Let’s dive into another round of Wednesday Wedding Tips, shall we? Today we’re chatting about shot lists, custom suits, and your prep schedule!

Brides: Mom/Maid of Honor Should be Fully Dressed BEFORE You

This may sound silly, but it’s often overlooked and can cause major problems with your timeline if it isn’t planned for in advance. Brides, it’s very important that you plan your timeline so that whoever you want helping you into your dress (Mom, Maid of Honor, etc.) is fully dressed and ready to go BEFORE it’s time for you to get dressed. Those moments of putting your dress on are full of anticipation and excitement and deserve to be captured in a timeless way. If your helpers are still in pajamas, it detracts from the reverence of the moment and doesn’t give the images that lasting, frame-worthy appeal.

Grooms: Consider a Custom Suit

Grooms, this is your big day too! But somewhere along the way we decided that the bride should be the one picking out an outfit that makes her feel fabulous and brings out her personality while the groom should just borrow a pre-worn suit that kind of fits him. That’s crazy talk!

Guys, a custom suit is actually not as expensive as you might be imagining it to be. Especially when you consider the fact that you will ALWAYS need a good suit and will be able to wear it for years! The best part about a custom suit is that you can really make it YOURS. You aren’t limited to the rental shop selection. You also have the freedom to add fun elements to infuse some of your personality in subtle ways. And that suit is going to fit you like a glove. No more baggy rental pants and oddly fitting coat shoulders!

If you’re in the Chicago area and want to explore this option, check out SurMesur or Daniel George. Elsewhere, check out Indochino.

Don’t Give Your Photographer a Shot List

I may ruffle a few feathers here, but what else is the internet for, right? 😉 Brides and grooms, I very strongly encourage you NOT to give your photographer a shot list. I could talk for a while about this, but, in the hopes of bundling it up nicely into one digestible point, I will just say this: A shot list prevents the uniqueness of your day from shining through. By more or less deciding in advance the story you want your photos to tell, you are putting your photographer in that box and not allowing him or her to capture your day unfolding as it naturally is.

I’ve said this before, but it’s so important that you trust your photographer to capture the uniqueness of your day without feeling the need to micromanage them. When that trust is there, the real story of your day (rather than the fabricated, Pinterest copy-cat version) can come to life. You’ll get to see little moments you didn’t know were happening. You’ll see glances that came and went in the blink of an eye. And THOSE will be the images you cherish the most because they will be a true representation of your wedding.

Quick Note: A shot list does NOT refer to your list for formal family photos. That is actually the one portion of the day that you should be very specific in!

What questions do you have that I can answer in the next round of Wedding Wednesday? Let me know in the comments below!

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