Over the years of photographing wedding, I’ve picked up a few things that help my wedding days run as smoothly as possible. This blog post will cover some of the small things you can do to improve your wedding day in a big way!
These may seem like no-brainers at first or they may seem like a huge change! Either way, I promise you that by implementing these, it will be a game-changer for you!! So let’s get into it!
Things Will Not Go Perfect
Very rarely do things go 100% the right way where everything is happening at the exact time that was set in the wedding timeline or that there are no hiccups whatsoever. Preparing for that ahead of time and knowing to roll with the punches will not only help you but will help you to help those around you who may have a harder time with that. I shoot around 20 weddings a year and I would say that only 1, maybe 2, will go 100% without anything going askew.
If major things or common hiccups to occur, try asking yourself if there is anything you can do to avoid that in the future. If you want to improve your wedding day, have some things set up beforehand. Do you have questionnaires set up so that you are getting the nitty gritty details of the day ahead of time? Do you have guides or outlines that you can send clients to help with knowing what to wear or what to expect from you day of?
Showing Up Early
I KNOW you’ve heard this before. I definitely know you’ve probably heard that “early bird get’s the worm” or “if you’re on time you’re late”. But it is true!
For me I used to think “Oh well they’re only paying me for 8 hours of coverage so I’m only going to be there for 8 hours”. If I’m supposed to be there from 1-9, I’m going to get there right at 1 and leave at 9. But can I tell you something? I had to change it! I kept coming in so frazzled and frantic and then by the time I actually got set up and ready to go it was like 1:20. So I wasn’t even photographing during the first moments there because I was prepping! After finding somewhere to park, bringing in all of my stuff, I like to really get into the headspace of the day. I look over timelines again, get a lay of the land, speak to the other vendors, etc. And I don’t want that to eat into my coverage time!
Introductions
Before any shooting happens I really like to go introduce myself to the bride, groom and bridal party. Usually I will go say hi to the bridal party first but WITHOUT my camera. I don’t bring my camera in with me at first because I want them to see me and make that connection that I am a human being. I am Cayleigh and not just the photographer. Yes we are a wedding vendor but that doesn’t mean we should be talked down to or treated badly. I am a friend first and foremost! Giving compliments, giving hugs (if they’re a hugger), and really hyping them up! And THEN you can get into taking pictures and getting details.
Remember Names
This one will really make an impact if you’re wanting to improve your wedding day. I know it may be hard but when I tell you that this makes the biggest difference!! Having the names of the wedding party and immediate family members is going to help the day go so much smoother. It not only reminds people that you are a human but it helps people to be nicer. Haha! It definitely sets you apart and it makes others feel important.
Say No to Negative Energy
What is fed is what will grow, my friend. If you are constantly complaining to your second shooter, or the coordinator, or even just to yourself- that’s going to show in your work and it’s going to feed in to everyone and everything else around you! This is a happy and special day for your clients and you have been given the honor of taking their photos, you need to do what you need to do to take care of and get rid of any negative energy that you may be carrying with you. Even when others come to you with their negative energy, you need to turn it around! And honestly it can be so hard to do but it will make such a big difference if you’re able to change the dialogue into positivity with those around you.
Helping Other Vendors
Getting photos of other vendors can be so fun! If there are any lulls in the timeline, reach out to other vendors and see if you can get some action shots of them doing their thing! That in turn creates more marketing for you because they may share it on their social media, so win-win! But creating those little relationships and reach outs with other vendors can really set you apart again and help improve your wedding day vibes into positivity and fun!
Have a Wedding Emergency Kit
Literally anything you could think of, I have in my car in this kit. A tide to-go pen, safety pins, tissues, tylenol, scissors, literally anything. Even two wood hangers to use for photos if needed! How many times have you been pinning a boutonniere on and the pins are too short? Or you drop it and you can find it again? It’s so handy having back ups for everything and it makes you look amazing and professional because it’s obvious that you’ve come prepared for anything. Plus, this tip also equates to less meltdowns during the day. Haha!
Allow for Time
This one will drastically improve your wedding day! When creating your timeline, add buffers! Be flexible and make sure you allow extra time to get done everything that needs to get done. Things are going to happen during the day that can put you “behind schedule”. So come prepared with that in mind when coordinating your timeline and add in all those buffers.
Cayleigh Ely | Tennessee Wedding Photographer
I have so many more tips that you can listen to here on the podcast. So make sure to check that out so that you can steal my strategies to help improve your wedding day. And if you aren’t already, let’s be besties and follow each other on IG! DM what your favorite tip was from this post/episode and how it’s helped your wedding days.
