Your wedding day is a celebratory culmination of love, dreams, and…meticulous planning. As exciting as it is to start a new chapter of your life with your spouse, ensuring that every little detail falls into place can be an overwhelming experience. Here are fourteen wedding day tips to make your wedding planning journey more joyful and less intimidating – from a wedding photographer who has had the honor of capturing many special moments!

1. Create a Detailed Wedding Day Timeline

Let’s start with the basics. Crafting a comprehensive timeline is the backbone of a well-executed wedding day.

Begin by listing the key components of your big day (getting ready, wedding ceremony, reception, cocktail hour, wedding party, etc.) and figure out how they can all flow together. Outline every aspect, ensuring that there’s enough time for each step. Allow for flexibility but maintain a structured framework to keep the wedding day flowing seamlessly.

When you work with me, Jen Oceana, I make a detailed wedding timeline for you so you can enjoy your special day without worrying about the logistics! 

2. Plan Ahead for Family Photos

Taking family photos is one of the most joyous experiences of your wedding day, but it can get overlooked during the wedding planning process. Here are a few tips to ensure that you’ll have beautiful family wedding photos to look back on for years to come.

• Create a comprehensive list of family photos you want to take and share them with your wedding photographer in advance.
• Consider the logistics of family dynamics, such as divorced parents or large extended families, to navigate potential sensitivities.
• Dedicate a specific time slot for family photos in your wedding day timeline to make sure you can enjoy a relaxed session without feeling rushed.

Check with your wedding photographer to learn more about how they approach family photos. 

When you work with me, I include family photos in your timeline and shoot them in advance so that come your wedding day you can enjoy it without worrying about missing any photos! 

3. Do a Hair and Makeup Trial

Schedule a hair and makeup trial in the months leading up to the wedding to avoid any surprises on the wedding day. Make that your chosen look not only complements your attire but also makes you feel comfortable and confident. This is one of the best wedding day tips for a smooth day.

4. Wear Comfortable Shoes

While those glamorous heels may be tempting, consider having a comfortable pair of shoes on hand, especially if your wedding ceremony or reception involves a significant amount of walking or standing. Your feet will thank you later 😊

5. Spend Time with Your New Spouse

Your wedding day is a whirlwind of ceremonies, greetings, and emotions that you will share with your loved ones, but it’s essential to also carve out intentional moments with your soon-to-be spouse. After all, your wedding day is about you as a couple and celebrating the new chapter of your love.

Whether it’s a private first look, dancing together, or planning a brief escape for a few moments alone, incorporate meaningful experiences with your new spouse into your wedding day. It will help you calm the nerves and strengthen your emotional connection.

6. Prepare an Emergency Kit

This may not be the most exciting wedding day advice, but it can be a lifesaver in unforeseen situations! Prepare a wedding day emergency kit with essentials like safety pins, a stain remover, a sewing kit, pain relievers, and any other items that could come in handy. I love this one from revolve!

7. Go Digital

Opting out for digital invitations means that you can design visually stunning and personalized wedding invitations while minimizing paper waste and your environmental impact. Plus, it gives you the convenience of instant delivery, RSVP tracking, and easy updates for smooth communication with your guest list! 

8. Consider Doing the First Look

Traditionally, the groom sees the bride in her wedding attire for the first time as she walks down the aisle during the wedding ceremony. However, some couples decide to do a private First Look before the wedding ceremony and away from the gaze of friends and family to emotionally connect and spend a few moments alone before exchanging the vows.

Opting out for an intimate First Look allows you to share a special moment as a couple first before celebrating your love with your guests. Your wedding photographer can be there to capture your unfiltered and genuine reactions.

9. Don’t Forget About Self Care

In the midst of excitement and anticipation, it becomes easy for both brides and grooms to forget about self-care and stop prioritizing habits like getting quality sleep, eating nutritious meals, and doing other things that make them feel their best. Here are some day of wedding tips to stay in good spirits:

• The night before your wedding day, go to bed early and make sure to get a good night of sleep. It’ll set you up for success on the most important day of your life!
• Don’t forget to eat breakfast on the morning of your wedding day. It makes a huge difference!
• Take moments for self-reflection, deep breaths, and sneaking in some alone moments alone to feel more present and nourished for your ceremony and celebration.

10. Rent a Photo Booth

Incorporate a photo booth into your reception for added entertainment. It will keep your guests busy with a fun activity and generate a collection of memorable and often funny pictures to revisit for years to come.

11. Delegate Tasks

Taking on the wedding planning process alone often ends up overwhelming and may even start feeling like a burden instead of an exciting celebration of love and new beginnings that you get to share with your closest friends and family.

Share the load by assigning specific responsibilities to trusted friends, family members, or a wedding coordinator. Having a team of reliable people to handle logistics and troubleshoot any issues that may arise allows you and your partner to be more present and enjoy the wedding planning process more.

12. Rethink the Formalities

Tweaking wedding formalities allows you to infuse your special day with deeper meaning and personalize your wedding day.

For example, you can change up the order of your wedding dances (mother/son and father/daughter dances can come before your first dance as a couple), redefine the role of your bridal party or decide not to have one altogether, personalize your vows, skip cake, incorporate cultural elements that hold significance for you and your partner, and much more. The key is to make your wedding day uniquely meaningful and yours!

13. Consider an Unplugged Ceremony

Encourage your guests to be present in the moment by having an unplugged ceremony. This means asking them to put away their phones and cameras so that they can fully focus on the celebration instead of getting distracted by their phones and notifications. This also allows your wedding photographer to capture authentic and uninterrupted moments of the celebration!

14. Hire a Wedding Photographer

Last but not least, hiring a skilled wedding photographer ensures that all of the special moments, raw emotions, and beautiful wedding stories are captured for you to enjoy forever.

To find the best wedding photographer, start by researching portfolios, reviews, and recommendations. Consider their style, whether their past work aligns with your vision, and their experience with weddings. Meet with potential photographers to discuss your expectations, and assess their communication style and professionalism.I’m a New Jersey Wedding Photographer with a documentary-style approach – get in touch to capture your once-in-a-lifetime love story!