Top Ten Wedding Day Tips for Brides

1. Before your final consultation with your photographer, make a general schedule of expected photo-worthy events from “getting ready” to saying “sayonara”. Give a copy to your photographer. A documentary shooter will catch just about everything anyway, but a heads-up is always helpful. Especially if you are planning non-traditional events or a non-traditional order of events. What do I mean by events? Things like cake-cutting, various dances, toasts, bouquet toss, etc. etc.


2. Eat something! You don’t want to be woozy (except with giddiness) on your wedding day.

3. And get a bathroom break. Once you are in that gown you don’t want to be answering the call of nature for awhile.

4. Assign someone to help with the formal shots. Probably the maid of honor, a close friend, or a close relative. Someone who knows everybody. Your photographer should have a list of the formal groupings you want, but make a copy for this helper, too. The photographer doesn’t know Aunt Millie from Uncle Rupert. Give the photographer a helper bee with the gathering of each grouping as well as some idea to relationships and we’ll get them posed. Arrange for the helper – traditionally the maid of honor and best man are supposed to have responsibilities on the big day. Don’t put it on yourself, you’ll only get stressed out and regret it later.

5. Allow enough time for formals between the ceremony and reception. Each group takes time to assemble (not much if you heed tip #4!), then pose. The actual picture taking only takes 1/60th of a second! But… the more groupings you want, the more time you are away from your party. Sometimes circumstances allow us to get certain formals before the ceremony (groom and his guys, bride and bridesmaids) without bride and groom seeing each other. If you don’t mind seeing each other before the wedding, all the better. We can do a bunch of formals early.

6. Practice bustling the dress with whoever will be helping you on the big day. I’ve been to a number of weddings where a LOT of time was spent trying to get that darned train tucked away. Trust me, practice the bustle.

7. Try to enjoy yourself. Flirt with your new hubby. Get a little cheeky with your bridesmaids. The day can be stressful but if you let it get you too anxious you’re not going to like your pictures. Photoshop is pretty tricky, but it can’t change your mood. Ok, maybe it can, but it’s just better if your joy is not artificially manipulated at a pixel level.

8. Keep in mind the logistics of your surroundings as they relate to the actual wedding day. What do I mean by that? Well, for instance, say you’re having an outdoor wedding. A lovely cobblestone path leads to a beautiful garden with an arched trellis. When you toured the place originally you were probably wearing flats. Now you’ve got to navigate cobblestone in heels. It might as well be a minefield. If you have an idea what to expect throughout the day as it relates to your outfit, the guests, tables full of desserts, etc. you’ll be much happier.

9. Ceremony somewhere other than a church? Try to avoid holding the ceremony up against windows or mirrors. The bright light and reflections create a challenge for the photographer. A good photographer (like me!) can work around the problem, but you’ll get a greater variety of photo angles if you just avoid it altogether.

10. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. From a glass of water to a special shot of you and your best friend from college. Speak up and you will be catered to. After all, you are the bride!