Navigating Wedding Day Problems: Tried and True Tips From A Team of Wedding Photographers and Videographers
Stress Less with Tips from Our Wedding Photo + Video Team
Navigating wedding day problems and challenges requires a blend of preparation (or organization), resilience, and a problem-solving mindset. As a team of seasoned wedding photographers and videographers, we understand the value of ensuring a seamless experience for couples, helping them to stay present and calm, even in the face of unexpected hurdles.
Some of the most common problems we’ve run into that impact photography and videography on wedding days include weather changes (VJ), vendor miscommunication/unforeseen delays, family dynamics and emotional stress. Throughout this blog, we’re sharing our teams valuable insights and practical advice that they’ve learned first hand that helps to empower couples in overcoming various obstacles that may arise on their wedding day.
We want you to feel calm, confident, and equipped to enjoy your wedding experience. Let’s dive right in!
Challenge 1: Weather Changes
Solution 1: Have A Plan B
Bonus Point: Be Flexible + Open
The ability to successfully navigate unpredictable weather on wedding days, is a crucial aspect of our commitment to creating a seamless and memorable experience for our couples on their wedding day. Let’s be real for a second, living in Florida comes with the high probability of rain happening at some point on your wedding day. We’ve got the rainy season from May to October, Hurricane season from June to November, and the weather the rest of the year is notoriously fickle. So then, how can you successfully plan your wedding for any season in Florida?
Solution 1: Have a plan B that you are happy with. Having a realistic plan B, and communicating that plan to all necessary vendors is going to be the key to handling weather changes successfully.
Bonus Point: Be flexible and open to your photographer + videographers ideas. Our team is creative, and oftentimes, creativity flows best when there’s challenges to overcome. Making peace with the possibility of unexpected weather conditions can enhance the visual story and overall experience of your day, so we encourage our couples to embrace spontaneity, trust our team, and turn these challenges into artistic opportunities.
This could range from utilizing unique locations for photos, using umbrellas in couples portraits, taking photos earlier or later in the day, or any other creative solution for the problem at hand. Our teams goal is to problem solve in order to navigate wedding day challenges gracefully, ensuring that any unexpected challenge becomes a part of the couples story, adding depth and character to the couples final gallery, completely documenting their story.
Pro-Tip from Associate VeeJay:
“Stay calm, positive, and be assured that we can still create beautiful memories regardless of the weather. Rain or clouds can add a unique and beautiful element to photos, if approached creatively (leave that part to us 😊)”
Challenge 2: Vendor Miscommunication or Unforeseen Delays
Solution 2: Have a Trustworthy + Problem Solving Vendor Team
Unfortunately it’s happened before, and it’ll happen again. Unexpected circumstances arise or miscommunications happen that can throw off the entire plan for the day. When this happens, we typically see couples react in one of two ways, they are able to roll with the punches, or they get very stressed out. How can you make sure that you can successfully navigate this challenge on your wedding day?
Solution 2: Have a Trustworthy and Problem Solving Vendor Team. Before deciding to work with your vendors, ask them how they handle situations when challenges arise. Discuss with them their philosophy for their business, their standard for communication, and what their client experience looks like through the entire process. When their responses line up with your values and beliefs, then you will have found a business that resonates with you, and that will allow you to trust them.
Pro Tip from Associate Aidan:
“Don’t be tied down to your timeline.”
A lot of work goes into creating the timeline for your wedding day, it’s understandable if you think that Aidan’s tip sounds contradictory. This is such an underrated tip though, and probably the most important tip you’ll receive. Being inflexible with your timeline will take away the freedom and creativity of your vendor team, stifling their problem solving abilities. Being open to switching things up on your wedding day will ultimately result in a better experience for you.
Challenge 3: Tension with Family Dynamics
Solution 3: Set Expectations Ahead of Time, for Yourself + Your Family
Navigating family dynamics on a wedding day can sometimes feel like navigating a hike on a winding mountain trail. There may be steep inclines of differing opinions and moments of rocky terrain due to personality conflicts or past experiences together. However, just like an experienced hiker prepares by studying the map and equipping themselves with the right gear, couples can successfully navigate these challenges. How so?
Solution 3: Set clear expectations for yourselves and your family/friends ahead of time. When you are able to communicate your wishes openly and honestly with your families, you’ll ensure that your support system is on the same path as you are, with the common goal of getting you married and having an enjoyable and memorable day.
Pro Tip from Associate Jenn:
1) “Set the tone from the beginning. And always have a neutral middle person. A NON wedding party person, Someone who can step in and handle whatever mishaps that may happen. 🙌🏽”
2) “I’ve noticed when the bride and groom are stressed and upset the entire day is upside down. But when they let nothing bother them and have smiles and they are free, OMG the day is just beautiful. And it shows in their photos.”
Challenge 4: Emotional Stress + Anxiety
Solution 4: Schedule Alone Time Into Your Timeline
Planning a wedding is a lot. Finances are a lot. Getting married is a lot. Managing relationships on your wedding day is a lot. Being in front of 50, 100, 150 people is a lot. It is not uncommon for couples to experience emotional stress and anxiety, casting a shadow on this exciting and once in a lifetime day. Prioritizing self-care and taking care of your mental health BEFORE your wedding day is crucial to making it through this process successfully. How can you successfully handle stress and anxiety ON your wedding day?
Solution 4: Schedule alone time into your timeline. Even just a few moments of alone time with your partner on your wedding day allows you to step away from the chaos together, collect your thoughts, take some deep breaths, and re-center yourself to be present in the moment with each other.
Being intentional with this pause gives couples a priceless opportunity to rest and reset, allowing them to come back to their celebration with a clearer mind and lighter disposition. The simple act of making self care a priority ON your wedding day, you’ll be able to better navigate the inevitable ups and downs with more resilience and inner peace.
Pro-Tip from Associate Brian:
“Communicate with your photographer/videographer if you’re feeling uncomfortable. I enjoy just talking with the couple about how they look at the moment and smile often, reassuring them that the photos/video taken look amazing so far.”