Stress on the morning of you wedding is the last thing that anyone wants. I’ve complied a few little handy tips to help you have a chilled out morning!
Limit the amount of people at prep
So this is a little bit dependant on how many bridesmaids or groomsmen you have. The most chilled out wedding mornings I’ve photographed have always been ones with fewer people there. Chances are, even if you’re not feeling stressed, there might be another person who’s with you that is. You could even suggest that your wedding party gets ready separately (if possible!) and then gets to you just before the outfits go on. This way you still get all the excitement leading up to the ceremony with your closest friends but you still get a chilled out time while you’re getting ready.
Play calm music
This might seem like a very simple tip but it’s SO effective! I would try to avoid music that makes you too emotional (especially if you’re trying to have make up applied!). Playing some chilled out acoustic tunes can really calm the mood. It’s well known that music reduces stress, so this is the perfect time to use it to calm those pre-ceremony nerves. I’ve done a few bridal preps where there hasn’t been any music on at all, this always causes people to think and worry a bit rather than chilling out!
Leave the weather app alone
Don’t worry about the weather and don’t keep checking the weather app! There is absolutely nothing any of us can do about the weather so there’s pretty much no point worrying about it! I recommend coming up with a plan of a place where we could do your group shots inside, just in case of rain but this is something you can plan leading up to your wedding. On the day of your wedding you can then be safe in the knowledge that we’ve got an area to get your family photographs in if the heavens open so you don’t need to worry about it.
Have something to eat and drink
Food and drink is probably the biggest thing I would recommend! It can often be really hard to eat if you’ve got butterflies and you’re a bit nervous (which most people are before they get married!). However if you can I’d definitely recommend getting a bit of food down you. With a standard wedding day timeline you often don’t eat until the late afternoon, even if you have canapés it’s unlikely you’ll have chance to fully enjoy them as you’ll be spending time with your guests. I definitely recommend getting food in when you can! Water is obviously the best thing you can drink and I would definitely recommend that you do so. You could also totally take a leaf out of Chloe’s book and drink some prosecco from the bottle though!
Delegate someone to deal with any potential issues
As it’s your wedding as you’re probably the brains of the operation, people will often come to you on the morning of the wedding to get you to deal with any issues that might arise. This so often causes so much stress and can definitely be avoided by asking someone in your wedding party to deal with any problems that might occur in the morning. There’s always someone in a wedding party who’s super chilled, level headed and is really good at sorting stuff out, choose that person!
Arrange to be in your outfit at least 30 minutes before your ceremony
If you’re getting married at a different place to where you’re getting ready I’d suggest even longer than this, in that case I’d say 45 minutes before you’re planning to leave. Once you’re dressed and ready to go you can definitely chill out, as all you need to do then is concentrate on getting to your ceremony. Running late for a ceremony can be really stressful. Some registrars and churches often have another wedding on the same day so won’t be able to wait around if you’re not ready. To avoid the stress I’d recommend being ready to go in your outfit at least 30 minutes before your ceremony if your prep and ceremony are in the same place. Or if your prep and ceremony are in different places, I’d recommend being ready 45 minutes before you need to leave. If your ceremony is in a different place then I myself always leave 30 minutes before you do to make sure I can get a parking space and also have a chat to your registrar, vicar or celebrant.
Try to keep everything as tidy as possible
Not only will your photographs look nicer if your surroundings are tidy, but you will also likely feel calmer too. I personally cannot concentrate at home if my house is a mess, I find it totally stresses me out and I have to tidy up before I can work! As the saying goes, tidy house, tidy mind!
These are just a few tips to ensure you have a really chilled out morning. The only things you should be concentrating on are relaxing and getting ready!
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