Addfunandelegancetoevery couple’sDREAMWEDDING DAY byauthenticallycapturing andpreservingallthesweetest momentsofLOVE throughbeautiful photographsfortheirFOREVERJOY!
A wedding is a very complicated event with lots of moving parts and significant financial investment. Find out what you need to know about contracts and why you need them.
You have invested a lot of time and money into planning your perfect day. Don’t ruin it by failing to plan the events of the day. Learn about some of the most significant events that will occur on your wedding day and how to plan for them.
Welcome to The Ultimate Wedding Planning Guide for planning the wedding of your dreams! As a wedding photographer for over ten years with countless weddings photographed and many happy couples, I have seen and dealt with almost everything weddingrelated you can imagine.
From my own wedding in Los Angeles, California, to a fourhundred-plus guest catholic wedding, I understand the complexities of planning your dream wedding.
This wedding guide is chock full of simple-to-follow information to give you a solid foundation for planning your dream wedding.
I will give you everything – over ten years of lessons learned in the industry - no spreadsheets, no apps to download, just one hundred percent pure priceless value. I hope you will find many nuggets to help you achieve your goal.
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m rooting for you!
Cheers to creating a lifetime of good vibes!
~ Antonio ~ XOXO
“It’sonethingtohaveatalented photographer;it’sanothertohaveone thatyoufeeljustgetsyou.Antoniois extremelyprofessional,patient,and easytoworkwith.”
- Amoi & Robert
Hey, I’m Antonio! Your award-winning Miami wedding photographer. My ultimate passion is capturing the raw emotion and beautiful moments of your love story. I’ve been photographing weddings full-time for over ten years. White House Wedding Photography was created for fun-loving couples like you who love to dance and have a good time.
My couples describe my photography style as modern, classy, elegant, and beautiful. However, I like to describe my style as organic contemporary because I take extreme measures to ensure that my photos look as natural as possible.
I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Photography. My photos have been featured in Style Me Pretty, OK Magazine, WeddingWire, The Knot, Bridal Beauty, and others.
The most important thing to know is that your wedding experience will be my top priority. I want you to have an unforgettable experience filled with laughter and cheers. Please know that I will be here for you throughout the entire process.
I am happily married to Paula Crutchley, my rock, friend, and confidant. We both love to travel and experience different cultures. I grew up in Jamaica, and get this; I love country music - don’t tell anyone! Neither Paula nor I can hold a tune to save our lives. We love good food, music, red wine, friendships, and family. When we are not traveling and working, you can find us taking long walks on the beach in Miami Beach, where we live.
So, take your time & enjoy this guide.
The excitement and joy of getting engaged are wearing off, and the thoughts of planning your wedding are beginning to come into full focus. That is so cool, and I am totally happy for you.
Before you jump both feet first into planning your wedding, you and your significant other should take an hour or two to sit down and figure out what your dream wedding looks like and how it feels.
Feel free to read through this entire wedding guide before you start taking any action.
When you are ready to start planning, grab a three-inch binder with some blank papers to write on – you know the ones with the three rings? This binder will be an essential tool in your wedding planning process. You will use it to keep all your notes, vendors, contracts, recipes, ideas, etc.… organize.
An alternative to the binder is to use a wedding planning app or just create folders on your computer or Google Drive. If you are anything like me, your computer can become so cluttered that it may be challenging to get and stay organized. Stick with the binder. It will make your life a lot easier!
“I strongly recommend that you get a wedding email (mollyandmike2021@mymail.com). You will be emailing a lot of vendors, especially during the early stage of your planning. Having a separate email address for all your wedding planning will help you stay organized.”
Start prioritizing what is essential to both of you by asking yourself what kind of wedding day experience you both want.
Here are a few questions to get you going:
1. Do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding?
2. Wedding at the beach, barn, hotel, or historical venue?
3. Decor, up-lighting, natural, rustic?
4. Colors, flowers, theme?
5. What sort of dress/tuxedo – formal or semi-formal?
6. Elope or opt for a destination?
7. How many guests (this is an important one to get your head around because it will affect your budget)?
8. Food, entertainment, transportation?
9. Fine dining or buffet?
10. Post-wedding plans, honeymoon, etc.?
These are just a few things to get you started - don’t limit yourselves. Continue to brainstorm and only write the stuff down that gets you excited. If tuxedos and bow ties are not your style, then don’t write them down.
Only write the things down that you absolutely want. You should get a warm bubbly feeling just thinking about these things.
By the time you get through daydreaming, you both should have a good understanding of what kind of wedding experience you both want. Now, you just have to figure out how you are going to pay for it.
Planning a wedding is a lot of work which generally takes between 12 AND 14 MONTHS. Below is a chronological wedding planning checklist to give you a big picture look at what needs to be done and when it should get done.
Announce Engagement
Select Wedding Date Hire wedding consultant/coordinator
Determine type of wedding: location, theme, # of guests, formality, time of day
Determine budget and how expenses will be shared
Buy a binder to keep track of appointments & events
Develop a record keeping system for payments
Create an approximate number guest list Decide if you will be inviting children or not Determine color scheme
Select and book ceremony and reception venue
If ceremony or reception is at a home, arrange for any home improvements
Select & book Me ( WHITE HOUSE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY ) for wedding photography & set a date for your engagement shoot
Select & order main attire
Obtain passports, visas, birth certificates, any documents needed for travel and/or marriage licenses
S elect & book caterer, if needed
Select & book Officiant (Minister, Priest, Rabbi, other)
Select wedding party
Give wedding party a list of their responsibilities
Select & buy attire for bridesmaids and flower girl
Select & buy attire for mothers of the bride & groom
Select & book ceremony musicians
Select & book live band or DJ for reception
Select & book videographer
Select & book florist
Register for your wedding gifts (this can be done sooner)
4 - 6
MONTHS OUT
Schedule fittings for custom made bridesmaids gowns
Arrange marriage prep-courses, if necessary
Reserve rental items
Select & book decorator
Finalize an A & B list of guests
Select & order invitations & other wedding stationery
Set date, time & location for rehearsal dinner
Select & book honeymoon night suite
Arrange accommodations for out-of-town guests
Start planning your honeymoon
Shop for your wedding gifts to each other
Shop for your wedding gifts for your wedding party
Shop for your wedding gifts for your parents
Buy shoes, lingerie & accessories for the bride
Buy shoes & accessories for the bridesmaids
Select & order wedding cake
Order party favors
Select & order decorations
Purchase honeymoon attire & luggage
Select & book wedding day transportation
Start addressing your invitations
Plan activities for out-of-town guests (optional)
Go on trials & book wedding day hair & makeup
Send out your invitations
Select ceremony readers
Select ushers to seat your guests
Select guest book attendant
Select your MC
Mail invitations to shower
Get photography permit, if needed
6 - 8 WEEKS OUT
Record RSVPs & early wedding gifts
Record shower gifts & send thank-yous
Purchase ceremony & reception accessories: guest book, toasting glasses, ring pillow, etc.
Select & reserve groomsmen’s wedding attire
Mail invitations to rehearsal dinner
Plan bridesmaid luncheon
Select something old, new, borrowed, blue
2 - 6
Finalize all food & beverages for wedding
Finalize all ceremony details with Officiant
Finalize all rehearsal arrangements
Finalize all floral arrangements
Final fittings for yourself & bridesmaids
Make a wedding day itinerary & give a copy to your wedding party & vendors
Finalize all details with all your vendors
Decide order of receiving line & head table setting
Contact guests who haven’t replied
Pick up wedding rings
Visit reception site for floor plan & create reception seating plan
Give musicians a list of your music selections
Inform attendants when & where to pick up attire
Print out seating cards
Give caterer/reception venue final tally of guests
Pack for your honeymoon
Wrap reception favors
Arrange mail collection while you are on honeymoon
Drop all wedding accessories & decor off at ceremony & reception locations
Make sure you bring all gifts that will be handed out at dinner
Make sure you have all final payments in envelopes for wedding day
Pack over night bag for honeymoon suite
Attend rehearsal
Make sure wedding party has their itinerary
Make sure the gentlemen have the right color socks
Review VIP seating with ushers at ceremony location
Eat breakfast
Pack anything remaining on your “To Bring” list in cars
Make sure Maid of Honor & Best Man have the rings
Make sure you have your marriage license, photo permit & Special Occasions Permit, if needed
Put your engagement ring on your right hand
Remember to take a moment to enjoy the details of the day you planned so long & hard for
There are literally tons of information online for budgeting for your wedding, enough for you to get lost in. So, I am going to keep it very simple here.
Daydreaming is lovely, isn’t it? However, there is only so much you can do with daydreaming, though. At the end of the day, you will need money to bring those dreams to reality. Having a fixed budget is a great way to set yourself up for the wedding of your dream.
When my wife and I got married, we had an incredibly fun wedding on top of a mountain overlooking the city. We spent a pretty penny, but we didn’t go over our budget. And we had everything paid off by our wedding date.
By knowing our wedding budget, we could plan and have the wedding of our dreams without any financial hardship and stress. This is what I want for you and yours! I want you both to have the wedding of your dreams without financial stress and drama.
