Weddings! The anticipation of your special day is huge but like any large event, when there are so many elements to make up that one day- some things don't always go to plan.
Rory and Siobhain still look happy at the end of the day
I usually try to help any anxious brides realise there’s usually one thing that goes slightly differently to how it was planned- but that one thing never ruins the whole day. In fact, it will just add to your fabulous wedding day story in years to come and make it even more interesting.
Usually this works well but one wedding I did a few years ago ended up with three things not going to plan. At the time, it was very stressful but caused lots of laughter later on in the day.
No 1: No hairdresser!
Six bridesmaids and the bride were all getting ready at her parent’s home and the pre-booked hairdresser called to say "I've been in a car accident so can't make it so sorry".
This was a BIG shock. There were a few minutes of "Oh my goodness what are we going to do with seven heads of hair all needing to be done for the wedding and no hairdresser?" Then the makeup artist said "let me phone someone I know".
She explained the whole situation to her hairdresser who was the manageress of a salon and she immediately came over and sorted everyone out - in fact she did an amazing job! I did my usual speech "Don't worry that's your one thing that went wrong you will be fine now for the rest of the day".
No 2: No Ribbon for the Wedding Dress!
So we were running a bit late but finally we came to the "putting on of the wedding dress".
The gown was amazing, a vintage lace dress with matching vintage lace to tie up the back. Alas, once the bride had the dress on, she realised they had forgotten to put the ribbon in with it.
She telephoned the dress shop, they said they did not have it and she looked like she might cry.
We all gave champagne to the bride and started to take the ribbon off the smaller bridesmaid’s flower wand reassuring her it would all be ok and this ribbon should fit (photograph above).
It did not! Her dad, who was already suited and booted decided like an action hero to would jump on his motorbike go to the nearby market and buy every ivory ribbon he could see.
That man was amazing and he was back in 30 minutes and one of the ribbons he had brought fit!
We all kept trying to see the funny side of this to make the bride laugh. We told her it didn’t matter if she was a bit late it would all be ok - plus nothing else could go wrong!
No 3: Car trouble!
We hurriedly all set off to the ceremony in three cars. One car was for the bride and her two bridesmaids, I was following behind all three thinking "boy what an eventful morning!" when up ahead the bride’s car was pulled over on a country lane to the side.
I thought "no way… if the car has broken down I will squash as many as I can in my car and do two trips as we have to get there!”
I pulled over and asked the bride what had happened she said "one of my bridesmaids thinks she is going to be sick!"
So the driver of the car had pulled over quick. She was then sick but felt better so we all got back in the cars and went on our way.
When we finally got to the ceremony, I went to see the groom and told him what had happened. I thought if the bride saw her groom for the first time after all that- she was definitely going to burst into tears. Then he would wonder why she was so emotional.
I did this, once again got the bride laughing and the ceremony started. She did cry as soon as she saw him, but he gave her a huge reassuring wink and a smile and I can honestly say it was one of the best weddings I have done after that. I got some great photos and she had an amazing album. I have since changed my pre-wedding speech to say; "whatever goes slightly off plan on your wedding day- never ever ruins it!"
Caron Saunders
Photography
www.caronsaundersphotography.com