Brides, the days leading up to your wedding day can be stressful, but you want to feel at complete ease when it comes to the day itself. It’s your day, and you want to enjoy it. Here are my top 5 tips for brides-to-be. 

Make a Note About What’s Important

My top tip, non-negotiable for your big day, grab a sticky note! Together with your partner, write down the most important aspect of your Big Day. Like a vision board. Stick it on to a place that you both frequent, your fridge, office space, a bathroom. Keep the sticky note as a reminder so you’ll always see your why. You both decided to get married for a reason, keep that at the forefront while planning. Whether it’s to celebrate your love, to get together with family you haven’t seen for years (yayyy covid), or to have a unique, fun party. Strip it down to the basics. Along the way, there will be times that you feel overwhelmed, reference your sticky note and remember why you’re celebrating in the first place.  

Do an Engagement Session 

If you are generally not around a camera, the idea of being followed around by a photographer all day may feel a little nerve-racking. My best advice to start warming up to the idea is to take advantage of your engagement session, which is included in my Wedding Packages (bonus). You will experience firsthand how I work as a photographer, how you and your partner interact with each other with a photographer present and get to make a cute little date out of it. This is the perfect trial run before your big day! 

De-Clutter the Bridal Suite or Getting Ready Area

It’s your day; you’re the star of the show. When you’re getting ready before you say, “I do”, get members of your family or bridal party to tidy as you go. Travel bags, supply bags, bridal party shoes, jackets, you name it, I’ve seen it. My objective with shooting you in this vulnerable, intimate setting is to capture you and your bridal party, not the clutter that may be around you. Bailey’s suite, shown in this article, is a perfect example of how amazing your prep photos can be. 

Your Dress Will Get Dirty…That’s OK

One of the things I know you brides stress about is your dress. If your dress is white, let’s face it, it will get dirty, it’s inevitable. You’re walking around all day, it’s dragging around on the floor, it will pick up dirt. But no need to fret, none of it will be seen in your photos. One thing you can mark off your list of stressors. 

Snap Photos Before You Walk Down the Aisle

Once you walk down the aisle and say “I Do” with your partner, you will most likely be getting pulled in every other direction for the rest of the day. Snapping photos with family members, saying thank you to your guests, which leaves you very little time to have those intimate moments with your partner. Before you head down the aisle, you and your partner should sneak away for a first look or portrait session. You will both get to enjoy each other’s time prior to the hustle and bustle and enjoy a special intimate moment like no other. 

If a first look isn’t your vibe, you can always plan to sneak away at sunset for a quick 10 minute photo shoot, or do both, I won’t mind and you’ll be happy to have these memories to look back on for years to come.

Keep these tips in mind when you’re planning your wedding and remember to have fun, stay tuned for my top 5 tips for grooms-to-be.

Xoxo,

Alicia