First, to figure out your wedding budget, take stock of how much money you and your significant other have to spend on your wedding.
Then talk to your parents and relatives to see if they will be contributing to your wedding expense. Once you got that all sorted out, you should have a combined total of your money plus your parents’ and relatives’ contributions. This is your wedding budget.
Now that you have your overall wedding budget, you can allocate money to your dream priorities. For instant, if your overall wedding budget is $40,000, your breakdown could look something like this:
1. 30% Wedding Venue = $12,000
2. 30% Food & Drink = $12,000
3. 20% Flowers, Decor, Rentals = $8,000
4. 10% Photography = $4,000
5. 5% Dress = $2,000
6. 5% Miscellaneous = $2,000
“Note that the percentages listed above is for an average wedding. For top tier photographer you can expect to spend a little more than 10% on your wedding day photography. If photography is important you, then consider raising your photography budget above 10% of your wedding budget.”
Next up, after setting your budget, is choosing your wedding date. Simple enough, right?
This might seem like one of the easiest things to do when planning your wedding. Nonetheless, you would be amazed at the thought process that goes into picking a date to be wed. The date you choose to get married can significantly impact your budget, guests’ attendants, and overall enjoyment and satisfaction.
Here are a few things to consider when picking your wedding date:
Consider Planning Timeline – this one is significant because it will determine how hectic your planning will be. Consider picking a date far enough in the future to give you ample time for planning. The typical wedding planning timeline is twelve to fourteen months.
Consider your Wedding Style - to pick a perfect wedding date for your dream wedding, first think about what style of wedding you would like. Do you want a relaxed beach wedding with exotic cocktails and warm sunshine, or do you want an elegant indoor wedding with formal wear? The style of the wedding you want will help you pick a date.
Here in Miami, if you have a beach wedding style, you wouldn’t want to choose a summer date. Summers in Miami is scorching and humid, plus the daily thunderstorms and possible hurricane make for an unpredictable outcome. A better time for a beach wedding here in Miami would be late winter through early spring. During this time, the hurricane season is over. The summer days of thunderstorms are gone, and the humidity pretty much disappears.
Venue Availability - Once you figure the style of wedding you want, the next thing is to identify the venue. The last thing you want to do is to pick a date before figuring out if the venue you have in mind is available on your date. Keep in mind that Miami’s wedding season is opposite that of the rest of the United States.
The vast majority of information you will find online will tell you that the US’s peak wedding season typically runs from May to September. However, in South Florida, the season is reverse and runs from January through March.
Consider You and Your Guests Work Schedule - will both of you be able to take time off from work for your wedding? Some companies may have peak seasons where you may not be allowed to take a vacation. On the other hand, you may be able to take your vacation, but what about your guests? Will your guest be able to get time off from work to attend your wedding?
A while back, I photographed a wedding in Fort Lauderdale on a Friday afternoon. The ceremony was scheduled to commence during the height of the rush hour traffic. Needless to say, many of the guests were running late due to traffic, and the ceremony had to be pushed back one hour later.
The point is that most people can’t get off work early enough on a Friday to attend a wedding. So you have to take that into consideration when picking your date.
Consider Significant Dates – I have done lots of weddings that are on grandparents’ birthdays. Couples also like to plan their wedding around the date that they first met or got engaged.
Consider Peek Season Vs. off Season – one unique thing about getting married in Miami is that the wedding season is opposite that of the rest of the US. While most US locations, peak wedding season is in the summer, Miami’s peak wedding season is in the winter through early spring. Choosing a date during the peak wedding season will cost you premium pricing.
Consider Major Events & Holidays – although your wedding is about the love and commitment of you and your partner, your close families and friends will play a notable role in witnessing and celebrating with you. You don’t want to select a date that will create conflict for your loved ones. Try to avoid dates like the Superbowl, Ultra Fest, Christmas, New Year, and others.
Wow, I bet you didn’t know that picking a wedding date could be so involved! Hopefully, you have a better understanding of choosing your perfect wedding date.
Your wedding party is an essential part of your wedding team. Take some time to consider the individuals you choose and their skill sets that best serve your wedding planning and execution.
Your wedding party is a group of family members and close friends who will be by your side every step of the way during your wedding planning and beyond. This is an essential group of people, and they should be chosen with the utmost care. You want to make sure you chose people who are really going to help you through the planning stages, the day of your wedding, and after your wedding. DON’T JUST CHOOSE SOMEONE BECAUSE THEY CHOSE YOU FOR THEIR WEDDING.
I have photographed a couple of weddings where the wedding party was clueless with the wedding events and were literally useless to the bride and groom. This is not what you want! Your wedding party’s’ sole responsibility is to help you have the wedding of your dreams. You and your wedding party have to be on the same page, and they should have your back.
When should you choose these individuals? I think you should choose them as soon as you picked a date. Don’t get wrapped up in trying to please everyone. Think of yourself first. Also, you don’t have to pick equal numbers of bridesmaids and groomsmen. For example, four bridesmaids and four groomsmen. The number of personnel in your wedding party is totally up to you, but please think about your wedding’s size. The bigger your wedding, the bigger your wedding party should be.
According to the most popular wedding traditions, the bride’s party is all girls, and the groom is all boys. Still, don’t be afraid to do something different. After all, this is your day, and you want it to be uniquely you, right?
Choose your bridal party base on the relationship you have with them, not gender roles. If the bride and her brother have been super close forever, make him a “bridesman,” or if the groom’s best friend is a lady, make her a “grooms lady.” There is no wrong way to build your wedding party – just make sure they will work well together and be reliable.
Maid of Honor or Matron of Honor or Bride’s Attendant – is the head of the bridesmaids and is responsible for keeping them organized, helping the bride with wedding planning, navigating family difficulties, and making decisions. The Maid of Honor is also responsible for planning the bridal shower and bachelorette party, and many other things. Above all, the Maid of Honor is a good listener and strong support for the bride to lean on.
Bridesmaids or Bride’s Attendants – picked by the bride and is usually a combination of family and close friends. Bridesmaids are responsible for helping the Maid of Honor plan the wedding, bridal shower, and bachelorette party. They run errands, help the bride shop for her dress and bridesmaid dresses. Furthermore, bridesmaids play an essential role on the day of the wedding. They may be asked to direct guests to their seats at the ceremony, assist with the bride getting ready, direct vendors, secure gifts and clean up, etc..…. Overall, a good bridesmaid is a God Send to a bride. She will be helpful and always available to serve the bride.
Best Man / Best Woman / Groom’s Honor Attendant – this person performs the same duties as the Maid of Honor for the groom.
Groomsmen – the opposite of bridesmaid. Responsible for helping the groom in every way possible.
Ushers – are usually a member of the family or close friend. The usher is the first smiling face that guests see on the day of the wedding. Their job is to greet guests and distribute programs and escort attendants to their seats. They may also help with ceremony preparation, such as setting up chairs, setting up and testing the sound system, and any other last-minute tasks.
Bride’s Parents: Mother of the Bride and Father of the Bride – the bride’s mother is the chief cheerleader. Above all else, she should be warm and supportive. She should discuss the budget and her contribution to her daughter as soon as possible. The mother of the bride will also help with creating the guest list and spreading the word. Also, she may be escorting the bride down the aisle and helping out in any other task that she is needed for.
For the bride’s father, the experience of seeing is daughter get married can be very emotional. This is because some young man is taking his place as the most important man in his daughter’s life. Nevertheless, dads are typically proud to bear the cost of their daughter’s wedding. But they are more than just a wallet! Plan to keep your dad involve as much as possible so that he doesn’t feel left out.
Most fathers generally escort their daughter down the aisle and give her to the groom ( a tradition known as giving the bride away). Some other fatherly duties are the first dance and the toast (speech).
Groom’s Parents: Mother of the Groom and Father of the Groom – the groom’s mother and father can contribute to the wedding cost and support their son. Generally, the mother of the groom will pay for the rehearsal dinner. Dad may also contribute to his son and groomsmen tuxedos cost. Understand that these duties and responsibilities will vary from family to family. Therefore the groom and his fiancée need to have an open conversation with the groom’s family before the start of the wedding planning.
Officiant – this is the person who will be performing your wedding ceremony. For the most part, the Officiant is the only person in your wedding party that is not a family member or friend. Also, Officiants are generally hired as opposed to volunteering.
The Officiant is responsible for working with you to create the ceremony that you are envisioning, and getting the marriage license signed and filed with the state you are getting married. It is also essential to find an officiant that is legally recognized to marry you in the state that you are getting married.
You will need to decide if you want a religious or a secular officiant. With a secular officiant, you will have more options for who can be your Officiant. For instance, you could have a justice of the piece, a friend, or even a family member for a secular officiant. Remember that whoever you chose as a secular officiant would still have to be legally recognized by the state to marry you.
RELIGIOUS OFFICIANTS are a little stricter than secular officiants. You may have to conform to the religious standard for the wedding ceremony.
I have done many catholic weddings from California to Miami. They all have different regulations for what you can and cannot do at a wedding ceremony.
Some catholic churches will place a big restriction on where the photographer can stand. Almost all catholic churches that I have photographed wedding ceremonies restrict the use of flash during the ceremony. If photography is important to you, make sure you do not choose a religious officiant with severe restrictions on what your photographer can do.
