7 THINGS TO KNOW IF YOU ARE A 2026 OR 2027 BRIDE

7 things to know if you are a 2026 or 2027 bride

In the world of weddings there is so much information. There are so many perspectives and so many trends. It can be hard to find clarity in the midst of that, but my goal here is to try to help you! As a 2025 bride and a photographer, I have insight into weddings that not everyone does.

So let's get started!! 7 things for you as a bride to think about as you book your venue, photographers, florists, dj's, and videographers!

YOUR WEDDING VENUE IS YOUR BACKDROP

Your wedding venue IS YOUR BACKDROP. If you don’t like how your venue looks it will probably also determine how much you will like your photos. How much you put into decorations, florals, etc will also determine how your photos look!

I have shot a few weddings where the couple doesn't love what their venue looks like. As a photographer this is a very difficult predicament for me. I obviously want my couples to LOVE their photos, but it definitely makes me a little nervous because the venue takes is seen throughout their whole gallery!

Here are a few venues in New England that are AMAZING!

Owl's Nest Resort - Thornton, New Hampshire

Dockside Guest Quarters - York, Maine

Barn On the Pemi - Plymouth, New Hampshire

Floriana - Ipswich, Massachusetts

YOUR WEDDING IS YOUR OWN, IT'S NOT JUST FOR INSTAGRAM

Your wedding day is not for instagram, trends, or for going viral. No, Your wedding day is to celebrate YOU & your partner. It’s not about all the perfect poses. It’s about the genuine connection, the tear stained faces, and the joy and love that can be seen radiating off of you.

There is so much focus on trends these days, so much so that I think couples forget to incorporate WHO THEY ARE into their day.

What music do you love?? Do you even like espresso martinis?? Does your dress need to fit the standard??

TAKE TIME ALONE WITH YOUR PARTNER

Schedule in quality time with your partner before or after the ceremony. The amount of weddings I have witnessed where the bride and groom barely even get to speak with each other is not okay! Even if it is 15 minutes alone eating hors-d’oeuvres together I personally think it is so important!

I know a lot of couple's will do this the 15 minutes right before their entrance into the reception!

PRIVATE FIRST LOOK VS. TRADITIONAL FIRST LOOK

You don’t need to do a private first look unless you want to. Private First looks are amazing, but you don’t need to feel pressured into doing them. Just because it’s a common trend does not mean it is mandatory, if you want your groom to see you for the first time as you walk down the aisle then let’s do it!

Their are pro's and cons to both - but ultimately you need to go with what feels right for you as a couple!

PRIVATE FIRST LOOK

TRADITIONAL FIRST LOOK

YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER DOESN'T NEED TO BE AT YOUR WEDDING LATE INTO THE NIGHT

Your photographer only needs to be around for about an hour of dancing. I can normally document 100-200 photos in that amount of time!

So unless you are wanting photos of your send off - I would 100% recommend having your photographer come earlier in the day vs stay later.

CANDID PHOTOS TAKE EFFORT

If you want candid photos, you yourself need to be “candid”. You need to be happy, you need to be in love, you need to purposely have sweet physical contact with your partner, and honestly you need to let loose and have a little fun with your friends.

There are couples that are naturally "candid" - potentially they model or they have experience being in front of the camera. But majority of couples on their wedding day do not have that same experience - which is totally okay. My biggest tip is to be genuinely happy. Manage your stress. And the biggest thing, be ROMANTIC and touchy with your partner!!

PHOTO & VIDEO ARE EQUALLY IMPORTANT

You need to hire both a photographer and a videographer. I feel like so many people think photos are “more important” than video… but they AREN’T. Both art forms are equally important and bring different things to the table. In 30 years, you’ll be able to still see the energy and joy audibly in your wedding film, while also getting to see the visually stunning snapshots of your day.