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20 Common Things Couples Forget During Wedding Planning

Your wedding is the biggest day of your life. It has to be fun and memorable. However, planning a wedding is hard work that can be tiring and overwhelming. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail;” that’s a famous saying that has lasted for generations because it is true. You need a good wedding plan to ensure your wedding is indeed a blast.

Regardless of how great you are at organising things, there are still some details that you can forget. They are sometimes so small that even the best couples forget about them. We want your wedding to be beautiful and classy, which is why we’ve helped you put together this list of common things couples forget during wedding planning.

First dance at Krystal Function Center wedding reception

20 Common Things Couples Forget During Wedding Planning

Do you want your wedding to be perfect? Take note of these details.

1. Have a Contact Booklet

You must have a separate booklet to document any vendor’s contacts, including your maid of honour, mother-in-law, or anyone you would want to contact in case of emergency. Having your phone switched off can cause panic if you do not have a backup.

2. Decoration Restrictions

Research your wedding venue to avoid embarrassment where there would be restrictions on using candles, red carpet, or decorating on the walls. Confirm if there are no restrictions placed on the venue you will be using.

National wine center wedding Exit under sparklers

3. Have an Emergency Kit

Have a kit that contains your spare makeup, safety pins, plaster, and anything you think you could need on your big day. Give it to someone who is easily accessible and organised.

4. Backup Shoes

It does not matter if you bought expensive shoes for your big day or if you’ve tried it many times. You need comfortable shoes you can quickly wear to relax your feet and avoid discomfort.

Wedding shoes lined up

5. Have Extra Cash

Make sure you have extra cash at your disposal to make orders in case of an emergency. This way, you can avoid being stranded at the venue, especially when you want to make quick payments.

6. Assign Your Phone To Someone

Keep your phone away on your big day; it is a lifesaving hack. It will cause distractions; instead, assign your phone to someone you trust to capture the moments. You need not worry because it’s likely that all the people you text will be around.

7. Have Breakfast

It is normal to not have an appetite on your big day but make sure you have breakfast on the morning of your wedding. When you eat breakfast, it gives you strength throughout the day and keeps you active.

Of all the things to forget during wedding planning, keep this one at the forefront of your mind – make time to actually eat well on your big day!

8. Transportation

Consider your guests when you’re planning the transportation to and from your venue. If you are arranging their transport or a place to stay before or after the wedding, inform them so they can plan accordingly.

bride and groom with bridal party and cars

9. Gifts

If there are gifts to give to your guests, make sure it is ready a day before the wedding so that you would not end up forgetting to give them out. You want your guests to leave your venue satisfied and happy with the gift you offer them.

10. Have a Playlist

It is essential to have a playlist so that your band will know what you like. Also, it’s crucial to have a ‘do not play list’ to avoid embarrassing situations.

11. Pack an Extra Outfit

The bride needs an extra outfit that is easy to pull over her head after getting her makeup done. This would save her from smearing her clothes with makeup or messing up her hair.

12. Carry Your Bridesmaid Along

You need to inform your bridesmaid of all your arrangements and ensure the person can handle any situation where you need to reapply your makeup or adjust your dress.

13. Have a Backup Budget

Having a backup budget especially for an emergency will save you a lot of stress. You should have a budget for a contingency plan to handle unexpected situations.

14. Plan For The Weather

Do not depend on the weather forecast, also plan for unfavorable weather conditions because the weather can change anytime. It would be bad for your guests to be soaked on your wedding day, it will surely dampen the mood of things.

Lightning

15. Inform Your Suppliers If There Will Be Overtime

You need to inform your suppliers if they will work overtime. It may not work out if you tell them on the wedding day. It could be so bad that you might end up not having a band for the last hour. You would have to negotiate with them to avoid being stranded.

16. Designate Someone To Be In Charge Of Your Gifts and Personal Items

You can put anyone who you trust in charge of your gifts and packages. The person will ensure that nothing is missing and that all the items are properly organised.

17. Food

Make sure you consider your guests when planning the food. Some guests have diabetes and would be careful about what to eat. Try to provide different options they can explore without putting their health at risk.

18. Feed Your Suppliers

Do not forget to feed your suppliers, they are part of your guests and you must treat them well. Without these people, your wedding would only be a disaster. Giving them food would keep them motivated and productive throughout your big day. This tip works like magic!

