Wedding Days: Lessons Learned
I am here to share the things I have learned that will help you to make sure your best day ever goes off without a hitch!
Build in extra time! Things almost ALWAYS take longer than they are supposed to. Think you don’t need to start your hair and makeup until 12 since your first look isn’t until 2? I would recommend starting it 30 minutes earlier than you think you need to. I promise you would rather have extra time to relax and have a drink with your girls after your makeup is done than be rushing to get everything done and be frazzled at your first look with your hubby!
Work with your vendors on your timeline. They have done this several times and have it down to a science. You don’t have to try to do it all yourself! I know Pinterest can be helpful with stuff like this, but talking to your vendors and seeing how they like to operate and how much time they need for certain parts of the wedding day will help ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Prioritize time with your new spouse! Whether that is doing a first look to y’all can spend as much of your day together as possible, or making time for both “normal” couple’s portraits right after the ceremony AND sunset portraits. It’s important that you spend as much time as possible with your spouse because it is your day. You want to look back and remember the time you spent together and not just all the running around you had to do.
Have at least one person other than you who knows how to bustle your dress. It’s helpful if at least one person other than you knows how you dress bustles because when you’re in it, it’s a lot harder than you might think to explain how it is supposed to go. Usually the best way to do this is to have your mom, future mother-in-law, sister, or maid of honor to go to your last dress fitting with you so the person who did the alterations can show them how it works. Taking a video would also be super helpful for when we finish up portraits and are trying to bustle it really quick before you get introduced at your reception.
Limit the amount of family formals you take. Having every possible combination of people possible for family formals sounds like a great idea until you are tired and hangry and just want to get to your couples portraits and your reception. It is especially not a good idea if your wedding is going to be from May through September when it will be hot outside. I always recommend to limit the formal family photos to only the ones you, your mom, your mother in law, or your grandma will hang on the wall. Any others can be taken during the reception!