35 Ideas to Make Your Wedding Day Unique | Olympia Wedding Photographer

Customize your day, make it fun! Here are some ideas to make your wedding day unique!

1. Pay homage to the important details of your relationship… state you met, restaurant from your first date, favorite activity to do together etc by decorating your reception or cocktail hour space with details of these places.

2. Avoid some of the pre-ceremony jitters by getting ready together. Laugh and spend the morning with your love, then help each other get dressed. More fun, less stress.

3. Go paperless! Send out electronic invites or use embroidered hankies or cloth for napkins, menus and invites.

4. Choose a colorful dress and have your bridesmaids wear white.

5. Select mixed gender bridal parties. Man of Honor and Groomsmaid have a nice ring to them!

6. Opt for a non-traditional bouquet. Feather, greens, pine cones and dried flowers are all beautiful and unique. See some ideas for epic and non-traditional bouquets HERE.

7. Instead of the traditional unity ceremony with sand or candles build or buy a clock and start the time on it during your ceremony. This idea is different and you can display the clock in your home.

8. Don’t let mom feel left out! Have both your parents walk you down the aisle. You can also have someone very special like Grandma or your bestie do this!

9. Skip the bridal party introductions and go right to dinner! This gives you more time with your guests and everyone is ready to eat by then anyway.

10. Instead of a head table for the wedding party, set up round or square tables in the middle of your guests. Head tables put the wedding party on display while they eat!

11. Decorate your tables with small custom items rather than large floral arrangements. Tall vases block views of the other side of the table and limit conversation between table mates.

12. Instead of having everyone line up for posed family photos, schedule 20 or so minutes to socialize with them. Laugh, tell stories, hug, pray… and have your photographer capture these interactions without the pressure of posed photos.

13. During cocktail hour support local businesses and show off your city by setting up tasting stations with local cuisine. Seafood if you live near the water, appetizers with fresh veggies if you live in farm country etc.

14. Toss out the idea of doing a garter and bouquet toss and replace them with a fun game that includes all your guests, instead of just the single ones.

15. Who says the flower girl has to be a young girl? Anyone can be a flower girl, so designate your granny, bestie or even your college roomie!

16. Set up a confetti bar and let your guests custom make little bags of confetti to throw. Dried or fresh flowers, flower petals, herbs, leaves, leaf confetti are just some ideas of what to include. Think biodegradable for easy cleanup!

17. Guest books usually end up in a box in storage, never to be seen again. Instead of a traditional book choose a more useful item like a wall hanging, picture or wooden puzzle to be signed.

18. Instead of offering your guests small trinkets for coming to your wedding, make a donation to your favorite charity in their name.

19. Create a scavenger hunt of items that can be found at the wedding. This allows your guests to interact more on your big day and have some fun!

20. Send a map and a list of “must do’s” for your city to your guests that are coming from out of town. This extra step will make your guests feel welcome and help them see your city.

21. Custom wine bottle labels are a great way to add a unique touch to your big day and the bottles can be saved as souvenirs by guests.

22. Have your best friends or parents create a trivia quiz about you two. This can be light and fun and get guests laughing.

23. Create a circular ceremony location with curved rows of chairs that go nearly all around except for a path to get to and from the center.. This way guests can view the ceremony better and you will be surrounded by your loved ones, literally. LOL.

24. Instead of a traditional cake or cupcakes, have a ice cream or sno-cone bar for guests to indulge in.

25. Another idea for dessert is to have a “family recipes” theme and serve desserts that are important and familiar to you. Display the story and importance of each dish and set out copies of the recipes for your guests.

26. Write a sweet message to groom on the bottom of his dress shoe. This will be a cute little surprise for him when he is getting ready!

27. Skip the buffet and go for a family style meal. It’s more personable an intimate.

28. Stack piles of cheese, olives, crackers, jam and other finger foods on large wood slabs as a unique way to display your hors d'oeuvres rather than on separate plates.

