ten things every bride should consider for their wedding day

>> BY TANNAH TERRY PHOTOGRAPHY <<

After attending more weddings than I can count (I literally go to these things for a living), I have came up with a list of things I want all of my future brides to be aware of! Your wedding day should be something you enjoy, so here is a list of ten things that will help make it just a little bit better than it will already be!

ONE: DO A FIRST LOOK

I have not always been an advocate for doing first looks, but hot dang — I am now! I could probably make an entire blog post on why you should do a first look, but for now this is what ya get. A wedding is supposed to be a celebration of the two of you, why spend a majority of the day away from each other? Enjoy it TOGETHER! Another reason I love first looks is because it gives the two of you a few moments by yourselves and allows you both to show your real emotion (and to actually say something for crying out loud)! …and I don’t know about you, but the thought of walking down the aisle in front of how ever many people are there scares the heck out of me, and add on the anticipation of seeing your soon to be hubby standing there — no thanks! It relieves so much pressure and allows more time for things to get done. Your guests (& photographer) will love you too! After the ceremony, you can get straight to the party. It makes for happy guests (so they won’t be waiting forever) and your pictures will be wayyyy more enjoyable without all the unnecessary tension!

TWO: HAVE AN UNPLUGGED CEREMONY

You have invited your wedding guests to witness your beautiful marriage, invite them to be fully present while they’re there. Let’s be honest, uncle Cecil’s first generation iPad is distracting (and isn’t going to get the job done when it comes to pictures). Many times, guests get in the photographers way and can easily ruin amazing pictures. You’re paying us (a lot of money) to be there, not them. Leave it to us! Everyone will be more satisfied with a clean looking image from the professional in the end anyway. I suggest having a sign as guests walk in to remind them, designate a person to kindly remind guests, you can also have your officiant make an announcement before the ceremony too!

THREE: THE GETTING READY SPACE

This might not seem like a big deal, but it will make such a difference! Get ready in a space that is clean, has lots of natural light, and plenty of space. Many venues offer a suite designed to get ready in, be sure to check it out when booking your venue. If that is not the case, a good alternative can be checking into different AirBnB’s. You want everyone to be as comfortable as possible and not crowded! Little details like these can make a huge difference in your day!

click here to sign up and book with AirBnB for a discount!

FOUR: LESS IS MORE

Planning a wedding can be super stressful, and more often than not, I notice brides panicking about all the last minute decorations. Pick a venue that does not require much! Getting married in a church?! Great! Often times a church really doesn't need a thing — put that money elsewhere. Having an outdoor ceremony? Awesome! I love nature and think it is beautiful. Spend more money on having nice chairs than all the decor. Heck, if you’re having a quick, intimate ceremony guests can stand. If you do need to spice it up a little, some simple greenery can go a long way! Some of the most amazing weddings I have photographed have been super simple, even in the back yard. Take these into consideration when figuring your budget, too.

FIVE: ORGANIZE ALL ACCESSORIES IN A BOX

There is always a lot of time spent tracking all the little things down on wedding day. Designate a box to hold those things (rings, garters, shoes, invitations, etc). It will also make it easy for your photographer to grab detailed shots as soon as they arrive. Plus it will save everyone the stress of not knowing where everything is — because it is bound to happen at some point in the day.

SIX: CREATE A PLAYLIST

Designate one of your best gals to put together a getting ready playlist with some of your favorite music! orrrr…you can cheat and find some amazing ones on Apple Music, Spotify, or Pandora. I recommend a list of favorites, along with some other fun songs you might not listen to all the time, and you can’t forget some of the wedding must haves! It’ll provide y’all with some background noise and getcha in the wedding mood. Plus who doesn’t love jamming out with the girls?!

>> Click here to check out a Spotify playlist! <<

SEVEN: EAT ALL THE THINGS

Ask your caterer to pack you up a meal for later. You likely won’t eat your whole plate with everyone you need to greet and thank for celebrating with you! You (obviously) picked the meal and should get to enjoy some too! Plus you’re going to be so busy writing thank you notes it might be nice to have a meal ready to eat! Oh, and don’t forget the cake too. ;)
(wedding cake is literally my favorite kind of cake in case you were wondering haha)

EIGHT: SOMEONE WILL GET DRUNK…

Unless you’re having a dry wedding/reception, it’s bound to happen. Someone will get drunk at the reception, just make sure it isn’t you. Sure, have a good time. Enjoy yourself (& a few drinks for all I care), but whatever you do — don’t be the drunkest one there. You have invited people to join you to celebrate, but at the end of the day you are the host. Be a good one! Your wedding day should be something you cherish (& remember) for the rest of your life. Make sure you don’t start too early in the day and remember water — food is helpful too!

NINE: PREP YOUR DRESS

Actually wear your dress around for a few hours before your wedding day. Kinda like a test drive. lol. Find out what does and doesn’t work and how to move. It also gives you a chance to make any last minute changes after its been worn! While you’re at it, break in those shoes too — you can thank me later for that ;). On the day of the wedding hang your dress up and let it settle. This will allow any little wrinkles to work themselves out. Be sure to keep it away from any potential disasters, like makeup or wine.

TEN: REFLECT

Make sure to set aside some time, even if it is just ten minutes to take it all in — together. I always recommend taking some time to sneak out of the reception to grab a few sunset photos with your photographer. Not only does that give you some time together, but it always makes for some good pictures too! While everyone is eating supper or out on the dance floor, just pause and look around. Sure, you’ll forget some of it — but there will be pictures (& probably videos) to help connect the dots. You’re likely spending months preparing for this, and it is all over in a few quick hours — be proud of what you’ve done. Try not to focus on everything that has gone wrong, because at the end of the day you’re going to be married, and that is what really matters! (your guests probably won’t even know anyway.)
It’s YOUR day — enjoy it!