All Brides and Groom getting married usually don't know what the D-Day involves and what they need to be prepared for.
Here are some useful tips that can help you to be better prepared for your so awaited day.
Do not wear brand new shoes for your wedding. Instead, buy them a few weeks or months before and walk in them regularly, preferably in the afternoons where your feet are most likely to be swollen. It will help the shoes to take the shape of your feet and you will be totally comfortable on your Wedding day.
Brides usually where heels. However, if you are not used to walk in high heels, either start to train a few months before or choose a heel in which you are comfortable. But in any way, as mentioned above, you should be walking in your shoes some weeks before your wedding to make sure your wedding day is not a painful day.
If you are not comfortable walking in heels, you can choose low heels or flats. However, it is a fact that heel shoes changes the posture of the body and makes it more aesthetical for pictures and looks better under a wedding dress. As a photographer I usually ask the Brides, if they agree, to bring a pair of heels for the photoshoot. They can wear their flats for the day but put their heels for the photoshoot time. Of course this is to the convenience of the Bride.
More and more Brides buy their Wedding dress online or ready made. This is obviously very practical and usually less expensive than a tailored made one. However, I have often seen brides panicking on their D-Day because their dress does not fit them anymore or some parts of the dress comes out or gets undone either because of poor quality or because the Bride has gained or lost weight. Therefore, it is important that you try your dress a few days before, preferably 3 days before. Make sure you have an experienced dressmaker at hand who can correct any issues and is present when you'll put your dress on your wedding.
90% of the time, brides lose weight before their weddings. The stress of the upcoming event acts on their body and they also eat less than usual. It is absolutely essential that the Bride and Groom eat properly throughout the day. I have indeed seen Brides and even grown man Grooms, fainting because they were so taken up, preoccupied and stressed a few days before and during their wedding that they forgot to eat. A Wedding is a stressful event, even if it is a great day of Joy and Celebration. But the couple will be preoccupied by the catering, the organization, the delays, people who should be on time but are not, etc... All this burns out their energy and they find themselves in the afternoon during the religious ceremony and the photoshoot completely exhausted. So, they should ask someone of their family to make sure that they eat properly for breakfast, lunch, and after the ceremony. They can prepare some sandwiches and leave some snacks around. Also make sure that you always have water at hand. It can sometimes be useful to take some vitamins and minerals some days or weeks before to make sure that you are fit for the day.
Long veils are beautiful accessories when walking into the Church and for photos. However, they can be very hindering when walking around. If you choose to put a veil, get one that only covers half of your back and does not drag on the floor. If you choose a long veil that drags behind you, make sure you can remove it easily and that it is not set or fixed into your hair. Long veils are a pain when moving around. They get stuck on the ground, pull your head back and mess your hair, people and specially children walk on them and imagine getting in a car or going to the toilets with a 3, 5 or 8 meters veil :-). Long veils can be put when entering and walking out the Church, removed to get into the car, put back during the photoshoot and removed when heading to the reception.
Some Brides and Grooms like hiring big and fancy cars to move them around. However, it is important to check some details. This could seem silly but make sure your hired car can come by your house. I have seen cars being stuck or being unable to enter a lane or alley to pickup the Bride/Groom. It is also important to give a detailed itinerary to the car rental company. Most of them offer a standard contract to pick up the Bride/Groom at their place, drop them at the Church and afterwards, drive them to the reception. If your photoshoot is not taking place at the reception but somewhere else, make sure to inform the driver and car company before hiring them. This would avoid some unnecessary shouts, phone calls and delays.
All Brides and Grooms expect a beautiful sunny day at their weddings. Unfortunately, it is not always the case and you should be prepared for that. Just bring along one or two umbrellas, preferably white or transparent and large. It will protect you in case of rain and are also very nice accessories for photos when shooting under the rain.
These are some practical and useful tips when preparing your Wedding. I'll come back soon with some additional advice. So keep visiting our website for new pictures and blog articles.
Jean Jacques Fabien (Photographer and Director of Fotoshoot Productions)