Molly and Ian had booked me for their South Terrace Engagement shoot a while back, but were thwarted by bad weather for a couple of weeks before we finally met up. The day we did meet up wasn’t really much better, with the temperature on the chilly side, and the heavens continually threatening to open up on us. That being the case however, Molly and Ian’s demeanor was fun and bubbly all throughout their shoot which made it a whole lot of fun!
After meeting in front of  Himeji Gardens where we spent around 30 minutes taking photos within the gardens, we head over to Veal gardens just up the road where we walked a lap of the area.
Here’s a small preview of some of their photos taken on the day, and I’m looking forward to their wedding even more now at the St Francis Winery next September!
Having attended quite a few weddings as a wedding photographer, and also having had gone through the process of being my own wedding planner for my own wedding within 5 months last year, I’ve put together a little list of common wedding planning mistakes that I see happen all the time. Â It’s not an easy task planning a wedding, and it certainly isn’t a cheap one either. Combining these two aspects causes a lot of stress and quite a few of these common mistakes!
Planning a wedding is made up of dozens of little jobs that range from super important things like choosing and booking a venue on a wedding date you like, down to the simple things such as choosing the groom’s socks. All put together makes a monumental task. Just remember however that with so many things happening, something is bound to not go to plan so try not to make it impact your day too much.
Reception setup
Common wedding planning mistakes
Budgeting mistakes
Perhaps the most common mistake that people stress over on their wedding party is how much everything adds up to. I myself was guilty of this, spending around 30% more than our budget allowed. But planning a wedding is expensive. Try to factor in what you can afford along with what your family are willing to pitch in, then prioritise what is the most important for you. For me personally the most important parts of our day was the wedding photographer, and the reception venue. For other wedding vendors it may be the bridal dress, perhaps a videographer?
The point is, dont go cheap with the most important parts of your day, then you can go a bit cheaper with the parts that don’t matter as much. There’s always going to be some hidden costs too, so when working out your budget in your planning process – add a little to it so there are no surprises. The goal is to save money, not jeopardise your weding style!
Mum with the money
Letting others organise your guest list
Your parents probably have a bit of a dream in their heads about what their perfect wedding for you looks like. Hell, they’ve probably been planning it in their head and their own wedding guest list since you were born! So cut them some slack when they insist of inviting family members like second cousin three times removed just because they shared a carrot when they were growing up. But on the other hand make sure they are clear on your budget restraints and that the day is your day, not theirs.
A wedding day is supposed to celebrate your own personal love for one another with your closest friends and family. Just make sure everyone knows your intent in regards to your guest list upfront and you’ll avoid one of the most stress-inducing common wedding planning mistakes.
Group photo
No plan ‘B’ for weather
Now living in Adelaide, we tend to be very lucky when it comes to the weather during our wedding season. Adelaide is the driest city in the driest state on the driest continent in the world. It doesnt rain much here, and when it does it doesnt stay long. But it does happen, and if you have no backup plan for your wedding ceremony or your reception, it can be devastating. The best venues I’ve found actually have a plan B set up for just an occasion, but other locations it just may not be possible. Marquee hire is a common backup plan for locations where there isn’t a convenient building to use.
The only good thing about having a wedding in the rain is that it’s supposed to be good luck, and you get some great unique photos out of it! 😀
Wedding lighting
Look after your guests
The common timeline for a wedding day usually calls for a 1-2 hours photoshoot in between the end of your wedding ceremony and the start of your reception. This means that your guests are left to entertain themselves for that period of time. If your venue is out of the way, this may cause some distress with your guests. Try to entertain them with something, give them something to do! Be it lawn games at your venue, or makes a game of it like a scavenger hunt, with a prize given out at your reception?
At the very least suggest a local attraction or a nice pub for them to visit while they wait for you. Some wedding websites can provide insights on hotel rooms and ways to help guests to arrive, or perhaps deal with too many guests. Just remember you have the final say on everything, and your guests may either like or not like your desicions, so act wisely 🙂
Spray tanning, or changing your look too much
Please, please don’t suddenly decide to go get a fake tan for the first time a week out for your wedding! If you’ve had a spray tan before, and you were happy with the result, then go for it, but only if you go back to the same place. Nothing worse than being an oompaloompa in a wedding dress! Same goes for dying your hair, or drastically changing your makeup. Always trial it all several months before your wedding to make sure you’d be ok looking like that on your wedding day.
Eating
Crash dieting in the weeks leading up to your wedding day can cause sickness and just isn’t a great idea in general. The idea is to be as happy and healthy you can be on your big day, so try not to do anything to jeopardise this. Same goes for eating on the day. Often nerves get to brides and grooms on their wedding day, which causes a loss of appetite, but eating and keeping your fluids up (not alcohol) is very important!
Many brides fall into this trap – hopefully your bridal party can help out – as that’s what ther job is!
