There is a fine line between orderly and making sure everything happens when it should and a ‘military’ style operation.
Timings and order of your day are important but so is a relaxed fun atmosphere, so here are some tips to help you organise those important moments and make sure you arrive at the church on time, relaxed and ready to enjoy your day!
Getting ready
It’s so important to plan this part of the day well. Hair, make-up, getting into your dress, travel and photos can take up much more time than you think. Best to be on the safe side, decide on a time frame and add an hour, especially if there are little ones to get ready!
Location
If you are travelling between venues plan your route beforehand, time it, have a plan B and liaise with your supplier to ensure a seamless journey.
Traditions
Traditions to consider; the first dance, speeches, cutting the cake, bouquet throw and carriages. Speak with your venue when planning these, this your day and these can happen when you want however the below is usual:
- Bouquet throw – before the breakfast
- Speeches – after the breakfast
- Cutting the cake – after the speeches
- First dance – before the evening entertainment
- Carriages – Midnight
The expert ~ Neal Laver from Neal Laver Photography
Q “From a photography point of view, what is the most important thing couples should consider when putting together their itinerary for their big day”?
A: “A big consideration is the time of the ceremony and the time of year. This is especially relevant for winter weddings when you could loose daylight by 3:30pm. The remedy here is to have an early ceremony so that you can have some pictures taken in daylight”.
“Think about the group photographs, try to limit this to a maximum of ten combinations. Your photographer will be able to complete the task quickly, your guests won’t be bored, and the couple will have more time to mingle with guests”.
Q: “Would you recommend a receiving line?”
A: “Whilst this can be a nice thing to do, it’s very time consuming. It’s every guest at your wedding in a queue waiting to greet you, this really does take up so much time!”
Happy planning
Catherine x