3 Ways to Slow Down + Savour Every Moment of Your Wedding Day
1. Use a detailed timeline
The secret to a relaxed and stress-free wedding day is not military precision, but allowing enough time for everything to flow smoothly throughout the day. A detailed timeline will help you to have a relaxed and stress-free wedding day whether you’re a DIY couple or planning to hire a professional wedding planner.
Odds are this is your first time planning a wedding, and it can be hard to know how much time you need to set aside for each portion of the day. Remember that you have valuable resources in your suppliers, who have been through countless weddings before and can give you their expert advice.
I work with all of my couples to build a detailed, custom timeline for their wedding day, but whether you’ve chosen to work with me or not, I’m happy to help you, too!
2. Work with a wedding planner
Not every couple has space in their budget for a wedding planner, but if you do they are worth every 👏🏻 single 👏🏻 penny 👏🏻. This way, you don’t have to work your event, and neither do your friends and family.
Now, what are the differences between a wedding planner, a day-of coordinator, and a Toastmaster?
A wedding planner helps couples successfully plan their wedding day and is often responsible for designing and executing all the small details throughout the day - they are your point person for everything and anything!
A day-of coordinator provides assistance on the wedding day only to make sure that everything runs smoothly.
A Toastmaster is an expert in timing, helping the day run smoothly by organising suppliers, directing guests and more. You can think of them as the MC of your entire wedding day!
3. Consider having a First Look
A ‘First Look’ is an opportunity for a couple to see each other on their wedding day before the ceremony - a private moment for them, away from the eyes of family and friends. There is a long list of pros and cons (which I will dive deeper into in another resource), but I’ll quickly address the top two reasons you may want to consider a First Look on your wedding day:
If you’re nervous, seeing your partner and sharing a quiet moment with them is a great way to ease your nerves. It gives you a moment before the busyness of the day to connect with one another and take a deep breath together.
Having a First Look enables you to capture a good portion of the portraits (bridal party, family, etc.) before the ceremony so you can get to cocktail hour sooner and enjoy your reception with your guests.
The very best advice I can give to couples planning their wedding?
You do you.
Tradition is beautiful and certainly has its place on a wedding day, but there’s something equally beautiful in just doing what feels right, and what feels uniquely you.
