RBP Bride and Groom Tips
I have hundreds of curated tips and tricks for my brides and grooms! Here is a little snippet!
Planning the Wedding
How to save money on your wedding!⠀
Use your bridesmaids bouquets as reception centerpieces! I love this tip, because it’s giving florals double duty. Most of my brides choose to have anywhere between 2-10 bridesmaids and giving each of them a floral bouquet not only gives the girls something to hold but will make your bridal party photos even more beautiful. Talk to your florist about creating something for your ladies that will look good in their hands, and also in a vase for the centerpiece of your dinner tables. Fresh florals will make your reception even more beautiful and florals are an easy choice for centerpieces. You can gift the bouquets to the bridesmaids at the end of the evening.
Bridesmaid dress tip!
Pick mismatched dresses with the MOH in a pop of color.
Your vision can come true in real life with all of your bridesmaids finding their own blush full length dresses. Then have your MOH in a pop like a full sparkle gown. Soft, romantic and so feminine. And perfect for your wedding photos!
Set a budget early
I see lots of couples have a meeting with both parents, and make budget decisions early. See what each family is going to cover or contribute to keep your expectations in line. My parents gave us a lump sum of money to use for anything we wanted but we knew what we had to spend. Some couples open a special wedding debit card to be able to track expenses. Figure out your have to have items, such as a beautiful dress, or dream photographer, or special dinner and make sure you book or buy those things first.
Before the proposal!
When you have a feeling he's about to propose, keep your fingernails painted so you are prepared to show it off! 💅🏽 Then on your engagement and bridal shoots, get your ring cleaned to sparkle and shine since it will most likely get a photoshoot of its own!
Pick theme words to create a cohesive wedding decor scheme!
Pick three words to describe the look and feel of what you want your wedding to become. Examples of words are cozy, intimate, bright, airy, happy, regal, vintage, classic, romantic, elegant, sweet, fun, boho, etc. Narrowing down the words that you want your wedding to become will help you choose decor, vendors and details that match each piece of the planning, and the atmosphere of your wedding won't feel disjointed!
Money saving tip! ⠀
Ask friends and family who are asking if they can help to provide you with stamps! Stamps are a huge hidden cost of wedding planning and often aunts and uncles have extras lying around they can gift you! Also, using post cards for thank you notes is generally cheaper too!
Prioritizing Budget
Your engagement is an exhilarating time of life! But many brides have no idea where to begin the planning process. Here are some tips of where to start!
1. Sitting down with both sets of parents and discussing budgets, schedules, and to-do lists is a great way to start planning. Creating a google doc for everyone to update is an easy way to stay in communication.
2. Have a wedding binder to organize all your ideas, Pinterest ideas, vendor business cards, color swatches, checklists and contracts.
3. Prioritize your dreams for the big day to help organize your budget. List out what is most important to you in order and then assign the budget accordingly.
4. Book quality vendors. The easiest way for your wedding planning process to go smoothly is to book quality businesses who know what they are doing and can help you along the way. Head to resources like @Utahbrideblog or @Pintrest to find dependable vendors!
5. This last tip is biased 🙊 but avoid being the bride who jumps at the bargain of a cousin who got a nice camera for Christmas! (If a "deal" seems TOO good to be true, it probably is.) Your wedding pictures will last a life time and make sure to invest in quality work! You won't regret it!
(We also do free consults, come chat with us and see what we can offer you!)
Wedding Traditions Tips
Pick a wedding song!
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One of the most emotional charged moments of the wedding reception is the first dance shared with the bride and groom! (I shed a tear or two behind my camera without fail!!) Pick a song for the moment carefully but considering your own relationship! Is there a song that has had meaning to you while you were dating or is there a song who’s lyrics match the feelings you share? Make sure to notify your DJ early of the song so they are sure to have it in their files! Don’t forget the daddy-daughter dance song and the mother-son dance as well!
Ideas of how to honor someone who has passed away or can’t be at your wedding.
-Set an extra seat at your ceremony with a photo or a flower to mark the spot they have in your life.
-Set a place for them at the dinner table. I’ve seen where an entire table was dedicated to those who couldn’t be there on the wedding day.
-Place a photo or photos on a legacy table for guests to see.