29. Instead of tossing your bouquet to a crowd of single women call on one woman that has made a positive impact on your life and celebrate her with a few words and giving her your bouquet.

30. Serve featured cocktails! Each of you can choose your favorite drink and those will be featured as the special cocktails of the night.

31. Make each of your guests feel special with a DIY flower bar. Provide flowers, pins, ribbons and basic instructions to make corsages and boutonniere and let your guests make their own custom pieces to wear.

32 Set up a table full of items to entertain your smallest of guests. Games, puzzles, bubbles, coloring sheets and kid-friendly snacks are all ideas you can stock your kids table with.

33. People love options! A fully stocked champagne, bloody mary or sangria bar can be an amazing and fun addition to your wedding! For champagne you can include berries, flavored syrups and cotton candy. For bloody mary’s stock it with olives, celery, A1, shrimp, pickled beans and hot sauce. For sangria you can have cut fruit such as apples, oranges or limes.

34. Surprise your guests with and end of night food truck. Offer a few of your favorite foods to fill their belly’s and soak up any of the… uh..um, … liquid … sloshing around in their stomachs.

35. On a smaller scale, as the night is winding down offer a ‘midnight snack’ to your guests. Cookies and milk or hot cocoa are great ideas!

XOXO,

Sarah

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Wedding Traditions: Take them or leave them? | Olympia Wedding Photographer

Most wedding traditions date back to different eras and honestly, most people don’t know how or why they started. As times have changed and we as people have evolved many of these traditions have hung around and are greatly outdated. Whether you are a traditional person or not I encourage you to explore your options. Research the history behind wedding traditions and make your decisions based on that and what is best for you and your fiance NOT solely because it’s tradition. Some traditions are important and some are outdated, be bold and creative and maybe you’ll be the one to start the next epic wedding tradition. I think we are quite due for some fresh ones!

White dress - White wedding dresses became a thing in 1840 when Queen Victoria chose an ivory dress for her wedding day. Since then white wedding dresses have become tradition and are chosen for the majority of weddings. White also symbolizes purity and innocence which for many decades was expected from brides.

• Alternative Idea: Colorful dresses - Who says you can’t get married in red? Queen Victoria? White wedding dresses are beautiful but for those who love to push the envelope and don’t see the need for archaic traditions then find a dress that suits YOUR style and not Queen Victoria’s.

Veil covering bride’s face - There are several reasons why brides started wearing a veil to cover their faces while walking down the aisle. The first is as a sign of ownership. The father was to lower the veil over her face and the new husband would lift it when the bride became “his.” The other origin to this tradition was to keep the brides face covered until after the nuptials so that the groom couldn’t change his mind if he found her unattractive.

• Alternative Idea: No veil! Opt for flowers in your hair, a cool head piece or a tiara, ‘cause why the heck not! It’s your day, be a princess.

Diamond Ring - According to the American Gem Society diamond rings date back to Roman times when wives wore rings attached to small keys that showed ownership by their husbands.

• Alternative Idea: Choose a colored gem instead of a diamond. How about your birthstone? Or your favorite color? My personal favorite is moonstone, I’ve worn a moonstone pendant for over a decade! I keep telling my husband I want to sell my diamond ring and get a non-traditional one cause I love this idea so much!

Large wedding party - Large wedding parties can be fun, but being in a wedding party can also put a financial burden on your closest friends. Some may even be nervous or embarrassed about walking or standing up in front of large crowds. Many times brides and grooms end up with large wedding parties because they have so many close friends and don’t want to hurt feelings by not including them. This can quickly get out of hand and end in HUGE wedding parties. Do you feel like you are in this situation?? See solution below!

