Top Tips For Your Wedding Ceremony
Hi and CONGRATULATIONS! That’s why you’re here right? Planning a wedding is a HUGE job and can be stressful! But I’m here to save your sanity! Over the past 20 years doing wedding photography in Brisbane, I’ve learned some pretty useful wedding ceremony tips. So, I’ d like to share them with you.
Are you ready? Well, buckle up ’cause here they come!
Write Lists
I dunno, maybe it’s the OCD in me but I LOVE making lists! It could also be because I have a bad memory. But making lists actually helps to contain that panic you feel when you get overwhelmed with tasks. In fact, according to Psychology Today, making lists can quell anxiety! List making when planning your wedding can help you prioritise, separate wedding day tasks, helps to organise chaos and make the wedding day tasks seem more manageable. Basically, it saves you from losing your sh*# and get all that wedding day stuff done while keeping your sanity!
And if you’re going to make lists, why not go buy yourself some pretty stationery? There’s so many gorgeous planners available, just check out the kikki. K website for their range of stationery. I mean, if you’re going to make lists, you may as well make pretty lists right?
Auditioning for the Bridal Party
Okay, so maybe holding auditions is a little extreme. But c’mon, how great would it be if you could? If you’re a Friends fan, you’ll remember when Rachel and Phoebe auditioned for the role of Monica’s Maid of Honour. You want your besties and absolute favourite people around you on the day, but you’ll also need those friends that will help you get stuff done! The ones that will stop you from having a panic attack if the flowers haven’t arrived on time or the friends who will run interference from unwanted and annoying relatives. And of course, you’ll want those people that you’ll have fun with during your wedding photography in Brisbane. Helpful people that’ll make you laugh more, panic less, maybe even go to the bathroom (trust me, it IS a bridesmaind’s task) and help you organise your wedding. And if you want to hold auditions, I say “Go for it!”.
The Wedding Day Preparations – Wedding Ceremony tips
Where are you getting ready? Because for most couples, the wedding photography in Brisbane starts with the preparation. The ‘getting-ready’ shots are an important part of the story your photographer is documenting. You’ll be with your groomsmen or bridesmaids, your parents and loved ones and it’s a fun, crazy and chaotic time of the wedding day. Many couples will book a hotel while some will get ready at home or a relatives. Wherever the location, think about the lighting. Hair stylists, make-up artists and photographers LOVE a bright, airy room with beautiful natural light. If you’re able to arrange a room like this your vendors will be eternally grateful. Most hotel rooms have great window-light and let’s face it, trashing someone else’s place in a pre-wedding frenzy is so much more fun.
Also, make sure your hair and make-up people know what time you need to be ready. Many times they think they have until it’s time for the bride to leave. Not true! Your wedding photographer will want to capture some beautiful portraits of the bride once she’s completely ready. This usually takes at least an hour, so you will need to let your hair and make-up people know this. And besides, the earlier you’re ready, the more time you’ll have to relax and enjoy a glass of bubbles with your girls, guys and family.
Do Your Wedding in Your Style
There’s always someone who will mention tradition. And that’s totally fine! If that’s what you want. But don’t be afraid to break with ‘tradition’. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, tradition is “an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behaviour”. But these behaviours all started somewhere right? So why not make your own tradition? Have your male best friend as a bridesman, have your female best friends as a groomswoman or have your fur-baby as the ring bearer. And to be honest, I can never get enough of dogs at weddings. Traditions are like rules; they’re meant to be broken. So who cares! Do what you want! It’s your wedding so don’t be afraid to do your wedding your way.
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
This is the big wedding ceremony tip! Please, I beg of you, do not stress over the little things. In fact, try not to stress at all! I’ve seen it so many times doing wedding photography in Brisbane and at the end of your wedding day, it really doesn’t matter. I promise you! When it’s all over, no couple have ever cared if the cake was a little melted, the flowers a little wilted or even if it poured with rain! I guarantee you, when you set eyes on your future husband or wife at the end of the aisle, NONE of that crap matters. All that matters is that you married your most favourite person in the universe.
Love Your Photographer- Wedding Photography in Brisbane
Well, maybe not love them but at least like them a whole lot! Because your photographer is your ‘stalker for a day’. And there’s nothing worse than being stalked by someone you find a little annoying. Find a photographer who feels like part of the bridal party. Someone you can laugh and be cheeky with. And as far as I’m concerned, the cheekier the better!
