10 Best Wedding Planning Tips and Tricks

10 VITAL TIPS FOR YOUR WEDDING DAY’S SUCCESS

Over the years, I have seen hundreds of wedding couples, photographed their full wedding day from the beginning until the end, I have been helpful to them not only as their photographer but also as a wedding planner/arranger. I have seen brides in tears, the raging mother-in-law, fighting wedding guests, food-infested guests, broken legs, drunken wedding-makers, and so much more. All this may have been a tragedy on the day of the wedding, but as time goes by, these incidents are remembered as funny moments and might even become nice memories. These incidents may have spiced up your wedding day, but that is not always the case. However, over the years, I have learned that there are mistakes that can be avoided from the beginning and thanks to that minimize later concerns.

My TOP 10 best Wedding Planning Tips and Tricks for weddings is not the absolute truth, but these points will certainly help you remember your wedding day years later without feeling regret.

"Your wedding day will be the highlight of your life and it must be perfect!"

Planning a wedding can be a difficult job - this is when professional wedding organizers come in handy. But still, there are some specific tips I often give to couples, whether they arrange the wedding day on their own, or get help from others. Given that, I want to share these tips with you!

Here are the 10 Best Wedding Planning Tips and Tricks to keep in mind for planning your wedding day, so everything goes smoothly.

1. MAKE YOUR DAY YOUR WAY, NOT THE WAY OF OTHERS.

Friends, especially those very close to you, often have an opinion of what your wedding day should look like. I remember a wedding day when the bride said sadly to me in a makeup chair that very morning, “Mait, you know, I actually wanted a forest wedding, but my mother-in-law objected.” They married in the center of the busy capital city. At moments like this one, I feel my heart sinking to my knees. It is of the utmost importance that, perhaps even by putting some relationships under danger, you have the right to make your wedding day as you wish, not as the others wish. Of course, if the advice and suggestions of others are okay with you, that's fine. Weddings are your cause, your day of love and the opinion of others should not discourage you in any way.

2. IF YOU ORGANISE YOURSELF, EVERYTHING SHOULD BE PLANNED AHEAD

This also applies to those whose wedding day is organized by wedding organizers. It's one of the most important things for you to remember your wedding day with a good word. On your wedding day, you two wake up, set aside your phones, and go through your day of love. You're not supposed to worry about anything. Also, try not to worry if something goes wrong. There are the organizers, the photographer, the videographer, the wedding organizer, the best man, bridesmaids, the caterers, the entertainers around you who know all their tasks and who will make sure you do nothing yourself. It's very sad to watch a groom hosting a catering or a bride chasing a bridal bouquet from the flower store.

“MAKE SURE OTHER PEOPLE ARE TAKING CARE OF YOU ON YOUR WEDDING DAY!”

It's fun to organize yourself, but everything should be arranged for the day of the wedding. It’s the only way to guarantee that you won't regret anything later and can enjoy the day 100%. A wedding day is not an event, where you have to serve your guests and run around all day.

3. CHOOSE THE PLANNER WHO SUITS YOU BEST

Related to the first point, but I have also seen the bride's mother and father choose an MC for their daughter's wedding, who in '86 was very cool and great, but now got drunk at your wedding and, moreover, did not speak English, although half the guests understood only that language. Don't get it wrong, very often mothers and fathers have excellent thoughts and certainly their intentions weren't bad either, but take time to think things through, is that exactly the band you want? Is this wedding color yours? Is a Hummer for the wedding car, which your father very much recommends, still what you would like? If you hesitate, it's not for you. If you decide yourself, you'll have only yourself to blame later.

It is of the utmost importance that you meet all the wedding makers personally. I just wouldn't imagine if I hadn't previously been in contact via a video call or met the couple personally before their wedding day. It may happen that a person seems great in email, but in reality, is a complete rascal 🙂 If you feel that this isn't quite right, don't think twice, look for a new planner until you find THE ONE. For example, Junebug has a great list of planners. Many of my clients have become acquaintances of mine, with whom I communicate after my wedding day, even with whom I have traveled, and this is thanks to their ability to find the right person.

“ON YOUR WEDDING DAY, DON’T WORRY ABOUT THINGS YOU DON’T HAVE CONTROL OVER.”

4. TWO MAIN CRITERIUMS MUST BE COMPLETED FOR YOUR GUESTS

Surely you are worried about how wedding guests will feel on your wedding day. You don't have to worry about that at all. If you have made the day the way you prefer, the wedding guests will come to celebrate your day of love, not their wedding day. For wedding guests, only two (most important) things should be considered. Other things are absolutely irrelevant.

Give them food (also the timing is important)

Give them something to drink (not necessarily alcohol)

That’s it.

As a rule, people come to the wedding already hungry. Yeah, I know how hard it is to photograph group pictures where people's only thought is food and a rumbling stomach.

