Hey, it’s us again…
It’s just a few weeks until your wedding day, so we’ve got a few more tips to share with you to make sure that you have the most amazing day of your life and get some magical photos that will last a lifetime!
First of all, congratulations on all of your hard work, almost everything should be set in stone and ready for your wedding day. Now all that’s left to do is ride this final downhill slope and enjoy your wedding day and the celebrations that ensue.
Let’s get in to it
The Lead Up – Three weeks before
Are you ready to experience the wedding of your dreams? Imagine walking down the aisle with the utmost confidence and ease, knowing that every step you take is a reflection of your love and commitment. Your wedding day is one of the most special moments of your life, and it’s important to make sure you’re comfortable from head to toe.
That’s why we recommend being in the final stages of breaking in your shoes. Don’t wait until the last minute to break in your shoes, as discomfort can distract you from enjoying your big day. Trust us, we love a barefoot bride as much as the next person, but it’s definitely worth taking the time to ensure your shoes fit perfectly and are comfortable.
If you find that your shoes are still uncomfortable, don’t worry! There is still time to find a pair with a slightly lower heel or just half a size bigger. Another great option is to get some gel inserts, you’ll keep the amazing shoes that you love, but they’ll be upgraded to have the comfort of an old pair of sneakers.
To the Groom, make sure that you try on your entire suit (shirt, tie and shoes included) before the wedding day, there’s still plenty of time to get your suit altered to get that perfectly tailored look. Also make sure that you have unpicked the vents on the back of your jacket, a lot of grooms leave these little cross stitches in, but they’re supposed to be taken out. These vents give your jacket more shape and provide you with more room for movement and a little extra ventilation. Another alteration that often goes overlooked is shortening your shirt sleeves, generally speaking you want to be showing about 1-2 cm of cuff. Follow these tips and you’ll be looking like you were dressed by Tom Ford himself!
If you’re worried about the weather on your wedding day, make sure that you pick up some clear umbrellas – you can find these for around $5 a piece at Daiso or similar. Not only will they keep you dry, but they also add a charming touch to your wedding photos and we can take photos in dozens more places if we aren’t limited to shooting indoors. Trust us, it’s a small investment that can make a big impact on your special day!
I know that we just said to not worry about the weather, but make sure that you check the forecast a week or two out from your wedding so that you can prepare yourself if it’s going to be colder or hotter than expected. Especially if your wedding is in Toowoomba or Maleny, it can get pretty cold at night time, so make sure that you’ve prepared an extra layer.
The Lead Up – One Week Before
It’s your wedding week, and it’s time to take care of yourself so that you can fully enjoy every moment of your special day! Make sure you’re getting enough rest, eating well, and staying hydrated. The goal here is to feel your absolute best, so you can let loose and have fun!
Take this time to indulge in some self-care and pampering. Treat yourself to a spa day or a relaxing massage. Make sure to nourish your body with nutritious foods, so you have plenty of energy to dance the night away. And don’t forget to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and refreshed.
Further to this, make sure that you pamper yourself with a manicure, you’ll be surprised how much your hands get photographed on your wedding day. On the topic of hands, if you’re planning on applying fake tan before your wedding day, make sure that you are wearing tanning gloves or getting it done professionally. You don’t want dark stains in the creases of your knuckles or palms darker than the back of your hands, this is almost impossible for us to edit out of photos! Similar to dental health, when it comes to fake tanning, prevention is definitely better than the cure.
Are you finding yourself obsessively checking the weather forecast, worrying about what it will mean for your wedding day? Let us reassure you that no matter what the weather may bring, you are going to have an incredible day. While it’s understandable to want everything to go smoothly, the truth is that unexpected weather can add a unique and beautiful element to your special day. Don’t let a little rain detract from your celebration.
Embrace the unexpected, dance in the rain or bask in the sunshine, and cherish every moment of your wedding day. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you’ll never forget, and the memories will shine brighter than any weather forecast.
Finally, make sure that you’ve organised some snacks for your wedding day. As wedding photographers, we know just how long and busy wedding days can be and it’s often hard to find a chance to eat, so making sure that you’ve got some snacks ready to go in your car or limo can be a real game changer. We recommend fruit, nuts, chips and lollies to get you through the day – oh and don’t forget water! Water is god, remember this. If you think you’ll need a little more than a few nuts and some lollies, make sure that you leave some time for a cheeky mid-wedding Maccas run!
Preparation – Morning timeline – Bride
Your wedding day is one of the most important days of your life, and it’s important to start it off on the right foot. We want your wedding morning to be a time of joy, relaxation, and excitement as you prepare to celebrate with your loved ones. To help make this happen, we’ve put together a few tips that will help set the tone for a fun and stress-free day!