Flower Girl – typically the youngest member of your wedding party (age 3 – 8). The flower girl generally proceeds the bride throwing petals down the aisle. One suggestion I would give here is not to have someone too young to be the flower girl. Children at a younger age tend to get shy and will not walk down the aisle by themselves. If you have someone that young be the flower girl, have an older child escort them down the aisle.
Ring Bearer – is a young boy, generally between the age of three and eight years old. They are often a close family member of the bride or groom. The ring bearer is responsible for carrying the rings down the aisle for the couple. Both the ring bearer and the flower girl will walk down the aisle just before the bride walks down the aisle.
Finally, the only things required for you to get married are you, your significant other, the Officiant, and a witness. However big or small of a wedding party you decided to have is totally up to you.
By now, you and your partner should now have a clear picture of what is essential to both of you. You have come up with a budget, and you have chosen the perfect date for your wedding, you have picked your wedding party. Now, let’s go build your dream team.
Planning a wedding is hard work, and it requires time and dedication. Luckily for you and countless others like you, you don’t have to do it alone. The bigger your wedding, the more likely you will need a team to help you, especially during the planning and execution phase.
“My suggestion is that before you hire anyone or purchase anything, create a list of all the vendors and products that you will need to help make your dream wedding come through. Then arrange them in order of importance, with the most important ones at the top.”
VENDORS
1. Wedding Planner/Coordinator - help with the planning 2. Venue - a place for getting married/reception
Photography - capture wedding day events
Videography - capture wedding day events
Bridal Boutique/Menswear - wedding dress / tux
Caterer - food/drinks
7. Cake Baker - wedding cake 8. Hair and Makeup - beauty 9. Florist/Decor - make your venue pretty 10. Uplighting - transform venue with wedding colors 11. Entertainment - DJs/ Band 12. Transportation - from getting dress to ceremony to reception
NOTE - Please note that this is only an example of the vendors most commonly hired for a wedding. You will need to analyze your budget and what’s important to you to decide which vendors you want on your dream team. You may not need a cake baker if you are not going to have a wedding cake. I have done many weddings where the couple didn’t have a wedding cake.
Before we go diving into hiring your wedding vendors, I think this is a good place to talk a little about wedding contracts.
DISCLAIMER – Please note that I’m not an attorney. The information provided in this section is not intended to constitute legal advice. The Wedding Contract information in this wedding guide is for general informational purposes only. Readers of this wedding guide should contact their attorney to obtain guidance concerning any particular legal matter.
Make sure you get a contract from all of your vendors. This should be a no brainer, but you would be surprised to learn that many couples hire vendors for their wedding on just a verbal agreement. An oral agreement is hard to hold up in court! So, before you start hiring vendors, let us look at wedding contracts and why they are a must-have.
A wedding is a very complicated event with lots of moving parts and significant financial investment. The contract is a written agreement between you and your vendor. A wedding contract details the terms of the transaction to tell you precisely what you are getting. It also describes when and how you will pay, and what happens if your vendor cannot deliver as promised and agreed to in the contract.
Wedding contracts are generally organized into sections called terms or clauses.
1. Services to Be Provided – this section should spell out precisely what you will be getting when you will get it, and who will provide it.
2. Payment – the payment clause describes what payments are due (including retainer) when they are due, and the penalties for late or nonpayment.
3. Postponement & Cancellations – address what happens if you have to postpone or cancel your wedding. Do you get your money back or a portion of it? What if you need to reschedule, and the vendor is not available for your chosen reschedule date?
4. Termination – this clause is different from the Postponement & Cancellation clause. It allows you or the vendor to end the contract without any further liability. For example, a vendor may reserve the right to terminate the agreement and keep all funds paid if you fail to make all the payments under the contract. On the other hand, the client may end the contract and request a refund if the vendor fails to perform according to the agreement. Just understand that everything needs to be spelled out in this clause so that both parties know what is expected.
5. Copyrights – The copyright clause is generally specific to photographers and videographers. It describes who owns the copyright to the photos are videos and state what you cannot do with them.
6. Model Release – this clause is also specific to photographers and videographers. The model release clause describes how a photographer or videographer may use your image. For example, some couples may not want their pictures to be used in a photographer’s promotional materials. Still, they may not mind if the photographer post on social media. Other couples may not want the photographer to use their photos for promotional purposes, social media posts, or any other publication.
7. Force Majeure/Act of God – these two clauses are often used interchangeably in a contract. The French phrase Force Majeure is a way for the parties of an agreement to stop the performance of the contract without penalty. For this clause to be effective, there must be situations beyond the parties’ control and must be utterly unpredictable upon signing the contract.
Examples of Force Majeure include hurricane, fire, pandemic, war, riots, earthquakes, etc.
8. Jurisdiction – refers to where lawsuits regarding the contract can take place. For example, if you live in Los Angeles, California, and you are getting married in Miami, Florida. Your vendors may have jurisdiction in Miami, Florida. Therefore, you wouldn’t be able to sue your vendor in your home state of California.
9. Indemnification/Hold Harmless – these two clauses are often used interchangeably in wedding contracts. It means that your vendor is not legally liable if something goes wrong at your wedding. Let’s say that one of your guest trips and fell down at your wedding and want to file a lawsuit against the venue. The Indemnification clause means you are responsible and not your vendor. So your guest wouldn’t be able to sue the vendor.
These are only a few of the clauses that are commonly found in a wedding contract. They may sound scary, but they are there to protect both you and your vendor.
The good news is that you can always negotiate the terms of your contract with your vendor. This is why I strongly encourage you to take some quiet time to sit down and read through your agreement and make sure that you understand it clearly before signing.
Great! You have an understanding of the importance of wedding contract and what to look for. You have also created a list of the vendors you want for your dream team. Now let’s go hire some vendors and build your team.
With your list of desired vendors, it’s time to start researching and hiring your vendors. Keep in mind that the wedding planning process generally takes between fourteen and twelve months. Also, bear in mind that it is necessary to book some vendors very early in your planning stage due to availability and priority – more to follow on this. For now, let’s talk wedding planner/coordinator.
Wedding Planner/Coordinator – you may be asking yourself, what does a wedding planner do, and do you really need one? THE ANSWER IS YES, AND NO! Here is why. The topic of to hire or not to hire a wedding planner/coordinator is very controversial, but let me try to simplify it for you.
In the wedding industry, the terms wedding planner and coordinator are thrown around quite frequently. They are often used interchangeably to describe a person who helps to plan your wedding. To further complicate things, you also have the wedding venue planner/coordinator.
Wedding Coordinator – The wedding coordinator (sometimes referred to as a Day of Coordinator) is the person or team who manages your wedding day activities to ensure that everything goes smoothly. They are typically hired a month or two before your wedding day. For the most part, by the time you book a wedding coordinator, most of the planning is already done. Their sole responsibility is the day of your wedding.
Wedding Planner - A wedding planner is a person or team responsible for ultimately planning your wedding. Their sole responsibility is to make sure that your
wedding is exactly what you want it to be. Typically, wedding planners are the first vendor to be booked, and they would be with you through the entire wedding planning process and on your wedding day. Think of a wedding planner like your new best friend.
Wedding Venue Planner/Coordinator – The venue planner or coordinator is responsible for planning and coordinating your wedding day activities at the venue only. From my personal experience, the venue planner/coordinator’s primary responsibility is to the venue. They will ensure that all the venue regulations are followed while coordinating and managing your wedding activities. Bear in mind that venue planning and coordination vary amongst venues – therefore, make sure that you ask the exact level of coverage you will get.
Hopefully, this clears up any misunderstanding you may have about these vendors. Now let’s return to the question of whether or not you need a wedding planner.
IF MONEY IS NOT A PROBLEM , by all means, yes, hire a wedding planner. It will make your life so much easier. You only get one opportunity to get married. An experienced wedding planner will have all the right connections and resources to plan an unforgettable dream wedding.
On the other hand, if you don’t have a budget for a wedding planner, I highly recommend you consider a wedding coordinator. Earlier on in my career, I photographed a couple of weddings where the bride and groom didn’t have a planner or a coordinator. I’ll just say the experience was less than desirable - watching the groom run around like a chicken with its head cut off was painful.
If you are having a small wedding with say ten to twentyfive guests and the budget is really tight, I recommend that you delegate the wedding day coordination to a family member or a friend. I promise, it will be well worth it. You will certainly enjoy your time celebrating your love for each other as a couple and the company of your families and friends. I think we are good here! Let’s move on to the next big one, the venue.
Wedding Venue – because you have already done your homework figuring out what kind of wedding experience you want, what is important to you, and how much you can afford to spend. Picking a venue should come easy.
The venue you chose to get married WILL SET THE TONE FOR YOUR WEDDING . Whether you are looking for an elegant ballroom or laid back beach experience. If beautiful photographs are a must for you, pick a venue that compliments your wedding theme and HAS PLENTY OF GORGEOUS PHOTO SPOTS .
Book your wedding venue early in your planning phase. Generally, couples will book their venue first before booking any other vendors. Here in Miami, the top wedding venues are usually booked solid a year in advance, so don’t wait too long.
