Let’s Talk About What a Wedding Day Is, and What It Isn’t.

Because the answer should be obvious. But it isn’t sometimes.

A wedding day IS the biggest day of YOUR relationship together thus far. A wedding day IS NOT an 8-hour photoshoot. A wedding day IS the day you vow your forever to the love of your life. A wedding day IS NOT an 8-hour photoshoot. A wedding day IS a celebration of YOUR love with those YOU love. A wedding day IS NOT an 8-hour photoshoot. Catchin’ our drift?

Your wedding day is not about the pictures, your pictures are about your wedding day.

One mistake we see couples make when planning a wedding day is worrying too much about the photos. And coming from the people whose career it is to take said photos, that’s a bold thing to blog about. But it’s true. Couples sometimes get too wrapped up into timelines and shot lists and expectations and forget to remember what the day is truly about, GETTING MARRIED! There’s a difference between prioritizing photography in a way that takes away from the overall enjoyment of your wedding day and allowing it to capture the joy of your wedding day. When people worry too much about shuffling from one “section” of portraits to another in the name of checking off 2 pages of group photo combinations they lose out on quality time that could otherwise be spent making actual memories with the people who are in those photos.

Documentary and candid style photography requires authentic moments to actually happen in order to capture them. And those real memories happen when you treat your wedding day as a celebration of your love and not as a photoshoot. Timeline anchors should consist of events like ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, etc. The BIG things. Because the rest of it is going to fall into place exactly as it should. Yes, being timely is important and we are going to make sure your bridal party and family is documented in a formal format. But enjoying yourself is even more important. That is why when your wedding photographer tells you to add more time onto the photography package, it’s not coming from a greedy place, it’s likely coming from their experience with rushed “timelines.” Your wedding photographer wants to make sure you thoroughly enjoy the day they are documenting for you. And rushing from one set of photos to another ain’t the way. That’s why it’s so important to have the space for downtime in a wedding day itinerary. That downtime is where the memories are made; that’s where the moments that you won’t remember will happen. And then you’ll receive your wedding gallery back and see photos of that emotional pre-ceremony pep talk from your dad, that look your mom gave you after she tucked in your veil, that special hand hold you shared during your private vows.

Looking at your wedding gallery should elicit emotions. Wouldn’t you rather be laughing and crying at special moments than be looking at a gallery full of photos of you and your loved ones formally “lined up.” Wouldn’t it be so special to have the time to small talk with your grandparents. To get photos of you holding their hands while they relive stories from their own wedding day with you. Instead of simply having the remembrance of snapping one photo with them then moving onto the next combination on your family photo list.

Formally documenting the attendance of people on your wedding day should not take away from documenting their authentic presence with you on your wedding day. Live life authentically, be fully present with your loved ones, and the rest will fall into place, creating a beautiful, emotion-filled gallery!