5. MAKE SURE THERE'S ENOUGH FOOD AND DRINKS

Inspired by the previous – “hungry people are angry people”. There should be so much food and drink that it never ends. Think of that 1811-year-old Chateau D'Yquem, which costs $115,000 a bottle, you'll be happy, just the two of you, to enjoy later on the honeymoon. Buy and stock up! I remember a wedding brightly, where, because of the circumstances, we went to take pictures after an opening toast for only 15 minutes. When we got back with the bride and groom, they were out of food, only steamed vegetables. Make sure (! before your wedding day!) that doesn't happen.

"Give them something to snack and drink while you're away, so they don't die before dinner."

The photoshoot of the newlyweds is often straight after the ceremony, therefore, the guests have a lot of time off before dinner. Give them something to snack and drink while you're away, so they don't die before dinner. And that's all they need, 'cause they're feeling great already. Believe me, people think of nothing but food and drink after your ceremony.

6. FINISH THE OFFICIAL PART OF YOUR DAY SOONER THAN AT MIDNIGHT

It's been a tradition for years in many countries that a wedding cake has to come at midnight. Let’s break that! At your wedding, there are the elderly, the children, the pregnant, just the ‘sweet-tooths’, who are slowly waiting for the final chord of your wedding day – your wedding cake. Don't feed them large amounts of sugar and caffeine in at midnight. Make it at 10 o'clock in the evening at the latest. Let’s say, if your wedding program were to be delayed for some reason, the wedding cake might come boldly after midnight. I've been advising bridal couples for years to bring a wedding cake part to an earlier time and it has worked great. I haven’t had midnight wedding cakes for years now and everyone has been very happy.

When the official part is over, dance like no one can see and throw your shoes in the corner. Still… be on your guard, because I may not have left the party yet, and I will continue to take pictures.

7. DON'T WORRY IF THE SUN DOESN'T SHINE

It's an extremely common concept that the sun would make from your wedding day to this special day. I always wish before every wedding day that there would be clouds in the sky or the sun would not shine at all. When it’s a sunny day, the contrasts are strong, the eyes are tight and the shadows are strong in the pictures. Half or full cloudy weather is generally the best to get the best shots. There's nothing more fun and memorable than heavy rainfall in the middle of the ceremony! It's more pleasant than being roasted in heavy sun.

“IT’S RAINING ON YOUR WEDDING DAY? SUPER, IT'S GOING TO BE AN AMAZING DAY!”

8. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING LEFT ON YOUR HEART

HOW much I have heard that “if …“, “then …”, “ our wedding day would have been better .” The very common things that people usually regret after are cutting the budget on some priorities. The budget is important, but sometimes the priorities are even more important. Don't hold back at their expense. If the food is the main priority on your wedding, spend more on it. If photos, don't hold back and choose the best photographer, just the one you like. Look it as an investment. If the budget is difficult to follow, there are always things that can be saved on, which are not so much of a priority, and which cannot make you sad years later.

“YOUR WEDDING DAY IS ONCE IN A LIFETIME. THINK ABOUT YOUR PRIORITIES!"

9. DON'T OVERPLAN YOUR SCHEDULE

There will be people coming to your wedding who probably haven’t seen each other for a long time. Before the wedding MC makes another “run around the park” game, give them time to communicate with each other and also, give yourself a chance to catch-up with the guests. This day goes at rocket speed and the most memorable weddings are the ones where people have time and the day goes by with a pleasant rhythm. I've had many wonderful wedding days at a very comfortable pace. It's a day of love where you can be with your dear ones.

“IF YOU FEEL YOU NEED SOMEONE TO DIRECT THE DAY OF THE WEDDING, HIRING A ‘MC’ IS A GOOD WAY TO DO IT.”

If you feel that the wedding MC may be a little odd at your wedding, good acquaintance or a friend is an excellent choice for that position! It is often significantly more personal. If you order a wedding MC, it is vitally important that you meet him (see point 3).

10. INVITE ONLY YOUR CLOSEST PEOPLE

If your wedding venue is not an expandable rubber, and the guest list has long been broken, think in this way - would you be sad/offended if the person you would like to invite to the wedding did not invite you to theirs? If the answer is NO, then you are already saving up some space in your guest list at the expense of this person. I have heard so many times bridal couples being concerned about guests they have never seen, or with whom they have no connection with. Yes, inviting friends is important, but too often I have heard couples say, looking at their wedding pictures, “unfortunately, we lost touch/ don’t get along with this and that person...” Think three times over who's a real friend and who isn't. Invite the people you would never want to give up to your wedding!



“IF YOUR MOTHER WANTS TO INVITE HER FRIEND TO YOUR WEDDING AND IT’S NOT OKAY FOR YOU… IT’S NOT OKAY!

Over the years, these have been my 10 Best Wedding Planning Tips and Tricks, which can affect your memories of your special day and how you look back on your wedding later. There's certainly not “the right” way a wedding should look like. One is for sure, the most important aspect of your wedding is that it looks like YOU TWO! Then you will look at your wedding album decades later with a warm heart.

See you on your wedding day, which is going to be incredibly awesome!