Planning a wedding can be super stressful. So I’ve come up with some tips to help you better prepare for your day. Read my 8 wedding planning tips below!

Pick Your Vendors Wisely

You may not be able to control the weather on your wedding day but you do get to control who you’ll be working with to make sure your special day runs smoothly, rain or shine! Choosing the wrong vendors could result in all kinds of issues.. believe me, I’ve seen it all! But how do you know who to choose? The best advice I would give is to talk to your newly-married friends and see who they loved. Then, do your research!! Meet with potential vendors, ask plenty of questions and read other people’s reviews. I always set up an in person consultation with prospective couples. And I even have my own list of preferred vendors that I know are awesome, I’d be happy to help with recommendations!

Hire a Wedding Planner

Chances are the venue you choose to host your wedding will assign you a venue coordinator. Venue coordinators are great and extremely knowledgeable about the actual venue but you cannot and should not rely on them for all of your wedding planning needs. If you’re looking for help to plan all the details for your day, you should consider hiring a wedding planner. A reputable wedding planner can help you with all aspects of your wedding planning needs and can help streamline the flow of your wedding day. Squashing any hiccups!

Create a Hashtag

Creating a unique wedding hashtag can be a great way to document all the memories you’re going to have from your engagement, bridal shower, bachelor/bachelorette parties and your wedding. Come up with something unique to you and your fiancé and share it with all your friends and family so they can tag their social media posts with it.

Get a Jump Start on Your Thank-You’s

Speaking from experience, Thank-You’s can be the most dreaded part of your wedding. Ordering your Thank-You’s ahead of time will help you get a jump start on them before the wedding is over. Get them ordered and get them going, that way you just have to tie up the last few once you get home from your honeymoon and can just enjoy your new married life!

Consider Asking Guests to Unplug

I get it, these days everyone has a fancy phone with an awesome camera and they want to take their own pictures/videos of you. But as a wedding photographer, nothing prohibits me from being able to do my job more than when guess are holding up their devices or stepping in front of me to get their own shot. The last thing you want is professional photos of your beautiful ceremony with all your friends and family holding up their phones. Trust me. I’m going to take hundreds of photos and your guests can have access to them all! Asking your guests to go unplugged during your ceremony will help them actually pay attention and enjoy this special moment with you!

Don’t Skimp on the Entertainment

Picking the right vendors is of the utmost importance (see above!!). ESPECIALLY when it comes to your entertainment. I’ve been to many weddings where the music has been a bust and guests look bored. Make sure you hire a DJ or Band that is going to listen to your needs and has a great selection of music that you think will get your guests up and moving. Also, the DJ plays an important role in keeping things moving throughout the reception. Be sure your DJ has what it takes to take control.

Don’t Forget Your Dancing Shoes

Chances are the pair of heels you pick for your big day are not going to be the most comfortable, but they’re going to look great! Keep in mind you’re going to be on your feet most (if not all) of the day. Make sure you include a pair of more comfortable shoes so you can dance the night away with your guests!

Have a Blast!

Your wedding is going to be one of the most important times of your life. Try not to get overwhelmed with the stress that comes with wedding planning. Take the time to enjoy this moment and focus on what really matters – your relationship with your fiancé and the marriage that you two are about to begin! So have fun and enjoy this time!

If you’re looking for a Wedding Photographer to capture your special day, contact me to set up a consultation!