Planning Your Wedding Ceremony? Here’s My Advice As A Wedding Photographer
Picture this…
You’re newly engaged and sitting with your partner. You begin discussing what your wedding day “looks like” to each of you. You have beautiful ideas, lots of memorial moments you’d want to capture — yet, you have no idea where or how you’ll plan the biggest part : the ceremony! Don’t panic. I’ve been there and so have many of my couples as well, it’s natural!
Taking it from the Pinterest board to reality can seem a bit daunting. Maybe even a little intimidating or overwhelming at times. Don’t worry though, i’ve got you!
Below you’ll find some helpful tips and tricks to get you started on the right path. Have questions? Email me. I am always here to support you.
Richelle + Ben Say “I Do” At Navy Pier, Chicago
Number one and most important piece of advice is this : your ceremony should reflect you and your partner’s beliefs, desires or preferences. Your officiant should reflect this as well; if you’re having a religious ceremony, your officiant should reflect that. Likewise, if you are having a ceremony that isn’t religious then your officiant should respect that and work with you to build a ceremony that honors your requests.
My second piece of advice is to designate a family member or friend to be responsible for all of your ceremony needs. You’ll want a designated person to have your wedding bands, marriage license and anything else you’re needing. Your wedding license won’t be needed until after the ceremony, but making sure it is present when the ceremony starts creates an easy transition when it’s time to sign! After all, we do want this marriage to be legal, right?
While I am on the topic of “officiant” I think it’s important to note that you should both feel comfortable and feel a connection with the person who will preside over your wedding. This can be your pastor, a family member or friend who’s certified. There are also some amazing officiants that you can hire to be the master of ceremonies. If you want to go that route, I am happy to provide some recommendations. Just ask!
If you’ve read my “Here’s My Advice As A Wedding Photographer: Hire a Wedding Planner/Day-Of Coordinator!” I’ve already told you how important it is to add buffer time to your wedding timeline! It goes the same with your ceremony timeline as well! You never know what could happen, both in the crowd and behind the scenes, so adding that extra time to your ceremony allows a smooth transition as well.
Music? Live band? DJ? the options here are endless…if you have a DJ or someone playing live music, you will have to notify them which song(s) you’d want during your ceremony. Usually, there’s prelude music (when guests sit down), processional song(s), entry of wedding family, groom, groomsmen, bridesmaids, and the bride. Usually these are all different songs that switch when it’s time for their walk. And then you can have interludes which happens if you choose to perform a unity act and then your recessional! This plays after you have kissed and are walking back up the aisle!
Not sure where you want your ceremony to take place? There are always so many options. Most wedding venues do offer the ability to get married and have your reception all within their venue, and that’s always a great idea. If that’s not an option for you, then I would recommend that you select a venue for your reception that is close proximity to your ceremony location. It takes away a lot of the stress of extra travel, traffic, parking, weather etc. Feeling rushed, stressed and overwhelmed is NOT what you want on your wedding day.
If you’ve planned for an outside wedding ceremony, ALWAYS have an indoor (plan B) plan. The weather does what it wants so always having a backup plan when you’re setting up for an outdoor wedding is always important. A vast majority, if not all venues, have an indoor ceremony space as well as outdoor.
Richelle + Ben, Downtown Chicago Wedding at Navy Pier.
Last but not least, make sure you know what your ceremony location looks like WHEN you get married. How can you do that you’re wondering? Visit the ceremony space a few weeks before the wedding at the time you would be saying your vows. Make sure the lighting is great and make sure you feel that excited “almost a bride” feeling! You’ll know you picked the right spot then!
Liked these tips? Follow my blog for more tips and advice and as always, you can find me on Instagram! See more of Richelle + Ben’s wedding day by visiting the portfolio page or clicking here.
If you like what you see on my portfolio page and you’re looking to book a wedding photographer or even an elopement photographer, check me out and let’s get in touch!!
