“Photographers, film makers, story tellers. We’ve always struggled to put ourselves in a box, we are thoughtful observers who are present for every moment of life. Never happier than when we are together at the heart of an event, capturing a moment in time.” Zach & Grace
For acclaimed photography duo, Zach & Grace, pure joy lies in the art of capturing the electric energy and magic that runs wild and untamed throughout each and every couple’s personal wedding celebrations.
As photographers, Zach & Grace see every wedding from a unique angle, a coveted viewpoint that allows them to artistically translate the emotion and atmosphere of your day onto paper – in the form of your photographs – or into motion picture for your wedding day film. This unique perspective, alongside the large multitude of weddings the creative duo have worked across, has in turn provided them with not only great insight into the brilliance of a truly well organised and curated event, but the do’s and don’ts when it comes to what to do on the wedding day itself. Luckily for you, Your Day managed to catch up with the duo to discover their seven top tips for the morning of your wedding. Take it away, Zach & Grace…
Winding our way back through the country lanes, eyes locked into the darkness beyond our headlights on the lookout for the next bend, the volume is down to make space for our almost ritualistic post wedding debrief. We are analysers by nature, breaking down every beat of the day and musing endlessly on some slight tweak we could make if by chance we encountered the same unlikely scenario again. When thinking of what advice we could give back into the world we thought what better than collating some of our most noted observations and offer our late night, caffeine-fuelled solutions to those planning their wedding.
We’ll preface these tips with a note that we implore all of our couples to truly live every moment of their wedding day, embracing equally the nerves and the tension along with the joy and the love we are there to capture. We honestly don’t believe there’s a reality that exists without some element of stress on your wedding day, and maybe a full spectrum of emotions is to be both expected and invited, however that doesn’t mean we can’t offer up a few quick tips to help the balance.
Today, here are our thoughts on bridal party preparations the morning of your wedding from our years of experience as wedding photographers.
#1 Location, location, location.
As photographers, our ideal location is of course beautiful, filled with natural light and just a stone’s throw from the ceremony location. Acknowledging this perfect combination isn’t always possible, we’d usually trade great light and a spacious room for even the most beautiful of suites with bad lighting or with a long drive to the ceremony. It’s worth noting that we have been a part of numerous convoys through country lanes on the way to a church 20 miles away, watching the phone signal disappear whilst we’re trying to check the map and wondering if maybe there was an alternative location just a few miles closer that could have been chosen. For impartiality it’s also worth noting that we’ve seen a wedding car break down on a 200 yard journey so really the only true solution may be to be prepared to go with the flow.
#2 Surrender your phone
For every heart warming message from a well wishing aunt or friend who couldn’t make the wedding, there could well be a stress inducing call about misplaced ties, last minute cutlery choices or late band members. Assign a friend or family member to triage your messages and calls, and choose someone who you can trust to make decisions on your behalf.
#3 Gifts
Giving gifts to your bridal party is always a beautiful moment for us to capture, as well a selfless instant in a day which can feel like it’s all eyes on you. The best moment to give your gifts is somewhere in that gap when all your party members are looking beautiful and comfortable in front of the camera with their hair and make up done, but before the makeup artist has actually left the building. Tears mean touch ups!
#4 Face-Timing absent family
It can be tempting to wait until you are in your dress to hop on to FaceTime with friends or family who couldn’t make the wedding, and if you have plenty of time between getting your dress on and your ceremony time it may well be possible. However, if your schedule is tight and you don’t have much time for last minute touch ups or toilet breaks, plan to call those loved ones earlier in the morning when you have more time to speak. If you have time, you can always circle back for another call once you’re dressed or later in the day so you can show them more of the day.
#5 Organise your jewellery
Detangle your necklace and check that your earrings have backs. We have clocked up hours just watching and participating in the detangling of necklaces on the mornings of weddings. Also equal time spent recruited to look for misplaced earring backs or entire earrings. Jewellery is usually the last thing you put on and that is just about the worst time to be worrying about detangling a necklace.
#6 Playlists
At this point everyone knows they should be preparing a spotify playlist for their wedding morning, make it fun and make it way longer than you think you need. Then make another playlist. Make a playlist that you can put on before you start getting into your dress, this is the moment everything starts becoming real. In all likelihood if you haven’t made a second playlist you’ll be somewhere down a Spotify autoplay wormhole listening to Latin American remixes of songs you kind of remember. Always make a second playlist.
#7 Final touches
Have a checklist, physical or mental, of all the little things you might forget in the final moments before you head off to your ceremony. Labels on the soles of your bridesmaids shoes, deodorant top-up, perfume, get the bouquets out of water to dry off, everyone have one last glass of water and if you think you might need the loo, go to the loo!
Discover more incredible wedding photography from Zach & Grace.
For more wedding photography tips and advice, head back to Your Day.
