Now as the day approaches you realize how stressful this wedding can be. You are drawn in by all the minute details of the day from table settings, buffet or sit down meal, long or short veil (go long!), invite Uncle Ted’s crazy neighbor or not, bubbles or sparklers, the list goes on. But let me just tell you … with my experience being a wedding day photographer in the Kansas City area … even after all the late nights of planning and organizing that you do; your day unfortunately will not be perfect. Not to say that it will be bad by any means. I just want you to go into your day knowing at least one thing will not go as planned. BUT at the end of the day if you are married to the man of your dreams then everything went as planned. Going in with the mind set of trying to be laid back and just soak in the day is my recommendation for a plan of success. You’ve been dreaming of this day, don’t let it get ruined by the little things.

Here are a few ideas to help your day go smoothly …

Safety Pins - sometimes a bridesmaid dress just doesn’t quite fit right, or a groomsmen tux needs a little help (yes rented tuxes ... I've seen a groomsmen have to figure out what to do an hour before the ceremony because his rented pants had a whole in the behind.  Yikes!). Having safety pins and/or a small sewing kit on hand can save the day! Even having a few corsage pins can help. As hard as florists try, sometimes they miss a pin or it gets dropped, bent when trying to push it though the boutonniere or falls off throughout the day and gets lost. Having an couple extra pins can help keep those boutonnieres secure!

Cake - the one thing I have seen over the years to get over looked is having someone to serve your cake. Yes you and your new hubby will cut the cake as a celebration of your new marriage, but you two don’t want to be cutting the whole cake to serve to your 200 guest. Be sure to ask a friend or family member a head of time to help you with this. It is also a great way to include someone in your big day that you were not able to have in your wedding party.

Marriage License - I see many brides and grooms spend precious wedding day minutes trying to figure out how to fill out their marriage license.  While it is a very important document for they day don't loose 30 minutes of your big day filling this out.  And you don't even need to sign it, your witnesses will need to (at least in Missouri and Kansas).  I recommend you have it completely filled out except the signatures so you can get it done quickly after your nuptials and get to that party and your guests!

Photography - of course I would bring up photography. Photography is the documentation that your wedding day happened. After your wedding day, your cake will be gone, the food will be gone, the venue will be closed, but what you will have after the wedding day is your groom and your wedding day portraits. Providing enough time for your photography is key because as I said above things will not go as planned and getting this many people together at one time, dressed for a wedding, smiling and happy can be a challenge. (of course it is a challenge I love to take on!)

I hope this sheds a little light on some wedding day aspects that often get over looked. I want you to have the best day ever on your wedding day. You deserve it! Being a Photographer in the Kansas City area for over a decade has been a pleasure and given me so many great insights into worlds I would never have seen otherwise.