Wedding planning guide

Planning your wedding is SUCH an exciting time, but there can be so many things to think about, it can be a little overwhelming! Whether you are at the early stages and still have a few of the big things to book, or if you are finalising the smaller details, this guide is here to help!

the morning

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Your wedding morning often sets the tone for the rest of your wedding day and is often one of the most memorable parts, so it's important to have a plan so that you can enjoy every second the way you hope to! You'll likely find that it feels like you have all of the time in the world, and then suddenly you are running late - that's completely normal, but there are some things you can do to keep it stress-free!

Aiming to be ready an hour (yep, that long!) before you have to leave allows time to get some photos of you all ready, means we can take our time over your first looks and ensures there is a buffer just in case things get a little behind. I also like to head off to the ceremony venue as early as possible to capture some footage of the ceremony area set up, to get my cameras set up ready to film the main event, and to capture your guests arriving, too!

It's a good idea to have set jobs for members of your bridal or grooms parties - someone on music, somebody to make sure everyone eats and drinks, a team to to pack the bags or cars if you aren't staying at the same place, someone to keep their eye on the time and the schedule so that you don't have to worry about that!

Another tip - if you can, ask your HMUA's to set you up near some nice natural lighting and ideally we can turn any yellowy overhead lighting off!

Myself and your photographer will always be on hand to help with timekeeping and do anything we can to take the pressure off!

the schedule

Keep in mind the time of year - and in particular the time the sun sets - when planning the timings of your day. Having your ceremony earlier in the day in the winter can give you more hours of daylight for your drinks reception, group photos and couples portraits, particularly if you'd like these things to be outdoors.

Speaking of portraits, not only during this time will you get some beautiful photos and videos to look back on, but it gives you some space to spend some quality time together on your wedding day to reflect on how you're both feeling, so make sure you build some time into the schedule for this!

Your portraits are likely to take place during your drinks reception, so do check in with your photographer and see how long this is likely to take to make sure you build in enough time to actually be able to enjoy chatting with all your guests. It's definitely important to chat through the group shot list with the photographer - they will give you a good idea of the right balance between capturing key photos, but the process not draining you.

the ceremony

Personalised vows are my number one favourite element of a wedding day. They add an immeasurable amount of specialness to your wedding film. It's truly the best way to tell your story - and as your wedding film will form part of your future legacy, what better way to show future generations who you were and where they come from than hearing it from you.

Unplugged ceremonies are the only way to go - we live our lives through our phone screens but a wedding ceremony should be something we watch in real time. Having your guests in the moment with you is what a wedding day is all about, plus it looks so much better on camera being able to see your guests faces!

Side note: if you are having a church or religious ceremony, please, please, please speak to the person giving the ceremony in advance, let them know you will be having a videographer film your service, and ask them for any rules and regulations that might apply - unfortunately not everyone involved in your wedding day will appreciate the importance of your wedding video and so sometimes it can be helpful for me to know in advance if I need to make any changes to the way I'd like to film your ceremony!

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the speeches

For my wedding films, the speeches are usually integral for the telling of your story. I am sure you know who you'd like to speak at your wedding, but it might be worth chatting with them about what you do and don't want them to do or say - and it could be a good idea to give them a nudge and make sure they say a few nice things in there, too!

When it comes to slotting the speeches into your wedding schedule, I would highly recommend having all of your speeches BEFORE the meal. Not only does this mean all of the speakers can enjoy their food afterwards without worrying about their turn, but in terms of ensuring your wedding day stays on schedule (and I can almost guarantee that if your speeches are between courses or after the meal, that there will be delays) it allows the catering team to time your service to perfection with no interruptions; the venue staff to turn around the room for your dance floor if necessary and it also means for me that I can set up for the perfect shots for your speeches just once and definitely won't miss any part of them!

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a few extra tips

Live music is ALWAYS a good idea - a couple of sets from a band in the evening will always keep guests on the dance floor, and will be one of the most memorable parts of the day. It can also be nice to have some live music during the drinks reception - either a string quartet or a singer and guitar always goes down well - to create some atmosphere.

Confetti is a wedding day staple - always check whether your venue allows or has any requirements for the type. I say, the more the better, and large (non-dry) petals or large biodegradable paper confetti looks the best in photos/ videos, plus is the easiest to get out of your hair!

The 'lull', as it is affectionately known in the wedding industry, is that inbetweeny part of the day between your meal and the first dance. Try to keep this as short as possible, or full of activities to keep everyone awake and ready to get on the dance floor!

I love a dress change - but it will probably take a little longer than you think. If you are doing this before your first dance, make sure you've given yourself plenty of time so that you aren't rushing!

Sustainability and the environment are increasingly becoming the focus of the wedding industry and so should be for you, too! You can ask your chosen venue and suppliers what they do to lessen their environmental impact. Whether it's choosing flowers that are in season, creating wedding favours that are reusable to guests or even something like charity donations instead of favours all together, or using second hand decorations like vases for your wedding breakfast tables - there are plenty of ways to have an ethical wedding!