Three Steps to a Picture-Perfect Wedding Day

If you’re just beginning to plan your wedding, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed. There are so many decisions to make and choices available, and all that you really want is a beautiful, stress-free wedding day, right?! But HOW exactly do you make that happen? Well, as a wedding photographer, I’ve got a front row seat to every single part of a wedding day. I know which choices lead to happier brides and grooms, mitigate stress before it even happens, and of course, result in BEAUTIFUL wedding day photos. This blog post will break down all of my best advice for a wedding day that’s picture perfect!

Step 1: Keep Everything at One Location

What I mean by this is, choose a venue that has bride and groom getting ready spaces, ceremony space, AND reception space all in one location. Bonus points if you can stay the night there the night before! What you want to avoid is anyone in the wedding party having to drive or even being transported on the wedding day. Why? First, they may be drinking and we definitely want to avoid drinking and driving! But actually, the real reason has to do with logistics. Having to drive wastes precious minutes on your wedding day, and truly, every minute counts! Also, you run the risk of accidents, traffic, or even car trouble causing serious delays to your wedding. Not needing a hotel for the guys or a limo service will save you money in the long run, too!

Step 2: Hire a Wedding Coordinator or Planner

Guys, wedding planners are the real MVPs of your wedding day! A planner – or even a really great, proactive venue coordinator – will relieve SO MUCH stress and solve problems before you’ve even realized that there is one. They pin boutonnieres, decorate your reception space, keep timelines on track, assist with epic veil throws (see above!), and do a million other things that make your day everything you’ve dreamed it would be. My biggest tip here is that if you aren’t hiring a separate wedding planner, at least meet with the venue coordinator prior to booking to get a feel for how hands-on they’ll be.

3. Have a First Look

The first look is hands-down the biggest stress reliever you could possibly implement. If you do nothing else on this list, make the first look be the one thing that sticks! Not only is this such a special moment for the two of you, having a first look gives us the possibility to do ALL of your formal portraits before the ceremony. Do you know what that means? You’ll actually get to ENJOY your cocktail hour and spend time with your guests! Your wedding party and family are going to love you for this! Not only will you save time, you’ll also end up getting DOUBLE the amount of portraits you’d get without a first look. It basically ends up extending your wedding day by a full two hours!

That’s it! Three simple steps to a picture-perfect, stress-free wedding day. I’d love to chat about having me photograph your wedding! Head here to read more about the AWP wedding experience, or send me a note directly by clicking here! Now booking 2020 & 2021 weddings.