• Alternative Idea: Designate your set of closest friends and involve them in planning, getting ready, bachelor/ bachelorette party etc just like you normally would but instead of having them buy dresses and suits they’ll never wear again have them dress how they like and sit comfortably in rows close to the alter. You closest friends are still involved and there to support you sans the pressure of purchasing unnecessary items and standing up in front of a crowd. Personally I love this idea! I photographed a few weddings this past year that chose this route and it was low-key and fun. One couple called this set of friends their “dudes” which I thought was great!

First Look at the ceremony - Traditionally, a groom gets to see his bride for the first time as she walks down the aisle to marry him. The idea of your groom welling up with emotion when he sees you is definitely appealing but lets visit how this tradition started. Many years ago when marriages were still commonly arranged the groom wasn’t allowed to see the bride before she walked down the aisle in fear that he would find her unattractive and back out of the marriage.

• Alternative Idea: Do a first look! A first look happens before the ceremony. You and your love are all dressed up and ready to get married. Yet before you go walking down the aisle you get to see each other for the first time in a private little setting. We will arrange a quiet area for you to turn and see each other for the first time and capture those first emotional moments. Then we sneak away and give you a moment to breathe and just be together. BONUS: If you do a first look we can do most if not all of your posed family / wedding party portraits before the ceremony, leaving more time to spend with your guests!

• Alternative Idea: Forego the first look and get ready together! This leads to a more relaxed and fun morning and you get to spend every minute of your special day with your love. This is a growing trend the last few years and I’m digging it!

Newlyweds showered with rice - Rice is said to symbolize rain which is supposed to bring prosperity, fertility and good fortune…. but it’s also bad for birds. Below are a few ideas to symbolize good fortune in a bit more earth friendly way…. of course if you are getting married in Washington it’s likely to rain on your wedding day anyway, and nothing beats the real deal! HAHA.

• Alternative Idea: Toss Bar - Set up a fun little table and let your guest create their own bags of items to throw. Eco friendly confetti, leaves, flower petals, flowers and herbs are just some ideas to add to your toss bar.

• Alternate Idea: Leaf confetti, it’s just what it sounds! Use a hole punch to make confetti out of leaves. It’s biodegradable!

Bouquet Toss - The tradition to toss the bouquet and garter started when the bride and groom were trying to leave to go to the bridal chambers. They would toss them and it would distract the crowd enough for them to leave. This evolved into whoever caught them was supposed to be the next to be married.

• Alternative Idea: Skip ditching your guests who some have flown across the country to see you and hang out!! People get married on their own terms today not to mention some guests may find it awkward to stand up declaring their singleness in front of the entire wedding.

Taking the husband’s name - This one began in medieval England when women were said to “become one” with their husbands upon marriage. This is another tradition that started when wives were considered property of their husbands.

• Alternative Idea: Keep your name….. why not, it’s 2019. If you own your own business or are well established under your maiden name, there is no reason to switch your name.

• Alternative Idea: For those anti-traditioners (I’m pretty sure I just made that word up) why not take the bride’s last name??? Never thought of it?? Hey, it’s an option.

• Alternative Idea: Hyphenate! If you both want to keep your names but want the same last name then why not hyphenate them. I have some friends that are now the Scibelli-Jones family and before them I hadn’t considered this but I love the idea.

XOXO,

Sarah

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Preparing For Your Engagement (Couples) Session | Olympia Wedding Photographer

Congratulations on your engagement! This is a special time in your life and should be documented. So, before you get too far into wedding planning, take a few moments to start planning your engagement session. Engagement photos are a great way to announce your big news, plus they will be some of your top viewed photos of the year! They deserve a little planning but the fun we’ll have and the amazing photos you’ll get are totally worth it! These will be images you’ll treasure forever. Plus it also gives you a chance to work with us prior to your wedding day so you can get a feel of how we work and it takes a lot of unnecessary stress out of the wedding shots!

Below let’s talk about some of the things you’ll need to consider while planning your engagement session but remember the most important advice is that this should be fun and relaxed! It’s not worth stressing over, save that for the wedding deets!

