How to Be the Best #BrideTribe and #GroomSquad

By Camille Fontanez | 02-13-2019 |

As part of Wedding Wednesday I wanted to share these helpful wedding tips from my perspective as a Destination Wedding Photographer.

Being a member of the wedding party is definitely a fun thing to be on a wedding day. Make the best of having that privileged position of access and participation on the wedding day has its perks, but it also comes with some responsibilities. Wedding days are full of details for the bride, groom, and immediate family members. The wedding party is close enough to the action to make themselves helpful, but also should be careful not to become an obstacle for a successful timeline and event.

Wedding Tips from a Professional Wedding Photographer

In my experience as a professional wedding photographer for the last decade, I’ve seen a lot. So here are a few tricks and wedding tips to make yourself a helpful member of the wedding party, and hopefully, earn a nice shoutout at the end of the day.

Wedding Tips - Before the wedding

Be useful

Identify areas in which you can help the bride or groom. More often than not, they get overwhelmed with tasks someone else could easily do, but they don’t know how to delegate or are too embarrassed to ask:

Take a night to put all the invitations on envelopes.
Offer to go on errands.
Help with the RSVPs.

De-stress

Listen to their worries, offer advice only when asked. Unrequested advice is one of the top stressors for the couple.

Prepare for the event

Try on the full outfit and make-up (if you’re doing it yourself) at least once before the wedding. It’s incredible the number of bridesmaids and groomsmen who arrive on the wedding day with no idea how to do their tie, fold their pocket square, what underwear fits best, which jewelry to wear, or without their speeches ready.

The wedding day is not the moment for figuring stuff out, and, in my experience, this all causes delays and unnecessary stress in the couple.

Bridal getting ready photos at Ponce Plaza Hotel by Puerto Rico Wedding photographer Camille Fontanez

Wedding Tips - During the Event

Be on time

There's probably photos and videos to take before the ceremony. Ask the time you need to be there, and stick to it.

Be a cheerleader

No time for drama! The wedding day is a highly emotional day for the couple, and the littlest amount of tension or negativity can and will probably ruin some moments for the couple.

Be a problem solver

I’m not exaggerating when I say that even the smallest decisions can bring stress to the couple on the wedding day. Keep an eye out for potential issues: If there’s a slight problem you can solve for them, don’t wait. Just do it.

The processional

Guys, girls, this is your moment to shine. Look up, smile to the camera, walk gracefully, and hold the bouquet properly.

We’ve all seen the funny videos where a bridesmaid trips, that doesn’t happen often, but just in case, make sure you’re wearing appropriate shoes for your dress length and use heel guards if you’re walking on grass.

Wedding Tips - After the ceremony

Depending on the wedding timeline, you probably have group portraits before the ceremony, right after it, or both.

Stay together, and close to the couple

For the group portraits, please don’t go away until you’re dismissed. We want to do this part quickly so everyone can enjoy the cocktail hour.

Don't linger

Do not linger during the newlywed portrait session, unless the couple/photographer ask for help. The photo and video team are working under a time crunch, and the more distractions they have, the less time and intimacy they'll get for the newlywed portrait sessions.