Don't let wedding planning stress you out, especially if you don't have a budget for a planner to take care of everything for you!
You’re engaged! Congratulations! What an exciting season in your life. You’re ready to tie the knot with the love of your life and want your wedding day to be the ultimate reflection of the love and devotion you share with your fiancé. If that sounds a little overwhelming, don’t worry – it doesn’t have to be! As you begin wedding planning, use these 10 tips and tricks to take the guesswork out of where to start (and what comes next). These tips will help you ditch the overwhelm and truly enjoy what will undoubtedly be one of the best days of your life – your wedding day!
Tips and Tricks for Wedding Planning
1. Decide what is most important to you.
Do you dream of an intimate first look with your fiance before you head down the aisle? Are you thinking about how delicious you want the food to be? Is the thought of your first dance something that gives you butterflies? What about a beautifully dramatic sparkler exit? Is it important to have quality, timeless photos? Spend some time thinking about your top priorities and how you want to remember your wedding day. Take note of what truly matters to you and focus on those things as you start the planning process.
2. Create a budget.
When creating your wedding budget, be sure to put your greatest priorities at the top of the list. Where do you want to allocate your money? Is the food and drink menu super important to you? Write it down. Would you like to hire a wedding planner to help things go off without a hitch? Take that into account. Do you want to be able to relive your special day over and over through photos and videos? I know I’m biased, but wedding photos are a top priority for most couples! Make a list of your priorities and create your budget accordingly.
3. Choose your venue.
Choosing a venue is the number one item on your to-do-list because the venue locks in your wedding date and you can’t plan a wedding without a wedding date! As you visit different venues, envision yourself at each location. When you look back on your wedding photos, do you want to see natural scenery? Then consider a venue with outdoor options. Barns aren’t your thing? Consider a country club, an estate, or an upscale hotel! \ Once your venue and your date are set, the next step should be booking your photographer. Which brings us to ...
4. Book your photographer.
When you’re looking for a photographer, be sure to find someone whose style aligns with yours. Your photographer will be sharing the most intimate moments of the day with you. You want to choose a wedding photographer based on both their editing style and the way their personality compliments yours. Make sure to check out their website or portfolio and set up a time to chat with them before committing!
5. Schedule an engagement session.
Scheduling an engagement session helps you get to know your photographer and vice versa. Think of this as a great trial run for what your images will look like on your wedding day. You want to make sure your photographer really captures who you are as a couple.
6. Invest in a wedding planner or day-of coordinator.
If hiring a wedding planner is just not in your budget, I highly recommend couples invest in a day-of coordinator. This alleviates so much stress from the couple and the vendor team (who really hates bugging the bride about little details or hiccups) on the wedding day. Your photographer can lead you through your wedding day in a pinch, but ideally you want all of your photographer’s focus on you so as not to affect creativity in your imagery.
7. Make sure you have a team of 2 photographers.
If you are inviting more than 75 guests, you will want 2 photographers. If you decide to get ready at separate locations, you’ll also need 2 photographers. If you want to capture both your fiancé’s expression as you walk down the aisle AND your grand entrance – you guessed it, 2 photographers are essential. When booking your photographer, be sure that they have a team in place to meet all of your needs.
8. Elope.
Just throwing this one out there! If you are looking for a more intimate experience, why not elope? You can bring your photographer along to capture the big moments so that you can relive them with your friends and a family at a celebratory party later. Eloping not only saves money, but also gives you the opportunity to be more present with your party guests who are excited to celebrate your marriage.
9. Don’t wait until the last minute.
I cannot stress this enough. Do not wait until the last minute to hire a photographer or videographer. Most creatives book out at least a year in advance. If you wait until the last minute, you will be left choosing from less experienced photographers whose vision may not align with your own. Remember, you cannot redo your wedding day. Book your photographer early to ensure your wedding day is captured just the way you imagine.
10. Book a bridal session with your photographer.
Want to make the most out of your hair and makeup trial? Book a bridal session with your photographer. Some wedding day timelines fall behind and individual photos of the bride are limited to a few shots to save time. If you’ve been picturing dreamy photos of yourself in your gorgeous dress, and don’t want to risk running out of time, the bridal session is for you. You can also use these photos to create a display at your reception!
There you have it – 10 tips and tricks to help make wedding planning just a bit less overwhelming. I hope these help as you get started and work through the planning process… and if you’re ready to book your photographer, let’s chat! Send me a message at kate@katelynnimagery.com to see if we’re the perfect fit.