Brides and Grooms… you are engaged, you have booked your photographer and your venue and you have picked out your dress. You may be wondering what is left to do? And if this is you, I have some ideas… and they involve great details! Details are often very special but can go overlooked in the planning process. But, I encourage you to pay attention to the details. They will help tell your story and make your day that much more special. You will also want to make sure your photographer knows what you have planned so they know these were intentional and important!

1. Handwritten Vows

The number one detail that I love to recommend to couples is to write your vows! It doesn’t have to be in a cute book but these are so special and precious. They don’t have to be shared or read aloud but are often one of the sweetest moments of the day when shared with your spouse-to-be. When written down, you will have them to cherish and read over and over again.

2. Lighting at Your Wedding Venue

As I am sure your photographer as told you by now, lighting is very important and has a great impact on how your photos will look when your gallery is delivered. I recommend couples visit the venue at the time of day when you will be having your ceremony. Ceremony locations can often be harsh and you don’t want to be squinting, sweating or for your guests to be squinting or sweating if you can help it!

• 

• 

• 

3. Have an Engagement Session

Engagement sessions are the perfect time for you to get acquainted with your wedding day photographer. You both get comfortable, make some inside jokes, and when wedding day rolls around, it should be like a friend is walking in to hang out with you for the day! Engagement sessions also make for stunning Guest Books. I love to invite my couples to create albums out of their session. I recommend the a black linen book and then your wedding album can be white linen. They will make for perfect coffee table books and will be your story! How sweet is that?!

• 

• 

• 

4. Send your photographer 2 sets of invitations

Your wedding invitations and stationary tell the guests a lot about how your wedding will be. They paint the picture for the tone and feeling of the wedding… if it modern, rustic, casual, or black-tie – to give a few examples. Since it sets the tone, it is also important for your photographer to see them before as well. Not only does your photographer get their creative juices flowing before they even show up to your wedding, but they can be prepared with detail items for styling. For instance, if you are having a beach wedding, the photographer will know to bring shells that compliment your stationary and this will add so much value and character to your detail images! And two sets is important because often details are on both sides of an item, so the photographer can photograph the entire suite together without leaving anything out.

5. Ask your officiant to step aside

Your first kiss as husband and wife…. So romantic and so memorable. And at the time, you probably won’t realize that your officiant is standing basically in the kiss until you look back on your photos and I don’t want that for you… no matter how much you love the person that married you, this is your FIRST KISS! So, kindly ask that your officiant say “you may kiss the bride” and then step to the side. You will be grateful for this one I promise!