WEDDING DAY TIPS!
NOT TOO LONG UNTIL THE I DO.... SO ARE YOU READY TO TAKE NOTES?
1. Make yourself
a check list!
If it’s important, it should be on your check list!
This step is particularly important if you are getting hitched abroad or if your venue is further from home, which may require you and your party to stay at the accommodation the night before your wedding. You can create your check list way in advance so just slowly add important notes on to your check list.
3. Work the vibe!
get the mood right!
Put your favourite record on!
Music can affect our emotions in different ways. Happy, upbeat music causes our brains to produce chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, which evokes feelings of joy, whereas calming music relaxes the mind and the body. Music can added fun and brighten your morning or help keep you calm, soothing any nerves and anxiety. I always suggest that you, or one of your besties, make yourself a playlist to listen to and sing along when you are getting ready in the morning. So pick your favourite tune and lighten up the mood. Also don’t forget to bring a charger or speaker along to boost the vibe!
2. Divide important
task to your besties!
Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
Your besties have been through thick and thin with you so there is no need to be shy. You naturally have so much on your mind already, designating a few important task to your besties will really help you feel at ease on the day. This is so important if you don’t have a coordinator/planner or event manager to help you on your big day.
4. Get ready early!
Don’t underestimate time!
As a makeup artist myself I would suggest giving yourself plenty of time for makeup and hair. It would be best to at least have your makeup done before I start as I would love to have plenty of shots of you.
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Be ready 1:30hr before you have to leave for ceremony. This will give you some time to get Champagne and Bridal Robe snaps, and then into your dress. The later you finish your makeup, the less bridal portraits you will get so please spare me plenty of time. (Remember I will have to be at the ceremony 30 mins before you do to capture your groom and guests arriving)
5. Level up your energy.
Munchies for the win: Keep your energy levels up by having some delicious snacks on hand. You wouldn't want a grumbling tummy stealing your spotlight! A little treat here and there will keep you fuelled and ready to rock the dance floor.
6. Stay Hydrated
Hydration station: Stay hydrated, my friend! With all the excitement and bustle, it's easy to forget to sip some water. Make sure you have a hydration station with refreshing drinks to keep you and your guests cool and hydrated throughout the festivities.
8. Bubbly
7. Sewing kit
Emergency kit to the rescue: Pack a handy emergency kit filled with essentials like safety pins, tissues, breath mints, and a trusty stain remover. You never know when a little mishap might occur, but with your superhero kit in tow, you'll be ready to save the day!
Get ready to pop the champagne and celebrate in style on your wedding morning! It's a time to raise a glass and toast to the beautiful moments ahead. As you embark on this incredible journey, let the fizzy bubbles of joy and excitement fill the air. The clinking of glasses will be music to your ears, a delightful symphony of love and happiness. So gather your loved ones, sip on that sparkling goodness, and let the festivities begin.
Cheers to a day filled with love
9. Lighting!
It’s all about light, please go for the one with the biggest/ most windows and keep those curtains open! Ideally have your hair and makeup done by the window if possible.
It is likely that you and your bridal party will all want to get ready together. When planning where to get ready, it’s really important to make sure that you book somewhere that has plenty of light or good space near windows with natural light or has make-up stations.
10. Keep the room tidy
Please make sure the room is tidy!
Open bags, bins, underwear and suitcases should be kept away in a closet or on one side of the room if possible. A tidy room makes a huge difference to your photos, as there’s a limit to how much we can edit out. The room can get crowded pretty fast, your bridesmaids, family and suppliers, and it gets cramped quickly. It’s very easy for things to go missing and for the room to get chaotic and out of control.
11. Bridal rope or PJ?!
Whatever you decide to wear, make sure you and your bridesmaids wear something that you are happy to be photographed in. The more comfortable you all are, the more relaxed you will be and the more fun you will have. It doesn’t have to be a silk robe, although they do look amazing. It could be that you treat yourself to a set of beautiful but fun and quirky pyjamas, remember it should be something that buttons up or zips up and doesn’t need to go over your head when taking off.
12. Details Box
While you are getting ready I will be photographing your dress and some Details shots for you so please prepare a detail box for me.
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Details box*
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1-2 copy of Your invitation or Save the date card
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Dress
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Hair accessories
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Rings (All rings if possible, if not no worry!)
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Shoes
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Bouquet
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Jewellery
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Perfume
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For Groom****
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Tie & Cufflinks
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Shoes
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Perfume/ Aftershave
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Pen
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a copy of Your invitation or Save the date card
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Rings (All rings if possible, if not no worry!)
