You do you boo. We’ve all heard this before, right? In this case, I’m meaning do what you want for your wedding day. Whether that’s elope, have an intimate ceremony, or a larger wedding, do what you want to celebrate the union of you and your fiancé. Trends are fun to follow, but if your wedding day is so overrun by trends that you have lost your own personality, then you will look back on your wedding day and wonder where you went. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about the high fashion or cute trends and I love seeing couples pay attention to the little details of their wedding day. But what I don’t love seeing is couples do something “just because” they feel like they have to in order to get “the shot.” Ultimately, my job as your photographer is to document what is happening on your wedding day. So if that means I’m hanging out with you and your friends while you get ready in your t-shirts instead of matching robes, or if we skip the first look with your dad, or forego detail shot or exit photos all-together, that is TOTALLY FINE!

There have been so many weddings I’ve photographed where we did something and it was just to “get the shot.” There’s so much more to your wedding day than just getting the perfect photo. You are marrying the love of your life- the one you have been waiting and preparing for. The focus should be on the two of you and how you want to celebrate your wedding day. Don’t let trends disturb your peace on your wedding day or ruin genuine moments. Allow your true personality and love shine through rather than getting bogged down by silly trends that will disappear next year. Keep these things in mind when planning the details and timeline of your elopement or wedding:

• When you look back on your photos, how do you want to feel? What emotions do you want to get brought up?
• When you go through your wedding day, what do you want to remember?
• What parts of your story do you want to be told through images?
• Are details important to you? Some people love having little details for special occasions (I’m totally one of them!), but others don’t care! What is important to you?

Another thing to keep in mind, when it comes to your guest list, remember that you only need to invite who you want to invite. Often we feel pressured to invite every single person that we know or our parents know, but if you don’t want to invite someone, then don’t!

Ultimately when it comes to your wedding day, do what you want and what means the most to you. When you tie the knot, you will want special people surrounding you as you make the sacred vow to one another. Take the time to select and include the details and moments that enhance your day rather than bogging you down so that you can have an amazing start to your life together.