In this article, I’ll guide you through some tips for your wedding day that will make your life so much easier.
Organising a wedding is extremely exciting and overwhelming at the same time. There are so many things to think about that you might easily end up with a mental breakdown.
Let’s begin!
1. This is your day
Your wedding is the celebration of your and your partner’s love for each other.
And this is the most important thing you need to keep in mind. All the flowers, cake, decor and guests, are there for you, and you only.
We all know how much time, effort and money is put into organising a wedding. But this is yet not as important as celebrating your love and union.
Every wedding is different and unique, and so will yours. Stop comparing your wedding day to someone else, because this truly is your day.
2. Something will not go as planned
This is true for every wedding, not just yours.
Regardless of how much time you put into planning your wedding day, not everything will be under your control. And this is fine.
The list of things that might go wrong is endless.
The weather might not be as you expected, and some guests might not show up. Or some vendors might not get the work done as you wanted.
Life is unpredictable and so can be your wedding day! Spend some time before the wedding focusing on the fact that not everything will be perfect.
Be mentally prepared, so when stuff gets messed up, you will just smile and go on.
3. Keep it unplugged
This is one of the best tips for your wedding day, sadly too often overlooked.
You are investing a good chunk of hard-earned money into a professional photographer.
Let the photographers do their job, do yourself and your guests a favour, and keep the ceremony unplugged.
There’s nothing worst than looking at your pictures walking down the aisle while all your guests are staring at you through their phones.
Ask your wedding celebrant to remind your guests to keep their phones away during the ceremony.
Less screens-in-front-of-your-face, more smiles and happy tears for everyone (especially you and your partner!).
4. Sort out your drinks and food
This is a big one! After all the efforts, you don’t want to faint in front of your guests because all you had during the day was a ham and chees toastie. Don’t you?
So let’s unpack your food needs for the day.
Have a good and energy-packed breakfast the morning of your wedding day.
And make sure to organise something light to snack on before your ceremony. This way you won’t feel bloated while wearing your stunning wedding dress.
Don’t forget to sort out some handy food and drinks for you, your partner and the bridal party to eat while having your wedding photos taken.
You’d be amazed by how quickly a grumpy groomsman can turn happy and chill thanks to a cold drink and a platter of cheese, prosciutto and cracker. Chuck everything you need in a little cool box and you’re good to go!
Also, ask your caterer to pack aside a couple of portions of food for you and your groom to eat once you get back to the hotel. You never know if you will be able to eat enough during dinner.
So you can go lay in bed and sneak some food with your loved one once the day is over.
Last but not least, drink! Keep yourself hydrated during the whole day, possibly (and mainly) with water. At least until the reception.
5. Keep your make-up handy
This is one of the tips for your wedding day which you have already been wondering about. “What if I need to freshen up between the ceremony and wedding photos?”.
Simply ask your spouse, your dad, the best man or anyone you know who will stick around to you all the time to keep some basic make-up in their pockets.
If you need to touch up your mascara, you can do it seamlessly on the go.
6. Don’t leave your wedding photos too late
As a photographer, I recommend having your wedding photos (bride + groom, plus bridal party) taken right before or after the ceremony.
But please, don’t ever leave them after the reception!
Too often I’ve heard a couple saying “no stress, there will be plenty of time after the reception”.
Then food, drinks, guests and everything else gets in between, and you end up with either a 15-mins photo session or no photos at all!
I also always try to get my couples away from the ceremony for about 20 minutes at sunset time to snap some amazing images during the golden hour.
You’ll get some stunning images with amazing light, and you’ll also get to relax with your loved one for a little bit.
7. Use your wedding shoes before your wedding
They look stunning, but there’s a good chance your shoes will also be quite uncomfortable to wear.
When I was a kid, my football coach gave me some of the greatest pieces of advice I have ever had: “If you buy new football shoes, wear them for at least a couple of hours before your first match”. I don’t think I have ever thanked him enough!
This could easily be one of the best tips for your wedding day.
Simply walk around in your wedding shoes for a few hours while you are around the house to get your feet used to the new fancy heels.
8. Soak in the moments
A wedding is like spending a day at Disneyland.
There’s so much going on that before you realise it, the day is over.
Now and then remind yourself to slow down, look around and enjoy the moments. Everyone is there for you: this is your day.
Be grateful you got to spend such an amazing day with the people you love most.
9. Be happy
A new chapter in your life has just begun. Can you imagine how many exciting challenges and experiences await ahead?
Be happy, because now you don’t have to face them on your own anymore!
