Whether you are considering hiring a wedding stylist for your big day, or you are already working with one, these expert tips should make the entire process just that little bit smoother for everyone!
1. It’s okay to use Pinterest!
Wedding stylists will likely show you their look books, Instagram feeds and portfolios when you meet with them to discuss the aesthetics of your special day. We want you to know that you do NOT need to choose something specifically from these look books! They are simply there as a guide to get your creative juices flowing. It is more than okay to come to us with inspiration from Pinterest, Instagram, etc. We welcome any and every form of inspiration!
2. Your inspiration photos have been heavily edited
A lot of the photos you have found inspiration in have likely been photoshopped, edited and heavily filtered. We can absolutely replicate your inspiration photos, however the overall look on the day will probably end up looking a little bit different than those, simply because of the editing that has been used on them (eg colour enhancement, exposure/brightness/contrast changes, etc). Please keep in mind that social media is heavily curated to fit a particular dreamy aesthetic, and reality will look slightly different to that.
3. Think about your photos and the overall wedding day look!
Always keep in mind the theme, vibe and aesthetics of the overall look – not just the individual items you want. It is very easy to get caught up in each and every little possibility you can possibly choose for your wedding day… from donut walls and lit up letters, to charger plates and coloured cutlery. Generally speaking, there are many incredible items that can all be put together when its done in the right way, however sometimes it can be overdone and therefore become way too ‘busy’. This is what a wedding stylist can help you with. We can help you visualise the overall look of your wedding day and rein in all the extras to make sure the synergy is perfect!
4. Consider the environment!
Please always keep the environment in your thoughts when contemplating certain aspects of your decorations. For example, the petal toss in your ceremony. A lot of couples reach for confetti, however this is terrible for the environment and quite often completely banned from a lot of venues, especially those beside the ocean. There are some awesome biodegradable options if you are looking for a more budget friendly alternative to petals for your petal cones/toss!
5. DIY is great, but it isn’t as cheap or as easy as it seems.
Doing your own styling for your wedding is great, however it can very quickly become incredibly expensive, stressful and time consuming. Some brides like to feel like they want to be more involved with the creation of their aesthetics and quite often may hand make their own wedding favours or stationary, however when it comes to centrepieces, table cloths, napkins, furniture, cutlery, glass wear, candles, votives, and even setting up on the day, it will definitely end up being more cost effective for you to reach out to a stylist to work with you! Another thing to keep in mind when considering your DIY wedding decorations, is what you will do with all that stock after the wedding, as well as logistics of getting it to and from the venue and set up, on the day.
6. Fake flowers don’t look fake anymore!!
Real touch florals are exactly that… real touch! They look and feel SO REAL you will be leaning in to smell them yourselves. No one will ever be able to know the difference, so for the difference in price tag, it is worth considering real touch florals for your ceremony and reception! A lot of brides opt for real flowers through their florist for the bouquet’s and lapel’s, but then choose real touch for their decorations.
For weddings here in the Whitsundays, it is very important to consider the heat, humidity and weather when deciding on florals for your wedding day. These factors are enough to make flowers wilt, droop, and burn very quickly. Often in a set up, your florist will make sure they set up at the perfect time to prevent this from happening to the flowers, however it is always something to keep in mind for your decision process!
7. Candles will blow out if you don’t have glass cylinders surrounding them!
This may seem like a very obvious point to make, however there have been countless times brides have expected no glass cylinders to be surrounding their candles and have been disappointed to find out they cannot possibly achieve that desired look! Please keep in mind inspiration photos online showing open flame candles outdoors have been specifically taken and edited for that particular photo. To achieve a burning flame the entire wedding, the candle will need protection from wind.
8. Tell us any styling items you are bringing yourself
Sometimes brides don’t want to tell their stylist they are bringing their own decorations due to not wanting to offend them. We want our brides to understand that we won’t ever be offended, we just need to know what is being added to the overall aesthetic so that we can make it work into what we have going visually for you! If you plan on bringing anything extra, eg photo frames, props, games, wedding favours, cutlery, place cards, menus, etc. please discuss that with your wedding stylist so they know whether they need to bring anything else to accommodate those things (eg an extra table and linen), as well as being able to let you know if it will all fit on the table due to venues having specific and personalised table dimensions.
9. On your wedding day, have an open mind.
On the day of the wedding, there is always the possibility that something may come up that prevents a certain aspect of your styling to be changed or completely removed. For example, if it is incredibly windy and you have chosen a very light weight arbour, it may require extra weights and/or reinforcements to keep it from blowing away. Alternatively, we may need to completely replace the arbour with a similar looking, more sturdy arbour. Unfortunately weather is just one of those things that cannot always be perfectly predicted and alternatives may need to come into the equation. Of course during the decision making process, the bride will be kept in the loop, however we ask that our brides trust in us and keep an open mind on the day, as complications such as this may arise! On the day we will do everything in our power to keep things as per what we have discussed, but if we do need to change anything, please know it will only be done if it absolutely must be done.
10. Trust us!
Sometimes it can be very hard to let go and completely trust a stranger to successfully bring together the entire visual aspect of the day you have been dreaming about your whole life… we totally get it! However, we want you to know that here at TeepeEvents & Styling, we live and breathe all things wedding and all things beautiful. We have the same goal as you, and not meeting the brief is not an option. On top of this, we know the venues very well and what will work. Whether you live locally to your wedding venue & stylist, or on the other side of the world, communication is key and we are only ever a call/email away.
Planning and styling a wedding with the help of a stylist is so much fun! There are endless possibilities in terms of bringing the wedding to a new level visually, and it should help relieve a lot of the pressures and stresses that arise in doing it all yourself. In saying this, we hope these little pointers help give some insight into a few important things that you should keep in mind along the way.
Happy planning!
Kellie & Michaela
TeepeEvents & Styling