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1. Wardrobe

• Pick out two or three outfits for your session, this will give you some variety in your photos. If you are having a hard time choosing you can always bring an extra outfit or two or get our input on what would photograph the best.

• Choose soft, muted, neutral colors like whites, browns, sage green, grey, blush or black. Avoid neon colors, crazy or tight patterns or lots of competing colors because they will draw attention away from you and your love. You two are the focus of the photos and we want to avoid competition and instead focus on the intimate and fun moments between you.

• Select clothing that is comfortable, if you aren’t comfortable then it will show in the photos. That being said, avoid clothes that are too tight and may show underwear lines or unwanted bulges. On the other end of the spectrum, avoid clothes that are baggy or over-sized. They can make you look boxy and add bulk to your shape. Finding proper fitting clothes that you are comfortable in and fit your body style is essential!

• Consider buying a dress or skirt for your session. You’ll look and feel great in your new outfit and a hand selected dress to match the location you choose can’t be beat. Long flowing skirts photograph well and are really fun in action-based shots!

• Coordinate—but don’t match. Think coordinating color palettes, but not matchy/matchy. Too much contrast (i.e. you in white, him in black) can overwhelm a picture or be cheesy. Also avoid both wearing patterns as they again may draw viewers eyes away from your moments.

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See more of Kenzi + Daniel’s Couples Session

2. Look your best!

• These photos will be family heirlooms. They’ll be sent off on save-the dates, parents and grandparents will display them and eventually children and grandchildren will look back at them. It’s important to look and feel your best! Although many women are comfortable doing their makeup I suggest hiring a professional to do your hair and makeup because they know how makeup photographs so they can contour to bring out your best features. They also can put together the perfect palette to match your selected outfits and location.

• Utilize your hair and makeup trials with your wedding vendors. This is a great way to get the most out of those trials and not pay for additional services. Need hair and makeup artists? Check out our Sound South Wedding Vendor Guide.

• Get your ring cleaned, let that thing sparkle!

See more of Krissy + Mitch’s Lake Cushman Adventure Session - Coming Soon

3. Where should we have our photos taken?

• Are you at home in the city? Adventurers?? Are you drawn to the mountain or water? Is there a location that is significant to you and your fiance? Ask yourself these questions and it will help you find an engagement session location. You two will be the main focus of the photos but having a serene or special backdrop makes for fabulous photos and epic memories from that day.

• Looking for areas nearby the Olympia area? Look HERE for some idea.

• Seeking wind in your hair and adventure to feed your soul? Say no more, I’m already sold. For ideas on adventurous locations click HERE.

See more of Emily + Mario’s Gold Creek Pond Engagement Session - Coming Soon

5. What time should we plan on begin taking our photos?

• About 2 hours before sunset is the best time since the light is prettiest. So, for example, if sunset is at 7\8:30pm, we'll usually plan to start around 6:30pm.

• Two hours or so after sunrise is also a good option for certain locations. The morning light is cool and pretty, there are less people out and about and depending on the season there is a good chance of some pretty fog!

See more of Silu + Aristotle’s Seattle Engagement Session - Coming Soon

6. Creativity + trusting your photographer

• We are very experienced in posing couples and will use our creativity to bring out the best in you! Chat with us before the session and let us know if there are any specific poses that interest you, otherwise sit back, have fun and trust us to capture all the special moments.

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See more of Naya + Betka’s downtown Seattle Couples Session - Coming Soon

7. Keep the mood light.

• Relax! If you are uncomfortable it will show in the photos! Relax and BREATHE!

• Have fun! Above all, this is the most important. This is an exciting time for you as a couple and we want to capture your personalities and the love that you share.

See more of Krysta + Kyle’s Dupont couples session

8. Can we bring pets?

• Of course! Bring your fur babies and we’ll grab some photos of you and them. I do recommend bringing a friend to help with them while we are shooting the photos without them though. If that isn’t an option bring a long leash so we can tie them to a tree while we are shooting.

