Here it is! The moment everyone has been waiting for! The music is playing and the guests have been seated. Ushers make their way to the back aisle, and the coordinator is lining up the bridesmaids while giving the musicians a 5 minute warning. The bride is about to walk down the aisle to the love of her life….. and if she’s like most girls, she’s dreamed about this moment for a long time! Vows will be shared and promises will be made… this is what it’s all about! In a world full of wedding blogs, Pinterest and bridal magazines, it’s easy to be overwhelmed and consumed by the “prettiness” of the event. While details do matter and planning is necessary, it’s important to never lose sight of the real purpose of this amazing day!
The Ceremony
Coordination
Programs
The BEST advice I have for the program-making process is to remember that not EVERY guest needs a program! If you print a program for everyone attending your wedding, you will realize that most families will only take one. You could end up with hundreds of extra programs! Yikes! Also, before ordering your programs, have SEVERAL people check it for spelling and grammatical errors. Programs and the ceremony decor are things that the bride can plan in advance but then delegate the actual job of setting up to a friend or coordinator. The last thing a bride needs to be doing on the morning of her wedding is running around setting up floral arrangements! And this leads me into my next point...
Order of Service
Lighting
Ceremony lighting is really important. If you get married outdoors at 12pm, the lighting will be extremely harsh and not only will there be harsh lines of light on your faces, you will also be squinting. 4 or 4:30 are very common ceremony times. If you don't know what time you want your ceremony to start, then I would suggest planning an outdoor ceremony 3 or 4 hours before sunset.
Ceremony Tips
I have seen so many couples do so many AMAZING things during their ceremony. I’ve photographed sand ceremonies, symbolizing blending individual lives. I’ve seen wine ceremonies, rope ceremonies, unity candles, paint ceremonies, a time capsule ceremony and even a PB & J ceremony! ... The options are limitless! As you plan your ceremony, make sure you design it to be exactly what the two of you envision it to be. This is your day!! If you have the freedom to be creative, then by all means - be creative!
While a full event planner may not be necessary, I have found that wedding days do tend to go a lot smoother when you have one! Couples realize very quickly that if they do not have someone in charge of the coordination, that responsibility will automatically fall on the mother of the bride, the photographer, or the BRIDE herself! When a photographer is in charge of the timeline and coordination of the day (other than the photography aspect of it), the images will suffer. All of my most stressful wedding situations were caused by a lack of organization and coordination. It’s important to make this a priority.
add a little magic
Exits
One of my absolute FAVORITE parts of the wedding day is the recessional - right after the newlyweds are announced and turn to walk back down the aisle... The pure joy radiating off the couple is almost indescribable!
Want to make your first stroll as a married couple extra magical? Try handing out fresh flower petals for your guests to shower you with during the recessional!
You could also try bubbles, or use your imagination and come up with something completely unique to you, but I adore the look of fresh petals in photos!
If you are planning a destination wedding, a lot of the details in this guide will not apply to you. Your details, your timeline and even your preparation for the big day will be much simpler. However, it is a good idea to start thinking about a few key components of the day such as your ceremony time and your ceremony/portrait location (some destination weddings require some planning to find portrait locations without tourists in the background). Be sure to check the sunset time at your wedding location before settling on your ceremony time. As your wedding day draws closer, we’ll begin to chat about the timeline of the day and the travel arrangements. Get excited!! This is going to be amazing!!
Destination Weddings
I'm here to help you with anything I can as you plan your wedding! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, comments or concerns along the way:
inspired@photographybyerinleigh.com
570.529.1603
I can't wait to celebrate you on your wedding day!
Hakuna Matata