8 things you should consider while planning your wedding - Bristol Wedding Photography
POV: you just got engaged to the love of your life, now you’re ready to dive into wedding planning.
Firstly, CONGRATS! What an exciting time, you’ve got a whole road ahead of you and a blank slate to start at, or maybe you’ve been dreaming of your wedding for years and you already have a hundred ideas. Either way taking a dive into the wedding world can be a feast for every sense and sometimes a bombardment of targeted ads, unlimited options & suddenly everyones unsolicited questions and opinions.
So, as someone who’s been to there fair share of weddings and is an advocate for “your wedding your way”, here are my top 8 things you should keep in mind while wedding planning to ensure you have the day of your dreams!
Feels over aesthetic
How do you want it to feel on your wedding day and when you look back for years to come? In all the movies I watched growing up, weddings were made out to be these super stressful days where everyone was pretty miserable and things always went horribly wrong, which couldn’t be further from what your wedding should be. The number one most important thing about your wedding is that YOU get to enjoy it and it provokes amazing memories, and in my experience the common thread is that you make your day authentically, wholeheartly YOU. That means that you really optimise your timeline and vendors to make sure you get to be truly present on your wedding day, and your photos will thank you for it too!
Remember why you’re getting married in the first place
Because you love each other… ammiright!! Hell yeah, you guys found each other in a sea of bad fits and have chosen to get married to show your commitment to each other. That’s epic! So don’t lose sight of the fact that when all is done, you’ll be married to the love of your life and that in itself is worth every bit of celebration. So during the planning check in with each other, make the important decisions together and keep each other grounded during the process.
The wedding you want, not the wedding you think you should have
There’s absolutely no such thing as a “one size fits all” wedding, you can have the exact wedding you want the way you want it. This is YOUR day, don’t get lost in what other people want or think you should have. So when you’re envisioning your wedding what things excite you and what is just meh? Questions to always come back to are “will this make our day better?” and “is there a more us version?” For example:
- your wedding doesn’t have to be at a wedding venue, it could be at your favourite restaurant or make a pitstop at mini golf for your entertainment.
- does cutting a cake add to your experience, or do you not really care?
- would a band be more likely to get the party started than a dj?
Create a list of priorities (for both of you)
This is the simplest way to align your priorities for your wedding. Making a list of what your non negotiables can help you start creating a day based around the things that will bring you the most joy.
For example, your main priority could be that you want to have a party with just your favourite family & friends which could lead to you having a smaller guest list but allocates you more money for an awesome band and open bar. Or you hire your dream venue, but having it in peak season is less important. Take time to sit down and explore what you really LOVE about the venue/photographer/decor etc. As a photographer I know this’ll sound biased but think about more than just the wedding day itself, your photos and videos will become the most important thing to you once the day’s over, transporting you back every time you look at them, so making sure you find your perfect photographer should always be high on the list.
Which ties in to…
Budget
I’m a big believer in not spending more money than you have, and god knows that weddings can be a black hole, so starting off knowing your ideal maximum spend is always crucial. Shopping around and asking for quotes from a few different options is great, and I’m telling you that we don’t mind if you speak to a few people to find the right person for you & your budget. But if you do come across your perfect vendor and they’re out of your budget then communication is key, don’t write them off without speaking to them about it. A lot of the time showering someone with kind words and adoration is a good place to start, then ask them if there’s a way to work with them in your budget - tip: phrasing is key here, don’t go in with “can we have a discount” as likely it’ll piss them off, but an approach of “we adore your work, our budget is £XYZ is there anyway of being able to work together” is far nicer.
Surround yourselves with only the best people
This is crucial! It will literally change the atmosphere of your whole day. Having a Debbie Downer in your ear when you’re getting ready, or a panicker when there’s rain scheduled is not going to get you hyped. Sometimes it can even be your vendors or coordinators that flap or ask you 1000 pointless questions, so make sure you choose someone with experience who you really get on with. Choosing who is in your sacred space on your wedding day is definitely something to put a lot of thought into… You don’t owe anyone an invite or to make them part of your wedding crew if you don’t think they’ll add the right vibe to your day.
Don’t stress about things out of your control
The weather, something not arriving in time, guests not being able to make it. There’s a vast number of things that are out of your control on a wedding day, and that’s ok! Coming to terms with the fact that not everything might go to plan is good practise, and preparing for the things that you can prepare for will put your mind at rest. For instance, if it looks like it might rain then get some see-through brollies and think about your venues rainy-day options. This also ties into “surround yourselves with only the best people”, if the people around you are panicking or stressing you out it won’t make anything better
Don’t get sucked in my comparison or targetted ads
Easier said than done i know, but your wedding or elopement is going to be unique to you. Targetted ads & social media can totally suck the joy out of all the amazing things you’ve got planned, so where possible try to have breaks from scrolling and turn off your ads. As soon as you announce your engagement you’ll be flooded with people trying to sell you everything from diet pills to tattoo removal… so this is also a good time to mention i’m totally anti-diet-culture, and you shouldn’t have to change a single bit about yourself to get married, that is not what weddings are about.
So that’s my round up, out of these 8 thing I wonder how many you’ve already considered? And it’s been interesting while writing this blog to think about how many of these points are about other people involved in your day. If you’ve read this blog and are booking me as your wedding photographer, mention it in the form, i’d love to hear your thoughts!
