A Guide to Making Your Wedding or Elopement Everything You Imagined
Planning Tips
Big or small, your special day deserves to be everything you have ever wanted. So let me help you and give you some useful advice on where to start, what things you should consider and how it can all come together just the way you envisioned.
Research your vendors
To have the wedding day of your dreams, you need people you can trust, who do incredible work and are easy to work with. Do your research and make sure you’re 110% comfortable with working with the vendors in the lead up and on your special day.
Some things to keep in mind/ ask yourself when researching :
How easy are they to communicate with?
Are they attentive? Do they answer all of the queries I have?
Can you trust they will turn up and do their job when the day comes?
How will they help you make your vision come to life?
Does their style work in well with my vision for my wedding?
Is their personality the right fit for me and my partner?
Remember, these vendors will be spending part or sometimes all of your wedding day with you, so make sure you can enjoy their company, they make you feel at ease and are fun to work with!
Do I actually love their work?
Look at the quality of their work and what they offer, obviously most weddings have a budget but more often then not just hiring a vendor based on price comes with regrets. Keep in mind the cheapest option isn’t always the best option.
It’s your wedding, do you!
Sick of these random and strange traditions? Who says you have to cut a cake or throw a bouquet… if it doesn’t make sense or interest you, simply leave them out.
The day is all about you as a couple. Celebrate all things “you” and come up with your own sentiments. It’s so much more personal and really creates a more meaningful day.
Don’t allow others to pressure you to do things a certain way just because it’s tradition. Do things how you want them to be done, there are no rules you have to follow.
Plan photos around sunset
Photography is literally capturing light. So making sure you schedule your day around the perfect lighting is super important. Having a ceremony in the mid afternoon as opposed to middle of the day is so much more preferable.
Ways you can achieve optimal lighting for your wedding :
+ Have your ceremony in a location with even lighting
Either all in the shade or all in full sunlight.
+ Have your ceremony in the middle of the afternoon
Here in New Zealand optimal time for a wedding ceremony would be anywhere from 3pm – 4pm in daylight savings and 2pm – 3pm in non-daylight savings time.
Also, that beautiful golden light you see, it happens in the late afternoon right before sunset and the moments are really fleeting (around 5pm in aest or 7pm AEDST). Have no fear if this will run into reception time during daylight savings. We will make a kick ass schedule so you can duck out for 10 minutes to soak in that last bit of daylight and have a moment with your lover.
Set a realistic schedule
Leave plenty of time
The key to a fun and stress free day is creating a realistic schedule for the days events.
Make sure you have a schedule that you stick to and give to your photographer, videographer, event co-ordinator and any other vendor you will be working with on the day. Making sure your reception venue and ceremony space is organised in advance and ensuring everyone knows when things will be happening will help immensely with the flow of things.
Set expectations and timings for all of the events of the day at least two weeks in advance so everyone can be prepared and so you can sit back and enjoy your day for what it is. Remember to allow extra time for each event as things can go unexpectedly overtime on the day due to things out of your control.
I have years of experience helping to create efficient run sheets with my couples so please reach out, I’d be more than happy to help guide you.
Think about your
ceremony space
Think about the lighting/heat
Is it in full sun, speckled light? Think of your photos and your guests. No one wants to sit in the boiling hot sun squinting to get a glimpse of their loved ones tying the knot. Especially in the warmer months. Consider a ceremony in the shade – all of your guests and your photographer will thank you for it! Photos in harsh and/or speckled lighting isn’t ideal for photos. Ideal lighting is in even lighting. If your spot is in full sun, schedule your ceremony for later in the afternoon when the sun is lower.
Frame your ceremony area
Use an arbour or something to frame you and your partner as the focal point for your ceremony. Arbours are always a good option and can also be used as a spot for your family/guest portraits.
Consider the accessibility
Ensure your ceremony location is accessible for your all guests, consider the oldies, disabled and any pregnant mama’s who may be attending.
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Stressing over things like seating arrangements? Or the weather forecast? Don’t sweat it! We all know how much you want this day to be “perfect”, but in the scheme of things, these things are so minor. Hiring professionals to have your back and be there to give advice or help with changing plans if needed is so valuable. Remember most of us have been doing this for years. We got you! The day is so much more than just being “perfect”! Remember why you’re there in the first place. Embrace it and have the best day ever!
Wear what you feel good in
Wear clothing you feel beautiful and comfortable in. Trust me when I say it is a long day! Don’t have regrets wearing a dress you can’t sit down in, pants that are too tight or shoes that just simply make your feet cringe at the sight of them.
