CREATING ADVENTUROUS love storY FOR YOU

We are living lives of social isolation, job loss or wage reductions, and, for a growing number of us, grief for the loss of loved ones that we can not properly mourn. Despite these hardships, fears, and pains, some of us were in the middle of planning the happiest day of our lives! Maybe it almost feels wrong to continue planning your day with all the uncertainty in our future.

I would argue that those of you who are planning a wedding should not slow down. Not only are there countless local small businesses and wedding vendors relying on providing you quality services in the near future, but planning something for the future can put your mind at ease. It is exciting to think about the joy-filled day that is to come, and that can honestly be therapeutic.

From my perspective, this time of quarantine can be a SERIOUSLY good time to wedding plan! So for today, I have come up with 5 ways to MAXIMIZE your wedding planning during COVID-19.

USE THIS TIME TO RESEARCH YOUR PREFERRED VENDORS

POSTPONE, NOT CANCEL YOUR WEDDING

It has been interesting seeing how couples have been changing their plans. Some have been sending out "Change The Date" cards, some are sending invitations out in waves (so they can see how the social distancing plays out), and some are scrapping all plans, eloping, and planning a second celebratory event for later in the year. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to be in full communication with your wedding vendors. Don't leave them in the dark with your plans.

There are so many wedding vendors out there! Search out the ones in your area that you like and just start from there. Check out their social media accounts. If you like what you see, then give them a follow. Make a list of what you like and dislike. Notice if they engage with you. If they provide you with valuable content to help you with your planning. Learn about them personally and their families. Do they seem to hold the same values as you.

All of this said, be sure you are prepared for anything… no matter the weather conditions. If we are all prepared, then we will all have more fun in during our shoot.

You may ask why in the world would we want to stalk your future wedding vendors like this. Honestly though, the more you know about them, the more meaningful the experience is going to be with them. I love being able to make a connection with my couples through this process of communication, planning, engagement sessions, etc..

PINTEREST CAN BE YOUR BEST FRIEND...

SCHEDULE VIRTUAL VENDOR MEETINGS

Or your worst enemy. Ha! Create some boards to get your thoughts into visuals. Feel free to share those with your vendors to see how best you can share your vision for your wedding day. Back when my wife was planning our wedding 2008, Pinterest hadn't been created yet (2010). She will freely admit that she is happy about that. For her, she feels as though it would have added to her stress with all of the options. All she had was a mountain of wedding magazines to cut from. Despite her feelings on the matter... Pinterest can be an amazing resource for your planning.

When you are planning your wedding, you have to gather together some of you favorite vendors to make your day go smoothly. Caterers, photographers, videographers, DJs, florists, venue, dress shops, and the list goes on... Even though you shouldn't be meeting up with all of these people in person, schedule times to meet these vendors virtually. Contact them directly and ask if you can plan a time with them. 99% of the time they are going to be happy to talk with you.

LIVE STREAM THE CEREMONY!

With social distancing in mind, one option many people are considering is live-streaming their ceremony. There are several different potential platforms to consider. Of course one of the easiest would be Facebook live. After the ceremony is finished, you can post it on your page for people who couldn’t come and missed all the special moments.

Several of the top contenders for best streaming options include Facebook Live, Periscope, Instagram Live, and Youtube Live. Find the full list here

READY TO BEGIN YOUR ADVENTURE?

INQURE NOW

5 Way to Maximize Wedding Planning during COVID19

I have found that not every photographer is created equally. What I mean is, everyone is a little different. Some people like their “light and airy,” some like the “dark and moody,” some photographers (especially the much older guys) don’t edit at all. Just because someone has been shooting for 100 years does not mean they are going to be better than someone who has only been shooting for a couple of years.

Be sure that before you start talking to a photographer, check out their IG feed. If you like what you see, then move from there. If you are not real crazy about their images, then don’t expect them to do any better for you. Also, we photographers don’t like to change our style for what you would prefer. If you don’t like what I produce, then go check out someone else.

I am not only a small business owner in the wedding industry, but I am also an artist. These photos are my art and I am proud of that. I don’t want to compromise my artistic flow because someone prefers their photos to fit into a different style.

5 Way to Maximize Wedding Planning during COVID19

Photographers typically do things in two different ways. Either they choose to edit the best and deliver them, or they allow the couple to pick from a certain amount of photos, and they only edit that amount. I fall into the category of selecting the best and editing all of those. The couples that I have worked with in the past trust my “eye” for the shot and are always happy with what I deliver. Too, the way I do it typically results in a larger quantity of edited photos delivered to you.

Going back to that first question… Just because someone has shot a ton of weddings does not necessarily mean they are the best photographer in the world. But one issue that a large percentage of couples run into is that when they ask a friend or family member to shoot the wedding, they are not very happy with the results. If you have someone who has shot a lot of weddings, things become second nature. We start to know exactly where to be, and when, to get the best shots. We are also, more comfortable and that in turn calms the nerves of the brides and grooms.

Some photographers want to have control over all photos that are being shared. Sometimes you have to pay extra to gain the right to print or share. And if you are addicted to FB or IG, then it would be torture to not be able to show everyone the photos from your big day. For me, I follow a pretty simple code, I AM THERE FOR YOU!

If you are paying me to come and capture your day, then I want you to be able to have all of the photos I can give. I want you to be able to use them as you want as well! Post those photos in all of their glory for the world to see. The only thing I ask is that you tag me and let the world know who took those amazing photos. 😉

This is very important to ask, because you want your photographer’s interest to be in line with yours. For example, if you photographer says that their favorite part of the wedding to capture is the fun dance party and DJ lighting on the dance floor, but you as a couple are not planning on having a dance floor and are super excited about taking private photos after the ceremony… then there is going to be a little conflict there.

I think for me, my favorite part has to be that post-ceremony time to capture the couple alone. Just me and the newlyweds away from everyone else quietly capturing their first moments together. The overflow of joy and love that I am so privileged to experience just gets me every time!

Many photographers do offer engagement sessions as part of their wedding packages, but not always. Be sure if you want an engagement session, don’t assume that it is included. You don’t want to get stuck paying an additional fee for something that you thought you were already paying for. And for those of you who were considering not getting engagement photos, I highly advise you to do it.

And for multiple reasons. Yes, it is an added cost, but it allows you to meet your photographer and get comfortable with them. It is kind of a bonding opportunity. If you don’t feel comfortable with them at the engagement shoot, or if you don’t like the photos they produce, then you will probably feel the same way about them at the wedding. And listen, you don’t want some strange rando person following you around all day.