10 Tips for Planning a Wedding

Ask and ye shall receive! Here are my top 10 tips to planning your wedding day from the opinion of a professional wedding photographer.

1. Book all your vendors 6 months to 1 year in advance. As soon as you decide on a wedding date I suggest looking for venues available that day. Then I would move on to media vendors like photographers, videographers, and Djs. We normally book a minimum of 6 months in advance. You should then focus on food and so on. If you are considering a coordinator you need to book them before your venue! A coordinator will be able to help you find everyone you need to make your big day a dream come true.

2. Plan for rain! If your venue is not indoors you may want to consider setting up tents or some sort of cover. I suggest bringing clear umbrellas regardless if the venue is covered or not because they look classy and more put together in photos than rainbow or themed umbrellas.

3. Even if you are not hiring a coordinator I suggest hiring a day of helper. Day of they will make sure everything is set up correctly, the day is staying on track with the timeline, and everything runs smoothly without you having to worry.

4. Keep a box with all your detail items in it so the photographer can grab, go, shoot, and return in a timely manner instead of wasting your time with asking where everything is. This box should include things like shoes, jewelry, bouquet, and invites.

5. Need to trim your wedding budget? The easiest way to do this is to cut your guest list. Remember, half of your wedding expenses go to wining and dining your guests.

6. Learn about marriage licenses. You can always check your state's license requirements online, but its the best idea to confirm everything with a call to the county clerk's office to see when they're open. Even if it's open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., they may issue marriage licenses only during slower times like, say, Thursdays from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Give a copy of your marriage license to someone you trust (just in case you lose yours during the final days before your wedding).

7. Keep an emergency contact sheet or phone with your vendor contacts on you on your wedding day—it may come in handy in case your limo driver gets lost or you decide you'd like your photographer to take some behind-the-scenes shots. Your vendors should also have each others contact information. I have been at a wedding and needed to contact the videographer to go over the layout but they were nowhere to be found. It would have been helpful to have a number to call.

8. Be realistic when scheduling When it comes down to the last month of your planning look at your mile long to-do list and cut three things. Yes, cut three things. I know, it feels like you have to do everything but you really don’t. Don’t pick crucial things you just don't feel like doing, such as picking a processional song or confirming final details with all of your vendors. I mean eliminate only the over-the-top tasks like hand-painting "Just Married" signs, or baking cookies for all of the welcome bags. Cross them off and make a pledge not to think about them again. Trust me, you won’t miss them day of.

9. Be honest with your opinions and stand your ground on what is important to you. Be as clear as possible when communicating your needs and desires to everyone working on your wedding. Remember it’s just as important to share what you don’t like, as well as what you do, so everyone can get a clear understanding of what you want. This is your day as a couple, no one else should tell you how to celebrate.

10. Trust your team. Your photographer and videographer are professionals. We know what we’re doing! If you just trust the process everything goes a lot smoother. Loosen up and have fun!