“Here are a few tips to help you find and book your dream wedding venue”
1. Establish a budget – you should have already done this.
2. Set a wedding date – done already.
3. Get an estimated guest count – yea…. got it!
4. Identify your must-haves – done, done, and done.
5. Talk to families and friends – they may have attended weddings at venues in your target location and can make recommendations.
6. Do a Google search - before you call or make any contact with a wedding venue, do preliminary research online. I recommend using a venue spreadsheet to keep everything organized and track each venue’s capacity, availability, rate, type, layout, restrictions, parking, and extras.
7. Contact venues - you should have a few venues that meet all or most of your requirements. Organize these venues that meet your needs according to your favorites, then start calling each of them.
8. Evaluate each venue contacted – evaluating each venue responsiveness, build rapport, and schedule a venue tour.
9. Venue tour – whenever possible, you should do a venue tour. There is nothing like the real experience you will get from visiting a venue. It is often easy for the venue’s sales reps to convey a picture of perfection to you over the phone and on their websites. However, touring the venue can give you a different vibe.
10. Contract review – make sure you understand what is included in your package and contract before making any payments and signing any contract. Pay attention to contract postponements and cancellations terms.
11. Book your dream venue – when you are both happy with your package and contract, it is time to pay the required deposit and sign the contract. Congratulations! You can now move on to the fun stuff, like booking me your friendly photographer.
Awesome!
You are super amazing – let’s jump into the best part of planning your epic wedding, the photographer, ha-ha.
Off all the vendors you will book for your wedding, your photographer will be one of the most important. So, ensure you take time to interview and hire a photographer you can vibe with - WINK, WINK, ME! :)
Most couples book their photographer right after they book their venue. However, if your wedding photos are super important to you, book your photographer as soon as you can. You don’t have to wait until you book your venue. You want to make sure that you get on your desired wedding photographer’s calendar. My couples generally book me a year out from their wedding. Nothing can be more frustrating than finding a photographer that you love, and they are not available for your wedding date.
Finding and booking your perfect wedding photographer will probably be the most challenging decision you will make while planning your wedding. This is because there are so many people claiming to be a professional wedding photographer. I’m not telling you this to scare you into hiring me, but I kid you not, Miami is literally saturated with people claiming to be wedding photographers. Here is the thing, though, some of them are excellent photographers, but do they have the skills to capture one of the most critical days in your life? Are they reliable? Will you have fun with them?
Here are a few quick tips to help you find and book your dream wedding photographer:
1. Referrals – if you have a wedding planner, nine out of ten times, your planner will have a couple of good referrals for you. Your planner will understand your personality and your wedding theme and will most likely recommend a photographer that matches well with you and your style. If you don’t have a planner, ask your families and friends for a referral. After all, your families and friends know you best. They may have a great experience with a wedding photographer
that they would gladly recommend.
2. Google wedding photographers in the area you are getting married. For example, if you are getting married in Key West, Goggle “Key West wedding photographers” or “wedding photographers in Key West.” This way, you are only looking at photographers that service the location of your wedding.
3. Create a list of your top three favorite photographers. Your top three favorites will be photographers whose photos you love, who has excellent reviews, and who you are feeling good about.
4. Evaluate cost – most wedding photographers will have a starting price on their website. If you can’t find a starting price on their website, don’t worry. Just ask for pricing when you contact them.
5. Evaluate cost – most wedding photographers will have a starting price on their website. If you can’t find a starting price on their website, don’t worry. Just ask for pricing when you contact them.
6. Book your dream photographer – after your initial contact, you should have one photographer that you really love and is excited to book for your wedding. Ask the photographer to initiate the booking process. Booking can be made online or in person. I book most of my couples online. I have a streamlined process that is safe and secure and handles contract signing and payments
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“Antoniocompletelyunderstoodmy concern,saidNOPROBLEMand mademefeelsupercomfortablein front of the camera.” -Maija&Hedi
“ Do you need to book a second photographer?
Personally, I think that is totally up to you. The majority of weddings that I photographed, I’m the only photographer. There are a few weddings where I had a second photographer due to the client’s wedding plans. If the bride and groom are getting dress in a separate location, then evidently, you will need a second photographer. One photographer would cover the bride getting ready, and the other photographer would cover the groom getting ready. Otherwise, I don’t think a second photographer is necessary.”
That’s it for finding and booking your dream wedding photographer. Besides your wedding dress and his tuxedo, you can book the rest of your vendors accordingly.
A wedding dress and tuxedos take time for fitting and alterations. If your dress or your partner suit will be custom made, you should allow even more time. I would recommend that right after you
I can’t tell you exactly what to expect from other photographers because every wedding photographer has their own workflow and processes. However, below is WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ME when you hire me as your wedding photographer.
Pre-Wedding day – after you book me as your wedding photographer, you will receive a welcome email explaining what to expect pre-wedding, wedding day, and beyond. If you have an engagement session scheduled, I will send you an email with information on how to get the most out of your engagement session. Approximately two months to forty-five days before your wedding, you will receive a wedding day questionnaire. The wedding day questionnaire is a way for me to get on the same page with your wedding plans and photography wants and needs.
Wedding Day – the day of your wedding, I will arrive at your getting ready location professionally dressed and prepared to capture everything. All the questions will have already be answered, and all you have to do is just sit back and enjoy every moment of your magical day. I will be right by your side every step of the way – we will have some incredibly fun.
Post-wedding – immediately following your wedding, you will receive a thank you email and information on what to expect next. I will promptly start working on your photos, making each photo as beautiful as possible. Within four to six weeks, I will deliver your photos via a modern online gallery to download and share with families and friends. If you order an album, you will be given a chance to choose the album’s photos. Once the album is designed, you will have an opportunity to view the design, request changes to the design, and approve the design. Your album is sent to production when you approve the design.
Regardless of who you hire to photograph your wedding, they should be very responsive and meticulous in keeping you informed while guiding you through the entire process. Your photographer should genuinely want the best for you. They should make every effort to ensure that your wedding photography experience is everything you wished for.
Let’s talk engagement session, shall we? An engagement session is an invaluable way to set yourself up for a successful wedding photography experience. Besides getting some beautiful photos for your save the date cards and guest book. It’s a fantastic way to get to know your photographer and feel comfortable in front of the camera,
Having your photos taken professionally can be intimidating! Furthermore, it is very common for couples to be camera-shy. So rest assured, you are not alone. Of the many couples I have photographed, I can’t recall any of them not being camera shy.
Most of my wedding couples would tell me directly that they were uncomfortable in front of the camera and needed guidance. The good news is that most professional photographers are competent in directing and working with regular couples.
A pro will know how to put you at ease and capture the radiance of your love without you feeling awkward and stiff. Additionally, your engagement session is not only about posing. It is also about you and your partner connecting emotionally and having epic fun.
“Focus more on being romantic and less on posing, and you will be amazed at how beautiful your photos will turn out.”
So, when should you have your engagement session? I would recommend about six to five months before your wedding day. Still, you can have your engagement session pretty much whenever you want. I have done engagement sessions a month before the wedding, but I wouldn’t recommend doing it any later.
The best time to do an engagement session - here in South Florida, late fall through early spring is the best time of year. This time of year, the weather is usually cooler with less humidity, and it doesn’t rain as much. Plan to have your session during the week, Mondays through Fridays, with Tuesdays been the best day. Tuesdays are the best days of the week for an engagement photo shoot because most venues are close on Mondays, and venues and public areas get more crowded later on in the week. Late afternoons, sunsets, an hour before sunset, and an hour after sunrise are generally the best time for engagement photos.
Where is the best place for your engagement photo session? We don’t have any fall colors or snow cap mountains here in South Florida. However, we have many historical venues, endless miles of powdery whitesand beaches, luxury hotels, stunning water views, and exceptional parks. In essence, the possibilities are endless – just tell me the look and vibe that you are going for, and I will make a recommendation.
First and foremost, be on time –photography is all about lighting. A thirty minutes time difference can change the look and feel of your photos. Plan ahead and schedule extra time to get your hair and makeup done. Don’t forget Miami crazy traffic either. Plan for additional time for traveling and for finding parking.
What to wear – If you are from South Florida, you already know how brutally hot and humid it can get here, especially during the summer months. For outdoor sessions, guys leave the suits and ties at home. Instead, wear clothing that is light and breathable such as linin and cotton.
If you must go formal, go summer formal. Lighter color clothes are more suited for hot weather, so consider pastel earth tone colors. Solid colors such as reds and yellows can really pop in a photo and should be considered when you want to make a statement. I recommend minimum accessory but keep it elegant and classy.
Ladies, please wear comfortable shoes! A nice pair of flats or low heels will work well. If you must wear high heels, I recommend that you wear a pair of flats to the shoot and carry your high heels. You can put your high heels on once I am ready to photograph you.
Pick one outfit for your engagement session. Remember that you are limited on time plus depend on where the session is taking place, you may not have a place to change your outfit. Pick your favorite outfit, and forget your second favorite.
What not to wear – please do not wear flip flops to your engagement photo session.
