When you first get engaged, the process of wedding planning can seem a little overwhelming. Don’t worry – I’ve been there. Even years of experience as a wedding photographer couldn’t quite prepare me for the amount of organising, planning and booking that comes with your own wedding day.
If you’re finding yourself in these shoes – first thing to do is to take a deep breath.
While it can seem like a massive undertaking, there are plenty of professionals who can guide you along the way. Enlist the help of your family, friends and bridal party. Remember to take time for yourselves as a couple. And, most of all – sit down together and figure out your wedding day priorities. It’ll clarify the most important aspects of your wedding day to you as a couple, and make it easier to focus on the big picture.
I’ll admit, I’m a wee bit biased, and think that wedding photography should be at the top of your priority list. Primarily because, at the end of the day when it’s all over, the photos are what you will look back on to remember each element of the day! However, to each their own. You’ll likely find that your own wedding day priorities will be different to your newlywed friends. Another thing to consider is that compromise is key. Especially when you’re working with constraints like a budget, venue size or number of guests. Be open to giving up a few of the less important things to make sure you have the things you really want.
Scotty and Jean’s wedding day was simply magical.
For them, their number one wedding day priority was to have all their family and friends in attendance. (As well as having a great photographer, of course!). With a guest list of around 200 people, they focused on finding a venue that not only had a reception space large enough to host them all, but that could also provide accommodation. Solway Park made for the ideal location for the big day. While we did have to head off-site for the creative shots. They could relax knowing their guests were being looked after.
A close second on their list was having enough time to spend with their many guests. It’s easy to get caught up in the madness on the day, so I worked with them closely in the lead-up to their wedding day to ensure they dedicated time to socialising. We chose to have three small creative shoots on the day rather than stealing them away for hours at a time. This ensured they could have down time in between the wedding activities, and spend some quality time with their guests. Another advantage of this was that we were able to take advantage of the beautiful changing light through the day.
So if you’re deep into your wedding planning, take time today to make a cuppa, sit down with your soon-to-be husband or wife, and talk about your wedding day priorities. In the meantime – take a look at a few photos from Scotty and Jean’s gorgeous day!
Don’t forget to keep up with the latest from me on Facebook and click here to find out more about my wedding photography.
