Well it’s hard to believe but 2012 enquiries are starting to roll in, a good sign that people are planning ahead and moving early. As I’ve mentioned previously my 2011 season was essentially fully booked by this past January and most of the May and June dates were gone by November so if you are planning a May or June 2012 wedding it’s not too early! To date, two of my Saturday’s for June 2012 are already spoken for.
Wedding planning is a pretty daunting task and I see the stress and tough decisions my clients face on a far too regular basis. This is usually their first time planning something of this nature and scale. Numbers play a big role but even smaller 40+ people weddings can end up being just as much work to plan. It goes without saying that one way to help with the workload is a wedding planner.
When booking clients I make it very clear to them that I want and need to be kept in the loop for all plans and in most cases will review and plan the timeline with them as it’s in all of our interest to make sure it is workable. If there is one thing that can really hamper great wedding photos it’s a busy, complex or restrictive planning process. I can never have enough time so it’s a bit of a struggle to find that perfect balance but when you do it makes the entire day that much easier.
The most important piece of advice I always give to my clients is simple – don’t stress! Sounds easy enough right? It is so important to keep things in perspective, obviously throughout the day one will encounter a snag here and there but how often are those ever major events? Pretty rarely to say the least. I struggle to think of more than a couple of things that have gone wrong in the many weddings I have worked that were actually something worth stressing over. More often than not the stress is induced by other individuals over reacting to petty issues. Learning to not let these things get to you is key, speak to your wedding party beforehand and let them know you are looking to them for strength and stability, assign them tasks, don’t be afraid to delegate. There is no reason to get caught up in the little details. The reason why I say the “don’t stress” thing is so important is because the camera sees it! If you’re stressed then it’s all over your face and can seriously affect the images, not to mention your mood…
Another obvious thing you can do to keep it simple is to have everything in one location. There are several amazing properties on island that can easily accommodate the entire need of a full wedding from a room to get ready, a gorgeous beach, ample ceremony and reception options. Some of my favourite properties to work with are –
Going this route means not getting married in a church but I can honestly say that I am seeing fewer and fewer church weddings. For me it’s typically less than 20% of my clients holding their ceremony in a church.
Finally, work with vendors that you like and connect with, chances are you’re dealing with a lot of money and will be working with that organization or individual for a long period of time, perhaps even more than a year so working with people you like and trust makes a huge difference!
At the end of the day remember what’s important, what the day is all about and how it should be enjoyed. Thirty years later you won’t think back to the tiny variation in colour between the matching bridal party outfits, you’ll look back at the fantastic memories of your amazing wedding, surrounded by your friends and family. Embrace it and bask in your special day! xo
no comments