Even at the beach, bear feet are better than wearing flip flops in the sand. Do not wear clothing with logos, graphics, or bold patterns. Don’t be too matchy-matchy! Instead, go for complementary colors. Also, do not wear explicit clothing – save those for your boudoir session. 99% of the time, your engagement session will be in a public space. You don’t want to spend your time covering up or attracting unwanted attention. Just make sure your clothing is appropriate. Try to avoid clothing that will become explicit with light wind.
For ladies – I recommend having your makeup and hair professionally done. Usually, this is an excellent time to have your makeup and hair trial run. Most engagement sessions are done outdoors. The wind can wreak havoc on your hairstyle, blowing it in your face and making you uncomfortable and your photos less flattering. Talk to your hairstylist about a windproof hairstyle.
Healthwise – even though your engagement shoot will be for an hour or two, you want to make sure that you are well-rested and hydrated. Make sure that you eat something substantial before the shoot. You don’t want to run low on energy in the middle of the shoot because you are hungry. Also, I strongly recommend that you take some cold drinking water with you.
Miscellaneous – guys, consider taking some chopsticks and a facecloth or facial tissue with you. Ladies, a makeup touchup kit and a small mirror would be good to have on hand.
Before we move on, let’s take a minute to talk about wedding Insurance. What is wedding insurance? Do you need to get insurance? What about your vendors?
Weddings are unique in that they are a once-in-alifetime event, expensive, and can be subject to unforeseen disasters and obstructions. Therefore it is essential to have some form of protection against the loss of investment, property, and life.
What is it? - Wedding insurance protects your investments from circumstances beyond your control and reimburses you for expenses that you incurred. For example, if your caterer suddenly falls off the earth’s face and you can’t get a hold of them and your wedding day is in a couple of days, what do you do? Sure, enough, you have to find another caterer. Because it is so close to your wedding day, it will cost you triple times what your original caterer costs you. How about your limo service not showing up on your wedding day, or how about your wedding dress getting lost in airport luggage? These are wedding financial losses that insurance can help to protect.
Types of Wedding Insurance - basically, there are two types of wedding insurance, liability, and cancellation. Liability insurance protects you from responsibility from any accidents or injuries during your ceremony or reception. This includes alcohol-related accidents. Note that some venues will require liability insurance form you and or your vendors. Depending on where you are getting married, the local jurisdiction may require liability insurance for a liquor permit.
Cancellation insurance reimburses you for all money spent in the event your wedding has to be canceled for a legitimate reason. This type of insurance doesn’t cover you if you change your mind. You can’t just change your
mind and request to be reimbursed for money spent. There are some exceptions to this, and they almost entirely apply to a third party paying for the wedding.
Wedding Insurance Cost – varies by location and companies. According to cost helper, general liability insurance range from $165 to $200, with a $1,000,000 converge for accidents. Cancellation insurance typically cost $95 to $1,000. If you had to buy insurance for your car, you already know how varying the prices can be –bottom line, shop around!
Do You Need Wedding Insurance? - Maybe yes and no! You will need to check with each vendor to see if they carry insurance and what is covered. My experience has been that most vendors will let you know that you need to get insurance. I hold a million dollar general liability insurance plus equipment and business insurance. Because although I have multiple photo backup systems, equipment does fail from time to time - knock on wood, I’ve been very fortunate so far. Over all the years of capturing couples’ love stories all over the country and thousands of photos taken, I have never lost client photos.
You have spent countless hours and a lot of money on having a fantastic wedding. The last thing you want is for things not to go smoothly and for you to be stressed on your big day.
T he wedding day timeline is your blueprint for a smooth and successful wedding day. It should be a key piece of your wedding planning. In general, the wedding planner will work with you and your vendors to create a timeline for your wedding. A rough draft is usually made a couple of months before the wedding day and then finalized closer to your wedding day.
The sooner you can get a handle on the timeline, the better it will be. You, your significant other, and your planner should sit down and run through your wedding day. Start with getting ready. For example, where will you and your girls, and the boys be getting ready? What time will you be in the makeup chair? When will the bouquets and boutonnieres arrive? What time is your ceremony? What time do you depart to the ceremony? You get the picture, right?
Tell your planner everything regardless of how insignificant you might think it is. I have done so many weddings where the wedding planner gives me a timeline, but on the day of the wedding, one or two events would occur that weren’t on the timeline. This is disastrous for your photographer, who was probably preparing for something else before she learns of this event.
If there are significant last-minute changes to the timeline, make sure your photographer knows about it as soon as possible. Having a good plan and an organized timeline will help to keep everything on track.
Now, here is a piece of sage advice from years of experience. Many people will tell you that your timeline is just a plan, and it is OK to run a little late or early (of the countless weddings I’ve photographed, I’ve never seen one run early).
“ Try your best to stick to the timeline. Running late throws your vendors off and add unwanted stress to your wedding team and your guests. It affects the overall tone of your wedding. You have worked so hard for this day - avoid been late and changing the vibe. Five minutes late here and ten minutes late, there all adds up. By the time you get to the reception, you could be significantly later for your dinner, first dance, toast, and other events.
Some vendors will also have an additional fee if you go over the allotted time in the contract.”
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEEEESE try to avoid running exceptionally late ( 45 minutes are more). Running late throws your wedding team off and sets an ominous tone.
Case in point, I photographed a wedding a while back, and the ceremony was over an hour late. That pretty much wipes out the time allotted for the couple’s photo session.
We had to drive like a bat out of hell to get to the park, where they insisted on having their couples session. Plus racing against the sunset and total darkness while keeping track of time so that I could get the couple to the reception on time. Talk about been stressed!
A year later, the couple contacts me saying that they didn’t get enough photos from their couples session, and I have to gently remind them of the circumstances.
The point is, by all means possible, try to avoid running late!
11:00 a.m. – 12:25 p.m. – Photographer arrives and starts taking getting ready photos of the bride’s dress, shoes, jewelry, groom tux and jewelry, and any other little sentimental items. Other shots to be taken during this time include the bride getting makeup done, putting on earrings getting button up in the dress, Champagne toast, the groom getting dress, gift exchange, etc.
12:30 – 1:30 p.m . — First look photos. First look photos are primarily done with the bride and groom, but I have done first look with the bride and her dad many times.
1:45 – 2:00 p.m. — Depart and travel to the ceremony.
2:00 – 2:25 p.m. — Bride freshens up for the ceremony.
2:00 - 2:45 p.m. — Guests take their seats.
3:00 – 3:30 p.m . — wedding ceremony. Note that most religious wedding ceremony will take longer than thirty minutes. You want to build a little cushion between the ceremony and the next event so that the newlyweds can sign the marriage certificate.
4:00 – 4:30 p.m. — Family and bridal party photo session
4:15 – 5 15 p.m . — Travel to the reception. If this is a winter wedding here in Miami, it will already be dark, and I would have to use flash for photographing the newlywed if they didn’t do a first look.
5:30 p.m . — Bridal party grand entrance.
5:45 - 6:00 p.m. — Newlywed grand entrance and first dance.
6:30 - 7:30 p.m. — Dinner served.
7:00 p.m . — Toasts
8:00 p.m. — Cake cutting
8:30 p.m . — Bouquet garter toss
9:00 p.m . — Photographer departs
9:15 – 10:00 p.m. — Open dance floor
10:00 p.m . — reception ends, the bride and groom grand exit
Once you have the final copy of the timeline, please share it with the maid of honor and the best man. I’ve done too many weddings where the bridal party didn’t know what is going on.
Now let’s dive into the wedding day!
Congratulation! You have made it. This is the day you have labored so hard over and have invested so much money and time. It’s your time to relax and just enjoy it.
Everything is already taken care of, and your fabulous wedding team is just buttoning up the final pieces. Your bridesmaid should be already dialed in on all the details and what is important to you. They should have your back, period!
The Morning Of – Your wedding day is going to be very long and tiring. It is crucial to have a good understanding of how your day will unfold. This is why you created a wedding day timeline. With that said, your day will typically start with you and your girls getting ready. Nevertheless, at some point before the Champagne toast, I strongly recommend that you make arrangements to have a healthy breakfast.
HAVING A HEALTHY BREAKFAST the morning of your wedding day will give you the energy to power through to at least the ceremony. Maid of Honor, listen up! Ensuring your bride is fed and properly hydrated is one of the most important roles you will play that day. Ensure you have some quick snacks and cold water on hand because it will be a long time between getting ready and the reception.
I can’t stress enough how important it is to eat and hydrate on your wedding day. This is an important day, and the stress of getting through the day can leave you feeling full and not wanting to eat.
The same goes for the boys! Best man or best lady, it is your job to ensure that your groom is well fed and hydrated. Generally, the boys will have lots of alcoholic beverages but no food.
I have photographed weddings in the past where the groom just totally ran out of steam during the ceremony or right after the ceremony. You don’t want this to happen to the groom.
TIPS TO ROCK YOUR GETTING READY!
1. Get a full night rest and refrain from drinking alcohol the night before. Alcohol opens up your pores and makes you look tired. I want you to look refreshingly beautiful and radiant.
2. The same goes for the guys, get a good night’s sleep, and go easy on the alcohol.
3. Have your bridesmaids collect all your accessories in one place and have them ready to be photographed. This means earrings, bracelets, necklaces, shoes, veil, garter, and anything else that you want to have photographed. Please include sentimental items, such as grandpas kerchief or a family bible, anything that has sentimental value.
