You have been planning for your wedding day for years now! You have imagined the finest of details of how this day will go. Unfortunately, things still happen on the day, and not everything always goes to plan. I’ve learned a few things over the years, and I’d like to pass them along to you. I hope they help!

Hair and makeup

I like to think of this as an artistic process. Wedding makeup and hair are a whole new animal. Plan accordingly; this can take much longer than you think. Talk to your stylist while planning out your day. They will have a good idea of how long they will need. Just a side note: Having the products they use on hand for touchups is something you should definitely think about.

Seating

At a larger wedding, getting everyone seated can take more time than you might think. Think about this when you put your arrival time on your invites. Give your hosts ample amounts of time to seat everyone. Remember, people tend to trickle in, try to seat them as early as possible. Your wedding venue should be able to help give you a better idea of how long it usually takes

Organization

Being very well organized can help you avoid a lot of mess and confusion. I have seen brides hand out packets with precise instructions to those participating in the wedding. This is a great idea! Make sure to gather everything you need the night before.

Tell the family to come early. All too often, a family member will stroll in nonchalantly as the bride is walking down the aisle. I have also seen weddings run behind because the matriarch of the family isn’t there yet.

Every single wedding guest wanting to speak to you

If there’s one thing we British famously like to do, it’s joining a queue. After your wedding ceremony there usually forms a queue of guests wanting to speak to you, compliment you on your choice of wedding dress, etc. This can eat up so much time. Make sure you’re not expecting to head straight to your portrait session after your ceremony, as this simply isn’t likely to happen. Leave yourself time for small talk with your guests.

Last-minute photo requests for your wedding photographer.

In my line of work, I see this one quite often. You are doing your bridesmaid shots and start thinking about poses you want to do and start asking for more poses. Or throw more family portrait combinations into the mix. My suggestion is to plan for this by allowing yourself additional time to shoot photos. Feel free to speak with me about the images you want. That way, we can prepare accordingly.

These are just a few of the many issues I have seen over the years. Believe me, a wedding running exactly to time can be a rare beast. I hope this helps you. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to me! I am happy to help.