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Want your wedding day to be fun, relaxed and stress-free? Follow these simple tips!
Only invite people you love
Only invite people you like and want to spend time with. So many of my couples have said (on the day itself) that they’re spending all their time making small talk with a distant cousin they won’t see again for years, instead of having a good time with the people they really want to see.
Don’t sweat the details
Details and decorations are awesome, but for a relaxing lead-up to the wedding, try not to worry too much about the little things (that might feel like big things!). You won’t notice them once you’re surrounded by friends and family. As soon as it stops being fun, leave it.
Wear make up you’re comfortable with
If you’re using a make-up artist, have a trial. Make up artists know how to make you look amazing for the camera and they’ll use special products so that even with tears, rain or sweat running down your face, your make-up will stay put. I have a few fave make-up artists I love working with because they’re so good and also super lovely – ask me for their details. I’m a huge advocate for doing your own make up though – you know what suits you.
Consider having a first look
Consider a ‘first look’ if you’re having a late winter ceremony, so we can make use of the natural light. This means seeing each other before the ceremony, which is much more private than during the ceremony, and means you can get excited together and banish the nerves!
Think about the light
It gets dark really early from October onwards, so consider this when booking your ceremony time (or change it if you can). Have an early ceremony in winter, or a first look if you’d like some natural light photos. In the summer, the light is super bright and harsh, which isn’t a flattering look, so I’ll do your portraits and family group photos later on when the sun is softer.
Don’t do anything you don’t want to do
First dance? Cutting the cake? Speeches? Sit down dinner? Soppy vows? Inviting your mum’s mates? If you don’t want to do it, don’t! It’s your day, despite what others may have you think!
Don’t worry about your dress getting dirty
A while back I wrote a post on why you shouldn’t worry about getting your wedding dress dirty. It’s still one of my most read and shared posts! A dirty wedding dress tells stories. A red wine stain is memories of when your best mate made you laugh so hard you spat it out all over yourself. Mud stains are memories of when you wanted to get some fresh air and wandered through a field at sunset (hey you probably got some kick ass photos of that too). Grass stains are memories of when it all got too much and you just had to have a lie down as the sun started to go down while your mate twanged a guitar. That grease stain is the story of the moment your partner showed up with a brand new BMX as a wedding gift and you just had to ride it. That black grime around the bottom is a memory of when you walked from the town hall to the London pub for your reception and London is gross and dirty and you took some of it home with you.
Have an unplugged wedding
This means asking your guests not to take photos during the ceremony. You’re paying for a professional photographer, so you’ll have all the photos you need. You also want your guests to be completely present at your wedding, and to see their faces when you look back at them — and not their cameras.
Have your cake – and eat it!
Cut the cake and serve it straight after the ceremony. This saves money on canapés and means the cake gets eaten – drunk guests don’t eat cake!
Take it all in
When you walk down the aisle, walk slowly. Savour the moment! This goes for the whole day – take little breathers to take it all in. The day will fly! I like doing a few portraits with you guys partly to get nice photos of the two of you, but also to give you an excuse to take yourselves away from it all for a bit. Answering the same question 100 times can get taxing!
If you’re looking for a chilled, fun wedding photographer who will mingle with guests and basically not be like a supplier at all, get in touch!