4. For the groom and his boys, gather up the suits and accessories before the photographer arrives. Also, make sure that the rings are readily available to be photographed.
5. Be sure to set aside your wedding invitations before your photographer arrive.
6. Have your bridesmaids unpack your wedding dress and the bridesmaid dresses and hang them somewhere beautiful before the photographer arrives.
7. Use a beautiful hanger to hang the dresses. Typical wedding dresses will come with a cheap plastic hanger, get rid of that, and get a heavy-duty wood hanger or a unique design hanger.
8. Consider having a little sewing kit on hand, some nipple patches, double-sided tape. These will come in handy when you or your bridesmaid need a bit extra fixing on the dresses.
9. Have a bottle of Champagne and some glasses for a toast. If you have a big bridal party, consider sourcing some extra Champagne glasses. Often times, the resort will not have enough glasses or Champagne glasses in the room.
10. Get matching robes for some getting ready shots.
11. Make sure your makeup artist and hairstylist know precisely what time you have to get dress. Makeup and hair often run a little late, so add some cushion in your timeline.
12. Have the bouquets delivered to your room and the boutonnieres to the groom’s room. The bouquets should be in a container with a little water to keep them from wilting.
13. Boutonnieres should be spritz with water and keep in a fridge until they are ready to be pin on the jacket.
14. Decide early on who you want to button you up in your dress. This can be your mother, sister, maid of honor, or all three.
15. Whoever is buttoning you up should be dress before you.
16. Leave all your jewelry off until you are entirely in your dress. This makes for some epic shots of you putting on your jewelry.
17. Best man, if you don’t know how to tie a tie or bow tie, consider doing a practice run before the wedding day. Get a grip on those boutonnieres before the day of the wedding.
18. Pin the boutonnieres on the left lapel of your jacket before putting your jacket on.
19. Groom, don’t get dressed until your suit and all the accessories are photograph.
20. Decide early on who is going to help you put your jacket on and tie your bow tie.
21. Get your manicure and pedicure done a day or two before your wedding. Guys get your haircut done a day or two before the wedding.
22. Sometimes the groom will give gifts to their groomsmen – consider doing this before the groom get dress. Also, do the Champagne toast before the groom gets dress.
23. Once the bride and groom are dress, this would be a good time for gifts or letter exchange.
Let’s chat a little about the First Look! What is it, and should you do a First Look? The First Look is super awesome and beneficial to the couple in many ways, which we will get into shortly.
Pro photographers love the First Look, and you will love it, too, once you understand how sweet and helpful it is. So what is the First Look?
Traditionally, you would see each other for the first time as you walk down the aisle, and they are standing at the alter looking at you walk down the aisle. But on the other hand, THE FIRST LOOK IS THE MODERN WAY OF SEEING EACH OTHER BEFORE THE CEREMONY .
Here is the thing! Many couples don’t realize how unique a First Look is. Perhaps that is because they get so caught up in thinking how untraditional it is that they write it off. But I believe that what brides want more than tradition is a reaction. A bride wants her groom to be so surprised and overcome with joy as she walks down the aisle that he bawls like a baby the moment he sees her. And isn’t this every girl’s dream? Which bride wouldn’t want this?
I tell you what! As a wedding photographer, I’ve seen grooms become so emotional at seeing their bride that they literally break down and cry. My experience as a wedding photographer has led me to one conclusion. Brides who are not interested in seeing each other before the ceremony usually think that they will miss their groom’s reaction by doing so. They also assume it won’t be as intimate and emotional as walking down the aisle, but nothing could be further from the truth.
OK, I promise you, I will get off my soapbox here in a minute, but you need to hear this. The world knows that
the wedding day is stressful for the groom and bride. Why? Because they are the day stars, all the focus is on them.
They have to be perfect, she has to be drop-dead gorgeous, and he has to be Mr. GQ, all while trying to figure out how to tie your bow tie and done your veil.
No wonder some couples just say to hell with it and elope. By the time the groom emerges from his sequester for the ceremony, he is a ball of jitters and emotional tension. And you know what? The bride is no different.
Sure walking down the aisle and seeing your man for the first time is magical, but what if you could have an intimate private moment, just you and him, before walking down the aisle? Do you think that would remove the pressure? Would you have fewer jitters and be calmer? How much better do you think he will feel seeing you coming down the aisle?
When you do a First Look, the pressure is off, tension and jitters disappear, and you both can bask in the joy of your ceremony. Furthermore, when you do the First Look, you will have more time for some fantastic photos, the type of pictures you will hang on your home’s walls.
I promise his reaction will be amazing during the First Look because he can see you and live in the moment without the tension.
One last thing on First Look! Keep in mind that in the winter months, the sun sets at 5:00 p.m. Therefore, if your wedding ceremony starts any time after 2:00 p.m., you should consider having a First Look. Yea, that’s it. I’m done with the First Look!
Ceremonies can be simple or complex. Typically secular ceremonies are simpler than religious and cultural ceremonies. Whatever your ceremony type, a few things will help you keep things in control and move along.
1. Whenever possible, have an unplugged ceremony. An unplugged ceremony is having your guests secure their phones and iPads for the ceremony. This gets your guests to focus on your ceremony instead of fiddling with their phones. It also prevents your guests from impeding your photographer and blocking their view.
2. Do a ceremony rehearsal (a trial run) a day or two before. The rehearsal should include your entire wedding party, so everyone knows what is expected.
3. Make sure you meet with the Officiant before you hire them. You want an officiant you can connect with and one that will not impose a lot of restrictions on your ceremony. Religious Officiants may have lots of regulations. Talk to them and find out what your photographer can and can not do. I photographed a catholic wedding once where the bride worked for the church. She gave me a church tour and told me what I could and could not do. On the day of the wedding, one of the church staff gave me a completely different set of instructions.
4. The procession (walking down the aisle for the ceremony) - choose a song, romantic music, string quartet, reggae, or country. Choose something that is uniquely you, and have fun. That’s what it is all about. The procession generally includes the entire wedding party.
5. Most wedding venues, particularly churches, have low lighting in the ceremony area. For the most part, you will not have control over the lighting, but what you do have control of is when your ceremony will happen. When I got married, my wife and I scouted our venue a year before our wedding because we wanted a sunset ceremony. We wanted to see what the lighting would look like on our wedding day.
6. Consider doing a ritual that is meaningful to both of you. Some everyday wedding ceremony rituals are jumping the broom, unity candles, breaking the glass, wine unity ceremony, foot washing, blending the sand, and others. For my wedding, we did the blending of the sand.
7. If you are reading your vows from your phone, make sure that your phone is fully charged and that your vows are accessible.
8. One of the things that I absolutely hate about wedding ceremonies is when couples turn their backs on their guests. Unfortunately, this is very common in catholic weddings. If possible, stand facing each other so your photographer and guests can see your faces’ emotions.
9. When exchanging rings, slow down and take your time. Also, tilt your hands towards your photographer so they will get a good photo.
10. For the first kiss – hold it a little longer than usual so the photographer can get some good shots.
11. The recession (exiting the ceremony) – have fun with this. Don’t be shy – play it up. Play an upbeat song and dance your way out as your guests clap and cheer. Have the aisle filled with bubbles, wedding party poppers, or red rose petals. It’s all up to you to make it uniquely you. The photos will be stunning.
12. Generally, after the ceremony, the Officiant will want to have you and your brand-spanking new hubby sign the marriage certificate. This is usually done in a room away from your guests because everyone will like to come up and congratulate you. Your awesome wedding planner will direct your guest to the cocktail hour while your family stays for the portrait session.
The Family Portrait Session – The location for your family portraits should have been decided a while back by you and your photographer. I will meet with my bride and groom approximately two months before their wedding day. This meeting ensures that I clearly understand how the wedding day will unfold and where the bride would like to have the photos taken.
When we get to the family portrait session, your family will be excited and can’t stop talking to you, congratulating you, and fussing about you. This is where a wedding photographer’s expertise is vital, especially if you have a big family. Your wedding photographer has to take charge and communicate what they want to have happened in a loud and friendly voice. This is no time for your photographer to be timid.
When doing family portraits at a wedding, I will organize the groups so that the older family members are photographed first. That way, they can get to the cocktail hour and relax. If you have a big family, I recommend designating someone who knows your family members very well to help the photographer gather everyone. The more organized the photographer is, and the more cooperative your family members are, the quicker that family session will be. Depending on the size of your family, the family photo session generally takes approximately fifteen to twenty minutes.
Wedding Party Portrait Session – generally follows the family portrait session. Often, your wedding party will be with you all day, and at this point, they are tired, hungry, and anxious to get to the cocktail hour. One thing I often see during the wedding party portrait session is the bridesmaids not having their bouquets. My experience has been that bridesmaids are eager to get rid of their bouquets. So remind them to hold on to them until the wedding party portrait session is over.
Golden Hour Portraits - what the heck is golden hour? In photography terms, the golden hour is roughly one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset. During this time, the lighting is warm and soft and lights your face without creating shadows around your eyes. As a result, photos created during this time are naturally beautiful, with warm colors and beautiful skin tones.
