Brisbane weddings: 5 tips to prepare!

I’ve worked in the Brisbane wedding industry as a photographer for over 15 years now, and if there’s one thing I always say, a wedding day rarely goes exactly to plan. 🥴

Here, I can help you with five tips to prepare before your big day.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not trying to be a negative Nancy here, but more of a realist. 

Let’s face it. If you can prepare mentally for the odd glitch, you’ll be in a better frame of mind if something does slip up on your wedding day. 

From my point of view, here are my five top tips that I believe can help you prepare for your big day.

Book a hair and makeup trial

I will let the cat out of the bag and be honest here. I did NOT do this on my wedding day, and I’ve always regretted it. 

We ended up with hair and makeup I didn’t love, and I was also nearly an hour late due to the hairdresser not understanding what my mum and I wanted. Not good. 

Find someone whose work you adore and research them and their reviews. 

Work off the referrals of friends, and they’ll be able to give you their honest recommendations. 

And always allow extra time because things don’t always go according to plan. 

Having some extra time up your sleeve will allow for this.

I have another tip: book your hair and makeup trial on the day you’re having your Brisbane engagement shoot. 

This is an excellent opportunity to be picture-perfect in your engagement photos and have you feeling your best. Win-win!

Break those shoes in!

I’m all for this one because there’s nothing worse than wearing shoes that kill your feet and leave you with blisters. 

Suppose you’re worried about potentially leaving unsightly marks; practice wearing them at home or the office with a sole insert. 

I’d also consider investing in a beautiful pair of excellent quality. Remember, happy feet = happy bride!

Pack your emergency kit

You can easily be well-prepared for any setback with a well-put-together emergency wedding kit. 

This is something that your bridesmaids or maid of honour can help prepare and take with you on the day. 

Items to include are deodorant, perfume, bobby pins, waterproof mascara, lipstick, Panadol, anti-histamines, band-aids, a small sewing kit with scissors, breath mints, hand sanitiser, wipes, tissues, cash etc. 

Another good tip is that these can make great little bridesmaid gifts. You can find some super cute ideas like this one on Etsy.

Relax and pamper!

Take some time for yourself! 

This is super easy to recommend and one that I think every bride deserves. 

Take your girlfriends with you or go alone and enjoy a facial and massage; get your nails done; have a spa day; look after those beautiful brows and lashes. 

Making yourself feel special and practising self-care can go a long way to easing your stress levels and having you relaxed and ready on your big day. 

Remember: you deserve it!

How to pin a buttonhole

Honestly, this is my favourite tip, and I’ve left it to last for a good reason! 

Nearly all the grooms and groomsmen I’ve met over the years don’t know how to do this. 

I’m not knocking you guys out there AT ALL! It’s just that it’s not a regular choice of outfit planning.

So you order your beautiful flowers and know what you want. 

Your day then arrives, and there’s confusion on exactly where and how to pin them. 

I’ve seen some great florists include written instructions on how to do this when they deliver flowers on the big day, but not everyone does. 

My advice would be to practice. 

This wikiHow article has good basic instructions and visuals on how to do it. 

You can also have a mum or groomsman on hand to help (it’s always lovely to see a mum helping in the wedding photos). 

This will also save time on the day, meaning more time for a couple more drinks. Wins for the boys!

I hope you’ve enjoyed these tips about ‘Brisbane weddings: 5 tips to prepare!’