During your meeting with us, we would have discussed what time we will arrive on the morning, make sure that you have discussed this with your hair and makeup artists. We’d love to show up as you’re getting your final touches applied as this makes for some great photos! Hair and makeup running behind in the morning can turn a fun and relaxed morning into one that is rushed and a little chaotic – no one wants to start a day like this – let alone their wedding day! So make sure there is a clear schedule so everything can run like clockwork.
On the morning, also make sure that all of your details are in one spot, these being your dress, shoes, jewellery, perfume and anything else you’ll be wearing on the day. There’s no need to set them up beautifully, we’ll take care of that! We love to capture all of the intricate elements that you have brought together for your wedding, so this also includes any invites and love letters.
We’ve got just a few more hacks for the morning of your wedding day:
It’s important to make sure that your makeup artist sets up in a well-lit area. Natural light is ideal, so try to find a spot near a large window where there is plenty of light. This will not only make for beautiful photos but will also help your makeup artist to apply your makeup accurately and ensure that your foundation matches your skin tone.
Next, consider the room where you want to take your photos. It’s essential to prepare the area ahead of time by removing any unwanted objects and ensuring that there is plenty of space to photograph everyone. This will help your photographer to capture all the important moments without any distracting elements in the background.
Finally, if there is any wall art in the room that you don’t want in your photos, consider taking it down. Even in a hotel room, you can easily remove any unwanted artwork or decor that could detract from your photos – over the years, we’ve become absolute pro’s at rearranging hotel rooms.
Preparation – Morning timeline – Groom
Grooms, to ensure you look your best on your wedding day, take the time to try on your whole outfit at least a week before the big day. We’ve seen many situations where the groom’s shirt is pulled out of the packaging for the first time on the morning of the wedding, and it doesn’t always fit perfectly. Trust us, you’ll look a lot more dapper with a well-fitted shirt that allows the top button to do up and a belt that fits just right.
Anothing thing to remember is to make sure that before the photographer arrive, that everyone has had a shower and a shave and that everyone’s shirts are freshly ironed. Also make sure that your air con is blasting before you get dressed, you’ll quickly find out how hot a room full of people can get once you’re all suited up – you’ll thank us for this one later.
In addition, we highly recommend getting a fresh haircut and being clean-shaven on the day of the wedding. This will help you look and feel your best, and will ensure that your wedding photos capture you at your best. If we’ve got the time, we love coming down to a local barber shop with you to capture your final trim as an unmarried man.
Remember, taking the time to prepare and ensure your outfit is just right will help you feel more confident and relaxed on your wedding day, and allow you to fully enjoy the day with your loved ones.
Hair and Makeup
When it comes to choosing your hairstyle for your wedding day, we highly recommend avoiding styles that cover your face. Not only can it be uncomfortable and distracting to have your hair in your face all day, but it can also limit your photographer’s ability to capture your best angles. With hair covering your face, you can only be photographed from one side, which can limit the variety and creativity of your photos. With hair covering half of your face there is only one side that we can properly capture you from.
Instead, opt for a style that pulls your hair away from your face. This will not only allow for more photo opportunities, but it will also help keep you cool and comfortable throughout the day. You’ll also be able to fully show off your beautiful makeup and accessories!
While it can be tempting to try out the latest makeup trends for your wedding day, we highly recommend sticking with a classic makeup look. Timeless makeup looks not only enhance your natural beauty, but they also won’t go out of style and date your wedding photos. We’ve all seen photos from past decades with cringe-worthy makeup trends that were once considered fashionable, take the deep brown and purple lipsticks from the 90’s for example!
On your wedding day, don’t hold back the tears either – we love tears, they make for some of the most powerful images that we capture and we also want you to fully feel every emotion on your wedding day, it’s not a time for holding back! Your makeup artist applied your makeup knowing that there will be tears, most makeup is waterproof now. One thing to remember is to not wipe tears away, instead dab them with a tissue and your makeup will remain intact.
Once your makeup is done on the morning, don’t forget to ask your makeup artist to provide you with a little touch up kit. There will be tears, hugging and kissing, so some of your makeup will wear off throughout the day and it’s key to keep it touched up to keep that fresh look. If you can’t find a mirror when you need a touch-up, we’re sure that a bridesmaid will be more than happy to help you out!
The Ceremony
On your wedding day, remember to take your time walking down the aisle. You don’t need to rush. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and you should savour every step. Resist the urge to chase after your bridesmaids, and instead, let them walk at their own pace. This will not only help you stay calm but also make for better photos and memories.
To ensure that everyone looks their best, ask your bridesmaids and flower girls to space themselves out. A good rule of thumb is to have the second person start walking when the first is halfway down the aisle. This will allow your photographer to capture each person as they walk down without anyone blocking each other. Another great tip is to throw the classic “Left foot – together – right foot – together” walking, we find that this just looks a little awkward, the best option is to pick a pace that isn’t too slow or fast and walk as you normally would. You’ll look a lot more natural and your mind won’t be occupied thinking about how to walk and instead you can be in the moment.
