3 amazing tips to get the most out of your wedding ceremony for your perfect dream wedding day! | Nottingham & Lincolnshire natural wedding photographer
1: Getting the ring on your finger!
Right before you walk down the aisle pop a tiny amount of hand cream on your ring finger. This will ensure that when your new spouse pops your wedding ring on it will slide down your finger with ease. This will stop any potential moments of nervous embarrassment at this vital part of your ceremony and will ensure your ring will have a smooth transition on your finger.
As a photographer I have seen many mishaps and worry about getting 'the ring' right, so this tip should solve your worries.
Shiny rings: Most independent jewelers will clean your engagement rings for free, get it done one week before the big day so it’s sparkly and shiny for your big day!
2: Make It About You
Before you get caught up in creating a magical day for your guests, take a moment to strip it right back and look at what you both love as a couple. What’s your story? What do you want your wedding day to say about you both? Once you’ve got an idea of these elements it can be easy to weave special moments that represent the two of you as a couple throughout your day. From thoughtful gifts for one another to subtle nods to holiday destinations or places you have traveled to throughout your décor wedding wow moments don’t just have to be for the benefit of your guests. Having a wedding day that totally encapsulates you both will ensure that the reason you and your guests are celebrating will be remembered throughout. A truly beautiful way to create a subtle wow moment is to write your own vows to one another. The act of writing down how you feel about one another and sharing that with each other and your guests at your ceremony will create a beautiful moment that will create its own wow experience for sure.
Aside from the ceremony and having personalized wedding vows, you can have a monogrammed or personalized cake topper and monogrammed stamps for your wedding stationery to set the tone before your wedding day continuing the theme on your menu cards, place settings, and other stationery for the day.
Sticking with the personalized stationary theme; you can also include a heartfelt note inside of your Order of Service or somewhere on show at your wedding that expresses your thanks for having your guests join you on your day and what that means to you. It’s the details like this that create the unexpected wow moments that your guests will remember.
Heading into the evening you can have your Reception bar name cocktails or drinks after personalized things that mean something to you as a couple. From pet names to the place you had your first date – the options are endless!
3: The fine details:
- Usually, the 1st row of seats is reserved for the bridal party - you can get someone to pop the bridesmaid’s bags on beforehand, or put a ‘reserved’ sign on them.
- Check your venue if you are allowed confetti - Some venues are against this.
- Check your venue and what sound system they have for the processional song if you are not having a musician - Do they have a CD player, a USB, or Bluetooth to play from a phone? If so who can you appoint to be in charge of the ceremony music?
- Non-religious ceremonies usually take around 20-30 minutes and church weddings around 45 minutes depending on if you are saying your own vows and if you have any special readings, or songs being played.
- Don’t skimp on the photographer - Usually after the ceremony you do the group photos.
- Generally speaking many wedding ceremonies go like this: the guests enter first, then the wedding party and finally the precessional. Once at the alter the officiant will do a welcome speech, and then there will be a declaration if anyone believes that the marriage should not go ahead (Which is very awkward!) then the vows are exchanged and so are the rings, then the couple kiss before being declared as a married couple. They will then sign the register, and have a few photos before being declared as a married couple again, with any information needed before walking out of the venue.
- If you have babies or small children you may like to have a space at the back with toys, or where parents can sit or stand with their baby if they are getting upset.
- If you are getting married outdoors in autumn or winter, you might like to provide blankets, or shawls for guests and drape them over the backs of the chairs, or have a place with a sign saying ‘Help yourself to a blanket’ at the isle entrance.
- If you have loved ones who can’t be there, you could put photos of them up near the altar.
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I hope these couple of little tip helps you.
Victoria Louise.
*Stock photos used.
Natural documentary style and editorial contemporary wedding photographer based in Gainsborough, which is sandwiched between the historic town of Lincoln and Scunthorpe, not far distance from Retford, or Doncaster. Wedding photography for all within Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire for natural award-winning wedding photography in the east midlands.