See more of Krissy, Mitch + Lily’s Lake Cushman adventure sesion - Coming Soon

9. Think props

• Is there something special that has lots of significance in your relationship? It could be a blanket, a piece of jewelry, a vintage car or a motorcycle. The more unique to your relationship, the better! Look HERE for more prop ideas.

• If you choose to bring props, limit it to two or three. We want your awesome props to enhance the photos and add personality, but not take away attention from you two.
   

See more of Kristin + Pooji’s Olympia Session

10. Be on time

• This is REALLY important! What you may not realize is that photographers are 100% dependent on the sun and specifically plan their sessions for the most flattering and beautiful light. If you show up late you will lose time off your session due to lack of light

• . There are always things that happen that are out of our control, like traffic and accidents but by planning your route and a backup route ahead of time and leaving early you can minimize the risk of showing up late and losing camera time.

• Being late is stressful and we want you happy and relaxed!

See more of Alexandria + Cody’s Ft. Steilacoom Session

XOXO,

Sarah

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Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful

Wedding Planning Timeline | Wedding Resource | Olympia Wedding Photographer

So you're getting married! Congrats. Wedding planning can feel overwhelming but good wedding planning is necessary to make your big day run smoothly.

There is so much to do! How do you know all the steps if you've never planned a wedding before?? First step... get a solid wedding planning guide and a wedding checklist. Second step, BREATHE! A planning guide can't do the work for you but it can help you stay organized. Step three, get to work planning your dream wedding!

Attached is a guide to give you an idea of the steps required to plan a wedding, as well as the recommended timeline for each. You can download your PDF copy HERE.

Also get your free Wedding Essentials Checklist HERE.

Happy planning!

9-24 Months Before Wedding

• Get engaged
• Insure engagement ring
• Create or buy a wedding folder or binder
• Pick a date
• Determine your budget
• Choose best people
• Choose your wedding party
• Finalize wedding theme/colors/style
• List family traditions to include
• Start a guest list
• Hire a planner (not necessary but super helpful!)
• Research Vendors - Venue, Photographer, Videographer, Cake, Caterer, Florist, Hair and Makeup, Limo Service. (Looking for vendors? See Preferred Vendors List HERE)
• Book Officiant or designate someone special to officiate your wedding
• Tour potential venues (Keep in mind that popular venues fill up quickly. You may have to plan further out if you have your heart set on a very popular one.)
• Interview potential Photographers and Videographers
• Book Ceremony Venue
• Book Reception Venue (if different)
• Book Photographer
• Submit engagement announcement to newspaper
• Take a break from all the work and celebrate your love! Throw an engagement party!

8 Months Before Wedding

• Book entertainment (DJ, Band etc)
• Interview more vendors (Caterer, Florist, Hair and Makeup, Limo Service)
• Choose a dress (Make it fun, bring your bridal party and some champagne and make a day of it)
• Reserve lodging for your out of town guests (Find hotel/cottages/B&B’s near your reception location)
• Register for wedding gifts (Pick 2-3 places to register and have fun with it!)
• Launch a wedding website for your friends and family to follow and get info (you can post your registries here, post important information, and display your engagement photos and SO much more. Check out Zola, Appy Couple, Wix, Squarespace)
• Send Save-the-date cards

6 Months Before Wedding

• Take engagement photos
• Purchase Invitations (Hire a calligrapher, make them yourself or order online)
• Start planning honeymoon
• Select bridesmaids dresses
• Book any further necessities for the big day (lights, porta potties, seating etc)
• Book a Florist (Need ides for in season flowers during your wedding? Check out the SLOW Flowers Movement.
• Book Transportation
• Start putting together a day-of timeline (your wedding coordinator and photographer can help you with this!)