The day is supposed to be a celebration and a lot of fun. Don’t spend the whole time pulling your dress up or complaining about sore feet. Consider your clothing choice very carefully. We want you to slay like the queen/kings you are!
Also when purchasing or hiring your wedding attire, its a good idea to learn and/or video how your dress gets zipped/tied or hooked. This way when you get to doing it on the day, its quick and stress free. Same goes for tying ties and securing button hole flowers.
Consider an
engagement session
Are you or your lover really anxious at the thought of having to be in front of the camera? No worries! Truth is quite a lot of people do. It’s not easy to be yourselves and all loving in front of a complete stranger. But guess what? It’s totally not like that at all!
I honestly highly recommend an engagement session before your wedding day to get used to being photographed and for us to get to know each other. It makes the wedding day so much more relaxed and fun when you have all these jitters out of your system. I promise I am a lot of fun!
Makeup + hair tips
Hair and makeup on point
If you are having professional hair and makeup done for your wedding day, the engagement session is a perfect opportunity to do a trial run. You can see how it looks in photos, and will know if you want to make any changes before your big day.
*note: be sure to stay out of the sun the week before your wedding in order to avoid sunburns, tan lines and the potential for peeling.
Wedding day survival kit
I can’t count how many times that these things have come in handy in the past.
+ makeup wipes
+ bobby pins
+ safety pins
+ tissues
+ bottles of water
+ touch up makeup
+ comfy shoes (flats)
+ bandaids
+ panadol
+ eyelash glue
+ tampons/pads
+ emergency sewing kit
+ sunscreen
+ bug repellant
+ deodorant
Don’t get caught out with a wardrobe malfunction.
Be prepared and pack your kit!
Always have a backup plan
Plan B
You can be as optimistic as you want or praying to the weather gods for perfect weather but let’s be real. That’s about the only thing we can’t control. Mother nature waits for nobody. Be sure to have a backup space if the weather isn’t ideal…raining, storm, floods, windy AF, be prepared.
I don’t just mean a backup for your ceremony. Be prepared for your portraits & reception to be affected too.
In the case of a slight drizzle, invest in some clear dome umbrellas. They always look cool in photos in the event we need to go out in the elements.
Most of all try to be in high spirits, take it in your stride and just enjoy your day whatever the weather.
Arrange your vendor meals
Feed your vendors
It can easily be forgotten but it is a super important thing to remember. Organise a meal for each of your vendors who will be at your reception – in particular the photographer and/or videographer who spend the whole day with you.
It doesn’t have to be a 3 course meal, just organise a main. Venues usually discount vendor meals, so be sure to ask your venue to arrange this before the day. Trust me, it is truly appreciated and keeps us going on these long days. No one likes a hangry photographer/videographer!
Another thing to note is when discussing vendor meals with your venue, ensuring they are brought out at the same time as the bridal party meals. It’s often that the vendor meals are brought out at the end and at that stage most guests have finished their meals and the next part of formalities are up, unfortunately this can lead to us vendors missing important events.
Getting ready tips
+ Get ready in a large room
Find the most spacious room in the house or accomodation and use this spot to get ready.
+ Choose a space with good natural light
We want as much natural lighting as possible so when getting ready, ensure you stand in front of a window or glass door. Encourage your makeup and hair stylists to set up here too.
+ Ensure the room is clean
Making sure the room you are getting ready in is clean and clutter free is a must. Mess and unnecessary items are distracting and just get in the way. We want clean, open spaces.
+ Have your details ready together
This is purely to save time when photographing and also so you don’t have to madly dash around all flustered trying to find everything.
+ Limit the amount of people
Less is more, too many people in the one room can get quite overwhelming at times. To ensure you can remain calm, positive and excited for the special day ahead, try and limit the amount of people coming in and out of the prep space.
+ Be showered
Be showered and ready to get into your wedding attire when I arrive. Nothing throws a spanner in the schedule like someone needing to shower in the middle of prep photos. Also don’t start getting dressed in your wedding attire until I let you know its time. We want to capture all of this too.
+ Ironing/steaming
Ensure ironing or steaming your wedding attire is all done before prep photos kick off.
+ Wear deodorant
It can be a long and overwhelming day for some. Spray/roll on before you leave the house. Sweaty, smelly armpits aren’t exactly a good look through your button up shirts/dresses. Remember you will most likely be hugging all of your guests too!
Remember to eat + drink
Stay hydrated
Such an important thing that often gets forgotten in the wedding day craziness. No I don’t just mean hydrate with cocktails and beers haha! Depending on the size of your wedding, your day could be quite long we don’t want anyone fainting in the middle of the day.
