How to Plan a Wedding That's True to You: Wedding Planning Tips From a Documentary Wedding Photographer

There’s no such thing as doing it wrong. You can throw a black-tie bash in a historic hotel or say your vows barefoot in the backyard. You can walk yourself down the aisle or skip the aisle altogether. You can have a dozen bridesmaids or none at all. Whatever makes sense for you, that’s what makes it right. A dream wedding isn’t a template; it’s a reflection, not of trends or tradition, but of two people building a life together and choosing to celebrate that in a way that makes sense to them.

When the noise fades, the only thing that matters is the heart of it all: you, your person, and the people who love you. Everything else is just detail.

A Wedding That Nailed Intentionality: Wedding Planning Tips to Help You Do the Same

Courtney and Bud didn’t plan a wedding that looked like anyone else’s. They planned their dream wedding, one rooted in meaning and full of personality, while being completely free of outside pressure.

They chose The Peabody in Memphis for its old-school glamour and hometown nostalgia. It wasn’t just beautiful, it meant something. Even though they live in Florida now, Memphis is where their story began, so they came back to celebrate with the people who built their lives alongside them.

They got married on Star Wars Day, May the Fourth, and leaned all the way in. Lightsabers on the dance floor, a dad speech that ended with “May the Fourth be with you,” and this fun-meets-heartfelt energy running through the whole night. No wedding party standing up front. No grand procession. Just Courtney, walking herself down the aisle with total presence, and Bud waiting at the end of it with misty eyes and a steady heart.

Everything about it said: this is us. And that’s what a dream wedding is really about.

Trust Over Schedule: Why Letting Go Leads to Better Photos

As a documentary wedding photographer, I don’t come armed with a rigid shot list or a stopwatch. I come with presence. And that only works when we trust each other. The best photos happen when you're not looking for the camera, you're lost in the moment, feeling it fully.

Take Courtney and Bud. There was no forced structure, no line-up of Pinterest poses. Just Courtney walking herself down the aisle in this soft, grounded way, no grand announcement, just presence. Because they trusted the process, they created space for real emotion to unfold. And that’s what I got to capture: not a checklist, but a memory in motion.

The irony? The more you let go of control, the more control you actually have over how your wedding feels. Trust allows for breathing room, and breathing room lets magic sneak in.

The Real Stuff, the Unfiltered Stuff

Getting ready was a full diva moment. Champagne popped, glam in full swing, energy through the roof. Somewhere in the chaos, the bridesmaids handed Courtney a scrapbook they made, polaroids, letters, snapshots of years of friendship, all in one place. The tears came fast. Deservedly.

Later, the espresso martinis hit. Hard. They were everywhere, before dinner, after dinner, during speeches, on the dance floor. Honestly, they deserve their own vendor credit.

The entire day was full of personality, down to the smallest, most unexpected details. Bud and one of his groomsmen had matching Larry David tattoos from a past bachelor trip, no explanation offered, and none needed. It was random, specific, and somehow... totally perfect.

These weren’t just random details tossed in for fun—they were the heartbeat of the day. When you fill your wedding with things that hold meaning—inside jokes, comfort drinks, pieces of your story—you create something unforgettable. It’s not just your guests who feel it; it’s you. You get to look back on your photos and actually feel the day again, because every part of it was honest, intentional, and completely yours.

Planning With Emotion, Not a Checklist

Most wedding planning tips start with logistics, like colors, budgets, timelines. But the most powerful days start with a feeling. What do you want to remember when you close your eyes? That’s your north star.

Courtney and Bud skipped the typical grand entrance. There was no spotlight moment, no choreographed reveal—just a slow, steady return to their people after the vows. It was all hugs, high-fives, and full-body joy. That choice didn’t just make their day feel more authentic; it created space for real, unfiltered connection. And for me, it meant I could document those moments without interruption, exactly as they unfolded.

Weddings that lead with feeling, those are the ones that photograph best. When you ditch the pressure to perform, you make room for the good stuff: the unplanned, the emotional, the honest. And that’s where your story lives.