Mollydooker wines food

19. Practice Your Vows

Practice your vows by writing and speaking them out. Try to get comfortable with the details of your speech so your delivery can be smooth. You can also assign someone to give a vote of thanks after the wedding or just handle it by yourself. Whatever happens, don’t forget to thank your guests.

20. Arrange Your Chairs and Tables

Label your table and seats appropriately so your friends and relatives would know where to sit. It helps to keep your reception organised.

 

Of course this isnt an exhaustive list of things to forget when wedding planning, but should help free you from many unexpected incidents. If you are overwhelmed with the planning, you can always get a professional assistant. Make sure to keep a smile on your face throughout the day; it will keep your day bright and fun.

 

 

 

 

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5 Tips For Taking The Perfect Wedding Photo

Do you want to take some good-looking wedding photos? Well, of course you do! Weddings are one of the most precious days for all couples, and if you’re a wedding photographer, it’s your job to capture all the best moments on that day. Thus, it’ll be your responsibility to create an album that couples will love and cherish for the rest of their lives!  

And in this article, you can read the best tips for taking the perfect wedding photo.

5 Tips For Taking The Perfect Wedding Photo

  • Research The Venue

From the time the couple has called you to become their official wedding photographer, you should start doing your work by researching the venue. Check out the location and see how you can utilize it to take some stunning shots.  

You should visit the venue at least once before the big day to see if the outdoor space of the venue can be used for capturing some post-wedding shots. It also allows you to scout the venue and list the different shooting scenarios that might need to deal with. Also, don’t forget to check how the lighting conditions change in the venue day and night.  

Drone shot of Glanville Hall

 

  • Get To Know The Couple

You should spend time getting to know your clients during your initial meetings. Ask them a couple of questions like how they met or how long they’ve been together. You can use their answers as inspiration for covering their wedding.   

If possible, ask them to hire you as their prenup photographer as well. It can provide an opportunity for the couple to be comfortable with you and vice versa, which is crucial as the big day comes. Additionally, it also allows you to figure out their best angles for taking pictures that are photo frame-worthy.  

You might also want to use this opportunity to give them some insights and information on how they should preserve their wedding photos by putting them on picture frames. Give them recommendations and ask them to use this link to get high-quality and good-looking picture frames.

Laughing bride and groom amongst ivy

 

  • Test Your Gear In Advance

It’s also important that you test your gear in advance to ensure that they are in good working condition before you go to the venue and take great wedding photos.  

Don’t forget to pack all the gear you need for the task, such as a tripod, several camera lenses, external flashes, spare batteries, memory cards, etc. If the photo is taken indoors, you might want to bring some lighting equipment.  I personally just take everything I have to every wedding! I even have a submersable drone if anyone ever wants to go swimming?

And if you’ve done your research and scouted the venue beforehand, you can be better prepared to deal with different shooting scenarios you might encounter throughout the day. For that reason, it’s always a good idea to bring all the necessary equipment you’ll need for the job.  

Waterfall wedding photographer Hobart

 

  • Consider Bringing An Assistant With You

Depending on the wedding. capturing every detail of a wedding might be impossible if you don’t have someone to assist you. You may be covering a wedding with lots of dancing, movement, and excitement, so you’ll also need another professional photographer to help you with managing the lights and capturing other wedding scenes that you’d miss if you’re alone.  

It’s a good idea to get an assistant photographer with you. You can either have them carry around your gear or ask him to capture other parts of the wedding while you focus on the main events.  Or you can do what I do and ask them to focus on creating video.

Darwin’s Pride rock

  • Create A Shot List

Couples these days prefer hiring professional photographers who can document their entire wedding. Every couple wishes to look back at their wedding photos after a couple of years and be reminded of how everything was perfect on that day.  

Creating a shot list can work against the whole natural flow of a wedding – but it can help ensure that you capture all the most important shots ou may forget, such as: 

  • The groom’s first look as her bride enters the venue
  • The emotions of the couple as the bride walks down the aisle
  • The couple’s first kiss as a newlywed
  • The emotional family moments
  • The wedding dance
  • The cake-cutting ceremony

Be sure to ask the couple, their family, friends, and guests for any specific shots they want and list them all down.  

 

A photographer who prepares in advance knows the best camera settings and has a creative mind to come up with unique wedding photoshoot ideas that can capture the best wedding photos that couples will surely cherish for their entire lives. We hope you can use these tips in taking the perfect wedding photos and help you with your next photography shoot.  