Eat plenty of food
Try eating a decent meal before the days events kick off. Especially for weddings with a bigger guest list. You probably won’t realise until the day that a lot of your day is full of congratulations, catching up with guests, formalities and dancing. It’s super easy to forget to eat properly.
Unplugged Ceremony
You’ve probably heard about the trend of having an unplugged wedding ceremony. Most trends come and go but this one I am 110% here for. So often I see guests whip out their phones, cameras, video cameras and ipads….Yes you read that right! Ipads!!
I am so behind having an unplugged ceremony. I totally understand the want to get photos and videos of such a special occasion, although by doing this you not only miss out on being present and in the moment but you also get in the way of the shots of videographers and photographers.
If you need to video the ceremony yourself. Please organise a tripod and set it up out of the way, it makes me so sad watching guests watch their screens instead of this once in a lifetime moment right in front of them.
Best way to communicate this to your guests is to firstly write unplugged ceremony on your invites, have a sign at your ceremony and also ask your celebrant to make an announcement before the ceremony starts.
Walking down the aisle
Remember to look up
Regardless if you have those wedding day nerves, tears or all smiles, I want to be able to photograph all the feels and special moments of your day. Same goes for when you are walking back down the aisle married.
Walk don’t run
Now I know what you’re thinking, duh Ains, I’m not going to be running down the aisle, but truth is you’ll probably be so excited you’ll be down the end of the aisle before you know it. Slow it down, take it all in and allow me to capture all the goodness.
Carrying your bouquet
If you have chosen to hold a bouquet down the aisle, ensure you’re holding it down by your belly button. The reason for this is so it’s not blocking your face or dress in your photos.
Standing at the alter
From a photography perspective we want to have symmetry where possible. If you have opted for an arbour or something alike, ensure you and your partner are standing centred in front of it. Same goes for the bridal party if you have opted to have one. Make sure there’s not big random gaps between each side. Again this is purely to make your photos look better.
Setup
Ensure the setup of your ceremony is spacious enough for people to move up and down the aisle and that there is enough space between the alter and where your guests will be seated. As a photographer, I need to be able to move around discreetly to capture your ceremony from different angles. Putting this into consideration really helps me on the day.
First kiss
Ask your celebrant to move off to the side
Please explain the importance to your celebrant/officiant of moving to the side and out of the way for this moment well before they announce you as a married couple. As a photographer, I will always try to communicate this to the celebrant before the ceremony kicks off, although it is much more effective if you explain this in your initial meeting before your wedding day arrives.
The reason for this is so that they aren’t a floating head behind you and your partner in the shots or get caught madly trying to get out of the way in time.
Better yet ask your celebrant to stand off to the side for the whole ceremony, if possible. Remember the day is about you and your partner. The celebrant does not need to be the focal point in all of your ceremony photos.
Kiss for 3 – 5 seconds
Don’t be shy to kiss more than once guys! This moment is so fleeting and we want to be able to capture this moment for you, so go for it. You guys are married now!
Organise a helper
Your family and friends are there to help you enjoy your day. One thing that can take the pressure off is organising one of them to round up family members and key guests for group photos. Typically group photos are done straight after the ceremony before guests wander off to the bar or get too deep in conversation.
Your helper should know the majority of the guests, so this should be super efficient. Be sure to have a game plan with your assistant for the day so when it comes times to round everyone up, it is quick and stress free. Because let's be real…. Who wants to be stressed on their wedding day?!
Some tips for prepping your family/friends for group photos :
+ Email out a list to guests you would like in photos and which group photos you would like them to be in.
+ Ensure sunglasses are off heads and eyes.
+ Use equal space either side of the married couple and stand in a straight line formation with your body on a 45 degree angle facing the couple.
+ Make sure taller people are at the back and shorter people at the front if there are two lines.
Take it all in
Really take a good look around at every one of your guests and think about how much they mean to you. It will probably be one of the only times they are all together. Take in all those loved up feels you have for your lover and remember how you feel at that very moment saying your vows and tying the knot. Married life has its obstacles; look back on these moments from time to time.
Remember to spend time together
It sounds silly, right Ains… ofcourse I’m going to spend time with my partner on our wedding day. But before you know it you’re well into the night, last songs are playing and the wedding is almost over. I often notice that couples tend to be trying to get around to everyone and keep the party alive, that they forget to spend any time with their new husband/wife on their wedding day. The day is ofcourse a celebration of you both, allow a little bit of ‘us time’ amongst the party (even if it is just 10 minutes outside of the reception with just the two of you), you won’t regret it.