Weddings Have a Life of Their Own: My Best Wedding Planning Tips
Weddings have a life of their own. You can plan every minute, and the day will still surprise you. A storm rolls over the ridge right before the ceremony. The best man's toast goes twenty minutes long. Your flower girl decides the aisle is a runway.
After years of photographing weddings, I've learned that the couples who enjoy their day most aren't the ones with the most rigid plan. They're the ones who set things up so they could let go. Here's how to do that.
1. Hire an experienced planner with great reviews who you love working with
This is the single best investment you'll make. A great planner knows which vendors deliver, catches problems months before they happen, and handles everything that goes sideways on the day so you never hear about it. Read the reviews, but also pay attention to how you feel after your first call. You'll be talking to this person a lot. You should enjoy it.
2. Make sure you find the right photographer
The flowers will wilt and the cake will be eaten. The photographs are what's left. Look for someone whose work feels honest and timeless, who asks thoughtful questions, and who you'd be comfortable having beside you all day. Book early. The photographers people love tend to fill their calendars a year or more out.
3. Plan what you want
Not what Pinterest wants, or what your cousin did, or what you think you're supposed to do. Sit down together before you book anything and talk about how you want the day to feel. Intimate or a big party? A full weekend or one perfect evening? Write down the three things that matter most. When decisions get overwhelming, come back to that list.
4. Build your timeline around the light
This is the photographer in me talking, but it makes a huge difference. Ask your photographer and planner to look at sunset times for your date and place portraits in the hour before sunset. Everyone looks better in golden light, and you'll get a quiet break together right when you need one.
5. Have a real weather plan
Especially in the mountains. Afternoon storms are common in Colorado summers. Make sure your backup option is a space you'd genuinely be happy in, and decide ahead of time who makes the call and when.
6. Leave room in the schedule
Everything takes longer than you think. Hair and makeup run over, family photos take a few extra minutes, guests linger at cocktail hour. Build in buffers so the day can breathe.
7. Take a moment alone together
Right after the ceremony, take five minutes, just the two of you, before you walk into the crowd. Many couples tell me it's the moment they remember most clearly.
8. Hand off your phone
Assign a point person, ideally your planner, to field every question on the day. Your only job is to be there.
The bottom line: surround yourself with people you trust, decide what matters most to you, and let the day unfold. The unplanned moments are usually the best ones.
If you're early in planning and want a hand thinking through your timeline, I'm always happy to help.
Megan, Rezz Studios