 

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6 Best Picture Frames To Display Your Favourite Wedding Photos 

Weddings are considered one of the best days in a person’s life. Given its value, surely you won’t let the amazing photos just sit on your computer or in a box. You can show those gorgeous captured events honourably by documenting them in wedding photo frames. They become valuable home décor that tell the story of your love and of that magical day. Whatever your style, whether glam, rustic, classic or something in between, you’re sure to find some frames that suit your home perfectly.

You can get these frames as gifts for your wedding, shower, engagement, or other occasions, so don’t forget to put them on your registry. To help you decide what to get, here are the six best picture frames to display your wedding photos.   

6 Best Picture Frames To Display Your Favourite Wedding Photos

 

  • Personalized Wedding Picture Frames

Personalized photo frames for your wedding shots are fabulous items to feature your wedding photo. Who wouldn’t adore this affordable style produced from scratch with love? 

Materials can be wood, metal, glass, or plastic. It is the perfect variation of materials to make a personalized picture frame that features grey edges, the couple’s name and wedding year in a charming script. Not just that, there are many more ideas to choose from, widening your imagination to reach your preferred design. 

white wall with photos of the family in various photo frames

  • Floating Frames

Floating frames are trendy these days to ensure your photo is at the centre of attention. Depending on what will complement your home decor, you can choose between a variety of materials such as brass or matte black bolts. With a plain light background theme, it will contrast with the frame and highlight it with some warm spotlight.   

  • Touchscreen Digital Picture Frame

If you seek to be in the modern style, go high-tech with this touchscreen digital picture frame. This frame allows you to display hundreds of photos that rotate throughout the day. Aside from that, you can also highlight your favourite picture from your best wedding photos. Therefore, this saves you from the heartbreak of having to select a few ones to feature on your home, as you can have them shown throughout the day. 

  • Customized Two Frame With Sand Ritual

This customised picture frame is a good option if you seek to elevate your beachy wedding theme. Such an item can display two photos, and the frame is designed for a couple who had their wedding on the beach, using coloured sand as a ritual symbol.  

Thus, this customized frame is the best picture frame for a couple who wants to treasure the rituals made on their wedding day and seek to highlight them in their home.

  • Wooden Photo Ledge

If a classic picture frame for your wedding or any event is what attracts you, why not go for a classic wooden photo ledge? 

Such an item can help you display several photos at a time and effortlessly rotate or replace them as your mood changes. This frame is easy to install and use. 

If you’re interested in it but couldn’t purchase it anywhere near you, it’s easy to make it yourself too. Materials needed are only basic materials for carpentry, like wood, metal or plastics. Paints and polishing can be used, too, depending on your preferred design and liking. Simply put, you can definitely do whatever your mood will lead you.  

  • Acrylic And Brass Picture Frame

Couples with an extra and ultra-modern aesthetic attitude will love the combination of acrylic and brass with a sleek frame or wooden stand design. Adding some small glittery lights or a spotlight pointing to the structure is undoubtedly an excellent way to feature a wedding photo. 

It’s also beneficial because it can be in a trio of versatile sizes. These frames can be designed to stand alone as blocks or thin with a wooden stand. They’re great for narrow surfaces or on a centre accent table. 

Acrylic mounted prints

 

You’ve spent months preparing, planning, and designing your wedding day, and once it’s over, the most pleasing way to relive it for years is through beautiful and captivating photos. So Display your favourite wedding photos!

Possibilities are limitless when it comes to framing your bridal portraits and wedding photos. You can devote an entire wall in your home to a set of gallery frames by gathering all your hundreds and favourite images. A large frame at the centre of a lighted wall is also classy.  

Whatever your tone, likes or style, there’s always a perfect frame to exhibit your treasured memories and help you reminisce those events that happened for years.

 

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10 Honeymoon Tips For An Amazing Trip

You deserve an eventful trip to beautiful places for your honeymoon. Planning a great wedding is crucial, but you also need a perfect honeymoon to complete your experience. Your wedding requires you to be conscious of your guests, friends, and family as you make memories. However, your honeymoon is the real introduction to married life where you and your spouse would get to know each other intimately. This is why you must take note of some essential honeymoon tips to guide you through your trip.