Personalized Moments You Can’t Fake

Forget the monogrammed napkins, true personalization isn’t about aesthetics, it’s about meaning. It’s not what’s printed on the details, but what lives inside them.

Courtney and Bud had espresso martinis flowing all night (before dinner, after dinner, during speeches—you name it). It wasn’t just a trendy drink. It was them, just like Bud’s matching Larry David tattoo with a groomsman. No explanation, no Pinterest inspo, just a shared history inked in skin and memory.

Real personalization doesn’t beg for attention, it just is. A tattoo ritual. A late-night snack from your first date. A parent’s handwritten note tucked into your bouquet. These are the things that hold weight. And when they show up naturally, they show up in your photos with just as much depth.

What It Looks Like in Photos

A documentary approach means I’m not interrupting moments, I’m honoring them. When the light sabers come out on the dance floor and chaos erupted, I didn’t pose anyone. I just followed the pulse. That’s how we got the blur of motion, the wild laughter, the perfectly imperfect joy.

When the sun dipped below the horizon and cast this golden wash over the room, I didn’t pull Courtney and Bud away for a shoot. I caught the way the light wrapped around them as they hugged an old friend, mid-tears, mid-laughter. It was messy. It was gorgeous. And it was real.

That’s the beauty of intentional planning, it creates room for unplanned magic. When you trust your day to unfold instead of perform, your photos become something more than pretty. They become proof.

Planning Your Dream Wedding 

Courtney and Bud showed up fully as themselves—no fluff, no forced traditions, no pressure to perform. Just honest joy, deep love, and total trust in the day they created. That’s what a dream wedding really is: not a checklist of expectations, but something that feels like you through and through.

Here’s what helps when you’re building your own:

• Start with the feeling. Don’t start with the color palette or the seating chart. Start with the feeling—the energy, the mood, the way you want this day to live in your body twenty years from now. Let that be the foundation for everything else.

• Forget the “shoulds.” The traditions that don’t resonate? Leave them. The parts that do? Keep them close. There’s no rulebook that matters more than your gut!

• Choose people who get it. Surround yourself with people who get it, vendors who aren’t just asking for your moodboard, but asking what actually matters to you. The ones who show up like collaborators, not just another checkbox on your to-do list.

• Make space for the good stuff. The tiny moments you don’t plan for. The unprompted hugs, the tearful glances, the spontaneous dance circles. They need breathing room.

• Block out the noise. The pressure to create something Pinterest-worthy is loud, but your love is louder. You’re not here to create content. You’re here to live the hell out of this moment.

Your dream wedding isn’t about performing for the internet. It’s about being fully present with the person you love, surrounded by the people who love you back.

Do It Your Way, Every Step of the Way

Your dream wedding is meant to be unmistakably yours. Whether it unfolds in a backyard or a ballroom, in designer heels or barefoot on the grass, it’s that deep sense of ‘this is us’ that makes it unforgettable.

Courtney and Bud didn’t play by the rules. They planned from the inside out. And that made all the difference.

Ready to Book Your Dream Travel Wedding Photographer?

If you’re planning a wedding that feels like you, I’m your girl. I’m here for the barefoot vows, the espresso martinis, the messy, meaningful magic that makes your day yours. I shoot with heart, I dance with your grandma, and I’ll probably cry during your vows.

Whether it’s a multi-day destination weekend or an intimate hometown celebration, I’ll show up with my whole heart (and a couple film cameras) to document every real, unfiltered, unforgettable moment.

Inquire here to start dreaming up your day together. Let’s make it yours from the inside out.

Vendors:

Photographer: Madeline Rose Photos

Florist: BettsMade, Kamille Martin

 DJ: Tommy Austein 

Makeup: Jordan Gibson

Hair: Morgan Brewer

Venue: The Peabody Hotel, Memphis TN

Audio guestbook: Atthebeep.co

Content creator: Creative Capture Co