One of my favorite parts about the wedding day is the fact that you get to be surrounded by all of your favorite people!! I love getting to meet your best girls and guys and hearing all of your inside jokes and dancing to all of your favorite songs.

BUT…in order for us to have fun and also get through all of the things that we need to, all of my brides and grooms need to have an important conversation with your bridesmaids and groomsmen.

Not to make it sound scary or anything but I also am here to make sure that your day goes as perfectly as possible and the bridal party is a huge part of it! We want them to have fun, celebrate, and know what’s going on so they aren’t a reason the day has hiccups.

Here are a few things you should talk with them about before the big day:

The Timeline

This one is pretty simple and probably the one they will be asking you about the most! Even though there will be people moving you throughout the day and reminding you of the times, it’s always good for the bridal party to know the order of events.

They should know the times to arrive, when photos are starting, and when they need to be ready for the actual ceremony.

We do have buffers built into your timelines, but things can really be thrown off if someone forgets their bowtie, doesn’t finish makeup in time, or gets lost in the transition if you move venues.

If they have a copy of the timeline, that will take some stress off of you having to constantly tell people what’s next!

Have Fun…But Not Too Much Fun

This is a big one that also effects the timeline, your happiness on the day of, and how smoothly everything will go!

I LOVE a good mimosa and I want all of my couples to have the time of their life…however, the best way to do this is if we get through all of the things we need to and then have extra time to hang out and relax!

Like I said, I usually build in more time than what’s actually needed which means if we get through the photos early, everyone gets to go back inside and relax and grab an extra drink!

Post-Ceremony Photos

If you decide to not do a first look and we have to do the full bridal party photos after the ceremony, make sure to let the bridal party know that they aren’t done quite yet!

They’ll need to wait for family photos before we get to do theirs –– which means making sure that nothing spills on their outfits or that no one goes missing! Someone ALWAYS goes missing in search for a drink, ha!

This is probably the most entertaining and fun part of the photos, but we are still on a timeline and you want to have plenty of time for photos of the two of you together!

Once we’re done with these, everyone is free to go and start the night!

Working With Wedding Vendors

This one shouldn’t really have to be said but you know…sometimes it does. Remind your bridal party to treat all of your wedding vendors with respect. You worked really hard to put this day together and we are all here to make that vision come to life. It makes our jobs just a little easier when everyone is cooperating and respecting the work that we’re putting in.

We’re not asking for anything crazy…just to listen when we give direction and be respectful even when you’re having fun!

Like I said, I LOVE my bridal parties. After spending a whole day together, I get pretty close with your group! We’re all here to celebrate you, and I’m here to make sure that it’s documented beautifully. The easiest way for me to do that is if everyone works with me and the other vendors!

Even if you think you don’t have to reiterate these things to your crew, it’s probably best just to do it anyways –– just to make sure everyone is on the same page 🙂