Top tips for your day!

I hate to stereotype but the Irish are always late! One of the perks of having two photographers is that I always phone Dave (who spends the morning with the groom and groomsmen while I hang out with the girls) to find out what is happening with the groom before the bride leaves for the church.

The number one delay is that the guests are late and the church is empty. We have advised many couples to put 1pm on the ceremony invites for a 1.30pm wedding. The guests arrive at 1.15pm, the church is then full by 1.20pm and the ceremony starts right on time at 1.30pm. If you put 1.30pm start time, it will be closer to 2pm before you walk up the aisle and that has a knock on effect to the rest of the day.

I can’t stress this enough! The suppliers are the glue for your day. They make the whole day run like clockwork and flow perfectly, or they can also make it fall apart, so choose wisely. It is not a day for letting someone practice, choose professionals who know exactly what they are doing.

Be aware of how long it takes for hair and make-up and plan accordingly. You don’t want to be the bride who gets off the make-up chair, throws on the dress and runs out the door because you are running late. Choose professionals who will have you ready nice and early, allowing you time to have a glass of champagne with your bridesmaids and relax before becoming a Mrs!

Get wellies and umbrellas for you and your bridal party. Go for something fun and colourful. Remember that it’s Ireland and, yes, your wedding may be in August but you still have a chance of rain. If you’re prepared for rain, then you can have fun taking some great photographs instead of getting soaked and wishing you had those wellies in the car!

We always make plans with our couples for sun, and also for rain, as you don’t want to be trying to decide where to go on the day. Trust your photographer with where they think will work best for photographs. Preparation beforehand saves time-wasting on the day itself, leaving you with

more time to enjoy the party!

You’ve been planning 101 different quirky and hilarious little details for probably more than a year by the time your big day comes. Let’s face it, one of them is bound to go wrong. Forget about it and don’t let it ruin your day.

Just because Uncle John forgot to collect the mass booklets and your bridesmaid had to make a last minute dash or the groomsmen’s flowers are still in the hotel… just brush it off and move on. 99.9% of your guests have no idea what’s going on behind the scenes.

If you are stressing over details on the wedding day or things which may have gone wrong, your guests will pick up on that. Forget it and focus on what the day is about. Beaming happy brides and grooms are infectious.

Spread that joy among your guests and party the night away!

Tara x