Draw Upon 25 Years of Wedding Experience

When you are planning your wedding, it may seem as though everyone has an opinion of what you should and shouldn't do. It is your day after all so I do whatever I can to give you what you want on your wedding day.

I have attended hundreds of weddings over the past 25 years and, like everyone else, have seen what can very often go wrong. You only want one hitch on the day, if you would like some impartial advice, from colours to venues through fads and traditions to cakes and speeches, please feel free to pick my brains, just click here to send me an email.

Under the topics below, I have gathered together some general but essential advice for anyone planning a wedding. Click on any link below for advice:

My Top 3 Tips · Flowers · Cravats & Ties · Stationery · Hair & Make-up · Transport ·
Church vs Civil Wedding Ceremonies · Photography

I have attended a wedding where the organist played a totally different tune to a recognised hymn and I have attended a wedding where the vicar forgot to turn up! I could write a book on some of the mishaps that have taken place at weddings but I'm not here to worry the pants off anyone, just remember my three Ps: Planning Promotes Perfection.

1. Don't leave anything to chance · Check and double check with all your suppliers that they are all reading from the same song-sheet · The time spent on planning will be all worthwhile afterwards.

2. It's a tremendous build-up to the big day it can be stressful, be reassuring and try not to disagree too much with one another · There will be differences of opinion, so be flexible - it's great practice for being married :-)

3. Timing on the day of your wedding is crucial · If not carefully handled, a line-up at the beginning of the reception can really throw caterer's timings. Consider instead, visiting your guests at their tables after your food, the day will flow a lot better · Put time limits on speeches too - the speakers may thank you!

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Flowers need to stay in the cool in Summer · Think carefully about having lilies unless the florist removes the stamens which stain anything they touch · Make sure the members of the bridal party, particularly the men, know how to wear their flowers: left and up for a man's button hole; down and right for a lady's corsage · The bouquet is still a popular accessory and in wedding photographs it looks best when held pointing slightly down with the bride's wrists resting somewhere near her belly button.

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They are sometimes a nuisance when nerves get the better of fingers and thumbs on the morning of the wedding; it's worth practicing how to tie it beforehand · Whether tied as a full Windsor or with the more popular cravat, get your outfitters to supply a diagram and photocopy it.

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If you're looking to control costs, wedding stationery can be produced at home or work cheaply · However, don't think that wedding stationery can only be bought from expensive looking albums, creating your wedding stationery is a service that I offer · I design and produce very special and personal invitations, orders of service and thankyou cards - all with a photographic emphasis in addition to napkins, place-cards, favours and balloons · Let me give you one less thing to think about and help you carry off a theme or colour scheme more effectively with creative and unique wedding stationery.

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It's vitally important that you have a trial in advance of your wedding day · Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to overdo the make-up for photographs, it should be used to accentuate your features but be as natural as possible, don't use too much eyeliner · If you have particularly shiny skin, take a compact with you.

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Remember to time the distance from house to church, allowing for road works and traffic congestion · If the main wedding car is making two journeys with bridesmaids and then the bride, allow plenty of time · Make sure there will be parking provided and check if there is a wedding before your own, allowing time for people to park.

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It's your choice but remember that costs can increase with a civil marriage (there's more drinking time!) · Civil marriages are definitely on the up but regardless of venue somehow they seem to lose that special feeling · From a selfish point-of-view, civil wedding ceremonies are much harder for a photographer to stage-manage.

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Whether you choose me as your wedding photographer or not, please do give your photographer as much time as he or she needs · If you are late getting ready it will have a knock-on effect all the way down the line · The photographer is not the most important person there but many people fail to realise that a photographer is one of the few people that is with you throughout your wedding day · A good photographer can be relied upon to support you and help make the day run smoothly; a bad photographer can create a disaster by wasting your precious time and upsetting your guests · I can't emphasise enough that forward planning of your wedding photography for both the church and reception will make all the difference.

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