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Suit
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anything that you like me to capture
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the following are not essential but we could use it to do something creative for you
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Ribbons (could ask your florist to spare half metre of same colour ribbon as your bouquet or you could prepare on yourself)
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loose flowers or leaves
Matching clothes hanger! Pretty hanger for your wedding dress? Ask yourself if you would prefer to have your dress, bridesmaids dress, flower girls outfit on matching hangers or personalised hanger for all the dresses and outfits?
13. Practice putting on the dress
This is often something that isn’t thought about until the last minute, but make sure you have someone to assist you putting on your dress, and that person stays with you right up until you’re about to walk down the aisle. Let them practice doing up your dress, even if it’s just on the hanger. Some dresses come with complex bodices, fiddly buttons and loopholes where you wouldn’t expect. You could bring them to collect the dress with you, as the bridal shop or dress-maker will often talk you through how it goes on and how to pin the skirt up. Possibly the hardest dresses to do up are the ones with hundreds of small buttons on the back, especially if your chosen person has long nails.
14. Don’t do this
without me!
Photo opportunity moments such as bridesmaids/ groom mens gift opening, Bride/Groom opening her/his gift or reading lovely messages from her husband/wife to be, or one from a friend, and family a champagne pop shot in your bridal robe. Remember to call for me so you can do this when I’m around, I would love to capture these emotional moments for you.
15. The ride!
Wait for me! If you get a ride to your ceremony either in an awesome Ferrari or a fairytale horse carriage, here is the photo opportunity, so don’t get out without me! I will try to be there when you arrive but remember we often have to park further away than your wedding transport. So please wait for me before you get out of your ride.
If you are not getting ready at your venue. Please don’t forget to factor in travel time, add 15 minutes extra on top of the travel time in case of road closures, traffic etc.
16. Leave plenty of space!
So no one is blocking your entrance! When walking down the aisle be sure to leave plenty of space (at least 5 big steps or more) between each order. If your aisle is not long please make sure that you wait until those who are walking ahead of you have arrived at the end of the aisle and are out the way, before you walk down. This is to ensure that I have a clear shot of you the bride, and everyone else who will be walking down the aisle.
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*Remember to Look up and smile! You are getting married!
17. Don’t Rush the kiss!
I understand that you just want to grab your partner right after saying I DO, but don’t rush it! This will allow us time to capture your moment properly. Often we have to wait for a moment for the officiant to step aside to get the best angle of your precious kiss. Then kisses and hugs all the way - you are now officially married! It's great to kisses a few more time rather than one and done.
After ceremony:
18. Slow it down & don’t look down.
After your ceremony is over and you are keen to charge down the aisle, please remember to slow down, engage with your guests and enjoy the moment.
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Keep your bouquet away from you and your partner face.
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While walking down the aisle DON’T stare at the floor, make sure you bring your gaze back up! Look at your friends, look at each other, stop at the end and have a kiss if you can!
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We did it moment! Stop and Express yourself at the end of the aisle if you like!
We will be walking backward, trying not to trip and shoot at the same time. So take it slow and let us capture those awesome moments for you.
19. Go crazy with confetti!
Confetti shots are quick, fun and hectic but they make fabulous photos. Walk slowly, don’t shield your face with your bouquet, and keep looking up, look at each other or your friends. Stop half way to have a kiss and Bravo!!
Don’t get glitter confetti, as it will stick on your skin and hair for the rest of the day! Get big pieces e.g. 1cm diameter up… whatever amount you think you need, triple it! 10 litre plus works!
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In my opinion, the best type of confetti we have worked with so far is the biodegradable type that is made out of tissue paper. It floats in the air for longer compared to real flower confetti, they also don't stick to your dress and hair for the rest of the day, but we are happy to work with either. (Please be sure to check with your venue where confetti is allowed… if confetti is not allowed, then how about bubbles? Or a bubble gun?)
20. Champagne Pop, Smoke bomb?
I would normally advise to select just a few people to be involved, so this doesn’t get out of hand. The fun bunch are often your Bridesmaids and Groomsmen, they get this pole position for a reason. Also please have a chat with your venue if these activities are permitted? if so where-about can these fun activities take place?
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Don’t get mini or micro! Get the biggest one possible, up to 90 seconds, The Enola Gaye Wire Pull® WP40 is the best/most popular smoke grenade/ bomb.
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But Safety first - so you can enjoy the impact smoke grenades create in a safe and responsible way.
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Having a small bucket filled with a little bit of water is a must for after use.
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Check to see if the grenades can be handheld.
21. Formal one for parents and grands!
Here it’s all about your family and friends group portraits. We’ve included some suggestions, but of course you can put your own. Generally we recommend a maximum of 10 group shots, to ensure they are Quick fun and don’t interfere with your day.