10 Honeymoon Tips For An Amazing Trip

1.   Plan it Together

Marriage is a partnership. You can start living the reality of that fact even while planning for your honeymoon. Make sure that you and your spouse are actively involved in the planning process to ensure that it is not one-sided. Consider your partner’s interests when choosing the right destination, the duration, and the convenient time to travel. Considering these factors would require a lot of compromises and selfless thinking so you can meet each other’s needs.

Santorini Couple Shoot

2.   Plan Early

Planning a wedding is tiring; however, combining it with plans for your honeymoon can be nerve-wracking. This is why you must ensure that everything goes smoothly. Check out for events you both might want to attend and see if you could schedule your honeymoon around that period. Also, take the necessary breaks off work to ensure you can enjoy your honeymoon to the fullest. You can book your flight tickets ahead of time to cut down on costs and even get hotels that offer special services to new couples.

3.   Set A Realistic Budget

To enjoy an eventful trip, you need a reasonable budget that can cater to both of your needs. There’s nothing cheap about a memorable trip for your honeymoon, and it’s best if you set money aside to cater for it. You need to consider the cost of flight tickets, accommodation, food, and other experiences you would love to have during the trip. If you want a worry-free experience, you should settle the financial aspect.

4.   Create The Perfect Itinerary

It’s normal for you to get excited about your honeymoon. However, you can plan hectic activities, touring, and sightseeing that will wear you out easily. Avoid the temptation to do many things within a short time; it would only leave you to steal the perfect moment from yourself. Create a plan with lazy walks across the beach or intimate talks on the balcony. These activities would help you regain energy and make you spend quality time with your spouse. Take out time to relax your nerves; you can even schedule a spa session that would help you achieve that.

couples photography small

5.   Get Some Help

You can always find ways to lessen the workload when planning an eventful trip. Instead of handling it, you can get a travel agent to book a package for you both. Choose the one that covers hotel bookings, tours, and feeding. Also, some agencies offer discounts for new couples that can help them save costs while having the best time of their lives. Perform thorough research to find the best agencies that provide premium service for new couples.

6.   Choose The Right Timing

Most couples assume they have to leave for their honeymoon immediately after getting married. However, that’s only a myth that happens in fairy tales. Planning your wedding can be exhausting and it’s only fair that you get some rest before you go on a trip.

One of the great Honeymoon tips I can give you is take some time to blow off steam from the heavy dancing and singing you’ve done at your wedding reception. Afterwards, you can go on your honeymoon, that way; you’d be refreshed to enjoy the pleasant experience. Timing is key which is why you must carefully consider it when planning your honeymoon to avoid unexpected situations.

7.   Plan Surprises

Since you would be spending the rest of your life with someone you love deeply, it’s only proper for you to make them feel special during the honeymoon. You can spice up the entire trip by paying for an event that you both didn’t plan for initially. Make sure you choose something that would delight your spouse; if your husband loves games, you can find the nearest game centre to get him excited. On the other hand, you can take your wife shopping for new clothing items. Whatever you decide, make sure it suits their needs.

8.   Capture Your Moments

Although you would go on multiple trips as a couple, your honeymoon only happens once. This is why you need to capture every moment to help you remember this lovely event even after you’ve gone home. Imagine showing your children cute pictures from your honeymoon after decades of marriage. You can take a camera along or use a smartphone that captures vivid images. Don’t forget to make videos also because they always have a way of putting a smile on your face when things get difficult.

What would be even better though would be to enlist the help of a local professional photographer for a bit of a photoshoot – similar to an engagement shoot!

Belair National Park engagement photo

9.   Pack Smart

If you plan to visit multiple destinations, it can be burdensome to pack too much stuff. New brides, don’t try to take all of your new shoes and clothes. It’s good that you’re excited but you need to reduce what you pack. Try to study the weather of your destination to determine the perfect clothes to take along. Also, take out materials that would take too much room in your bag.

10.  Try Out New Meals

What’s an amazing trip with great food? One fun part you must explore during your honeymoon trip is the food, especially the ones specific to the culture of the people. This way, you can spice up your adventure and include something new in your archives. No need to stick with boring meals when you can explore new ones.

Santorini Food

 

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A list of the best 8 Adelaide Wedding Celebrants

Almost every weekend I’m out photographing a wedding as an Adelaide wedding photographer and I’m always meeting new lovely people that officiate the ceremony, but there are a couple out there that I either run into so often, or that I know by how they conducted themselves that they are worth recommendation.

