Wedding Day Guide Book

After years of capturing weddings and as someone who recently got married myself, I have learnt a few helpful tips to make sure your wedding is AMAZING!  So…. I decided to make a short guide book with a few key things to keep in mind when planning your day. 

THE LIGHT:

As a videographer/photographer, there is nothing better than that perfect natural light! Keep this in mind when booking a ceremony venue or your getting ready accomodation. Regular ceiling lights/artificial lights can often cause unwanted shadows and affect skin tones so try to find a place that is light, airy and has lots of natural sunlight streaming in. 

GETTING READY: 

It is often ideal if both the bride and groom can get ready onsite at your ceremony venue (Given that it is spacious and has good natural lighting). It saves travel time and allows you to get the most out of the time your photographer/videographers are with you.  However, if this is not an option, I would highly recommend getting ready in seperate Air BnB’s that are in close proximity to one another and the venue. Why an Air BnB over a hotel room? Generally, Air BnB’s are more spacious and have more character than a hotel room. I sometimes find hotel rooms to be quite small and generic with no where to hang anything.  Also, getting access to your hotel room can be a bit troublesome (Trying to get in with an intercom system, needing specific key cards, having someone take me up and down in the the lifts, ect.) Ultimately, the most important criteria is a place that is close, spacious and has tonnes of natural light. A quick bonus tip: Try to limit the amount of clutter in the room. The photos/film always look better when it is clean and tidy.

 THE CEREMONY: 

This is the part where you get to marry your best friend —— HOW EXCITING!!! If you have chosen an outdoor location, consider the position of the sun at the time of your ceremony. Harsh sunlight can be unflattering and cause unwanted shadows and squinty eyes. The ideal time for an outdoor ceremony will depend on the time of year you are getting married but I would usually suggest around 3 hours before sunset when the lighting is softer. 

I would also highly recommend having an unplugged ceremony and announcing this at the arrival of your guests. This allows your family and friends to be fully present in your celebration and enjoy the moment in real time and not through their cameras or phones. It can be a shame if there are Iphones and Ipads being held up in the background of your photos/film, or even worse, blocking the first kiss shot (this has happened to me before and let’s just say, I am lucky that I have multiple cameras to capture different angles). 

P.S Confetti is always a good time!

WET WEATHER:

They say it’s good luck right!? In case of rainy wether, make sure you have a backup plan for any outdoor locations on your day. Other than that, just embrace it! You can’t control the weather but you can control how you respond. It’s going to be the best day of your life rain, hail or shine so just make the most of it whatever it is! Plus, rain makes for some seriously romantic shots ——  You know that famous Notebook scene? Need I say more? 

FAMILY PHOTOS:

It’s best to keep it short and sweet. I often suggest just including immediate family in this, remembering that you have the rest of the night to get shots with friends and extended cousins, ect. Rounding up excited family members can also be a bit tricky and time consuming so I always ask that you have a designated person (that is not yourself) to help round up the group. Prior to the day I will ask you to send me a list of all the family shots you want so I don’t forget anyone. 

THE PORTRAITS

This is such a fun part of the day! You get to step away and just spend some time enjoying each other’s company as a NEWLY MARRIED COUPLE! The whole bridal party (if you have one) will be included at the start of the portraits and then the remainder of the time will be just the two of you where you get to relax, have fun with each other and kiss (a lot). 

The ideal time to do this is at ‘golden hour’. Just as the name sounds, it’s a magical time of the day where you have that last hour of light before it goes dark. Check to see what time the sun will set on your wedding day and then schedule your portraits to start approximately 1.5 hours before this. Some venues or couples forget this and end up either having to do their portraits while it is still super bright outside or having to race out of their reception for a few moments to take some sunset photos — neither being ideal. Try your best to work your ceremony and reception times around golden hour for the best portraits. I promise you won’t regret it! 

RECEPTION: 

PARTY TIME! I only have three main tips for your reception. Firstly, try to group all the speeches together - I find that it always improves the flow of the night and allows you to get on the dance floor sooner! (After mains is often a good time to do this). Secondly, have your first dance lead into the party time. If the guests are already up and around the dance floor watching you, they are likely to join in once the party songs start playing. I’ve been to weddings where the first dance was earlier on in the night and then when it got time to dance, it was hard to get people out of their seats. And lastly, my final tip is to HAVE FUN! All the formalities are over and it’s time to dance the night away with your loved ones. If you can’t find me, I’ll be on the dance floor! 

LAST NOTES: 

As someone who recently got married myself, my final and most important tip is to focus on what matters most. There is so much planning and preparation that goes into your day -- its a little bit busy, a little bit stressful and a whole lot exciting. Try to enjoy the ride and remember that you can’t control everything. At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is the person standing hand in hand with you at the end of the aisle. You get to marry your best friend and celebrate that commitment with all your favourite people! It doesn’t get better than that! 

(A few pics from the best day of my life @bulbcreative)