We’ve all heard the “take time to eat” and the “make sure to enjoy your day” speeches so I’ll skip that basic wedding day advice. I wrote this to give you some advice that you don’t usually hear from the perspective of a photographer and a former bride.
As a wedding photographer, and someone who has gone through a wedding day, I’ve seen and experienced a LARGE number of weddings in my lifetime and let me tell you, I’ve heard a handful of regrets repeated over and over again and I’m here to share all of the wedding day advice with you all whether you’re an Andreia Danielle Bride or not.
1. You don’t need to have a massive wedding full of strangers.
First piece of advice for your wedding day.
I will be the first to tell you, doing this is a huge waste of time and money. If I could redo my wedding I would have done it very differently. Your wedding day is a day to celebrate your union and you should be able to feel free to express yourself through your personal vows. Feel kiss when you want, and feel the joy radiating towards you from each and every single guest at your wedding because they are so happy to see your dream come true. Friends of friends, distant relatives, and your second aunt twice removed can stay off the guest list.
2. If you want to elope, do it!
A lot of people have a wedding because they think they have to. Trust me, you don’t. If you skip the wedding you can use that money toward a bomb photographer, elope in an incredible place with just jaw-dropping, unbelievable views, double the time you can spend on your honeymoon and STILL not reach the cost that you would have reached with a “small” wedding. This creates the most amazing memories and adventure stories for your future mini’s or even just friends and family. If you’re worried about offending anyone, don’t be. This is YOUR wedding. I can promise you that they will want to elope too once you show them the photos we take together!
3. Budget for Your Dream Photographer
At the end of the day, your photos are the only tangible things that you have left from your wedding day. Invest in them and you’re investing in yourself. If your dream photographer seems out of your budget, talk to them, see if they offer a payment plan because most do. You will be thanking yourself for the rest of your life for spending a few more bucks for photos that truly make a difference.
4. Break Your Shoes in BEFORE the Wedding Day
I’ve made this mistake and I ended up waling around barefoot for most of the day! Made for some memorable photos but also some really painful blisters. Save your feet and wear your shoes around the house for at least a few days before your big day!
5. Do a First Look!
Final, and I’d argue most critical, piece of advice.
So many couples opt out of doing a first look because they want to save it for walking down the aisle. That’s great and all but let me let you in on a little secret- when the groom sees the bride walking down the aisle, even if they did a first look, he will still get emotional! First looks are practical, romantic, and intimate. They give you a chance to have some private time before the ceremony, get a bunch more photos in on your big day with family or the bridal party which frees up time after the ceremony for fun and adventurous photos of just the two of you! It’s also the perfect time to exchange private vows, just the two of you. You will appreciate that quiet, alone time so much on a day full of people and partying!
That’s all I have for you for today, come back in a few days for your next wedding day post! Leave your fave wedding day advice below so I can include it in my next advice blog post!
XOXO,
Andreia
