I got engaged over the holidays! Now what?
Basic elements to consider to create your perfect wedding
What are the next steps after getting engaged?
You’ve just gotten engaged to the love of your love, congratulations! Now you’re wondering what the next steps to take are. What are the basic elements every wedding needs? How do I start planning? Don’t worry —I got you covered. While wedding planning can seem like a whirlwind at first, with a clear plan on how to approach it, it can be a smooth, memorable, and enjoyable process. To guide you, we’ve put together for you a list of top wedding preparation and consideration tips — from picking a dress to what time to schedule your ceremony to get the best of light.
What Type Of Wedding Do You Want?
Big or small? Farm wedding or beach elopement? Destination wedding or church ceremony? So many options - decision fatigue is real.
To elope all you need is 5 people - you and your spouse to be, two witnesses and a person performing the ceremony. Some people choose the photographer to be one of their witnesses!
Oh no! She said the B-word!!
Yep - Budget, budget, budget!
After you’ve decided the kind of wedding you want, set your budget. To begin, make a list of the elements you want at your wedding, and research the costs. You can visit wedding websites for details or ask acquaintances whose wedding ceremonies you admired. For more accurate information, you can also approach vendors and inquire about prices and packages. With the information you’ve gathered, work with your partner to set an overall budget for your big day. And again - don’t forget to ask about that covid refund!
Summer weddings and weddings set around commercial holidays like Valentine’s day will be at a premium; also consider that in the future if you want to celebrate your anniversary on a holiday, places might be closed or extremely busy — everyone wants to have a romantic evening out on Valentine’s day, right? So be prepared to book your table weeks in advance and deal with crowds. Off-season weddings however are less expensive, and getting married in November, for example, will cost less for wedding venues in Nova Scotia than it would in peak season during summer.
How to pick a wedding date
Setting a wedding date early is essential. This way, your guests will have enough time to rearrange their schedules and be well prepared to celebrate with you. It also helps put wedding planning in perspective because you know when you’re working towards it.
To make sure you’re choosing a suitable date for your special day, consider the seasons, your guests’ availability, and again — your budget. For instance, if you’re working on a tight budget, weekdays and winter are great options, and if you prefer an outdoor wedding, summer is a lovely season to wed outside!
Trees change colour in Nova Scotia in October
For the most gorgeous setting outside, consider mid-October — foliage in Nova Scotia is perfect and shows all colours of the rainbow around October 15th. Marybeth and Ghyslain got married on October 15th, 2020 and had the most perfect weather and the gorgeous backgorund for their wedding photos.
What time should a wedding ceremony be?
Consider the Golden Light
If the original plan is to get married outside, consider the light - Golden Light happens 1-1.5 hours before the sunset so if you plan your ceremony around it you will get the most glorious images. Ask your photographer about it during your consultation - the Golden Hour depends on the time of year of course. Marybeth & Ghyslain‘s ceremony was at 4 pm and we were able to take advantage of the Golden Hour.
Choose Your Wedding Venue
Do you want an indoor or outdoor wedding? A church or garden? How long is your guest list? What sort of venue aligns with your vision for your wedding day? These are all factors that can guide you in choosing the perfect wedding venue!
Saltwater Hideaway
A very popular option these days is Airbnb - booking a giant mansion is easier than ever these days and there are so many beautiful options —check out Saltwater Hideaway in Lawrence town — it’s on water, has a gorgeous main bedroom for getting ready for the bride and a basement for the guys, a huge field and a deck for your party, a dedicated firepit space, and a charming well that you can set up as an altar.
Harbour Mist
OH MY! — don’t even start me on this beauty — I photographed a wedding this past summer — as a huge fan of the Outlander TV show, I felt like I was transport there, well plus all the amenities and modern comforts. Harbour Mist is truly a stunning venue in Hubbards, just 40 minutes away from Halifax. The views are stunning and the Chateau is simply a state-of-art, tastefully decorated and is a dream for any wedding photographer.
Hatfield Farm in Tantallon
Rustic wedding venues in Halifax, Nova Scotia
All-inclusive farms is another option for those who love rustic weddings - check out my blog post here about the all-inclusive weddings at Hatfield Farm in Tantallon.
Fossil Farms Oceanside Retreat
I photographed Lane and Maria at the Fossil Farms Oceanside Retreat in October of this year. We got lucky with an amazing sunset, warm weather and starry skies.
Fossil Farms offers “farm takeover” for your wedding (or any event), so that you and your guests can party the whole weekend if you choose to do so.
Find a photographer for your Nova Scotia wedding
Engagements and weddings are special occasions couples never want to forget, and what better way is there to preserve memories than with pictures? Begin by securing an engagement photo session with your photographer while you still have that beautiful engagement glow! Working together on an engagement shoot is also a great chance to see what your wedding photos would look like, and the perfect opportunity to grow comfortable with your photographer!
If you chose to have a petite wedding, hiring a photographer is a must - a professional will make your photos look stunning and you will have so many to share with your friends and family — they will bug you for them, that’s for sure. Check out this gallery with Ana and Yuri who chose to elope on Lawrence beach and then spend a couple of hours creating gorgeous memories. It is a grand adventure you’re embarking on together so getting the right for you photographer is probably the most important thing on your planning list - the right photographer can absolutely elevate your memories and turn your already beautiful day into a gorgeous story.
When should I book a wedding photographer?
As soon as you have your date set! One of the reasons for finding a photographer early is the wealth of knowledge they offer as professionals who’ve been in this industry for years. Most of the photographers will want to have a consultation with you - and you can ask them any questions that they should be able to answer. Don’t be afraid to hop on a phone call or chat over zoom — there is a photographer in Halifax or Nova Scotia for you out there and you will know which one is the right for you not just because of their wedding portfolio, but also because of how they make you feel before you even meet up for an engagement session. Most photographers in Halifax are not just wedding photographers, they are also almost wedding planners - you can ask them any question about weddings and if they don’t know the answer, they will go above and beyond finding an answer for you. And if the photographer you’re talking to doesn’t do so, perhaps they are not the right one for you.
Read my post here about tips and tricks for the best engagement session everrr! as well as the most romantic places in Halifax for engagement photos.
While some photographers have an engagement session included in their packages, you don’t have to commit to any of those packages and just have a couple’s photo session in the best romantic locations in Halifax to decide if you love your photographer as much as you love their work.
I hope this post eased up your worries about planning a wedding during Covid in Halifax. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments, send me an email, call me or fill out this form for me to contact you instead.
