It's actually quite funny to sit down and write this post. One reason is that I read an abundance of 'advice' blogs and posts to brides such as myself before getting married. Almost everything I read was unsurprising to me and nearly all of it was things I had already considered. After all, I am a Type-A planner who plans out her plans.
Aaaand, there I was on the day of my elopement with questions, a few minor issues, and some unexpected stresses. There is literally NO avoiding this though -- your wedding day will be next to impossible to plan out and have go perfectly without a bump. In the imperfections is where memories are made (and where we learn grace.)
Try on Your Shoes
I probably don't even need to say this to most people, but TRY ON THE SHOES! Wear them around the house, put them on with the dress, etc. I did not do any of this before our day. Why? I have no clue. But, I found out that my shoes were absolutely too big (like, the straps were so large that they didn't fit securely around my ankles) right before we got married and it was already too late for a new pair.
My shoes ended up completely slipping off my feet from the start and I eventually swapped them out for some white sneakers my sister had with her (thank goodness!!) I wish that I had taken more time to walk in my shoes and make sure I loved them and felt confident in them. I'd never had this issue with any shoes before, and when you splurge on your wedding heels, you assume they will fit (don't).
Bouquet Test
I created my own bouquet on our wedding day. Literally. I picked the florals up from local shops in Seattle/Port Angeles and put everything together on the day. I didn't have a real vision in mind and I ended up loving my flowers a ton! However, I do think it would have been beneficial to put together a bouquet on my own beforehand to get an idea of what I really like / see how it may show up in photos.
Makeup Trial
I did my own makeup for our day, and I'm glad I did so the whole 'getting ready' process could be just my mom, sister, and me. I did a few trial runs with makeup beforehand, mainly when I got ready for my bridal showers. I will say, I think what would have helped me tremendously is writing out the steps for my makeup and following it so I didn't have to think so much.
I ended up leaving out a few things (of course, it doesn't really matter, and who would notice?!) which is fine, but in the end I sort of felt that my makeup looked like it usually does. In the end, I looked like myself, the girl Corey knows and loves, and I felt my true self was captured in our photos. The only difference more/different makeup would have made for me was how I felt about myself.
So, actually, maybe my words of advice/words of encouragement here are: be YOU and let your beauty shine through. Let your authentic self be captured on camera and seen by your soon-to-be husband. Looking back at these wedding photos, I'll see me and not some one-time version of myself who I barely recognize.
Take Photos of Your Own
We hired an amazing photographer, but something I wish I did more of was take our own photos! We actually planned way ahead for this... we bought film and brought along our camera, but the day ended up being more hectic than expected. (Maybe not 'hectic,' but I certainly was not prioritizing picture-taking when I was about to marry my best friend!) So, we didn't end up getting pictures from our individual perspectives on the day, but we have a ton of professional photos and snapshots from family!
I have a few pictures taken on my phone of getting ready and making my bouquet, but not much after that. I was so excited and my brain felt too jumbled to focus! My advice is to slow down, plan the day, get your snaps in, and relax.
Plan Some Poses
Lastly, having a few poses in mind for your wedding photos never hurt. I did not do this -- and I don't feel like I needed to. We had the best photographer who gently guided us but ultimately let us do what felt natural. However, I can see that this would not always be the case so having a few go-to poses is a good thing to have in your back pocket when you feel stuck.
Also, we all scroll through Pinterest and get lots of ideas for the big day. Naturally, you are going to come across some photos that inspire you. Take note and try out some poses for yourself! I've seen so many people state that an engagement shoot is a great way to get comfortable in front of the camera, however if you don't plan on doing that (like me), having a general sense of how you'd like to position yourselves in photos can also relieve some anxiety.
Aside from all the little details like shoes and makeup, the absolute most important piece of advice is to soak in your surroundings. We woke up early on our wedding day and went for breakfast and coffee together. We sat with each other in a kind of disbelief that TODAY was the day. I felt very present the entire day. I had a shower and listened to meditative music while getting ready. I tried my best to ground myself. During our elopement, I kept thinking to myself, "this is the day we get married!" and I kept looking around at all our surroundings in complete awe.
I also kept my focus on my husband. I was very intentional about moving slowly and literally looking at him in the eyes and trying to blur everything else in the background. It's not easy to quiet your surroundings, but we were so fortunate to have a private ceremony and spend the majority of the day just us two.
Ultimately, it is YOUR day. It belongs to you and the person you are marrying. Keep that in mind and breathe!
xx,
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