So, you’re getting married, Congratulations!

Getting married can be daunting and perhaps overwhelming. Ask any bride and they’ll say that there can be so many surprises on your wedding day, I know this well as a wedding photographer who has photographed over 100 weddings but also in my experience as a bride who planned her own wedding in 9 weeks!

There’s so much to think about and each element comes with a million choices. Through it all, you want to remain authentic and true to you and your partner’s personality, making sure it’s the magical day you’ve both dreamed about.

So here are my top tips for getting started with planning your wedding:

Grab a cup of tea and write down the 4 most important things for you and your partner on your special day. These are so different for every couple…..

1. Do you have a specific venue that you love whether it’s urban or beach or perhaps somewhere in the countryside?
2 .How many guests would you prefer to have there? Perhaps an intimate ceremony would suit you better, or a large wedding with all your friends and family around you.
3. What would you both like to wear? What will suit the season and you as a couple?
4. Do you dream of pink peonies or peach David Austin roses? Which flowers suit you and your dream wedding?

Spend a few minutes every day researching wedding photographs that you LOVE and store those inspirational images in your dream wedding Pinterest board. Look at the four priorities you’ve listed in point 1, and pin images that inspire you to plan your dream wedding. Whether you’re traditional or totally alternative, you’ll find images that will help you create your perfect wedding day.

Get organised! One of the most important things for me when I was planning my own wedding was to get the information out of my head, you can do this in to ways; creating an online checklist or getting it  onto paper, and I did both! Your mind is busy enough without trying to remember the finer details. Buy yourself a beautiful folder for all of your wedding planning suppliers and notes. Separate your folder into categories such as venue, flowers, dress and photographer.

If you prefer being organised digitally then use an online checklist, I LOVE the fabulous online planning system provided by WeddingWire. These lists are completely customisable and will manage anything from your ‘to do’ lists and manage your budget, you can even track your progress on each task. This gives you lots more time to plan the fun stuff whilst feeling rest assured the important elements are taken care of!

Start looking for your wedding photographer right away. I know just how quickly a good photographer gets booked up. It’s not uncommon for me to have weddings years in advance! Find your perfect wedding photographer who just gets your personality and will capture your special day and get them booked in.

I’ve had the pleasure of photographing so many amazing couples, capturing their most magical moments together. I love connecting with people and I would love to connect with you too. If you’re planning your special day and looking for a professional wedding photographer that really values getting to know you, then get in touch! We can start talking about all things wedding!