Photo courtesy of Amanda Pair Photography

This next tip comes from a conversation that I had with a Mother of the Bride.  She was the planner for the wedding and decided that the wedding day timeline was just too long, especially for the grandparents (having to arrive 2-3 hours before the ceremony for pictures).  

Don’t get me wrong, timelines are essential on a wedding and they are always longer than people (the groom) realize at first.  Let’s say you are getting married at 6:00, you need to be hidden away at 5:00, so his family will do pictures at 4:30, your family at 4:00, the bridal party at 3:00, you and your groom at 2:00, so that puts you getting dressed around 1:00, if your hair and makeup is already done. Whew!!  

For little ones and our older family members, this is an especially hard day.  This mother decided that since the couple was doing a 1st look (to get all of the photos over with before the ceremony) that they would save the grandparent pictures until after the ceremony.  It would also increase the length that the grandparents would be able to come to the reception!  Every wedding should do this!

Photo courtesy of Allison Lewis Photography

We recently saw the best arrangement for the parents during the wedding ceremony. To better help you understand what I am talking about, this was a formal church ceremony, the groom's father was the best man, and there wasn't a center aisle.  

So both sets of the parents (bride and groom's) were sitting on the same aisle. But instead of being on the sides, they both scooted to the middle and sat next to each other.  How great is that!  We think it showed a wonderful sense of unity between the families.  Some brides and grooms are not as lucky.  And besides for a lot of weddings, the groom's mom has to sit by herself because her husband is standing with their son on the alter.  Great for pictures and video too!  

Fill 'er up!

Photo courtesy of Simple Color Photography

We have already established that I am not the most traditional gal.  I appreciate tradition, especially when it comes to weddings, but sometimes I don't think you have to follow it all of the time.  Take for instance my next tip, Fill 'er up.  

Sometimes you have a bride that is from the city in which the wedding is taking place, and the groom is not.  When this occurs, you tend to have more people to come and want to sit on the "bride's side" at the church.  So the ushers fill up the entire left side with her friends/family.  But on the "groom's side", you don't have near as many people.  So it looks lopsided.  Even though it shouldn't matter, I wonder if it ever makes the parents of the less attended side feel bad. 

My solution?  Have your ushers seat the guests evenly.  Some people will still want to sit on the traditional side, but for those who don't care, use them to even it out.  I know for video, it will look better.  I love how this trend has become more popular in recent years.