Yes, we can give you plenty of advice but here are a few of the things that we regularly share with our couples to help your big day and ALSO your photography!!!

 

Take recommendations from your suppliers – The Perth Wedding industry is pretty small and we regularly work with the BEST vendors in town.  If a business is recommended to you, it’s usually for a reason.  If this is your first time planning a wedding, these recommendations are invaluable.  Use them!

Invite your guests for 15 mins early – Got a 4pm Ceremony?   At most venues, where it could take guests ten minutes to walk to your ceremony location, it’s a great idea to invite them for 3.45pm, and then we know that when you arrive at 4pm, everything can run on time.

Check sunset times and where the sun will be during your ceremony – This is really important, NOT just so you get incredible photos, but also so you don’t leave your Bridal Party (in full suits) or your guests, standing in the midday sun, in the middle of January.  The later in the day, the better the light, for your photographs!

Pockets –  A good photographer, will ask all the boys (and sometimes the girls too) to remove everything from their pockets, before taking any photos.  There is nothing worse than looking back at your family photos in years to come, and seeing big iPhone bulges down the legs of your Dad, or the groomsmen.  Things we regularly remove from pockets are….. Phones, keys, wallets, sunglasses, cigarette boxes, lighters, hankies, coins, chewing gum and mints, hotel room keys…..

How to hold your bouquet – You’ve paid hundreds of dollars for those incredible blooms!!!  We want them to LOOK amazing in your photos too!  We always recommend LOW – so we can see the detail of your dress/neckline etc, and then we ask you to tilt them towards us, so we maximise the flowers in the photos, and NOT the stems!

Are you having a veil???  – YES, you should!  WE LOVE them and they make for the BEST BEST photos!  The longer the better in our opinion. A problem we often encounter though is that your veil can come out easily.  It doesn’t seem like it in the morning when your hairdresser puts it in, but trust us, by the time 150 guests have hugged you post-ceremony and tugged on it, and the wind has lifted it, creating some incredible photos….that baby wants to fly away!  We will always keep a few bobby pins on us, to slide on each side of the comb.

Bring flats – Weddings usually involve lots of standing or being on your feet.  Unless you live in high heels, having a pair of comfortable shoes to change into for your reception is a must, so that you can dance the night away.

Bring a spare shirt – Summers in Perth can get super hot and after wearing a suit all day, having a clean, dry shirt to change into before you enter the reception, will make the boys feel so much more comfortable (and smell nicer) for the rest of the night.

Practice tying the tie – believe it or not, learning how to tie a tie well enough, so that you and your groomsmen have them all looking perfect is not a skill you can learn the morning of the wedding.  Practice practice practice in the days leading up to the wedding.  Youtube can help you learn ahead of time.

Buttonholes – Contrary to their name the males’ buttonholes/boutonnieres do not go through the buttonhole on the jacket.  They are pinned lower down the lapel, on the left side, more in line with the pocket, so they are not poking you in your face.

Food – Don’t forget to pack some snacks and drinks.  It’s a long day and often you are too busy with makeup, or too nervous to eat before the ceremony.  By the time you start your photo session at 4.30pm, you are starving!  It’s also great to take time out with your bridal party to chill and refresh, mid photos.

Accept what happens – You’ve done your best planning leading up to the big day.  You’ve got the best suppliers there to support and guide you and make it all come together.  The most important thing is that the two of you, and the celebrant show up.  Aside from that, don’t sweat the small stuff.  Relax and accept that a few things may not go exactly as you planned, but it’s no big deal!