5 Ways to Enhance Your Wedding Day
It is wedding season!!!! I LOVE weddings!!! (drinks all around *Jack Sparrow voice*!) My sister just got engaged so I've gotten to re-enter the wedding world in a more personal way lately. I also loooovvveeee shooting bridal boudoir. Bring me all the veils/garters/wedding shoes/etc! It is SUCH a fun way to boost your confidence before the big day (and, let's be honest, the groom is never disappointed with his the final product, lol!) All that said, I've compiled a list of the tips that were given to me before my wedding day that I've been passing along to all of my bridal boudoir clients lately. Here are the top five wedding day tips that people told me (never saw any of these in a magazine/online) that I truly feel enhanced my wedding day.
1) Figure out who you want to dance with outside of the scheduled dances. A lot of brides have a line item on the schedule for their dance with their new hubby/mom/dad, but spend some time considering if there's anyone else you really want to dance with. The reception is such a whirlwind, it's easy to forget and not realize until later. Plus, many people are wary to walk up to you and ask because you’ll be surrounded by everyone else. For me, it was my brother and my grandpa. I'd say this specifically goes for grandparents as they sometimes cut and run once the cake is cut.
2) Buy a small candle to take with you on your honeymoon. I know this seems SO random, but memory is most deeply tied to our sense of smell. Light the candle anytime you're in the hotel room and when you get home put the candle away for a year. Then light it on your one year anniversary. The smell will bring you straight back to your honeymoon!
3) Write down your entire wedding day start to finish as soon as you get a free moment. I know this also seems odd, but again so much happens that day that it's super easy to forget small moments. I did this as a journal entry on our plane ride to Mexico and read it a few years later and I am SO glad I wrote down everything. For example, I remembered that all my bridesmaids spent the night at my condo the night before my wedding, but I completely forgot that at 4:00am my matron of honor (who was 8 months preggo at the time) began moaning in her sleep. My other bestie and I bolted out of bed and stood over her for like 15 mins (creepy, right!?) wondering if we were going to end up taking her to the hospital to have a baby! (We didn't, but her baby boy came on the 3rd day of my honeymoon!) I'd completely forgotten that happened until I read it in my journal! So don't rush, take your time and just jot down as many little details as you can. It'd also be fun for your partner to do it too so you can read about the day through his eyes!
4) Date your fiancé during the final month leading up to the wedding. This one comes into play before you actually get married. Go on dates with your fiancé where there is NO WEDDING TALK ALLOWED in the weeks leading up to the wedding. It doesn't mean you can't have other time where you do finalize wedding stuff, but carve out time to enjoy being together as you head toward the alter. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive-take some Publix subs to a park (because they're the best and made with love so, ya know, on theme) or grab a cup of coffee or go on a walk together. No matter how laid back you are as people, weddings kind of become a monster on their own and before you know it, it's all you talk about. Be intentional about connecting to one another in those final few weeks before the wedding. It will 100% enhance the season for you.
5) Decide ahead of time how you will gift him your boudoir photos AND who's in charge of them afterwards. My clients have done some really incredibly things with their photos. One client did a scavenger hunt to the album the night of the rehearsal dinner before they went to stay in separate places (talk about building suspense!) Another client had it wrapped and took it with them on their honeymoon so he could open it their first night there. Another client sent hers digitally through automatic emails that were sent to him every day of their wedding month. Another wrapped the album and handed it to him at their first look so the photographer could capture his face. If you plan on giving it to him ON the actual wedding day, assign a friend to be the "book handler". Make sure it’s a responsible friend because it's his/her job to get the book and keep it safe for the wedding day/until you get back from your honeymoon. Most bridesmaid/groomsmen stuff ends up in an unattended room as people go in and out. You don't want his dad getting bored and randomly picking up something to read while he waits...SO if you plan on gifting a tangible print/book of the photos, assign it a guard!
Happy wedding planning!