How To Survive a Double Header Weekend

This weekend was filled to the brim with all things wedding!  We had two incredibly beautiful weddings, lots of traveling, and so  much coffee I should be ashamed. Spring is here and it makes my nose itchy, my throat scratchy, and my heart overwhelmingly happy because love (and pollen) is floating through the air like bubbles and I just love catching it everywhere!

Having weddings back to back in a weekend can be tricky because there are a lot of things to factor in that you don’t normally have to think about with only one wedding. Formatting cards, extra batteries, chargers, travel to and from for both events…the list goes on and on. But I have a few simple tips that may help you get through the weekend with your sanity and a big ole smile on your face when its over!

1. Plan your outfits and pack light. You will have enough gear to carry that you won’t want to lug around a big giant bag too! Think about the outfits you want to wear and condense them down as much as you possibly can. When you are going to be on your feet for 8-12 hours each wedding and you have two back to back, its important to think about how you will feel in each outfit and what shoes will get you through without your feet screaming at you by the end of the day. I have some amazing flats by root collective that I LOVE and wear all the time. In this weekends case, because the weather was supposed to be insane (80 degrees and thunderstorms for Saturday and 50 degrees and sunny on  Sunday), I packed boots for Saturday and flats for Sunday. It worked out perfectly because I wouldn’t have lasted two full days in either shoe…but they were each perfect for their one day!
2. Consider the amount of memory you might need, and add 50%. I don’t fool around when it comes to memory cards and backing up images. I went out and bought an additional external hard drive so that I could take it with me this weekend to back images up from one event, before I even shot the second. I packed enough CF cards to last me 3 weddings that way I didn’t have to delete or format anything between events, and I made sure that I had a safe place to keep everything stored. When you are working out of town AND its a double weekend, better safe than sorry takes on a whole new meaning and the best thing you can do it plan a few months in advance so that while you are working you wont have to stress or be distracted with worry about images you have already taken!
3. Remember to bring water and snacks. I do this for all of our weddings, but when you shoot two weddings in a single weekend, you are all over the place…tracking 5-10 miles on your pedometer and it can leave you exhausted! Hydrate and snack whenever you get a spare minute….and make sure your couples are doing the same! Full bellies make for happy faces so don’t forget the eat and drink!
4. Don’t forget why you are there. You feel in love with this couple when they said ” I Do!” to YOU shooting their wedding so it’s really important to remember that. Every single wedding is important and different and oh so special so prepare yourself and your gear and your assistants to the best of your ability beforehand and when you get there and are shooting, you can be in your zone and focused on the couple you are working with that day! I can not tell you enough about how wonderful our couples were this weekend. They made sure (and asked about our well being over and over and over again!) we were  fed and provided for. They made sure we felt comfortable and told us on repeat that they were thankful we were there to be with them for the day. Shooting a wedding is NO light task so take a second between events and just soak up all of the goodness tied into the couples who chose you and make history with your images!