5 Ways to Have a Stress-Free Wedding and Still Get Mind-Blowing Photographs

You’re allowed to actually enjoy your wedding

See that photo above?? That’s how I want you to be able to celebrate at your wedding.

Hot take after photographing 200+ weddings: the best photos never come from couples who are tense, rushed, or getting micromanaged every five minutes. They come from couples who are present, relaxed, and having a genuinely good freaking time!

My entire job is to ADD to the experience on your day so you can focus on the part that actually matters. The most stress-free, wildly fun weddings I’ve been part of all have a few things in common, and none of them involve forcing moments or disappearing for an hour of photos.

Here’s how to ensure that you experience a wedding day that looks good, feels even better, and still produces artwork you’ll actually want in your home.

Tip #1: Choose a Location That Does the Heavy Lifting

My wedding planning philosophy is this: Reject Stress, Inject Joy

If you want less stress and better photos, it helps to keep your day mostly in one place.

Now, this doesn’t mean that you absolutely can’t leave to go visit your grandma in the nursing home in your gorgeous wedding attire, but it’s a generally helpful guideline. Venues that handle ceremony, cocktail hour, reception, and portraits on site cut down on travel, traffic, timelines, and (most importantly) your mental load. Fewer moving pieces means more time to breathe, more time with your people, and approximately 35% more booty-shakin’ on the dance floor.

One of the biggest stress multipliers I see is going off-location for portraits. It sounds good in theory. In reality, it eats time and breaks momentum. Great photos don’t require a separate destination. They require intention, good light, and a couple who isn’t watching the clock.

Make art where you are.

If you’re still venue hunting, my St. Louis wedding venue guide breaks down some of my favorite locations that are actually built for smooth, flexible days.

Tip #2: Unplug and Delegate Like a Pro

This is one of the rare days in your life where you get permission to be unreachable. Take it.

Tell your guests the ceremony is unplugged. Let them know phones aren’t needed and that their job is to celebrate, not document. The photos look better, but more importantly, the energy feels different when people are actually present. Seriously! Have you ever been to a wedding where the couple is having a beautiful moment during their first dance and none of the guests are actually paying attention? Bad vibes - no thanks.

However, the same rule applies to you.

Hand your phone to someone you trust. Let your planner, photographer, venue coordinator, and wedding party answer questions. If something truly matters, it will get to you. Spoiler alert: Most things don’t.

You’re not the point person on your wedding day. You’re the reason it exists.

Tip #3: GREAT LIGHT (MOSTLY) COMES FIRST

Actually, the moment comes first. But for times when we want to get creative, I’m thinkin’ about the light.

Yes, I can make strong images in any situation. That’s table stakes.

But the photos couples fall in love with almost always happen when the light is doing something interesting. Sunset. Window light. Open shade under trees. Nighttime with intentional lighting.

This doesn’t mean your entire timeline needs to revolve around golden hour. It just means building in flexibility so we can lean into the best light when it shows up.

Cloudy, dark, or rainy days still work. The best photographers bring their own light and know how to shape it. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s giving the day room to breathe so we can create something honest and bold no matter what shows up.

If you’re curious how this plays out in real life, you can see full wedding stories here.

Tip #4: Break Up Your Creative Portraits

You don’t need to disappear for a single 45-minute portrait block. In fact, even as a photographer, I HATE that idea.

Instead, break portraits into smaller chunks throughout the day. Fifteen minutes after the ceremony. Ten minutes during cocktail hour. A quick breather during sunset (and maybe take a shot if that’s your thing). One more round later in the evening for night photos.

This keeps you present for the fun parts while giving you a wider variety of images. Different light. Different energy. Different moments. It also makes your final album feel layered and complete rather than repetitive.

Speaking of albums, this approach is exactly why my couples end up with printed heirloom-quality artwork that actually tells their story. Every couple gets an album. Learn more about my full-service approach to, not just your artwork, but your full wedding experience.

Tip #5: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

Some things will not go to plan. That’s normal.

The timeline might run late. A boutonniere will disappear. Uncle Bob left to go pee right in the middle of family photos (or to the bar). None of that is the story.

Your guests are there for you. They won’t start without you, I promise! Dinner waits. The ceremony waits. Take the minute you need to breathe, check in with each other, and reset.

The moments that matter most often happen when you stop trying to control everything. Let the day unfold. Let your vendors do their jobs. Trust that the energy you bring sets the tone.

And yeah, the unexpected stuff always makes the best f*cking photos.

I Got You.

A stress-free wedding isn’t about doing less. It’s about being intentional with the few things you can control, and letting the rest just… happen.

When your day is built around presence instead of pressure, the photos follow naturally. You get images that feel real, dynamic, and full of life, not staged or rushed.

If you’re planning a wedding in St. Louis or beyond and want a day that actually feels like you, you can reach out here. Our intentional process gets to the heart of your wants, needs, and values. This means you are able to be fully present and enjoy your own wedding, knowing you will have Creative, Vibrant, and Intentional images intentionally crafted by a photographer who, above all, gives a sh*t about you.

You deserve to enjoy this. The photos will take care of themselves.