Food
Seating arrangements
Perhaps one of the hardest part of planning a wedding is sorting out where everyone is sitting at your reception. It’s one of those common wedding planning mistakes that can really cause people to get upset if they are sitting next to someone they despise, or something. One big problem people overlook is placing all the single guests on a ‘singles table’. Having everyone single at a table together is rather uncomfortable for them, so try to mix them about on other tables, hopefully with guests who share a common interest.
Guests having fun
Sort out your clothes in the days prior
Another one I’m guilty of. To all the men and grooms to be out there, get out your shirts and wear/iron them at least once in the days leading up to your wedding! Shirts come with an ugly crease through them brad new and need to be ironed! Brides out there, pick out some comfy undies, preferably white so that they can’t be seen through your dress! I can’t count how many times I’ve had to awkwardly point out that your black panties can be seen in your photos. It’s one of those small common wedding planning mistakes you don’t often think about.
If you’ve sorted out what you’re wearing you hang it up and not think about it until the day right? Ladies put on your dress as often as possible too, make sure it’s comfortable. If you’re wearing high heels and planning on having photos done at the beach or in a forest, perhaps pack a change of shoes too.
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Perhaps the most important thing of all, don’t let small issues dominate your thoughts. Remember what the point of the day is – to get legally married. Things are bound to go wrong, that’s life, but don’t let it phase you. Just be thankful you don’t have to contend with a cyclone, or fires on your wedding day. Enjoy yourself!
Same goes for wedding traditions. If they don’t mean anything to you, dont think they will magically ruin your life just because you don’t follow something! Then again if it is important to you to have the perfect wedding – by all means plan for it – don’t expect everything to just ‘happen’. Worrying too much about stuff like this is how so many couples can lose sight of the end result and caught up in the small stuff.
What is the old saying about rain on your wedding day? Often the first thing you hear on your wedding day if it starts raining is that it’s ‘good luck’. Followers of my blog will know that I’m an avid fan of researching the origins of such quirks behind wedding traditions, so I did a bit of digging and found out why rain is good luck on your wedding day.
The origin of the superstition about why rain is good luck on your wedding day may stem from the reasons I’ve discovered, or the general fact that saying something like that will somewhat ease the mind of the bride who had their heart set on a beautiful sunny day. I mean most people would plan their wedding expecting great weather, only to be disappointed with rain – kind of like what Alanis Morissette was talking about in her song ‘Ironic’.
Bride and groom under umbrella through vines
Why rain is good luck on your wedding day
So where did the origin of the superstition come from? What does rain on your wedding day mean? The truth is that rain represents a multitude of different things depending on your culture of origin.
Rain represents fertility
One of the obvious merits of rain is the brings of new life into the world. Without rains new grass and plants cannot grow and hence represents fertility. Always a nice thing to be reminded of on your wedding day if you’re planning on starting a family with your newly wed.
Rain represents Unity
It’s not all that common at weddings in Adelaide but, a handfasting ceremony was common at all weddings in years part symbolising the combining of two souls into the union of marriage This also happens to be the origin of the saying ‘to tie the knot’. Rain would cause this ‘knot’ to become wet and hence become difficult to untie, signifying unity.
The handfasting tradtion originated from Europe and celtic roots, as as the Celts hailed from areas in Europe where it was often raining, this stands to reason.
Tying the knot
Rain is Cleansing and Pure
Rain causes the world to become clean and represents purity. using water to cleanse one’s hands if paramount in many of the world’s religions, so rain on your wedding day is supposed to represent a clean and pure start to your lives together. It’s also supposed to represent renewal, in that you will be born again as a couple forever. It’s supposed to wash away all prior bad experiences and memories, leaving only the good for the future.
Before brides wore white dresses to their weddings, the traditional colour was actually pale blue – symbolising the virgin Mary. As pale blue is also the colour often associated with water, one can make the link with rain.
Protecting one another from the rain
Rain on wedding day represents tears
Now this could be interpreted as a good or a bad thing, but rain can represent the last tears the bride is to shed for the rest of her life – hence a good thing. But it would also represent tears that the couple is getting married! Which is a bad thing.. Depends on how you look at it this way 😛 Another origin story of this representation can be allocated to the virgin Mary in christian tradition where she would cry for all the sins in the world, thereby washing them all away.
Lightning
Adaptability and Resilience
Another reason why rain might be considered good luck on your wedding day revolves around the attributes of adaptability and resilience. Just as couples face unexpected challenges and twists throughout their journey together, rain on your wedding day serves as an immediate test of adaptability. Couples who face the sudden change with grace and poise demonstrate resilience and a willingness to work together to face challenges head-on.
Overcoming such unexpected obstacles on one’s wedding day sets a precedent for the marriage ahead. It suggests that the couple can weather any storm together, facing trials and tribulations with love, understanding, and cooperation. In many ways, this adaptability in the face of rain symbolizes the flexibility required in a successful, enduring marriage.
So, instead of viewing rain as a damper on your big day, consider it a blessing in disguise, symbolizing the strength and unity of your bond that will carry you through all of life’s unpredictable moments.
 
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