Depending on the location and timing of your wedding, I may steal you away for a few golden hour shots. The golden hour is just a fleeting moment on your wedding day. Your guests will still be there for you after the session, and you will have some fantastic photos.
The cocktail hour and the newlywed photo session generally coincide. So let’s take a quick look at each of these events.
Think of the cocktail hour as an upscale version of happy hour. It is where your guest goes directly after your ceremony to catch up, grab a bite, and have a drink before the big party (reception) starts. The cocktail hour is usually held in a separate area from the reception area.
If you did a First Look, the cocktail hour is where your photographer would step back and allow you to mingle and enjoy your families’ and friends’ company. The cocktail hour is also an excellent opportunity for your photographer to capture some candid and fun pictures. But if you didn’t do a first look, your newlywed photo session would occur during this time, and you would completely miss out on the cocktail hour. Something to think about.
The newlywed portrait session is a photo session of you and your new husband or wife. It is often referred to as the couples session. The newlywed/couples session is an opportunity for both of you to step back from all the demands of your wedding day and enjoy each other’s company. The pictures from the couple’s sessions are generally chosen for large wall prints and your family heirloom album.
During your wedding planning stage, ensure that you give your newlywed portrait session some thought before picking your venue. You want to choose a venue with beautiful backdrops and many photo opportunities. Also, decide early on if you will do a first look or the newlywed session. I strongly recommend doing a First Look, but it is totally up to you!
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If you absolutely don’t want to do a first look, consider doing an earlier ceremony, especially during the winter and spring months. ”
The wedding reception is the celebration part of your wedding day. It’s a time for partying and having lots of fun with your guests. So let the celebration begins!
Grand Entrance – Time to get your party on! The grand entrance is a great way to enter your reception and kick off your reception. Here your options are limitless. Just don’t make it dull. Select an epic dance song to get you and your bridal party dancing into the reception and your guests cheering and clapping. Then, do some sparkles or smoke! Make it extraordinary, it is your big day, and nothing is off-limits.
Your DJ may act as an MC and announce the bridal party as they enter. A good MC that is creative and fun can really help to set the tone for the evening. They will pump up the crowd and have everyone standing and cheering when you and yours enter. So make it fun, and feel free to get wild. It’s your party.
The First Dance – generally follows the grand entrance. In many cases, right after the grand entrance, the newlywed will go straight into the first dance. Pick a song that resonates with both of you, or pick two different songs. If you select two different songs, your DJ will play a portion of the first song and then switch to your second song.
Once the newlywed first dance is finished, it’s time for the father and daughter dance and the mother and son dance.
First dances are adorable; some couples even took dance lessons to nail their first dance.
Dinner is Served - The food you serve your guests at your wedding is undoubtedly very important. It doesn’t have to be steak and lobster. It just needs to be delicious and filling. Serve crappy food, and I guarantee you that is all everyone will remember.
The two most common wedding dinner options are PLATED AND BUFFET . Regardless of which dinner option you choose, the menu should reflect the two of you as a couple with an alternative choice for guests with dietary restrictions.
PLATED SIT-DOWN dinner is when all the guests are seated and served a formal dinner. It sets the tone for a more elegant affair. This type of dinner style is limited in the variety of food options. Usually, there are two entrees, an appetizer, and a main course plus dessert. It generally requires more people to help with serving and plating and therefore has a higher staffing price.
BUFFET-STYLE dinner has long tables with a wide variety of food choices. This dinner style offers the most food options for your guests. However, it can be very pricey. Therefore, when choosing a buffet-style dinner, the main thing to consider is getting your guests through the food lines as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Toast – is an opportunity for families and friends to express in words the immense joy they feel for the newlywed and to congratulate them as they start their new life together. Anyone can give a toast, but traditionally it’s the best man, the maid of honor, the newlywed, and the newlywed parents. Be sure to set some limits on the timing for each toast. Some people will ramble on forever – take the mike from them! Just kidding.
Try to schedule toasts during the latter part of dinner. This will give your guest time to eat and chat before the toasts. The newlyweds are usually the last to give a toast. Their toast is usually a heartfelt thanks to their wedding party, their parents, and everyone who has helped them in their lives and their wedding.
Cutting The Cake - it’s a good idea to cut your cake as soon as the toasts are finished. This helps keep the energy going and your reception running on time. The cake table should be in a location with enough light for photography and an uncluttered backdrop. There should be enough space around the cake for both of you to stand comfortably and cut the cake. A good wedding planner will know these things and ensure they happen.
Before you cut the cake, ensure that the cake chef or the wedding planner tells you where is the best place to cut it. You don’t want to cut into the cake only for it to topple over on you. In most cases cutting from the bottom tier of the cake should be fine. Be modest when you cut. You only need a thin slice for two bites. Also, make sure you use the cake knife for a clean cut, not the server.
Once the first piece of the cake is cut, you can feed each other the first slice, which symbolizes your commitment to providing for each other. After that, if you didn’t
already do your first dance, then head to the dance floor for your first dance. Remember that your DJ/MC will make all the necessary announcements to keep everyone in the loop on the next event. You can start the bouquet garter toss if you already did your first dance.
Bouquet and Garter Toss – the bouquet toss is a traditional event where the bride throws her bouquet to a group of single ladies. The single lady that catches the bouquet is said to be the next person to get married. The significance of the garter toss is similar to the bouquet toss. The groom must remove the garter from the bride’s leg for the garter toss and then toss it to a group of single men. Whoever catches the garter is believed to be the next person to get married.
Although the bouquet and garter toss has been around for years and is still a popular tradition at weddings, some couples will choose to avoid having these events. These events can be fun if everyone is ok with them, but that seems to never be the case. In addition, the bouquet and garter toss can be embarrassing for some people.
No single lady or man wants to be put on the spot at a wedding. Don’t worry, though! If the bouquet and garter toss is not your thing, you can replace it with something else or nix it altogether.
You can replace the bouquet and garter toss with hundreds of other games and activities. But trust me when I tell you that no one will miss the bouquet and garter toss.
The Grand Exit – like the grand entrance, the grand exit is one way to make a statement exiting your wedding day. This is the finale of your dream wedding, go big or go home! So pump up the music, light up those sparkles, throw those rose petals – whatever you choose to do, make it uniquely you.
“Here are my two cents on grand exit, though. If you are going to do sparkles, get the big ones. The little ones burn out too fast. Make sure you have enough room to create a wide enough aisle for the photographer and the two of you.”
While sparkles seem to be the most popular grand exit activity and make for some beautiful photos, I am a little apprehensive about the sparkle grand exit.
Here is why I’M NOT TOO FOND OF SPARKLES for the grand exit: First, they are dangerous – my hair got burnt a couple times doing sparkle grand exit.
The majority of your guests who are still around for the grand exit ARE DRUNK OUT OF THEIR MINDS . They shouldn’t be trusted with something as dangerous as sparkles.
I kid you not – once, I was photographing a wedding at a historic building in Fort Lauderdale. Everyone was given a sparkler
and told to take it outside and not light it until they were told to do so. Would you believe that several people attempted to light their sparklers inside the building?
Some other options for grand exits are:
1. Glow Sticks – just don’t get the little skinny ones. Those don’t seem to work as well.
2. Rose Petals can be super beautiful and sweet, especially if you are using red rose petals. However, I wouldn’t recommend it for a grand exit at night. If you use rose petals for a grand exit during the night, your exit area needs to be well-lit.
3. Confetti
4. Streamers
5. Bubbles
6. Rice
7. Sprinkles
Your options are endless! Whatever you choose, ensure it will work well in your exit lighting situation. Also, it is totally OK not to do a grand exit. Truth be told, from my experience of photographing weddings, the newlyweds are beyond tired by the time we get to the grand exit.
Don’t feel like you have to do a blowout grand exit just because that is what other brides do or what everyone tells you to do. Instead, a simple, heartwarming good by to those closest to you is sufficient.
Whew! You had the wedding of your dreams. The music has stopped, the food is all gone, and you are as tired as hell! So what now?
M any post-wedding tasks will need to get done, and planning for them is equally important as planning for your wedding. Therefore, the time to start thinking about things that need to get done after your wedding is when you start planning your wedding. HERE ARE A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER:
1. Do you want to start your honeymoon immediately after your wedding or wait a day, week, month, or year?
2. Honeymoon location - do you need passports, visas, etc.?
3. When will you open your gifts and send thank you cards?
4. Pay and tip all your vendors.
5. Leave vendors’ reviews.
6. Freeze and preserve your cake.
7. Clean your wedding dress & tux.
8. Change name.
9. Receive your wedding photos and videos.
10. Submit photos to be featured.
11. Pick pictures for your album.
As you can see, this is an extensive list. You may not need to do everything above. Still, whatever you do, YOU MUST DETERMINE THE WHO, WHAT, AND WHEN . I recommend leaving most of these jobs until after your honeymoon.
Honeymoon planning is separate from wedding planning. However, it is usually planned simultaneously with your wedding and could have its own planning guide.
The honeymoon is a romantic vacation following your wedding, which may commence immediately, a few days, or months after your wedding.
