Top 5 Ways to Find Bridal Education
Put your hand up if you are trying to plan a wedding and have no frickin’ clue what you’re doing. Now, keep your hand up if this is the first wedding you’ve planned. If your hand is up right now, trust me when I tell you that you have NO reason to know what you’re doing when it comes to wedding planning. Because of this, you may feel overwhelmed or stressed or like you’re forgetting something massively important. Tonight, I want to let you in on a little secret…this feeling has one remedy… it’s called bridal education (bet ya didn’t see that one coming…ha!)
It’s weird to think about this as education. It’s not like a class you sign up to take at your local college or a mentor session where you pay to come study under someone you admire. Rather, it’s free information you start to gather from your vendors as you start this wedding planning process. So, let me elaborate on this a little bit with a nifty list below (because you know I love me some lists).
- Read the emails that your vendors send you. I am an over communicator with my couples. I send them like 5 emails as soon as they book. Most are short, some are long, and they all contain information I want them to know to help their wedding planning experience. Things like “don’t forget to think about these four things as you continue planning” or “are you considering a first look?” I want to get this information in your hands first thing because it will likely impact other planning decisions. Instead of feeling like you are forgetting something obvious and massive, you are reminded of all those details!
- Read all the paper products from your vendors, too! Not all vendors are going to do this, but chances are your venue will have some sort of brochure or magazine they give you when you visit them. Additionally, your photographer may or may not send you a big magazine chock-full of info to relieve your mind in so many ways. As soon as a couple books with me, the first thing I do is send them a bridal guide addressing things like “first look” questions, what to wear to your engagement session, how to choose an engagement location, what to look for in a bridal suite, etc. If you are lucky enough to have a vendor that does this, know it took them a LONG time to put all that together, and it costs a lot to have it printed and shipped. They really just want you to at least flip through it to help your planning process. Even if it’s just a little (speaking for a friend).
- Read their blog!!!! This is a must. Is it ironic to preach about reading blog posts in a blog post? Why yes, yes it is, but I’m doing it anyway. Blogs are amazing tools, you guys, and they are one free way to education yourself about wedding planning. Tons and tons and tons of wedding professionals have blogs. Photographers almost ALWAYS do, but so do venues and planners and florists and other vendors. If a vendor has figured out an awesome way of doing something, the likelihood of them sharing that tip with their other couples is extremely likely on their blog. You just need to subscribe and actually ready it!
- Sign up for The Knot (and every wedding professional everywhere cringes a little). It’s okay. Just do it. As annoying as it might be to get their 500 emails a day, they actually have some really great information in them. This isn’t just true for The Knot. There are literally dozens of wedding websites out there, and they are full of advice!
- Ask questions. Trust me when I tell you that we would rather you ask than to just do it how you think it might possibly should be done. If you cannot figure out an outfit situation, take a picture of it and email it to your photographer for approval (notice I said email…emailing vendors is usually the best method of communication so we can look back at it and remember the things we’ve talked about). She would much rather you do that than to show up to a very green park wearing green colors that blend with their background. Or showing up with two patterns that clash. Or showing up in something that doesn’t photograph well. We so love educating you and helping you get familiar with this whole planning thing.
So, that’s that, friends. I’ve said it before, and I know I’ll say it again: Expectations are EVERYTHING. Setting the right expectations, making sure you can meet/exceed them, and communicating throughout the whole process is what will make or break a good experience.
To all the vendors out there that may be reading this. If you need an hour to shoot details and you show up and only have 30 minutes and you get frustrated that your bride designed her timeline and only gave you 30 minutes to shoot all of her details…you need to start educating your brides more. They have no idea how much time it takes to shoot details. Even photographer to photographer, we all have our preferences. Get your booty in gear and start sending at least emails to your couples with wisdom to help their planning process go smoother and set you up for amazing images on their wedding day!
I’m a Knoxville Wedding Photographer that loves to travel…I shoot anywhere! Click here to contact me with any questions you have about pricing or booking! If you liked what you saw above, go ahead and follow me on Facebook or Instagram to see my daily updates of the latest sessions!
See more from Amanda May Photos:
Wedding Planning 101: Boudoir Session
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