Tips That Will Help You Avoid a Wedding Day Disaster!-Part 2

You've all heard of them right? Disaster weddings! The whole point of these posts are to help you avoid disaster weddings. 

Probably the number one complaint brides give after the wedding is. “You missed that one shot.”

It’s a busy day and somethings things can be missed but if it can be fixed why not fix it. Right?

One thing that you should always have in your hand is the “list of photos” you want. 

Your photographer should have the list and so should you. 

As you go through the day check off the ones that are done.

This is a simple solution to getting all the photographs that you important to you. 

Wear comfortable shoes. 

I’ve seem brides who wear high heels the entire day and their feet hurt when it’s time to dance. I know you want to look good and feel beautiful and high heels somehow help accomplish that but I suggest finding a good comfortable pair of sneakers and at changing into them when you have down time or even after you are done with the ceremony. Most wedding dresses are long and cover up your shoes anyhow. Why not be comfortable? 

Give all of your vendors lists with the names of everyone in the wedding party. Also give then a list with the names of all the other vendors. 

Communication is the key to a successful wedding. The first key to communication is being able to communicate. Phone numbers and any other important information should be on this list!

One of the saddest things I saw at a wedding was didn’t have anything to do with the photographer or the couple or any of the vendors. 

The cake decorator and an assistant brought in this beautiful 4 tier cake. They had just asked the bride where to place it. She pointed to the table at the end of an isle and said” Oh my! That’s so beautiful! I’m so excited!” The decorator and her assistant moved the cake carefully over the table and put it softly on the table… And one of the table legs popped out and as you can guess the cake slid off the table. It was not pretty and by the decorator looked defeated. I felt sick just seeing it. She put her hands on her face and she started to cry. The bride who also looked terrified gasped and then she walked over to the decorator and gave her a hug and said, “ Hey, You did a good job and it’s still beautiful.. A beautiful messy cake. Don’t worry about it. I know how hard you worked and thank you. We can fix this. and she smiled and gave the decorator a kiss on the cheek. I was so happy that day because I realized I was photographing a bride who had class. a lot of things went wrong that day and usually a day is what I would call a wedding disaster but the bride held everyone together and the day was a success. 

She had a calmness and she could comfort anyone and I think her husband is a lucky man. 

My last wedding tip for today is something I learned from that bride. Be kind always. You will make your life easier by making the lives of those around you easier. 

This is me! Ikon

I love spending time outside with my kids. I love to travel and I ride a longboard! I teach classes at Salt Lake City School of Photography. I focus on Weddings, Portrait, Fashion and Commercial photography! I am an avid film shooter and yeah! I Heart Film! If you liked this post please share it with your friends and family and follow me onFacebook! Thanks!

Tips That Will Help You Avoid a Wedding Day Disaster!-Part 1

The Groom Can't find the ring!

Your other in law is going to get arrested!

Your wedding dress ripped!

You new husband just got wasted and is now peeing in a potted plant and the flower girl is running off crying.


I've photographed a lot of weddings and as a photographer I've seen some crazy unexpected things happen but at the end of the day it still going to be a day you never forget.

It's the day you've dreamed of right? The truth is that guys don't dream about a perfect wedding day but girls do. They make Pinterest boards and have whole binders full of wedding plans and flower arrangements and it's supposed to be perfect.

I think maybe perfect is not a good word do describe any wedding day. I think better words are exciting, fun, beautiful, flawed and imperfectly perfect. 

Still. There are a few things you can do to make your day go as smooth as it can and why not do the best you can!

Realize that organization is the key.  Make a list of locations and times and give it to everyone in your wedding party. Things on this list might include:

Time and where you are meeting your bridesmaids for hair and makeup.
Groomsmen meeting area.
Family meeting area
Location and time of your wedding ceremony
Time set aside for photography. 
List of family and friends you want in your photos and where to meet.
Accurate driving directions
Location and time of reception
General etiquette tips for weddings. (Note: Write this is a way that doesn't offend anyone.)
Any and all things pertaining to your wedding day!

That simply list of all the details, given to everyone involved will do wonders!

In the beginning of this post I wrote a few things that can be huge disasters at weddings. Those things I wrote have all happened at wedding I've photographed and all of those days still turned out wonderfully... Maybe except for the last one.


Let's take them one at a time.

The groom can't find the Ring. 
At first everyone got nervous and then we stopped and we thought about it. We started looking and asked questions like.. Do you remember having it in the car on the drive over? Yes he did.
Did you see it when you came up the hotel room? Yes he did. Ok. It's here. We searched and it was in his shoe. Problem solved.

Your mother in law is going to get arrested. 
I was photographing a wedding in California and Wow! What a beautiful day. We were taking photos near the ocean and the Grooms mother wanted to stand up on a bench to see better. A police officer can and politely asked her to step off the bench and she said. "No".  I cringed. She had already had a few drinks and I knew this was going to no where good fast.  The officer said. " I will ask you one more time, Please step off the bench!" I had to step in. I was not really ready for her to be in the photos but she was. I yelled over to her. "Hey. We need you in the photos." She stepped off the bench and walked over. I went over the officer and I apologized and thanked him for being patient and he gave me a little advice which consisted of "That lady is going to be in......Dah dah dah" and then walked away.

The wedding dress ripped.
Brides. Proper fitting wedding dresses look better than one that is too small. I'm not saying this to be mean. I'm saying it because buying a size 4 wedding dress when you are a size 8 and thinking it will make you look thiner is incorrect. Here is what happens when you buy a dress that is too small. First, you will be very uncomfortable and it will show on your face and in your photos and your guest will see it. It might tear. As a photographer I always carry a small sewing kit in my bag. I'm not good at sewing but I'll bet your Mom is!
Hey! did you know that properly fit clothing make you look and feel better. Strange how that works!

Ok. The last one! 
Your new Husband just got wasted and is now peeing in the potted plant in front of the flower girl who runs off crying.. I can't help you with this one. Maybe you will pick better next time. Or.. Say, " Hun, Please do a favor. This is not the day to get completely drunk. Please watch yourself so we can have some fun tonight in the hotel room. You know it has a jacuzzi!"

Good luck! I know you have a lot to do! Planning wedding is tough but remember.. The most important thing you can do to make your wedding day amazing is have a great attitude and have fun no matter what goes wrong! Who knows! maybe nothing will go wrong! :)

I'll post more tips soon!

This is me! Ikon

I love spending time outside with my kids. I love to travel and I ride a longboard! I teach classes at Salt Lake City School of Photography. I focus on Weddings, Portrait, Fashion and Commercial photography! I am an avid film shooter and yeah! I Heart Film! If you liked this post please share it with your friends and family and follow me on Facebook! Thanks!