Tips for mindset leading up to your big day + a detailed planning checklist
Hire a day-of coordinator
Your venue might already offer day-of coordination, which is great! If not, I really want you to think about what your wedding could look like with someone whose sole responsibility is to make sure all the events of the day flow seamlessly. I totally get it if you have planned most of the wedding leading up to now — I didn’t work with a planner for my wedding either (it’s the Leo in me)! But, a coordinator is a different role entirely. They are able to handle all the chaos & little hiccups that are bound to happen (timing your ceremony processional, locating wandering family members, handling the arrival of other vendors, and making sure the candles are lit on time... if you know, you know)…
This way, you don’t have to carry the weight of everyone’s tasks on your mind because you know someone else is keeping track of it all! Ask around for recommendations or, if you’re an ISP bride, check out the wedding guide for a full list of my favorite vendors to work with.
Print invitations & engagement photos
If you’ve already sent your save-the-dates, you can shoot for sending formal invitations around two to three months out. If you’re creating the cards yourself, it’s a good idea to get started on the design sooner rather than later so you have plenty of time to print, address, & mail out the invites! (& don’t forget to send me one — I love collecting them as keepsakes from my couples + I bring it with me for your detail photos)!
Also, if you’re wanting to display your engagement photos at your wedding (frames, canvases, or a guestbook), you can explore the shop through your online gallery. I source the highest quality labs around the country so that your prints + albums will stand the test of time.
Lean into authenticity and let the day unfold naturally
Your wedding day is a masterpiece in the making; & just like any other art medium, the best photographs are unplanned or created along the way. I love vision boards & trends as much as the next gal, but the real value is in the honest story of your day — the moments that are so perfectly imperfect, they could never be recreated. While I do love to know ahead of time about any sentimental details & unique touches (think something that only you would be able to point out, like a family heirloom) so that I can be sure to look for it, I really want you to be able to enjoy your day without worrying about making artificial memories just for the sake of a photo.
Truthfully, it’s more important that your photographer gets to know you so that we can understand what you like, your moods, your taste, & be able to translate than into the way we go about capturing your wedding; rather than frantically checking off a standard shot list of items that might not be that meaningful to you. Of course, I still give you plenty of posing guidance when needed (I’ll never leave anyone hanging during bridal or group portraits!), but I photograph most of the wedding day from a documentary perspective.
Your wedding is a representation of you two & the culmination of your love – I’m there to capture the genuine emotion + meaning of that. It’s just easier to focus on that & let go of the idea of recreating a certain pose, believe me! Often times, your favorite photos end up being the ones you least expect.
Checklist
A printable checklist to help you track your progress on all things wedding planning these next 6 months. Your day will be here before you know it — so tackle those to-do’s one month at a time & soak in this last stretch of your engagement season!
