Hi guys, sorry for the *ahem* long hiatus BUT you know, mom life. Having a baby apparently didn’t give me the copious amounts of time to blog whilst nursing a newborn on a tufted pillow in the middle of a summer meadow like I thought it would.
Anyway………
I recently counted how many weddings I’ve been to as a photographer, and I counted 96 as of last weekend! That’s a lot of witnessing the behind the scenes of a multitude of different types of weddings. So yeah, I see things pop up that every now and then someone remembers and I realize— whoa, that just made the WHOLE day run smoother. Or, in some cases, saves the day.
I’ve compiled a small list of things you may not think about needing, but probably do need, on your wedding day:
A Crochet hook
Does your dress have butttons? Or a bustle? A crochet hook can drastically change the amount of time it takes you to get into your dress. Just hook those little loops over the buttons with ease instead of causing arthritis in your maid of honor’s hands.
2. Safety pins/sewing kit
I remember a wedding where a bridesmaid had to be sewn into her dress because the zipper ripped when she was putting it on. She was stitched in, then cut out of it at the end of the night. Things rip. It’s just the risk of an expensive outfit that is made to be worn once.
3. Your invitations
If you spent any sort of time or money on your invitations, bring them for the photographer to photograph as a flat lay before the ceremony. Sometimes these can be the most beautiful photos and they are also nice to share with the person who helped you create them. They also help tell the story of the day when you look back through your gallery.
4. Scrap florals
Your florist has to trim everything to make your flowers perfect. But there is nothing better for your photographer to use to style details than the leftovers from your order. Inevitably, there will be extra leaves, stems that didn’t make the cut, and trimmed buds that weren’t fully in bloom. Petals that fell off. Ask your florist to include some of the trimmings with the delivery to your hotel room when he/she drops off the boutonnieres and bouquets. Your photographer will thank you for it!
5. Shout wipes
I’ve seen miracles happen because of Shout wipes. The most memorable was when a bridesmaid didn’t notice she cut her finger (I forget at this point on what!) and as we were taking photos in the bridal suite, a mere 20 minutes before the bride would set step down the aisle, we noticed bits of blood all over the back of the bride’s dress! Thankfully, someone had brought along Shout wipes and I watched as those little f*ckers took every last bit of BLOOD out of a white dress. I couldn’t believe it. It’s very important that you only use Shout wipes. I have nothing against other stain removers, but these are by far the superior choice. I am not sponsored by Shout, I genuinely just think it’s an amazing product to have on hand.
6. a nice hanger
There is really no better way to put a proper finishing “WOW” on a wedding dress (I mean, aside from you stepping into it) than to hang it on a nice hanger while you get ready. It can really elevate it from that wire hanger and cardboard torso the seamstress packaged it in. Sure, that is perfect for storing it before the wedding day, but on the day of, consider a nice wooden, metal, satin, or personalized hanger. But, as a last-minute resort, many hotels have wooden hangers in their closets which work well in a pinch.