5 Ways to Have A Stress Free Wedding and the Best Photographs Ever

See this image above? That’s how we want YOU to feel on your weddings day. Full of JOY & LAUGHTER!

We put this list together because we want you to ENJOY your wedding. Let’s be real, a wedding day can be stressful, IF you allow it to be! Our team has photographed over 800 weddings and we found a few things in common amongst the super fun and most stress free wedding. We are talking about adjusting as many factors as possible that lead to stress. Below you’ll find the most common stress points.

ALRIGHT, LET’S GET STARTED…TIP #1

Location!

Time to be real again, planning a wedding can be tough! Like the cringe-inducing sound of fingernails on a chalkboard, or going to Costco on a Saturday kinda tough.

One of the best pieces of advice for planning your stress free wedding day, and make sure it all goes right is to keep everything close. Ideally you would host your getting ready time, ceremony and reception at the same venue. Take a look at our list of favorite Phoenix Wedding Venues here. This makes it easy for everyone… you, your family, guests and even your vendors.

In the event you you plan to have your ceremony at your family church, most likely the reception will be at a different location. We totally understand and embrace the meaning and sentiment behind that decision. Just keep in mind the driving distance between the church and reception venue, trying to keep it to a minimum.

You’ll also want to keep in mind the getting ready location of the guys from the girls, if they are 45 minutes from each other, this may cut into your plans.

NOW ONTO TIP #2

Unplug!

I’m sure when you imagine your wedding day, you see it being the best day ever… right? Ten, 20 and even 50 years from now when you look back at your photos, you’ll remember just how amazing your wedding was.

That is until you come across image after image of your guest leaning into the aisle to capture the “perfect shot” of your first kiss as newlyweds on their iPhone – instead of enjoying your celebration they are more concerned about taking their own pictures. Does this sound like the way you want to remember your wedding? I didn’t think so!

With Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat (or as I like to call them… Instabook and Snapgram and Facechat) we have become a social-media driven society and see this at weddings more often than not!

And all the while, you had already taken care of making sure you have preserving these memories by hiring the best wedding photographer out there. A team who will create high quality images that you can share with your guests to enjoy as much as they want.

It is fairly simple to address this… make it clear that you want every to put away their phones (and event the iPad’s) and be present in the moment, celebrating together. This will create a happier day and your wedding images will be free of phones and iPads. Here are some great ideas and signs available to purchase on Etsy!

WE FEEL THE MOST IMPORTANT IS TIP #3

Light!

As a photography team who has a “bright and airy” photo style, this is going to be super-duper important. It may be a bit self-serving but trust me that we really do have your best interest in mind.

Lighting!

This is actually the key to the impeccable photography.

Light is what gives each photo it’s shape. While we do have tools and equipment that allow us to “make” light however that will never stand up to the beauty of natural light. And yes, we are talking about the big ball of fire in the sky.

Natural light is not only fabulous, it allows us to create the the most flattering images and creamiest of skin tones. So for this reason we want to incorporate as much natural light into the schedule for the most important day of your life! Specifically for the bridal party, family formal and portraits of the two of you.

When you are indoors, the light from the window is your friend. Move towards it.

The biggest reason couples hire our team is because of the natural-ness of the images and lighting plays a HUGE part in that. So if you are wanting a sunset or candlelight ceremony, that’s great and not a problem! Just make sure we work together to create a schedule that allows us to capture the important photos prior to your ceremony.

p.s. We live in Arizona where we have 330 days of sun but I know what you’re thinking… What happens if the sun doesn’t come out. Well the best photographers are ALWAYS prepared and will bring our own lighting to make sure that no matter what happens, they will still create authentic, timeless and impeccable images.

TIP #4

Make it about you…

When you see your images at the end of this whole experience, we want you to be like…

Not just because your images are simply gorgeous (because they will be) but we want you to be all “Kristen Bell, Oh My God!” because of the story it tells about YOU.

• Want to get ready at your childhood home because it’s meaningful to you? Let’s make it happen.
  
• Would you rather go see your grandma at the nursing home instead, then let’s please make it happen!
  
• If the of you had your first date at the little ice cream place and it means the world to you two, by all means, let’s go take some photos there! 

So many couples worry about finding the right backdrop for their photos instead of thinking about why you want photos at a specific location. Here’s a little challenge for you… think about something the two of you experienced together, one you will never forget. Where was that and is that a location that you would want to revisit on your wedding day, telling your story perfectly?

TIP #5

Just go with it…

It never fails, if something can go wrong it will go wrong, but again, a stress free wedding day can be had. And while we can’t live our lives waiting for the string of bad luck to set in, it’s a good reminder that sometimes we just need to let go.

This is even more important on your wedding day!

All the logistics of the day, who’s gonna be late, who’s going to take care of the cake arrival, who know’s where the flowers go, or what you forgot at home… all of these things will seem like a big deal at the time, but they really are very small. And guess what? You’re still going to get married!!!

Yes, this is all about the two of you! We can’t tell you how many times we’ve said, “The [church/guests/officiant/band/servers/you fill in the blank] will wait for you. You two are why everyone is here and the day can’t go on until you’re ready.”

Not everything will go as planned but we promise that it won’t matter later! So remember, no matter what it is, just say:

“It’s just a _____. It’s not going to ruin my day!”

WE GOT YOU

Wedding planning, and sometimes even the wedding day, can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. These 5 tips that we’ve shared to create a stress free wedding are based on the experience that we have gained from photographing hundreds of weddings.

The commitment that we give our couples is that when you choose Leslie Ann Photography, you won’t have to worry about your photography. Our intentional process will ensure your wedding reflects exactly who YOU are. This means you are able to be fully present and enjoy your own wedding, knowing you will have Authentic, Timeless and Impeccable images created by a team of experienced photographers who will give you the consistent photographs you desire.

If you’d like to talk to us more about your wedding day, or hear about some of our favorite engagement session locations, please give me a call, short a text or send us an email. We’d love to chat!

I hope that you found these tips for having a stress free wedding day helpful!