DO choose a venue with beautiful and bright indoor space to eliminate stress of watching the weather.
~ Jillian Niemann and Emily Wasser, The Treasury
DO be prepared to cover the landscape if you are hosting any part of the wedding outdoors.
~ Ashley Kuehnel, The Midwestern Bride
DO keep your getting-ready room clear of clutter.
It's natural for cups, shoes, and clothing to get left around while your wedding party is prepping for the big day, but being in a messy space can cause extra stress for you and does a disservice to your getting ready pictures. Have your wedding party take turns every 30 minutes to toss trash and tuck miscellaneous items away. If your getting ready space has a closet, use it as the dedicated spot for personal belongings; otherwise, keep all personal items together in a back corner.
~ Miranda Lindner, Simply Finn
DO ask your florist for extra stems of your florals and greenery so that your photographer can elevate your bridal details and flat-lay photographs.
~ Jen Cassellius, Pink Spruce Photography
DO choose a venue with elegant, craft, and unique bar offerings to customize your day & guests’ experience!
~ Jillian Niemann and Emily Wasser, The Treasury
DO prioritize time for the two of you!
Dedicate time in your schedule following ceremony in which you and your new spouse take 5-10 just the two of you without party or photographers. In the scheme of a long busy day you will never regret prioritizing time to take in the moment and spending that time with your new husband/wife.
~ Ashley Kuehnel, The Midwestern Bride
DO bring a change of comfortable shoes or slippers for end of the night!
~ Jillian Niemann and Emily Wasser, The Treasury
DO…eat that morning!!
I have seen brides not eat all day, and it doesn’t end well. We had one go down at the altar, one be intoxicated by dinner because she didn’t eat and had drinks during photos.
~ Shannon Timmerman, CMP, Wildnerss Hotel & Golf Resort
DO bring an itemized list of your personal items to check at end of night to make sure you have everything!
~ Jillian Niemann and Emily Wasser, The Treasury
DO think outside of the box.
Your wedding day is not the time to simply check the boxes and fulfill the wedding basics. Your wedding should be a reflection of your story, your courtship, and highlight purposeful details of who the two of you are as a whole.
~ Ashley Kuehnel, The Midwestern Bride
DO order some sort of late night snack. Guests love it and who doesn’t get hungry after all the dancing and drinks!
~ Jillian Niemann and Emily Wasser, The Treasury
DO center yourselves in front of the altar.
Use a small piece of tape or another marker to indicate where you should stand at the altar. You'll want to make sure the two of you are centered in front of your arch or backdrop and close enough to one another that you can reach out to hold hands.
~ Miranda Lindner, Simply Finn
DO make sure you eat throughout the day. It’s a long day and the last thing you want to feel is exhausted or hangry because you didn’t make time to eat!
~ Jillian Niemann and Emily Wasser, The Treasury
DO hire a hair & makeup team. Even if you’re able to do it yourself and do it well, this is your special day. You don’t want the stress of worrying about that on top of everything else going on!
~ Jillian Niemann and Emily Wasser, The Treasury
DO stop and take some time to yourself with just you and your partner at some point during the reception. The day is so busy sometimes you don’t even take the time to enjoy you just got married.
~ Jillian Niemann and Emily Wasser, The Treasury
DON'T...
DON'T forget to interact with each other and your loved ones.
It may seem obvious, but in the hustle and bustle of your day, it's easy to forget to be in the moment. Hug your loved ones, kiss your partner on the cheek, and put your hand on their back. Be present and feel the love.
~ Miranda Lindner, Simply Finn
DON'T allow for more than 5 speeches.
If you have a number of party or family members that want to speak invite them to do so at rehearsal when it is a more intimate group. Do not add 30+ minutes of speech time that delays your meal and your dance floor. The more speeches the longer guests are tied down to their dinner chairs and the less time your photo/video has to capture events.
~ Ashley Kuehnel, The Midwestern Bride
DON'T leave it to your bridesmaids as your clean up crew for decor and personal items at end of night, hire a professional!
~ Jillian Niemann and Emily Wasser, The Treasury
DON'T start your first dances without having the DJ ask your friends and family to gather around the dance floor.
First dances are a perfect moment for everyone to feel the love in the room and soak in the day - and you'll love having your loved ones in the background of your first dance photos.
~ Miranda Lindner, Simply Finn
DON’T…sweat the little things that are out of your control.
The day goes by faster than you will ever know, and spending time worrying about things like weather, decorations not being absolutely perfect, will take away from enjoying every moment.
~ Shannon Timmerman, CMP, Wildnerss Hotel & Golf Resort
DON'T participate in a bouquet toss when you only have 6 or less single friends.
The garter toss/ bouquet toss were a tradition for young couples and in the current day when the average age of those being married is growing this is less and less attractive to guests. Some may not want to be singled out. Some may not want to be the next to be married. In addition to this host of reasons it is also a tradition that clears a dance floor and breaks down the party. Your DJ or Band then has the task of trying to clear a dance floor then try to refill it and get that energy going once again. This is just for a bouquet toss... don't even get us started on removing a bride's garter from beneath her dress in front of friends and family... It's a bit cringy.
~ Ashley Kuehnel, The Midwestern Bride
DON'T sweat the small stuff once the big day arrives, chances are if something doesn’t go as planned exactly, your guests will never know what was supposed to be. Enjoy the day and every moment - it always goes by fast!
~ Jillian Niemann and Emily Wasser, The Treasury
DON'T take photos at every table.
This adds so much time to your timeline and these are not prized photos. The structure, the lighting, the layout, and rushed energy are less than desirable. Use your time creating true memories that are captured in their true form as opposed to the forced moments.
~ Ashley Kuehnel, The Midwestern Bride