-Place a memento or photo on your bouquet or suit coat to keep them near you all day.
-Wear something of theirs on the wedding day, i.e. bracelet or ring or pin.
-Take a photo of you holding a photo of them.
-Add their favorite song to your playlist.
-Light a special candle for them.
-Have a moment of reflection during your ceremony.
-Have a floral arrangement displayed in their honor.
Create clean backgrounds for your cake table
Placing your wedding cake against a decorated and/or clean wall, rather than in the center of a room will help avoid distractions + create a more editorial look to your images. When planning your reception, place your cake somewhere to create magical images that still contributes to the flow of your reception.
Photo Session Tips
Bring breath mint instead of gum when taking photos!
I always ask for my clients to remove their gum once we begin shooting! As long as breath mints stay hidden, you can keep your breath fresh but not have to worry about seeing the wad of gum showing up in photos. I carry breath mints with me so don’t be afraid to ask if you need to freshen up your breath mid shoot!
Listen to your favorite music on the way to your shoot
Get yourself and your fiancé pumped up for pictures by listening to your favorite jams. It's a great way to destress so pictures are fun, not stressful!!
Get your wedding ring cleaned
Your ring will be photographed during engagements and formals! Perfect chance to get it cleaned ahead of time so it shines bright!
Plan a fun dinner or date for after the shoot
When you are all dressed up and feeling good after pictures is the perfect chance to head to you favorite restaurant for dinner to celebrate. Or if you are like me, head through the drive thru at Chick-fil-a. :)
Groom Tips
How to pin the boutonniere on a Groom’s suit!!!
1. Traditionally you pin on the groom’s left side, over his heart.
2. Make sure the boutonnière isn’t too big. The bigger it is, the heavier it is.
3. You want to pin it on so that you CAN’T see the pin!
4. The boutonniere should be placed between the neck line and the pocket line!
5. If you are worried about pinning it on, have your florist put a magnet on it instead!!
6.Hire me and I'll put them on for you!
How to involve your groom in the wedding planning
1. When you begin wedding planning, always assume your groom wants to be apart of the planning process. It's his big day as well!
2. Have open conversations about what is important to him and what isn't. Invite him to consults with vendors, openly discuss options for colors, plans and details.
3. Realize he might not have the attention span for all the many parts of wedding planning, but valuing his yes-or-no opinion overall with create cohesion with your wedding plans!
4. Plan surprises for him such as a groom's gift (given to him before the ceremony), personal letters and notes of appreciation leading up to the big day, or include his favorite color in the wedding scheme.
5. Don't let wedding planning take over every weekend! Remember to go on dates and relax!
6. If wedding planning isn't his thing, put him in charge of the honeymoon and/or finding your new apartment.
7. To prep him for our photo session, show him some samples from the website. This way he will see what we do and he will understand that the pictures are important to you. I love getting to meet grooms at engagement sessions and joking with them through out the posing, kissing, snuggling and playing. Our grooms comment all the time that their engagements "were actually pretty fun!"
Hair cuts
Have your groom be strategic about planning hair cuts during the wedding planning process. Having a fresh hair cut about week before each photoshoot will ensure his hair is looking great and gives a few days to grow out after the initial cut.
Bride Tips
Bridal hair styles!
A major decision for your bridal look is your hair style! Wedding blogs and Pintrest boards are full of inspiration for hairstyles for your big day! Here are a few suggestions to consider:
❤️Are you doing a separate bridal or formal session? This gives you the option to wear your hair one way for pictures and and other for the wedding day. Many of my brides with two favorite hairstyles choose to have their hair down for their bridals session (since we are more able to control location, wind and weather). Then they wear their hair up and secure for their wedding day (which includes more hugs and uncertainty.) Or vice versa!
❤️What is the feel of your wedding? A more whimsical, airy bride wouldn't match a tight and high up-do, but long loose curls with a hair piece would be a cohesive choice. A low braided bun could be final touch for a elegant, classy bride.
❤️Communicate with your professional hair and/or makeup artist. They know the correct products and techniques to use to make sure wind, the elements or sweat won't destroy your wedding hair. The pros know how to make sure you look your best not only in the beginning of the day but all the way til the end, so be wary of relying on an inexperienced friend to achieve the same quality for your bridal hair!
