Wedding planning can be challenging to say the least but we’re here to help! When I was a bride, one of the biggest challenges for me was keeping the entire day on schedule especially when unforeseen obstacles arose. I had never planned anything this big and the amounts of things on my to-do list was overwhelming. After going through that, I vowed that I would help my wedding couples navigate the ins and outs of wedding planning so that they can have the best day ever! This is my top list of things that help keep things running smoothly on your wedding day!
1. Hire Vendors You Trust:
One of the best tips I give to couples is to hire vendors that they feel that they can trust and they are excited to work with. When couples start cutting corners and hire inexpensive vendors that they don’t trust or friends/family members to work at the wedding, this is where things can get off the rails. Meet with all of your vendors before booking and pick the one that you are excited to work with and that is a wedding professional who knows how to handle a wedding day. The more you trust your vendors to be able to do their job, the less you will feel you need to check up on them on the wedding day.
2. Confirm Your Timeline With Your Photographer & Stick To It:
Weddings are notorious for getting off schedule. Before every wedding that we shoot with our couples, we confirm their timeline to make sure they have actually budgeted enough time for everything they would like to do. That way when things get behind, we can help move things along and get back on schedule. Want to read more about building a photographer friendly timeline? Head here for our ultimate wedding day timeline.
3. Do A First Look:
Not sure what a first look is or where to start? Check out our full guide here. The biggest stress reducer at a wedding is doing a first look. The reason why this is so powerful is that the wedding couple still gets a special moment together but there is less of a time crunch to do all the romantic portraits, family portraits and wedding party portraits done during cocktail hour. By doing a big chunk of them earlier in the day, you will be able to enjoy the flow of the day and not feel pressed for time. Plus if anything unexpected happens (like rain) your portraits will already be done! When you d the first look you are guaranteeing that you will have 40% more portraits of your wedding day. I can’t recommend this enough.
4. Hire A Day Of Coordinator:
They are lifesavers and can jump in to put out any fires (literal or figurative) on the wedding day. A day of coordinator can help everything stay on schedule, handle any issues that come up, make sure vendors arrive on time and are ready to go and most importantly: keep you from having to worry about every little thing.
5. Hire a DJ that is also an MC:
Once you get to the reception, you will want someone to keep the party going! Hiring a DJ that can make announcements, get people moving and keep the energy up will make sure that your guests will be talking about your wedding for years to come. This makes a huge difference in the flow and fun of your reception.
6. Slip away with your new spouse during the reception:
Take a moment to have a glass of champagne and really enjoy the moment together. The wedding day goes by at a crazy speed and you should stop and take a few minutes just to yourselves and really BE there together.
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