Of course there are quite a few Adelaide wedding celebrants, so I simply cannot list all the great ones here – but these are the ones that come to mind immediately whenever people ask me for recommendations. I will be adding more to this list as more come to mind, as I know there are more that are just on the tip of my tounge and I can’t put a name to their face.

The Best Wedding Celebrants Adelaide

Wedding rings on rock

Maria & Richard – https://www.itmustbelovecelebrant.com/

Maria and Richard Rowland are a husband and wife team in Adelaide that conduct wedding ceremonies together. They offer a unique service where they can create seamless ceremonies with all the boxes ticked. Richard is bantering with the groom and queuing your music while Maria is off greeting the bride, fluffing her dress, and settling any last-minute nerves. They each bring their own personality and style to your ceremony. With their combined wealth of life experience, and their philosophy that life should be full of fun, along with their passion for meeting new people, they will take you by the hand and guide you along your wedding journey to create your dream ceremony.

Richard’s expert DJ/MC services are also included in the package, meaning your party can start at the ceremony and go through to midnight. They are proud supporters of marriage equality and welcome all couples with open arms. They are creative writers who will listen to your love story and retell it so that you and your guests will laugh and cry, making it a memorable experience. Maria and Richard believe in creating something unique and special for their clients, and they only charge a single celebrant fee.

 

Vicky Flanegan – https://www.vickyflanegan.com.au/

Vicky is one of those names that is synonymous with weddings in Adelaide, always keen to have a bit of fun at weddings, and likes things to be light hearted – her personality suits being a wedding celebrant perfectly.

She has a nice loud, crisp voice and very rarely makes any diction mistakes – very easy to understand! I also love her car’s number plate – which you’ll just have to chat with her to find out what it is 😉

Married!

Peter Champion – https://www.creativecelebrant.com.au/

Peter is a delightful chap, always keen to have a bit of a joke throughout his ceremonies, but also carries with him an air of prestige and formaility simply by his physical appearance as a tall, well dressed bloke.

I think I’ve photographed around a dozen weddings with Peter at the helm, and each one has gone off without a hitch – a true professional at what he does!

Celebrant talking

Jacqui Leopardi – https://www.jacquileopardi.com/

When it comes to Adelaide wedding celebrants, Jacqui is a super popular choice, often being booked out years in advance, she brings an air of adventure and fun to her ceremonies. In fact as of writitng this, shes currently on a several month tour of Australia, adventuring about witrh her family!

Always with a smile on her face, Jacqui is one of those celebrants who you know just loves her job!

Laughing

Jen Attard – https://www.bymysidecelebrant.com.au/

Jen is one of those Adelaide wedding celebrants who always has an idea on how to make your ceremony more special in ways you might not have thought of. Very approachable and easy to talk to, she knows what makes a ceremony work and makes planning a wedding super easy, regardless on what type of personality she is presented with.

Celebrant talking during ceremony

Deborah Lilley – https://lilley-cmc.com/

Deborah is one of those celebrants in Adelaide that just doesnt say no to any request you might have. I’ve seen her dress up in medieval garb, put on voices, manage music playlists and even stay all day as an MC on a wedding day. Whenever I arrive at a wedding and see Deborah at the helm, I know that this ceremony is going to be memoriable!

The Manor Basket range wedding Ceremony

Bob McGilchrist – http://www.bobmcgilchrist.com.au/

Bob is always nioce to have around, keen to chat and have a bit of fun with his wedding ceremonies. As of writing this, last time I was photographing him he was quoting lines from the Princess Bride with full voice acting and all!

A very experienced Adelaide marriage celebrant, he is able to facilitate all kinds of wedding ceremonies from the simple, to complex and everything inbetween!

Holding hands smiling

Penelope – https://www.celebrationsbypenelope.com.au/

As with all wedding celebrants on my list, Penelope is another very experienced wedding celebrant, officiating at over 500 weddings in the last 10 years, alse even being rated in the top 5 marriage celebrants in all of Australia according to the 2022 National ABIA awards.

Always with a bubbly personality, Penelope is keen to make everyone at ease throughout their ceremonies and loves a bit of humour throughout!

Celebrant
I’m sure I’ve missed some Adelaide Wedding Celebrants that should be on this list!

Hopefully this little list of wedding celebrants Adelaide helps you find the perfect celebrant for your big day – again I hate to miss out on any of the other hundreds of celebrants I’ve worked with other the years!