❤️Add some romance to your bridal hair with curls, braids, twists, pins, texture, small flowers, hair pieces, veils, clips!
❤️Don't let the decisions overwhelm you! Talk to your hair stylist, wedding planner or photographer to get ideas that will accent your natural beauty, dress and jewelry!
How to avoid becoming a bridezilla
I am blessed with the sweetest brides ever!!! It’s so fun to watch my brides happily enjoy their big day. But sometimes in the wedding world, it's easy to become overwhelmed with all the options and expectations for your special day, and without proper planning the stress can turn a bride into a ‘bridezilla’ who possibly mistreats family, friends or vendors who try to help! Here are keys to have the best wedding day!
1. Decisive planning and clear communication! Make a Pinterest board, detailed to-do list for the wedding planner, mothers or bridesmaids, and chat honestly with your vendors about what to expect. If you clearly detail your dream early, people are more able to help you achieve it!
2. Hire high quality vendors and then treat them kindly and like real people! Florists, bakers, wedding planners, caterers, make up artists, videographers, DJs and photographers deal with all sorts of clients and sweetness and respect will helped them feel valued and encouraged to go the extra mile for you on your big day.
3. If you become unhappy with something under the stress of the day, communicate with words, not anger or threats. Unfortunately, things can roll out of control during a wedding, and while errors might not be intentional, they may be fixed if nicely asked!
4. Stay away from high risk wedding day practices, such as outdoor receptions during the rainy season, spray tans or a too crammed wedding day timelines.
5. Focus on the meaning of the day. Enjoy your day with your sweet heart and with your family and friends. Don’t sweat the small stuff and everything will fall into place!
What to Wear for engagements
Flowy dresses are flattering, comfy and so fun to photograph. My favorite places to tell brides to shop include Role, Hope Ave, Bohme, Called to Surf.
Pair patterns with solids. So if you are wearing a patterned floral dress, grab a color from your dress to put your groom in a corresponding button up.
Spoil your Mom!
There are lots of ways your mom and mother-in-law-to-be will help with your wedding! Budget in some extra money to spoil your momma(s)! Surprises can be: a pre-wedding mom + daughter mani/pedi , celebrating her hidden talents in the decor ( like the quilt she made for you and your hubby), including her wedding pictures at your wedding reception (along with grandparents/great grandparents on both sides), incorporating an heirloom into your wedding attire (veil, ring, brooch, bracelet), writing her a letter to read the morning of the wedding day, use her favorite recipe for wedding treats, send her home with leftover flower center pieces, organize with your florist for flowers to be delivered to your parent home of the Monday of your honey moon with a sweet note, order an extra wedding album for her and grandma! One of my favorite moments at a wedding was when a bride sang her mom @carrieunderwood's "Mama's Song" to thank her for everything she's ever done for her. There wasn't a dry eye in the room!
Newly Wed Marriage Tips
Thank you cards
The sooner you make a plan to tackle thank you cards, the better! Split up responsibility either by task or by groupings of people so that it doesn't all just fall on one spouse! Post cards with a photo from your wedding are popular and inexpensive!
Marriage tip!
How to stay on the same page with daily goals! Every morning text your significant other your top three goals for the day! Keep each other accountable by supporting those goals throughout the day! It will also help you know if you are on the same page. If your spouse’s biggest goal for your day off together is to clean out the garage but your goal is to watch a season of Netflix, this technique will help you be able to communicate about it before it becomes an issue! If you aren’t married you can do this with a boyfriend, roommate or a sibling!
Keep on Dating
Just cause the wedding has passed, keep doing the things you were doing to fall in love. Go on dates, cook together, split up household tasks, and soak up the newlywed life!
Apps for newlyweds:⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Yummly - Pinterest for recipes only! So easy to organize your meal plan!
Everydollar- @daveramsey's budgeting tool to keep you within your means! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Mint- Another popular budgeting tool! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Skyscanner- App that notifies you of cheap flights for your honeymoon or flying home to see family! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Influenster- A product trial and review app! Get free stuff mailed to in exchange for reviews!
Hitchswitch- This app helps you change your last name!
Moment- This app tells you how much you are on your phone every day! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Marco Polo- Send video messages back and forth that don't evaporate in 24 hours!
