Planning a wedding is always easier in hindsight. Of course, it is! A wedding can take a lot of emotional energy away and we all seem to have this image in our head and somehow wish that this image becomes true on the day.
I thought I would take a step back and reflect on my own experience as well as the celebrations that I have photographed. I hope that by doing this list, you will avoid these issues yourself or think about those items that make you feel uncomfortable, you are still on time to change them and have a wedding day YOUR WAY.
Before we go ahead, if you are a fellow wedding photographer then come and have a look at this great article from Pixpa to explore more about wedding photography.
5 wedding planning mistakes I made that you can avoid:
1.- I bought my dress before we booked our venue: I searched far and wide and it took me what felt like a long time to find the dress that I thought would
2.- I got obsessed with a type of flower instead of choosing by colours and textures. Flowers got the best of me! I was always so confused with the seasons and what was available during the month I got married it was really hard to plan ahead.I knew I didn’t wanted the mainstream blooms but everything that seemed to be available at my local florists were mainstream blooms (like roses). My suggestion would be to have a look online and also visit wholesale flower markets to see what ‘s on offer. Double check online for bloom calendars and zones and keep in mind that some flowers if they are not in season they will have to be imported and this can add up on the cost of your flower arrangements very quickly.
3.- Skipping the videographer. The recurring thought for me was “really? how many times are we REALLY going to watch that video?” and “I need to cut cost and video is just not a big ticket item for me” … boy was I wrong! You see, a few family members left us unexpectedly that year and another few on the years to come and I would have loved to show my girls what our wedding day felt like. These days some videographers are making films of your day that are more like stories, they are original and not linear and the bottom line is, you don’t make it for you, but for those that come after like your kids and their kids, this is part of their story and who they are. Also most photographers have a sidekick videographer that they partner with and they can provide a great value instead of you looking from scratch and others offer both video and photography. So think twice if you are trying to cut cost by not including a videographer.
4.- Inviting working colleagues that I have never spoken to since. Feeling like you HAVE to invite everyone? Maybe think again … you can invite people to the actual ceremony but explain that the reception will be a very intimate affair, and this is a great way to include them without having to include them at the reception.
5.- Being too scared to do something different from the options that were shown in magazines and wedding expos. Everyone’s story is different, I regret not spending more time thinking of ways that I could make our day more OURS. This doesn’t have to be an expensive exercise, it can be little details like including somehow the place where you went for your first date, or the place where you first traveled together.
I hope that my mistakes are not yours and that you are able to plan a day that reflects who you are and how far you have come together as a couple. Now it’s time to think about your wedding photography, so give me a call and let’s start planning and crossing items from your to do list!