How To Have A Perfectly Imperfect Wedding Day
I have to admit, and it is not a sad reality, that most of the wedding days I have been to (which is well over 200) are not perfect. If things don’t go to sh*t, it is a great day already! But how should you manage the expectations and enjoy the day through all the messiness? Well, from a friendor’s (friendly vendor) perspective, I have some advices for you 🙂
- Lots of planning, of course
The planning phase is fun! It could last anywhere from 3m to 1.5 years. So make sure you enjoy it while finishing your checklist. Having a coordinator throughout the process is a great idea! Not only the coordinator can help you with advices and guidance (because most of the time, the first time bride is just kind of lost in their own ideas LOL). If you don’t have a coordinator, please know that you don’t have to do it alone. I am here for you, girl!
3. Don’t hesitate to ask questions
Duh! Not everyone is experienced in this kind of stuff so no question is a stupid question. Ask questions to anyone that is helping you on your wedding day, from venue, to hair makeup artist, to florist… They may surprise you with some answers that you assume may know.
For the vendors, make sure to ask them about their arrival time, their contact info on the day of, their cancelation policy… Those information may come in handy. One time I got asked a question that I really liked, “What could we do to make your job easier?” Without hesitation, I said “Please let your guests know to put their phones down when bride, groom and bridal parties are walking on the aisle.” And that made all the difference. The vendors will appreciate when you care about their comfort while doing their jobs thus reducing the best products for your big day!
4. Ask for previous experience
Friends and family are there to help! So if you know a previous bride, always reach out if you need something. Even if you don’t need anything from them, a good question would be “Is there anything you wish you could have done differently?”
5. Schedule everything at least 1hr before the time you want it to be ready
Things happen, right? We never know what the chaos are going to be on the day. Also there is a saying that if you are early, you are on time; if you are on time, you are late. That, as well, apply to the wedding day timeline. Make sure the HMUA (hair makeup artist) is told to be done 1hr before you need to be done, so with the florists, the cake artists…
6. Delegate, delegate, delegate… and more delegation
The bridal parties exist for a reason. They are there to help you! So please make sure you assign your long list to them so you don’t have to take care of a lot of things while dolling up.
7. Trust your vendors in all conditions
Rain or shine, trust your vendors! You went through extensive searching to hire the best of the best vendors so why don’t trust them with their visions? They are experience enough to help you have a beautiful day.
8. Check the sunset before you create the timeline
If you want sunset photos, make sure to do this. Otherwise you will be racing with the sun on the day of and it is no fun. Your photographer (me!!!) and coordinator will help you with this. It is also a step to ensure there is not a long wait for your guests who are dying to congratulate you.
9. Designate a appointed contact on the day that is not you or your husband, or your Mom
If things go wrong or they need an opinion, who do vendors call? And it should not be you or yuor husband for an obvious reason: you guys have to get ready. Not your mom, either, because that woman has to done enough for this day, too. I suggest to pick one of the bridesmaid who has been doing some planning with you so she knows your vision.
10. Enjoy the day and focus on the end goal
The end goal of the wedding day is not to please everybody. Yes, you have to plan to make sure everyone has a good time and party hard. But you and your spouse should be the main focus of the day. The end goal, to me, is you get married to one another. If that happens, the day is a success! Everything else is just luxury, not necessity. So if the cake does not arrive on time, if the flowers missing a shade that you wanted, if the chairs are not straight… oh well! Just keep calm, because you are getting married 🙂
Sencerely,
Jill
Houston wedding vendor, houston wedding photorapher, Houston best wedding photographer, houston real moment photographer
