So your wedding day is fast approaching, and you want to have the most amazing day ever right? But you’ve never done this before, and it feels like there’s A LOT to think about. Well I’m here to help with some tips for your wedding morning.
As a wedding photographer in Northern Ireland, I have seen my fair share of wedding mornings. I’ve also recently been married myself..in the middle of a pandemic. So stress was high on my list of things to avoid. But it’s not easy to stay calm. So here’s my top tips for your wedding morning to ensure it is stress free. Because remember, if you have the best day, you’ll have the best photos.
Tips For Brides on Your Wedding Morning
Have nice clear spaces around the house, especially in the rooms you and your party will be getting ready in.
Pick rooms/spaces around the house that have the most natural light in them. Think about where the sun rises around the house. What rooms get the most light in the morning. Make sure they are nice and clear of clutter
It doesn’t matter if you have a Monica room. We won’t go into those. Just make sure you keep the key areas clutter free as much as possible. You won’t want to look back on photos and see a bra in the background…and believe me it’s happened.
Little Details To Have For Your Photographer
- Rings
- Invites / order of service
- Jewellery
- Perfume
- Shoes
- Keepsakes / gifts / cards. (Keep opening these until your photographer gets there if you can).
How To Get An Amazing Dress Shot
Have your wedding dress and bridal party dresses hanging up on a nice hanger. Wooden is always good and there’s lots on etsy. To save on budget, just get one for your wedding dress. Pick a spot that is clear and uncluttered, with as much natural light as possible.
Your Wedding Morning Timeline
- Prep your family and bridal party with the running order of the morning and what you want/need from them. Having everything organised beforehand will make sure everything runs smoothly.
- Hair and makeup should be finished on everyone at least one hour before you are due to leave for the ceremony to allow time for getting in to the dress without rushing. Make sure your vendors know this in advance.
- The bridesmaids, family members and friends, should all be ready before the bride so that everyone is on hand if they are needed to help the bride into the dress or sort final bits out around the house.
- By being ready an hour before you are due to leave, it will leave you time to have the magical moments. Like dad or bridesmaid or mum first look. These are special moments that should never be rushed.
- Photographers/videographers normally leave around 30 minutes before you and this is the time for you to have a breather and simply relax. Go and look at yourself in the bathroom mirror, have a little moment to yourself or have a glass of something with everyone there and simply take a moment to just savour this time, it really is so special.
- Do not be early to the ceremony, trust me your guests will never be early, ever.
- Remember to lock the door of the house, give this job to someone!
Tips For A Grooms Morning
- Don’t be in your suits too early, creases are never good.
- If photographers are coming to the groom’s house beforehand then have some details in a box like:
- Shoes
- Bow tie / Tie
- Button holes
- Rings
- Any gifts / cards (keep opening these until we arrive if possible)
- Be at the ceremony location an hour before the ceremony is due to take place. You need to be able to sort anything that needs some final attention.
- Make sure your family and your guys are with you too for photos.
Tips from your wedding photographer
Obviously these are all just some tips I’ve picked up over the years and there really is no right or wrong. You don’t have to do these things. As a wedding photographer, I just know that time really does go way too fast. And mindfulness plays a huge role when it comes to taking in all of your day. By preparing and having the best people around you on the morning of your wedding, you’ll be able to take it all in and have the day you so deserve. Full of all the joy and happiness. And when you feel those emotions, they go into your photos.
Thoughts As A Recent Bride
Remember that your wedding morning is about you. It’s ok to ask for help. It’s ok to say what you do and don’t want. It’s ok to set boundaries. On the morning of my wedding, I had times when certain members of my family were allowed to arrive because I knew I would be more stressed with them there. My bridesmaids knew what I needed and that was calm, so they did all in their power to make sure I had it.
Before I got out of bed in the morning, I took 10 minutes to meditate. Meditation isn’t something I normally do that often. But I lay in bed and focused on what I wanted to feel on the day. How I wanted to take it all in. I allowed myself to focus on what truly mattered so that I could enjoy every moment rather than sweating the small stuff. Then when I was getting my makeup done, I took little moments with my amazing MUA to just take a breath. To come back to the moment and not let my head go too crazy.
You deserve to have the most incredible day. You deserve to let others take over. So do all the prep, and then hand it over and trust in the team you’ve assembled so you can have the day you deserve.
And if you’d like me to be part of that team, head to contact form to check my availability.
Lx