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I would really appreciate this if you could nominate a groomsman or bridesmaid who has a loud voice and potentially knows both families. I would like them to help us call out names and get everyone who would be in photos lined up and ready for group photos. This would really help speed things up massively.
22. Just the two of us!
Timing for this depends on the daylight on your wedding day. We would advise to have this done right after group photos, especially in winter, as we are likely to have limited daylight. This is also your alone time to celebrate your newly wed moment. Don’t worry about a thing, put your trust in us and you will love the result. You might be surprised to hear that many of my photoshoots happen on side streets, busy local parks or even crowded town centres. When you look at the result you would be amazed to know what the original location was like.
After your portrait We will be heading back to the party so you both can greet your guests, while we head in to photograph your reception before your guests enter. After this is done, we will head back to photograph some candid shots of you and your guests doing their thing and enjoying the moment.
For winter/ twilight wedding:
In winter we have limited time, if you have decided to have twilight wedding where the ceremony is scheduled in the late afternoon, we would recommend for you to do the first look, and have your Bride & Groom portrait session, before your ceremony takes place. So you can have some beautiful photographs in daylight and possibly outdoors.
Wedding Reception:
23. Speech!
The speech is where we really see you in all your glory. There are so many way to do a speech, either before or after the meal it’s all up to you, but the way we (photographers) would prefer would be to do the speeches all at the same time, before the meal starts. The reason being, your table will be neat and clean with no left over food or drink. Also its often that our (photographer) meal is likely to be served last. Of course, despite the indigestion and as fast as we can stuff the food down, we still need time to eat.
During the mealtime we often use this opportunity to change batteries on cameras etc. So having your speech before your meal is best, this way we won’t miss a thing. Please don’t have your speeches scattered after every meal.
24. Sunset Portrait?
Golden Sunset picture, apart from the summer where the sunset happens at 10pm, sunset normally happen while you are sitting down for your meal/ desert. If you really love the sunset vibe and don’t mind us disturbing you during your meal then we are more than happy to drag you out. So just let us know in advance so we can try and schedule this in for you?
25. Cake cutting
& First dance
If the weather is good, and there is still daylight, we highly recommend you cutting your cake outdoors, or near to the big window, to allow us to capture you in natural light. Alternatively we would kindly asked your venue to turn their lighting right up!
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Go slowwww... with the cutting then give each other a quick kiss at the end, and maybe try some cake feeding to finish off.
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** Please request your music band / DJ that while we are photographing your wedding, We would prefer it if they DON’T USE LASER light
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- Why? Laser light can seriously damage our camera lens & sensors and this may result in £10,000’s worth of equipment needing repair or replacing, AND without fully functional equipment at your wedding day we may have to stop. So it’s a “NO” FOR LASERS please.
26. Sparkler & Firework!
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​​How does this normally work? I often ask my couples to stay in one place and switch into different poses while the sparklers and fireworks go off. Light at night can be a little tricky so minimising movement really helps! Once we have got the shots you are free to have fun.
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Get the longest Sparklers available. I would highly recommended the 18 inch ones as this will give us a longer window of opportunity for photography!
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With sparklers* You don’t have to wait until dark! Dim light works very well for these shots and your guests are not too intoxicated.
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Don’t forget to bring a wind-proof lighter. Imagine trying to light the sparklers on windy day?
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Remember to switch positions...change from looking at each other, to looking away, and even kisses!
27. Wedding in the rain?
So what do we do if it’s raining? Sometimes portrait locations can be limited, due to weather and the venue itself, So what can we do? Challenges can be fun, sometimes we may not have the opportunity to choose the location, but it is down to us as the photographer to make it work.
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Weather is something we don’t have control over, so let’s make the most of it. An overcast sky can be beautiful, the dark clouds create an interesting and dramatic feel to your images. Even though we might not spend most of the time outdoors, it can be lovely to have some shots taken outside. If the rain is not too extreme we can still have some wonderful images in the rain. If you don’t mind getting a little wet of course, just be sure to have 1 x white umbrella in hand or a clear one if you can’t find white.
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* Also it’s always best to ask your venue for advice in term of an alternative location indoor or under cover where all the activities you plan to have such as confetti, group portraits, smoke bombs etc can take place if the weather is not great.
Be prepared and don’t panic!
Lastly - Remember to Enjoy the moment to the fullest
and have fun!
These are just a few suggestions, for a little bit of fun and entertainment,that you can add to your big day! They are something that will invovle your guests, allow you to engage with them, and enjoy what the moment brings together.
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So go crazy do what ever the hell you want it’s your wedding day! You only do this once.