Planning for the wedding can take months - sometimes years - but the day itself only lasts hours. How on earth can you be chill on your big day?
- Positivity begets positivity. What you give is what you get. What goes around comes around. You know the drill.....if you don't relax - it's likely that one of your sympath friends will be right on the edge of psychosis with you. And hopefully, one of your Type A friends will jump in and take over, making sure you've got nothing to worry about in an effort to help bring things back off the ledge. Either way - wake up - breath - and smile! You're getting married!!
- They won't start without you. For reals...if the salon took too long to get your hair & make up done (which happens a lot) - don't loose your cool! It's okay. From a photographers perspective, it sucks, but I always make it up somewhere else in the timeline. One photograph takes 1/200th of a second to capture. That means I can take A LOT of photos in a minute - and while I might seem like a lunatic will rapid firing directions at you - all you need to do is forget about everything, and just follow directions. Sometimes when I take control of the situation, it helps frazzled people to stop worrying and slowly take comfort in the fact that SOMEONE knows what's going on. And the ceremony won't start without you. I've said this to people before, and the tension visibly leaves their body. A few minutes behind schedule is perfectly acceptable. So don't waste your precious energy on being stressed out.
- Photos are forever. Your photographer can only capture what actually happens. If you've got me...I'll crack a joke to remind you that you should be happy....not stressed. Either way, you don't want to look anything but happy on your wedding day when you flip through your album.
- People will remember your mood. It's true! There are few things people talk about during & after a wedding....it's the dress, the food, and the mood of the couple. Your guests eyes will be on you all day. They're watching how you react during the ceremony vows, they're watching your face as you walk down the aisle, they're waiting for you to greet them at the reception...they're watching you dance. Relax, smile, enjoy each and every moment & person there to share it with you.
- Post Wedding Depression is real. The hype, the planning, the excitement, the investment.....it's months in the making! It's consuming your lunch break, dinner conversation & giving you night sweats!! The day after the wedding?? It's all over. No more checking your registry, no more calling vendors, no more emails, no more RSVP spreadsheets, no more making/designing centerpieces and keepsake gifts for guests. While that might be a relief, it's also a strange feeling for some. With nothing more to look forward to (aside from THE REST OF YOUR LIFE TOGETHER) it's a little sad that the build up is over. So as mentioned above - slow down and enjoy each moment as it unfolds.
While it hasn't happened yet....hopefully you'll think of these things on your big day and remember to stop and take a breath. Soak it all in. Make it a happy and memorable day!