Wedding Day Tips to Create Your Perfect Day
Your wedding day is one of the most energetic and amazing experiences of your life. There will be lots of family, friends, laughing, playing, nervousness, etc. It can be like running a marathon and we want you to be able to make it to the end in great shape. We offer these tips as little ways to take care of yourselves so that the day is exactly what you've envisioned.
SCHEDULE AN ENGAGEMENT SHOOT
Having an engagement shoot of you and your honey before the big day will provide you with beautiful professional photos that you can then use for save the date cards, invitations, your website, etc. It's also a great way to establish a rapport with your photographer which will in turn make your wedding day even that much more relaxed and fun. Lastly, you'll wind up with some very casual, gorgeous images of the two of you taken near the time you got engages, which will be some great memories to share over the years. Hopefully the clothing style will hold up through the years!
PRE-HONEYMOON!
Okay, we'll admit it's a pretty wild idea. Yet, we've seen several of our clients take a mini pre-honeymoon vacation. What a great way to get rested and restore your energy before family and friends start rolling in! No doubt there's a perfect spa or small town to hide out in not too far from your wedding location. If getting out of town for a few days is out of the question, how about treating yourself to a local spa day? Either way, the idea is to relax, be pampered, connect with your fiance, and show up for your wedding looking and feeling great!
HIRING A COORDINATOR:
No offense to mom, sister, or best friend, but they should not be responsible for the coordination of your wedding day. If you are not great at handling details, hire a wedding coordinator either for the day or by the hour to help manage everything. A coordinator can help in ways you can't imagine. Your coordinator can jump in with you on planning, creative ideas, set-up, break-down, handling vendors, flow of the day, any other detail that you can think of, and most importantly, the ones you can't. In the name of having the perfect day, turn over everything to a trained professional that will be working some magic behind the scenes!
SPACE, TIME, AND BLACK HOLES:
Often, we see that one of the most challenging aspects of your wedding day will be time. More specifically, the lack thereof! We've noticed that the day goes by very fast. That said, we suggest building in more time for every activity leading up to your ceremony. If you're thinking getting in your dress will take 20 minutes, give yourself 45 minutes. It's difficult to explain, but if you talk to any newlywed, they'll tell you that everything took longer then they originally thought. There seems to be some inexplicable black hole around time on your wedding day. Stretch out the day by giving yourselves lots of breathing room for the various activities, and remember that driving between locations eats up big chunks of time! For this reason, we highly recommend keeping the getting ready activities, ceremony, and reception all in the same location, or relatively close to one another. Once there, pick a beautiful location with ample space for you and your wedding party to prepare. Too small of a space, mixed with all of the "getting-ready energy," can create stressful environment for you on your big day!
HAIR & MAKE-UP:
Make sure you have plenty of time for this stage of the getting ready process. Often, we have found that hair and make-up takes longer then most people expect. If your hair and makeup person is running behind, this can have a significant impact on the rest of your day, especially your time to go out and get great images with you and the ladies. Having a trial run with your stylist before your wedding day can assure you that you're getting the hair and makeup styles that you want, while also giving you an idea of how much time you should set aside for these things on your wedding day. Also, hiring a stylist that can come to you saves time and can make the day more relaxing for you. Finally, hire someone that makes you feel great and that you are extra comfortable with.
SHOES:
If you are not already choosing a comfortable pair of shoes for the wedding day, make sure you bring along a second pair that is your "dress down" and relaxed pair for the reception and dancing. At that point you may just choose to go barefoot. Yes, we have seen this!
FOOD, DRINK, AND SLEEP:
Take time to eat and hydrate. Many couples get caught up in all the excitement of the day and finally realize when they are sitting down at the reception that they are about to pass out, if they haven't already. Make sure you eat (graze if you need to) and drink water throughout the day to keep your energy levels up. Some day we'll tell you some wild stories of people passing out due to high altitude and dehydration; no fun to mix with all the joy!
BE PREPARED FOR RAIN:
Many couples don't like talking about it because they think they will jinx the wedding day, but be ready for rain! Having a plan "B" in case of inclement weather will lower your stress levels on the day of your wedding should some clouds roll in overhead. Typically the middle of July through the middle of September is described as "Monsoon Season" in the Southwest Colorado. There are frequently some thunderclouds and sometimes a short thunderstorm in the afternoons during this time period, but they usually only last a few minutes, and then pass. While you should be prepared for a few raindrops, rest assured that it will most likely not take over your whole day! Our motto here in Durango is: "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes!"
FAMILY PHOTOS:
Plan the family photo list carefully and make sure that later down the road you have the photos you will want hanging in your home. Many people get caught up in what they think other people want them to do. We are all about everyone being happy, but our first concern is for our couple. Create the group photos that you feel are most important to you. If the list is too long, then the time it takes to capture the photos will be even longer.
MASTER OF CEREMONIES:
If you are not using a DJ or live band and want to use your iPod to play your own music, check to see if there is someone who can be an "MC" for you. It helps to have a lively person who will enjoy managing the timing and events of the reception. This person will help to keep it running smoothly while letting everyone know what's next. Preferably not either of you so that you can both let go and enjoy the evening!
TRANSPORTATION:
If your guests are not staying within walking distance of your reception, and if you are offering alcoholic beverages, consider hiring some transportation for them. Everyone will be able to let loose and enjoy themselves more if they are assured that they have a safe and sober driver waiting for them at the end of the night.
TRUST:
Last but not least, trust your vendors! The more you can trust your vendors and anyone else helping you out with your wedding, the more you can relax, and the more you will enjoy yourself. After all, this is supposed to be a joyous occasion, not a super stressful day! Spending adequate time communicating with your vendors beforehand will allow you to sit back and relax while they are working their magic for you on the big day.
