5 Mistakes to Avoid When Planning Your Wedding

So you’re engaged! Congratulations! After photographing weddings, I’ve learned a few things that can help make or break a smooth wedding day. If you want to have a smooth day, note these 5 mistakes to avoid when planning your wedding day!

1. Poor Timeline

This is a big one. If you want the best wedding day pictures, you must plan it in to your timeline. Portraits take time, and they don’t magically happen if they aren’t planned into the timeline. If you want family portraits, portraits of the wedding party, and bride and groom portraits, you will need more than 20 minutes planned. Additionally, if you are having a late fall or winter wedding, you will want to plan time for these portraits earlier in the day before the sun has set. To see a sample wedding timeline to help plan your wedding, visit here.

• 

• 

2. Not liking your bridal bouquet

Or any of your flowers for that matter. On my wedding day, when my bridal bouquet arrived, I was so disappointed. It was not how I wanted it to look at all, and it was going to be in SO many of my wedding pictures. It is so important to invest in the florals for your wedding and use a professional. Now, I’m not saying that you need to have all the flowers everywhere. Rather, don’t use a friend! If that means you need to have smaller arrangements for your reception to work with someone who really understands floral arrangements, do it. It will be worth it. You want to love your wedding bouquet, and florals are one of the single most important things to set the whole feel of your wedding.

• 

• 

3. Getting ready in a small space with no windows

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Window light is so important for your getting ready images. That, and a clear space free of water bottles and wallets next to the window so your photographer can capture all those wedding details. If you are getting ready in a dark, cramped space with no windows, your getting ready images will likely suffer. The more window light, the better!

5. Not hiring a wedding coordinator

• 

• 

• 

The venue coordinator is not the same as a wedding coordinator. A venue coordinator will oversee the caterers to ensure they prepare in the correct spaces, and that overall the venue is taken care of. Really, they work for the venue, and not you. They won’t make sure all the centerpieces are in place, or that everyone is ready for your ceremony to begin on time. I’ve seen it so many time before where the mother of bride, a cousin, or even bridesmaids are figuring out why they lights aren’t set up, or where the the name cards should be placed when they should be enjoying your wedding day. Even if you decide you don’t need a wedding planner, it is definitely worth investing in at least a day of wedding coordinator (again, one that doesn’t work for the venue!).

4. Not scheduling an engagement session with your wedding photographer

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The engagement session is a special time to get to know your wedding photographer. I don’t want to be a stranger who enters as you are getting ready for your wedding day. I want to be a familiar face and friend. I often say that choosing your wedding photographer is far different from choosing a florist. You will spend more time with your wedding photographer at your wedding than any single other person! Additionally, you will understand how they plan to pose your on your wedding day and feel more comfortable. If you are be posed for the very first time for your wedding portraits, you will likely feel a little uncomfortable. Skip those first 30 minutes of awkwardness and use the engagement session! I highly encourage all of my wedding couples to book an engagement session.

I hope you find these 5 mistakes to avoid when planning your wedding helpful! Let me know if you have any other questions! To read more helpful tips, visit my blog here.