Before Planning Your Wedding Day, Consider This

Ah the big wedding day. Many girls dream of this from a very young age, imagining themselves as a princess in a movie being whisked away to their happily ever after by "Prince Charming." And it should be a day of bliss surrounded by all those you love and who will support your future as you take on life with your husband.

But I see one common mistake time and again as soon-to-be brides begin their planning. Can you guess what it is?

Spoiler alert, it has nothing to do with the venue you choose, the cake or dessert you settle on, or even who you pick as your photographer, DJ, or event coordinator. It also has nothing to do with how many thousands you spend on your dress or if your bridesmaids' dresses have thin straps or no straps at all. It isn't about the guests having two meal options or one, and it certainly isn't about having an open bar or marking the invitations "BYOB."

The biggest mistake I see and that I personally made the mistake of: not attending multiple pre-marital counseling sessions with a trusted pastor before tying the knot.

Go ahead young women who think you have life all figured out, roll your eyes. I get it. I rolled mine too. But the amount of disagreements and frustrations this could have saved my husband and I as we started having curve balls thrown our way in our marriage is endless. And trust me, ask anyone who has been married more than a few years and they'll agree, life WILL throw you curve balls.

I know it's uncomfortable to sit down and talk about things like how many kids you hope to have, what religion or beliefs you want to raise your possible kids with, healthy eating habits, retirement, healthy boundaries with in-laws, addictions, past trauma etc. But that is why this is so much more important than what trendy song you & you're wedding party will walk into the reception dancing to.

And as a photographer who has shot multiple weddings over the years, I want those photos to be family heirlooms that you pass down to future generations. Not photos that get ripped from frames and thrown in the fireplace 5 or 10 years from now when things get hard and you decide to give up because you never had those hard conversations.

So, while all the little details of your day are important, and deserved to be captured and remembered, please make sure you invest MORE time & thought into your MARRIAGE than you do the wedding day.❤