Wedding Wednesday: Lessons Learned

Last weekend Rob and I photographed a very fancy wedding. A bridal party of 14. Designer gowns. Vintage Rolls Royce. Private club. Sit-down dinner. Sterling silver. Event planner. Calligraphy. Etc. It was amazing.

While my own wedding budget is nowhere near their stratospheric range, I think I can glean a couple of ideas:

Do

• Floral crowns with ribbons are adorable for the flower girls.
• Detailed timeline distributed to everyone. It’s a pain, and people will joke about it but it helps.
• Deliver short notes to your officiant (without sharing) about why you love each other to be read at the ceremony. It is less cheesy that tearfully reading them yourselves.
• Think about scenes with good lighting when you can. Soft backlighting is flattering and makes for great photos.
• If you skip the boutonnieres for the men, no one will notice.
• Calligraphy for the seating cards – while tremendously expensive – does make a really nice touch.
• Lots of votive candles on each table.
• A good live band is pretty awesome.
• A giant rectangular table for your bridal party at the reception (I think it sat 30) is more fun than a small table for just two people.
• Keep the action going. This couple spread out toasts and dancing evenly throughout the reception.
• Grand exit! Always leave on a high note.
• Have fun…this couple really enjoyed their wedding.

Don’t

• Have just one gardenia for your hair, they brown quickly.
• Sweet peas, peonies, tulips, pansies and snowballs are lovely but don’t hold up well in bouquets.
• Open bar…really, people tend to go nuts. From all our wedding experiences, I think just wine and beer is the best balance.
• Avoid putting all the troublemakers at one table in the center of the room. “Table 10!” became a battle cry.
• It’s okay to feed your vendors separately…but plain noodles in butter while everyone else is eating filet mignon? Jeeze!
• Bridesmaids in long strapless gowns will undoubtedly spend the night tripping on seams and tugging at the tops.