Feel your emotions fully and don’t hold back your tears. Your makeup artist is prepared for this, so there’s no need to worry about it running. Embrace the moment and let yourself be vulnerable. By doing so, you’ll create more authentic and meaningful photos that you’ll cherish for a lifetime. Avoid turning away from the camera to wipe away your tears and fully immerse yourself in the experience.
Request an unplugged ceremony from your celebrant if you haven’t already. This will reduce the number of phones and iPads in the photos, ensuring a clean and beautiful final product. By investing in professional photography, you want to make sure that screens aren’t a distraction in your images.
Something that we have seen a lot lately is couples asking their celebrant to mention to the crowd to not post anything on social media before you do. For better or for worse, social media is a larger part of our lives than we could ever have previously imagined, and being the first to announce to the online world that you are married is a huge deal!
The Exit
For the perfect confetti shot, look up and smile! Dropping your head down can hide your smile and ruin the shot. Also, make sure to organise your confetti beforehand. Soft, biodegradable options like paper or petals work best. We love Bioconfetti, but any rice paper-based confetti is great. Make sure to let your adoring guests know to throw the confetti up in front of you, rather than straight at you, this makes for the best photos!
A lot of venues now charge a cleanup fee for confetti and this can be upwards or $300!! Be sure to check with the venue before you throw confetti or petals.
Group/Family Photos
Make sure to be organised and prepare a list of group shots that you would love to get after your ceremony, this way, we can be a lot more organised in our approach. Further to this, if you could please ask your celebrant to announce to everyone that family photos are happening so that we don’t have people wandering off and missing their photo! You’ve no idea how many times we’ve had to send out search parties for a guest.
When it comes to writing your family photo list, make sure to start with the larger groups and work your way down to the smaller one, this will stop people from having to wait around for their photos when they could be off enjoying some canope’s!
A family photo session essential is to have someone with a big voice to rally the troops and organise the upcoming photos while we focus on taking the current photo. Having this person saves so much time and chaos!
Likely, your location shoot will be straight after family photos so to save some time consider leaving out some photos of friends and distant relatives and save them for the reception when you have more time.
The Location Shoot
By now you should have decided where you’re going to go for photos after your ceremony, don’t forget to plan your post-ceremony snack and champagne for the car ride! Nuts, fruit, chocolate, or any snacks you prefer can help replenish your energy after the adrenaline drop post-ceremony. Take this time to refresh and rehydrate and boost your blood sugar levels. You deserve it after all the excitement!
We recommend starting your location shoot off with the whole bridal party, so that once they’re done they can head back to the reception, they’re usually pretty keen to get the celebrations started! Bridal party photos are a great time to pop a bottle of your favourite bubbles and spray it around and share it like you just won the Formula 1! Sending the bridal party back early also means that the two of you can be a little more intimate in your photos without the whole bridal party watching on. In saying this, love when one of the bridal party members sticks around so that we’ve got someone to throw veils, deliver snacks and touch up makeup.
The greatest advice that we can give when it comes to location photos is to just be yourselves, feel free to dance, kiss and whisper to each other and get lost in the moment. Your photos will be that much more amazing if you’re relaxed and not too worried about how you look. If we think we can pose you to look better, we will, but if we’re saying nothing and all you hear is camera shutters, it means that you’re doing an amazing job – just keep doing what you’re doing!
The Reception
After a long day in heels, having a pair of ‘just in case’ flats for the reception can be a lifesaver. You may not need them, but it’s reassuring to have them on hand after 10pm when the dance floor is really popping off. Be sure to check in with your DJ and ask them to turn off laser lights during your first dance to avoid that ‘dalmation look’ that we mentioned in our last guide.
If you are having an MC on the night, professional or not, please, please get them to let the photo and video team know what is happening next at least 5 minutes before they announce it. We’ve got our own runsheet for the night, but things can easily run ahead or behind schedule. This gives us time to prepare our gear and set up any lights that we need. We would hate to miss a crucial moment of your reception!
And remember, your first dance is about having fun and celebrating your love, so don’t worry too much about perfection. Even if you miss a step, no one will notice, but they will notice if you’re not enjoying yourself. So, relax and enjoy the moment!
Final words from the Evernew team
No matter what happens on your wedding day, it’s going to be amazing. We’ve witnessed unexpected situations, from hailstorms to table settings catching fire and even mud-covered dresses, but our couples still had the time of their lives. All of these little unexpected things are what make your wedding yours.
At the end of the day, what truly makes a wedding beautiful is the love shared between you. The most radiant weddings we’ve captured were not necessarily the ones with the most attractive couples, or the most extravagant set up, but the ones that were so caught up in their love that you can’t help but have an amazing time and shed a few happy tears.
So, don’t stress too much about the little details. Your guests won’t think back to the wedding and remember the place settings or the colours in your bouquet. What truly matters most is that you savour every moment of your special day with your most loved family and friends. Trust us, that’s what people will remember most.
