Doesn’t it seem kind of ridiculous that one of the best days of your life could possibly also be the most stressful? Now that doesn’t seem fair at all. Wedding days are supposed to be tons of fun, full of love and happiness – not an event that has your head spinning.
Which is why I’ve compiled a list of 7 helpful tips that will reward you with a stress free wedding day so that you can really enjoy it with your loved ones.
1 – Time keeping is everything
While “winging it” is a fun notion to embrace, your special celebration is one of those occasions where precise planning is actually the key to have a stress free wedding day. When you think about it, there are a gazillion things that need to be done not only in the planning stages, but also on the day.
Think about the small things – how long does it take you to get into your dress or tuxedo? Have you planned to do extra speeches or vows that may run longer? Are there are special surprises that you’ve planned? Think realistically about all of these things so that you don’t find yourself in a panic when it’s time for your first dance, and you’re frantically looking for someone to hold your dress while you change shoes.
2 – Actually, be generous with your timing
Maybe you’re super organized and think that there’s no way a single word or activity will run over time. Think again. There’s absolutely no way to know how long it will take to greet your guests or the time it’ll take for your photographer to take the perfect amount of photographs for you and your wedding party after the ceremony. Also, take into account that people love to be late.
For that reason, be super generous with your time (a 15-minute extension should be more than enough). Give yourself the luxury of taking it slow because it’s way less stressful than rushing. By doing this, you’re still well-prepared for the rest of the day and evening.
3 – Embrace those butterflies
Sure, some butterflies are awesome (think about your first kiss or the the moment that you proposed/were proposed to). But when it comes to walking down the aisle, some couples feel an immense amount of nervousness which takes away from the seriously amazing moment that is happening.
One way to help keep you cool, calm and collected, is to see your bride or groom before the ceremony. Now of course this isn’t the conventional or traditional way of doing things, but for those who feel like they may trip over their shoes or say the wrong words, seeing your partner beforehand gives you the opportunity to remove some of those pre-wedding jitters.
What’s also cool about this, is that your photographer can be there at the moment that you first glance upon each other, and he or she can capture those raw emotions without you feeling overwhelmed. Maybe you’ve already seen this in your timeline, under the name of the “first look”.
(Plus, by doing a first-meet before the ceremony, you’re also able to free up time, which means that you can enjoy more of your cocktail hour – and who doesn’t love an extra glass of champagne?)
4 – Wedding Group Photography Planning
When it comes to events that you have little or no control over, it’s hard to do some of your best planning. Now imagine it’s time for you and your wedding party to find a few quiet nooks to take some amazing wedding photos, and your mother-in-law is no where to be seen while your brother is chatting up one of the bridesmaids. This is totally going to cause chaos as you search high and low to get everyone together! There’s a solution for that!
The day before (or days before) the wedding, put together a plan for the wedding party about where they need to be after the ceremony. Whether it’s behind a tree or in front of the drinks table, find an easy spot for everyone to be at an allocated time.
Better yet, choose one trusted friend or family member to be in charge of scouting any strays should they not be there on time.
5 – Getting There
It’s a mere few hours before you’re getting ready to say “I do” and you have your Aunt Jemima texting you because she can’t work her Google Maps and she doesn’t have the directions written down. Then, you have your cousin Barry telling you that there’s a traffic jam and he’ll be late. This is obviously not ideal.
So firstly, making sure that you’ve given very clear and precise directions to the venue, whether you have to include a drawn map or a link that’ll give clear-cut directions as well as alternative routes they could take.
For the wedding party – such as the bridesmaids and groomsmen, try to prepare a ride for them so that they all arrive together. Perhaps this is an Van or a Hotel shuttle, which ever works best for you. This will result in way smoother sailing.
6 – Pass On The Dirty Work
It may seem like the most fun activity ever to plan a wedding, but if you ask any bride and or groom who did all of their planning themselves, they’re more than likely to tell you that you should just pass on the dirty work to a wedding planner.
There is just so much to consider when it comes to wedding planning! The venue, the flowers, the food, decor, color scheme etc. etc. Simply thinking about all of it is cause for a headache. But by finding a trusted wedding planner, you can have him or her do all of the dirty work for you while you sit back and give them your ideas, thoughts, needs and wants.
Simply put, have a professional help you create a stress free wedding day! You deserve it.
7 – Faithful Suppliers
If you do opt to plan the wedding yourself, you will have to do a lot of homework when it comes to find the right suppliers. And doing a simple Google search choosing the top result may not be the best idea! This is because many a bride and groom have had to deal with tardiness, cancellations, mistakes and no-shows when it comes to their suppliers. In fact, even some review sites can be swayed.
For that reason, dig deeper to make sure that the suppliers you’ve chosen really are as good and professional as they say. Talk to others who can recommend suppliers that they used on their big day, and find more than one review website that describes the supplier you have your eye on.
There’s nothing worse than finding out one hour before the time that your flowers, catering, bar staff etc. has not arrived. This is surely one single thing that can make or break a perfectly-planned wedding.
So, are you getting excited for your amazingly perfect big day?
I hope these tips have helped you, and if you feel like having a chat or would like more information about my offerings, just send your questions at ninaseignette@gmail.com
From your photographer friend,
Nina