Cousin Jenny feel important and enlist them to do something helpful! Make a photo list ahead of time, give it to your photographer (me!) and I’ll work with Barb or Jenny to herd the family into position. This is especially helpful to your photographer because remembering the names of every single person in your tribe is highly unlikely, and yelling “hey you, look at the camera!” isn't exactly professional.
3) Bring Flip-Flops or Flats Between Photos
Chances are, we will be galavanting all over to different locations while doing your couples’ portraits and your feet will FOR SURE need a break! Ladies, I was DYING walking in my heels around the park I got married in —literally crying tears of pain—but luckily my friend came to the rescue and found a pair of flip flops in her car I could use. Those beautiful floppy gifts from God were the only reason I made it through our photos—not kidding! So bring a pair of flats or something easy to slip on so you don’t fully give up on life before the day is even over. They also come in handy if you’d rather not be barefoot at any point during the reception because letmetellyah, those fancy-pants heels are definitely getting kicked off at some point for the dancing!
4) Live One Day Ahead of Schedule
Okay, so this one might sound odd, but it’s a little trick I made up when I got married and I’m sooo glad I did this: instead of looking at the day before your wedding as your last chance to get things done, treat the day before as if it IS your wedding day (meaning trick your brain into thinking your wedding is day sooner and so you better have all your last-minute things done!). By giving myself a different deadline, I actually had nothing to do the day before and was able to go relax at the beach, alone! and what bride doesn’t need a freaking vacation before the biggest and busiest day of her life! If you’re like me and highly value your alone time to decompress and prepare for a crazy day, try this out!
5) Put your Maid-of-Honor in Charge of your Phone
The very last thing you need on your wedding day is to feel your phone perpetually buzzing with calls, texts, and notifications that, frankly, can absolutely wait because you’re about to get freaking married! You don’t need the added stress of being easily accessible for unnecessary questions and comments; someone else can handle that random relative who doesn’t know the address to the venue, or texts from the set-up crew at the reception who can’t remember how you want the decor on the sweetheart table arranged. Give your maid-of-honor the duty of being in charge of all communication to and from your phone so you don’t have to worry about anything, while still staying in-the-loop about anything important, because if she's doing what MOHs are supposed to do, she'll be by your side all day long.
Happy wedding planning!
~Hali
