1. Avoid stress by delegating last minute tasks to other people.
    

2. An excellent way to accomplish this is to hire a professional wedding planner and/or coordinator. A professional coordinator will know how to successfully organize your day, and will be invaluable in helping you to avoid stress and enjoy your day to the utmost.
   
   If you cannot afford to hire a professional coordinator, designate two or three people who will work together to coordinate everything on the wedding day. Provide them with the following:
    
1. A detailed timeline of everything that will take place leading up to, and on the wedding day.
2. The order of ceremony.
3. The order of reception.
4. All of the names and phone numbers of family members who will be included in group photos, as well as the names and phone numbers for everyone in the bridal party.
5. A vendor list containing the names, phone numbers, times of arrival and departure, and final payments for each of the vendors who will be serving you on your wedding day.
6. Give your coordinators a list of all last minute things that need to be done, and put them in charge of making sure those things are accomplished.
7. Put your coordinators in charge of making sure everyone knows where they are supposed to be, and when. This is particularly important during group photo time.

** Special note: coordinating the wedding is very tiring, and keeps the persons coordinating from being able to enjoy the wedding to the fullest. For this reason, it is of utmost importance that the bride and groom are not the ones trying to call the shots on the wedding day. It is also recommended that this task not fall to immediate family members.**

3. Allow enough time for photographs. Group and couple photos usually take a minimum of one hour and ten minutes (20 minutes for family group photos, 20 minutes for bridal party photos, 30 minutes for the bride and groom romantic session.) Keep in mind that the more time you allow for photos, the more creative I am free to be, and the more relaxing and fun photo time is for you, and for your family and friends. This time can be broken up throughout the day.
    

4. It is strongly recommended to do the bride and groom romantic session before the wedding ceremony, as well as most of the group photos if possible.
   1. This minimizes the amount of time taken away from you enjoying your reception.
   2. The less time you keep your guests waiting the better.
   3. Before the ceremony, your hair, makeup, and clothing will be more fresh.
       

5. The better the naturally available light you have, the better the photographs will be—no matter what.

1. Make sure your ceremony and reception locations are well lit. What most people think of as well lit is usually too dim for good photographs. All too often, brides want to have their reception halls so dim that their guests can hardly see their plates in front of them, as they feel it is more romantic this way. What they do not realize, is that this kind of lighting is horrible for photographs, and inhibits conversation and interaction between guests. It is possible to maintain a romantic ambiance while still being able to see the person next to you. Always opt for more light.
2. Bride and groom romantic photos, and family and bridal party group photos are usually best done outdoors in a shaded area. If the sky is overcast, a beautiful soft light is produced, and the photos can be done anywhere outside.
    

6. Throughout the wedding day, my goal is to be as unobtrusive as possible, while still capturing the moments that matter. I love to capture candid moments photojournalistic style, however, during the romantic and group photo sessions I will be providing more direction for photographs. It is very important that everyone involved be present when they are supposed to be, and for them to be fairly quiet and attentive to me in order to move through the photographs as smoothly as possible. The less that people listen to directions, the longer group photos take. Please inform your family and bridal party, prior to the wedding day, where they will need to be, and when for photos, and communicate to them the importance of being quiet and attentive during photographs. Please also remind them of these things at the beginning of the wedding day, and put your coordinators in charge of making sure everyone is present and ready for photos at the appointed time.
    

7. For a smooth flowing reception, be sure to:

1. Provide your DJ or master of ceremonies with a detailed timeline of your reception.
2. For champagne toasts, inform your servers when the toast will take place, in advance, and instruct them to have all of the champagne already poured by that time so that there are no awkward silences or lulls between speeches and the actual toasts.
3. Upon your entrance into the reception hall, you should immediately move into your first chosen activity, whether it be first dance, followed by father/daughter, and mother/son dances, or toasts then dinner, or first dance, then prayer, then dinner, etc.
4. Ask your DJ to make announcements for what is to be expected next, promptly after each activity, throughout the entire evening.
5. After people have had a chance to eat and mingle for a comfortable amount of time, your DJ should announce dancing, or the alternate activity of your choosing.
6. Cake cutting, bouquet toss, and garter toss should occur approximately 3/4ths of the way into your reception, and at least 30 minutes prior to the departure of your photographer and videographers—if they were not hired to cover the entire reception.

** Special note: the best time for your photographer and videographers to eat is when the bride, groom, and bridal party receive their food. This way they will be finished and ready to capture the next thing to take place in time. Usually only 15 or 20 minutes would be required, and cameras would be kept handy in case anything important happened during this time.

8. Be sure to get plenty of rest on the days and nights leading up to the wedding. Set aside the day or two before the wedding day as spa days. Here are some ideas for relieving stress and enhancing relaxation:
   1. Light, cardiovascular exercise and stretching
   2. Schedule a full body, 60 or 90 minute Swedish or similar massage
   3. Soak in the steam room or hot tub
   4. Take showers and baths at home with aroma therapy salts, soaps, shampoos, and candles
   5. Facial and body skin treatments, wraps, scrubs, muds
   6. Full manicure / pedicure combos
   7. Take afternoon naps if needed
   8. Try to retire to bed a bit earlier than normal at night

** Well rested brides and grooms are happier brides and grooms, and it shows in your photographs!

9. Make sure to eat good food on and before your wedding day. If you do not eat enough food, your blood sugar level will probably be out of balance, and you will likely feel tired, anxious, irritable, or edgy. It’s super easy to avoid this. Just eat!
    
10. Keep hydrated on your wedding day! This means everyone should be drinking plenty of hydrating fluids such as water and 100% natural juices throughout the day. DO NOT DRINK ONLY ALCOHOL ALL DAY!!! People would be amazed at how often I have seen brides and grooms make this mistake!!! Consider keeping large coolers full of water bottles handy for family and bridal party members throughout the day, and make sure there is plenty of water to drink for your guests at your reception. Remember folks, Florida is called the Sunshine state for a reason!
     

11. Specific to Florida summer weddings:
    1. Remember that Florida is HOT and HUMID in the summer time!
    2. If you intend to have a summer wedding in Florida, it is strongly recommended to have your wedding ceremony and reception indoors.
    3. Be sure to select a light and airy wedding dress. If you opt for a style with heavy fabric, you will likely become drenched with sweat soon after you set foot outside, and you will be very uncomfortable all day.
    4. When it comes to hair, in humid or windy weather most styles go wacky unless your hair is glued to your head. You should opt for that stiff up do you’ve been contemplating. If you really want to wear your hair down, consider finding a good hair stylist who is skilled in incorporating natural looking wigs and/or artificial hair into their styles.
    5. Mosquitoes and bugs are another reason Florida summer weddings are best indoors!
    6. Where sunscreen if you are going to be outside, or consider using ornate parasols as part of your wedding party attire. As a note, parasols make great props for pictures!