When it comes to a wedding day, there’s a fine line between it being the happiest day of your life and the most stressful. Things like running behind schedule, family drama and various mishaps can cause your wedding day to feel less like a fairytale and more like a scene from a bad sitcom.

My name is Madeline, and I’m a Dallas wedding photographer that has photographed over 120 weddings in my career. I’ve seen my fair share of stressed-out brides and chaotic wedding days. So to help my couples avoid that, I’m starting a series with tips on how to make each part of your wedding day run smoothly.

To kick this series off, we’re starting with tips for a stress-free wedding morning!

1. Start as early as you can

Nothing puts stress on a wedding day like running behind schedule. And the number one cause of running behind is hair & makeup taking too long. So start EARLY. Professional hair and makeup artists know how to make your look last all day, so don’t worry about it. Start early and give yourself plenty of extra time for you and your wedding party to get ready.

2. Do not procrastinate anything

Don’t let it be the night before, or worse, the morning of your wedding when you decide it’s time to pack your honeymoon bag, gather your details for photos, get a haircut (I’m looking at you grooms-to-be), copy your vows into your vow book, etc. All of that should be done DAYS before your wedding. There should be nothing on your to-do list the morning of your wedding besides show up and get married! Which brings us to tip #3…

3. Delegate, delegate, delegate

The less you and your fiance are responsible for on the day of, the less stressed you’ll be. So delegate tasks out to your family and wedding party to make sure everything is covered. Or better yet, hire a coordinator to do a majority of the work for you! That way, the day is yours to enjoy. Make sure everyone knows what items they need to bring, what tasks they’re responsible for, and where they need to be days beforehand so the morning of, it’s all taken care of.

4. Try and keep your suite tidy

A cluttered room clutters the mind. So tell your wedding party to help you keep the room as tidy as possible while getting ready. That way you’re not tripping over things, items aren’t misplaced, and the mess doesn’t show up in your photos. It also makes the end of the night less stressful when it’s time to pack up and head out!

5. Enjoy some mimosas and your favorite music

Getting married can definitely get those butterflies going, so don’t be afraid to take the edge off with some mimosas and a playlist of your favorite songs. For me, a good Taylor Swift song with a bridge worthy of screaming can get me pumped for any big event. So curate your perfect playlist and spend the morning being silly and having a good time with your wedding party.

The vibes on the morning of your wedding set the tone for the rest of the day, so it’s essential to be relaxed and have fun as you get ready to set everyone up for success! If you’re in need of a wedding photographer, I’d love to be there for you and help make your day great. To reach out about your date, you can visit my contact page HERE.