And a helpful photographer is a God send! So many times I’ve helped brides get dressed, groomsmen get dressed and pinned on buttonholes. Admittedly, I am yet to master a tie. But, do you know how many people pin buttonholes incorrectly? According to my very own survey, every second groom doesn’t have an expert buttonhole pinner in his group of people. Incidentally, I’ve also delivered cakes, flowers and forgotten mothers-in-laws. So find a photographer who you connect with and one you know you’ll have fun with. Because if you’re relaxed and having fun, you’re guaranteed to get some awesome fun photos!
Unplugged Weddings
I admit it. I get pretty darn excited by these words. Because it means I won’t be dodging iPhones or tablets or the eager uncle with a DSLR who really wants to get a shot of the bride coming down the aisle. And let’s face it, no one is putting that iPhone pic up on the wall. If I’ve been paid to take wedding photography in Brisbane, then I want to be damn sure I do the best job possible. And an unplugged wedding helps to make this possible. Admittedly, it’s not for every couple and that’s totally fine. I’ve been doing this long enough that I can work well in every situation.
But still, I do love me an unplugged wedding. Also, it ensures your guests really enjoy your wedding ceremony. They’re not focusing on a phone screen or worrying about video. They’re in the moment with you. And that’s what really matters. But make sure those iPhones come out for the reception! Because that’s when all the shenanigans happen anyway. Although iPhones do have their uses, especially when it’s super dark!
Do Your Research
Do your research for all your wedding suppliers. Check their work, read their Google reviews, and ask friends for recommendations. Happy clients are the best source of information so if a vendor has lots of Google reviews that’s a great start. You can read mine here. And how will you possibly decide? There are so many wedding photographers, wedding celebrants, hairstylists, florists and cake makers. You can ask for referrals from other vendors because they’ve likely worked with some awesome wedding vendors before. You can check out my favourite vendors here.
And while price plays an important factor when choosing a vendor, cheapest is rarely the best option. Because ask yourself…what are you actually getting? I’ll use photography as an example because it’s what I do, but this applies to ALL vendors. I get so mad hearing of couples’ bad experiences with inexperienced photographers, unorganised photographers, bad wedding photos, or no wedding photos at all! So many times I hear of couples who booked a “photographer” because they were cheap. However, they missed photos of family and loved ones, or the couple simply had no photos they even liked. So, is a cheap photographer really a bargain?
No Regrets!
There are no do-overs, weddings are a one-time only gig. What you are paying for is the photographer’s wealth of wedding experience, the photographer’s ability to wrangle cats (because trust me, that’s what any family and group photos are like), their professionalism, their personality and professional equipment. There’s also their skill at posing guests and noting the little things. I call it the 1 percent because it’s that 1 percent that can make all the difference to a photo. Making people take off their sunglasses and emptying their pockets. Trust me, weird shapes in the pants are never a good look. And a fantastic wedding photographer will make you laugh and relax for your bridal photos. Which means, amazing candid photos.
Can I Cut Your Hair Too?
A comparison I always like to use is this. Owning a pair of hairdressing scissors does not make one a hairdresser. I know this for a fact because I have a pair. And you would NEVER pay me to cut your hair. So please choose quality and professionalism over price. Look for reviews from all your vendors to make sure you’re getting a professional. You may pay a little extra, but you won’t regret it.
Wedding Ceremony tips -Don’t Worry About The Weather
What if it rains? Well, here’s a little tip. We’ll all get a bit wet. But we will also get some really cool wedding photography. I’ve always got a boot full of umbrellas just in case, but you can always choose some coloured umbrellas to go with your colour scheme. All we can do is plan and stock up on hairspray (humidity makes your hair flop), and maybe even some gumboots. Plan a backup for your wedding ceremony if you’re having an outdoor one or arrange to have a lot of umbrellas for your guests. It’s only a bit of water and rainy weddings can be fun! So whatever you do, don’t panic about a bit of rain.
And if you’re looking for umbrellas for your wedding day, you really can’t go past Kmart for a bargain! Kmart stock clear umbrellas like the one below for just $15 each. You can check them out here. Clear umbrellas are a great option as they go with any colour scheme you’ve chosen for your wedding day and they will stay in fashion for a long time!
About Alison – Wedding Photography in Brisbane
Have you enjoyed these wedding Ceremony tips? Alison is a Brisbane wedding photographer with over 22 years experience in the wedding industry. She was voted one of the top 10 wedding photographers in Brisbane by the Courier Mail and on of the top 30 wedding photographers by The Wedding Diaries. Alison is also an experienced portrait and newborn photographer and an award-winning member of the AIPP. Alison has over 20 years’ experience in the wedding, family and newborn portrait industry and is a writer, journalist and freelance copywriter. You can view more communications work here.