The question of when is the best time to start your honeymoon is popular on social feeds and wedding blogs. My suggestion for that question is, “when you and your honey are ready.” Because the decision is ultimately yours!
Many pros recommend starting your honeymoon immediately after your wedding because you will still be blissful and excited. The honeymoon is an extension of your wedding celebration without the worries of postwedding tasks.
One disadvantage of starting your honeymoon right after your wedding is that you will both be SUPER EXHAUSTED. Therefore don’t count on round-theclock lovemaking for your entire trip, especially the first couple of days.
My wife and I didn’t go on our honeymoon vacation until a year later, and that is quite alright for couples to do.
Whatever you decide to do for your honeymoon, know that your photographer (me) will be busy working on your gorgeous photos.
Different photographers have different workflows and different deliverable timeframes. Over the years, I have seen photographers delivering wedding photos from two weeks to two months. My deliverable timeframe is four to six weeks. This is because I personally go through every single picture to make sure that it is beautifully enhanced and is the best it can possibly be.
The photos I deliver to my newlyweds are high resolution, have no watermarks, and are printready. I use a modern online photo gallery to deliver images to my couples. This way, you don’t have to worry about burning copies on a thumb drive or CDs for delivery to family members (THAT IS SO OLD SCHOOL) . All you have to do is share the link to your gallery with your families.
If you want to learn more about how I can help you get some beautiful photos of your wedding and have fun while doing it, please get in touch.
What the heck is an Appliqué, you wonder as you shop for your dress? Don’t worry! This is the exact reason why I include this wedding vocabulary in this guide.
This wedding vocabulary is a list of common and not-so-common wedding words and their meaning in simple English. We in the wedding industry hear and use these terminologies frequently without stopping to think about them. However, when a couple starts to think about planning their wedding, they will get all these words thrown at them like they are playing dodgeball :)! Hopefully, these words will help you as you plan your dream wedding. I want you to look super smart when you start interacting with your vendors.
Altar - The physical spot where you and your love will stand to exchange vows, whether the ceremony is religious or secular.
Appliqué - Pieces of lace or other fabric sewn onto a base fabric create a textured and often 3D effect.
Black Tie - A formal affair generally occurs after 6:00 pm. Men should be dressed in a tuxedo, and women may wear a formal cocktail dress or long evening gown. The wedding invite usually indicates the dress code.
Black Tie Optional – A less formal affair. Men can wear suits or tux, and ladies can still wear short or long dresses.
Bridesmaid – A female family or friend of the bride responsible for helping the bride plan the wedding. Traditionally a female role, but it can also be a male.
Bouquet – floral arrangements for the bride and her bridesmaids
Boutonniere – A flower or miniature floral arrangement worn by the groom and groomsmen. It is worn on the left lapel over the heart.
Bustle – An alteration on wedding dresses with trains.
This alteration allows the dress’s train to lift and fasten to the dress just below the hips. It will enable the bride to walk and dance without obstruction.
Canape - Generally, a cracker or puff pastry topped with a savory spread like caviar or cheese. The term can be used interchangeably for small bites, hor’s d ‘oeuvres, and appetizers served before dinner.
Celebrant – The person who officiates your wedding ceremony and pronounces you married.
Centerpiece – The floral arrangements on the reception tables.
Charger – A larger plate used as the base of a place setting. It typically takes the place of a placemat.
Chuppah - A cloth shelter and four poles. The four sides are left open to represent hospitality to wedding guests.
Cocktail Hour – A short social event for guests to mingle, have a drink, and have some appetizers before having dinner. The cocktail hour occurs right after the ceremony.
Corsage – A small floral arrangement worn on the hands of mothers and grandmothers.
Day-Of Coordinator (DOC) – The person responsible for managing your wedding day activity, ensuring that everything happens according to the plans. DOC only works on your wedding day and is usually hired when the budget doesn’t allow for a wedding planner.
Destination Wedding – An out-of-town wedding.
Elopement – Traditionally mean to run away and get married in secret. Today’s elopement means a more casual wedding with you, your partner, an officiant, and a witness. Usually occur out of town.
Escort Card – Provide guests with dinner table information. The cards are displayed at the reception area entrance in a visible place so that guests can see them and identify their dinner table.
Escort Card Display – An alternative to Escort Cards. All guests’ table assignments are listed on the Escort Card Display in alphabetical order or table numbers.
Favor – A thank-you treat for guests to take home at the end of the night
First Look – Seeing your soon-to-be spouse before you walk down the aisle.
Flower Girl – A young girl who proceeds the bride throwing petals down the aisle.
Fondant - A sugary dough used to give cakes a smooth exterior. It can be used for the finished look, a canvas for hand-painted details, or a cascade of flowers. Fondant is editable and can be dyed, marbled, molded, and sculpted.
Garland – Strands of greenery and flowers can be used to dress up any surface at your wedding.
Gobo Lighting – Creative lighting in the form of shapes cast onto the floors or walls. Gobo can be custom created with your monogram and shine on your dance floor.
Golden Hour – The time of day when the lighting is best for creating beautiful portraits. It is the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset.
Grand Exit – A creative way of exiting the wedding reception.
In-House Catering – Food and beverages are handled by your wedding venue, not an outside vendor.
Head Table – A central position table reserved for the newlywed and their bridal party or family members.
Installation – A grand arrangement of flowers hanging over the dance floor or other conspicuous places. They can be time-consuming to create and can be expensive.
Invitation Suite – A complete set of information about your wedding. Generally includes save the date, invitation, and RSVP card.
Ketubah – A Jewish wedding contract used to validate vows and commend their promises. Newlyweds sign the ketubah after their vows.
Justice of the Peace - A judge who performs civil marriages. They are frequently of local jurisdiction and may perform the ceremony in a courthouse or at your venue.
Letterpress – A type of printing often used on wedding invitations
Maid/Matron of Honor (MOH) – An unmarried or married female who helps the bride in all her planning and decision-making. MOH can be a family member or friend. An unmarried female is called the maid of honor, while a married female is called the matron of honor.
Mood Board – A tool to help you and your planner narrow your vision for your wedding desires.
Open Bar – All alcohol served to guests is free. Open Bar can be very expensive.
Nosegay – A small bouquet of flowers. It is usually carried by bridesmaids and junior bridesmaids.
Palette – A selection of colors chosen for your wedding day theme. It will influence everything from lining to flowers. Many pallets include three colors – primary color, neutral color, and an accent color.
Place Card – Tell your guest where to sit once they get to their table.
Place Setting – The pieces use at each guest’s seat at the dinner table. Formal dinner has a more elaborate place setting.
Plus One – An additional invite for an attending guest to invite another person.
Procession – Marks the commencement of the ceremony. When the groom and the wedding party, followed by the bride, walk down the aisle toward the altar.
Processional – The music or song that is played during the procession.
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Queen Anne Neckline – A wedding dress design style. It has a high back and short or long sleeves, with long sleeves being the most common. Queen Anne’s Neckline has a cutaway in the front to reveal a sweetheart neckline at the bust. For brides who want to show a little but still be conservative.
Recessional – The opposite of processional. It is the music playing as the newlywed exit the ceremony.
Rehearsal Dinner – A pre-wedding event usually occurs the night or two before the wedding and directly after the wedding rehearsal.
Ring Bearer – A young boy who carries the rings down the aisle for the couple. The ring bearer and the flower girl generally walk down the aisle together.
RSVP – This is the initial of a French phrase “Répondez, s’il Vous plait” meaning, please respond. It is courteous to ask the invitee to your wedding for their confirmation of attendance.
Signature Cocktail – A unique drink specifically created or chosen for your wedding. It is usually made to express your personality and your wedding style.
Save the Date – A pre-invitation card sent to guests so they can put your wedding date on their calendar. Think of a save-the-date card as an informal invitation that proceeds the formal invitation.
Sweetheart Table – A table for the newlywed couple. It is decorated and set up in a location for an unobstructed view of the ballroom or reception space.
Tablescape – The overall design and decoration of a table.
Train – Additional material added to the back of a wedding dress. The train trail behind you as you walk down the aisle.
Trial – A test run with your vendor services or products before your wedding day. The most common trial is usually with hair and makeup artists.
Trunk Show – An event where designers or their representatives present their newest made-to-order collection to brides for a great price. Not to be confused with sample sales!
Usher – A person who escorts guests to their seats at the ceremony before the processional begins.
Veil – A hair accessory for the bride and comes in various lengths and styles.
Walk-Through – An inspection of the venue before the wedding. There are two types of venue walk-throughs. The first walk-through occurs when you first visit the venue. The second and final walk-through occurs just before the wedding. For the second walk-through, you and your wedding planner will do the walk-through together and note any necessary changes that need to happen before the wedding.
Welcome Bag – Primarily for out-of-town guests and consists of bare wedding day essentials, weekend itinerary, snacks, and thank you cards. It can be simple or complex.
Wedding Planner – An individual or team planning weddings from start to finish.
Yichud – A Jewish wedding tradition, meaning to seclude. It is a period the newlywed couple spends in private directly after the ceremony.
Zinnia – A beautiful flower in the daisy family. Know for their soft, round, sunflower-like look—an affordable option to dahlias.
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