4-5 Months Before Wedding

• Schedule rehearsal
• Book rehearsal dinner venue
• Finalize and send wedding invitations (include RSVP)
• Order cake
• Your Maid of Honor should start planning your bridal shower!
• Dress fitting #1
• Buy wedding shoes and accessories
• Book hair and makeup artist(s)
• Write out a tentative playlist, you can keep adding ideas over the next few months.
• Book Honeymoon (Don’t forget to book a house sitter/dog sitter/ baby sitter)

3 Months Before Wedding

• Finalize food and drink menus
• Order favors
• List who is making toasts
• Ponder readings and vows
• Buy your undergarments
• Order menus
• Order wedding programs
• Shop for wedding bands (you’ll need time to order, size and engrave)
• Finalize decoration details (floral arrangements, centerpieces etc)
• Finalize events schedule
• Send schedule to your vendors
• Bridal Shower
• Shop for a wedding gift for your groom
• Book a bridal boudoir … leave time to have the photos returned and order products for your honey (surprise him with an amazing and sexy wedding gift)

2 Months Before Wedding

• Touch base with all your vendors
• Do a trial run for hair and makeup
• Meet with your photographer to walk through your expectations
• Finalize playlist with DJ (if you’re unsure how to start such a task than try creating ‘must play’ and ‘do not play’ lists)
• Submit wedding announcement to newspaper
• Order or make your decorations (throw a party for your bridal party and put them all together. A little pizza, wine and lots of laughter is the way to go)
• Reserve Tuxedo
• Book wedding night accommodations
• Order a guest book
• Arrange for a pet/baby sitter for the day and night of if needed
• Purchase a reception dress if you plan to change out of your wedding dress

1 Months Before Wedding

• Party time! Relax and enjoy your bachelorette party!
• Gather RSVP’s, call those you haven’t heard from
• Finalize guest list
• Get your marriage license
• Send out rehearsal dinner invites
• Dress fitting #2 (You can also schedule one the week before you wedding just in case and then cancel if not needed)
• Provide tentative head count to caterer
• Stock the bar
• Make final payments to vendors
• Provide address to transportation vendor and all vendors that will be on-site on the big day
• Assign seating for your guests
• Create or purchase seating cards
• Purchase bridesmaids gifts
• Finalize Vows
• Designate one person to gather family for family portraits
• Have your hair cut and dyed
• Pack your Emergency Bridal Kit
• Prep thank you cards for guests you know are attending (hey, you can do it while you relax and watch TV at night and it’s less to do after!)
• Find something new, something old, something borrowed and something blue

1 Week Before Wedding

• Delegate small wedding tasks
• Send timeline to friends, family, vendors and important people
• Pick up your dress (final fitting too if you scheduled that)
• Check in with vendors
• Ensure photographer has family list for shot list
• Set aside checks for vendors (final payments and tips)
• Get a manicure/pedicure and facial/spa treatment
• Get a massage! RELAX, all the planning will be over soon and you’ll be enjoying the fruits of all your labor
• Provide final guest list/ head count to the caterer and venue staff
• Break in your wedding shoes (to avoid blisters on your wedding day!!)
• Pack for your wedding night (include water and snacks)
• Pack for your honeymoon
• Get the rings cleaned
• Rehearsal and Rehearsal dinner

Wedding Day

• Delegate small wedding tasks
• Distribute wedding timeline
• Get ready
• RELAX! …. And enjoy your day
• Get married!

After the Wedding

• Honeymoon of course!!!
• Send thank you notes to guests and vendors
• Clean and store your wedding dress and veil
• Preserve Bouquet
• Return tux
• Return any rentals
• Name change paperwork
• New driver’s license with your new name
• Update your name with all bills, clubs, work etc
• Change insurance policies to include spouse
• Look over registries to make sure you received everything
• Enjoy life as a married couple!

XOXO,

Sarah

Like what you see? To see more please like Sarah Gonia Photography's Facebook page, follow us on Instagram and check out our Pinterest page!

Contact me today and lets document all those little moments that make life beautiful