If you've stumbled upon this blog, you're probably in the throes of wedding planning and are stressed. And In this moment, you want to be this girl. She is relaxed and at peace because the most stressful part of the day for most is over: the ceremony. The hours leading up to the ceremony are like the moments before a volcano [of glitter of course. Lava kills.] erupts. You know that once the eruption happens, you can go on with your life and enjoy it. I totally get it because I've been there, too, not just as a bride but also by being with many brides in the hours before the ceremony. There are ways to mitigate this stress and to have it flow and actually be moments of fun and enjoyment. That's why I've created these super simple, doi! tips and advice to do as the bride to help you get to the ceremony in one piece and truly embrace it along the way.
Wedding Day (Getting Ready)
Designate your maid-of-honor to do the following: manage your phone, steam your dress, gather all those important details (i.e. perfume, shoes, invitations, wedding bands, etc.) for your photographer to photograph, check on whether you need food/drink, carry all your extras in a bag for later (i.e. touch up makeup, lipstick, deodorant, hair spray, change of clothes for reception, extra pins, boob tape, breath mints, perfume, hygiene products, phone, wallet, keys to car and room key at hotel, etc.)
Be sure to eat a good breakfast with a good combination of proteins and complex carbohydrates. Try to refrain from eating simple carbs, like pastries and breads as this, coupled, with inevitable dehydration, anxiety, and stress makes a bad recipe.
Drink plenty of water! We're made of it.
Have your details (i.e. dress (out of the bag steamed and ready, perfume, shoes, invitations, both wedding bands, extra florals if able, etc.) gathered together and ready for your photographer 30 minutes prior to their arrival time.
Make sure your maid-of-honor or mom know how to bustle your dress. You may want to refresh their memories with the video you took at the dress shop.
Don't wait until the day of the wedding to transcribe and/or write your vows. Time will always slip away from you the day of the wedding and you don't want to rush through those.
Don't try new things the day of your wedding, whether that's a new perfume, deodorant, medication, drink, etc. The worst thing to happen is for you to have a negative reaction.
Don't be the last to have your hair/makeup complete. If your hair and makeup artists have you last, change that to maybe third from last. You will need more time to relax, get dressed, and increase the amount of amazing photos you'll have before the hustle of the day moves forward. If you have the option, have the mother of the groom last in line for hair and makeup, that way your mom/mom-figure can be ready to help you get ready in photos.
Wedding Day (Ceremony Time)
In the time you have after photos and before the ceremony, touch-up hair/makeup, drink or eat, and especially use the bathroom.
When walking down the aisle, try your best to look out toward your guests and especially your future spouse.
Take your time while walking down the aisle. This is the last time you and your dad have this time together before you're married.
While standing at the altar, bend one knee to prevent yourself from passing out.
Don't forget to smile
Don't be afraid to cry. If you invested in a quality makeup artist, it will endure.
Try not to look too much at the officiant. Yes, at times he is addressing you, but in photos, it looks much better when you're looking at your spouse.
Hold your kiss for three seconds.
Don't rush back down the aisle. Enjoy these first few moments as newly husband and wife.
Immediately Post-Ceremony
Designate a family member on your side and your spouse's side as the Wrangler [this should actually be done during the planning stage, not the day of]. Their job is to gather all of the extended families together and have them on deck for their photos. You've just walked out of the ceremony. Make sure your maid-of-honor and best man don't let the wedding party leave the area until photos are done.
Allot enough time for your maid-of-honor to bustle your dress and remove your veil. Depending on the complexity, it could take as little as one minute to as many as fifteen.
Change your shoes! If you plan to get down on the dance floor, make sure you have a comfortable pair of shoes to really do so. Don't be uncomfortable and miserable at your reception. It's truly not worth it.
Practice your first dance if necessary.
Reception
It's smooth sailing from here, so, sit back and enjoy those fleeting moments!
Be sure to temper your alcohol/inhibiting substance use during this time. We want you to remember these moments!
Send-off
Flower petal tosses look great on camera and are generally allowed at most venues.
Walk at a decent pace, look at each other or toward the end of the send-off line, not at the ground. Also, it is dark and the camera is trying to focus on you both so don't run. Or run on your second pass through!
If your partner dips you in the aisle, do the dip closer to the cameras (about 3/4 of the way through the line). Be sure your spouse dips you parallel with the camera, not towards or away from it.
If you choose sparklers, make sure they are the ones that are like two feet long.
Bon voyage and congrats!!!
If you give us the great honor of photographing your wedding, I will be there to help you with a number of these things. I've learned to bustle most types of dresses, I'll carry your bouquet, keep track of your timeline, wrangle your family members, and make sure you're eating and drinking. I hope I get to do these things for you! :)
Love,
Heather
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