Throughout my time in the wedding industry, I’ve been to quite a few weddings. Being a Jackson Hole wedding photographer, having worked with tons of couples and brides, I get to help plan with them! I help them make vendor decisions, location scout, and even be a witness on some elopements. The most frequently asked question I get as a wedding photographer is, what are my top 5 wedding planning tips to ease the pressure of planning a huge event. Throughout the blog, I’m breaking it down. If you’re planning a wedding, you’re in the right place!

Book Your Jackson Hole Wedding Photographer

Throughout the year as couples are getting engaged, the most common first step in wedding planning is choosing a date. While this is incredibly important and actually one of my top 5 tips, don’t let it prevent you from starting to reach out to vendors! More often than not, couples will miss working with their dream vendors because they couldn’t choose a date. If you’re deciding between a few dates, present those dates to your dream wedding photographer, during your consultation call! This allows them to help block out that time, and keep your day in mind while you figure out the last minute details of the day.

Wedding photography is one of the only things you get to keep from you big day, besides your partner! Nevertheless it’s important to make sure your Jackson Hole wedding photographer understands your vision for the day, and what’s most important to you. If you have a special bond with your grandparents, or your parents, having a photographer you trust to capture those relationships is crucial!

Choose Your Dates – Wedding Planning Tips

Next, let’s talk about your wedding date. Throughout the wedding planning process, most couples seem to get hung up on this part. Don’t put too much pressure on it! Instead of focusing on one date, choose a few dates. Then, when you’re talking to family, vendors, etc, you have a few dates to check their availability. Not being too attached to one date gives you a better chance to book your dream vendors!

Trust Your Gut

If something doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. You’re going to hear all kinds of wedding planning tips from all kinds of people, but most importantly trust yourself. Everyone is going to have an opinion on something, whether it’s your dress, your venue, or the person you’re marrying – let it all go. The choices you make for your wedding and your future are yours. Don’t let the opinions, or expectations get in your way.

Set Your Budget Early

While this may not be a fun subject, it’s an important wedding planning tip that shouldn’t be forgotten. Set your budget early, and stick to it. Even when I was planning my own wedding, budget comes first. That doesn’t mean you can’t have your dream day, even on a budget! Make a list of what is most important to you on your day, whether that’s your dress, or a photographer, then allocate the necessary budget for those items. The rest will fall together within your remaining budget.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff – Wedding Planning Tips

Lastly, don’t sweat the small stuff. Things are going to come up, it’s inevitable when planning a big event. How you react is what is going to make your day that much better. If someone gets sick, if it rains on your wedding day, it’ll all be okay. What’s most important is that you and your person get married surrounded by family and get to be together forever. Take some deep breaths, lean on your partner, and everything will fall into place and be perfect. I promise!

Looking for Jackson Hole wedding vendors? Here’s my list to help make wedding planning easier!

If you’re looking for your dream photographer to help make the planning process that much easier, reach out!