Many of my clients eventually find out that I have a background in Event Management.(Surprise!) I have on more than one occasion helped with setting up the timeline -As most photographers will do, and called vendors to help with finalizing details… most photographers won’t do this, lol! At the end of the day, whether your the Bride, Groom, Photographer, Planner, Caterer or DJ, it is important to manage your wedding day “To-Do’s”
The number one thing that you can do is Write It Down! Make a list of all of the things you need to have done, want done are thinking about for your wedding day. It doesn’t have to be excel, or neat, just grab a notebook and write down your ideas.
The second thing to do and the easiest way to stay on top of things is to break it up. Seriously, one thing a day will make you feel SO much better about what’s going on.
As a Bride/Groom breaking up when you will make payments to vendors is also a great way to manage the amount of money your spending each week. Many photographers, myself included, offer payment options. Paying just a few hundred dollars a month is a lot better than paying everything all at once. Focus on paying down the large ticket items like the venue, caterer etc.
Having a designated wedding storage area will help keep down the stress. If you have a basement, extra room or even space in a closet, designate space where you keep your paperwork, decor, dress, shoes, gifts, music… I had a hutch that saved my life- All important paperwork went there, and next to it I had storage boxes full of stuff for the big day. It was not organized by any means. I just kinda stacked everything there, but no matter how big or small the item, I got into the habit of heading into the house and immediately dropping the items there. On the day of the wedding it was so easy getting everything loaded up and we had everything we needed, no stress!
Finally, delegate. Having someone else to think about certain details of your wedding day literally will take a load off of you. Give a few friends, family, parents responsibility for 1 or 2 things (Especially the marriage license).. I have found sending a text of what their responsibility is gives the best results. It also lets your loved ones feel involved. Believe it or not most people love to help!
So just to recap:
- WRITE IT DOWN!!!
- Break up to-do list. I recommend 3 things every 2 weeks.
- Set up payment plans where possible.
- Designate area for All wedding related stuff.
- Delegate a few responsibilities.
Cheers-
“One step at a time is all it takes to get you there.”
Love. Life. Photography 