5 Tips on How to Create a Feature-Worthy Wedding

Invest in a Gifted Photographer

A talented professional can make a simple wedding look amazing… and a not-so-experienced photographer can make an amazing celebration look simple. Even the most magnificent special event cannot be published if it’s undermined by substandard photography. Plus, published or not, the photos are what you're left with when the wedding day is long over. A gifted photographer can master the light, capture emotions, secure precious details, and set up shots to advantage so that the resulting images do justice to – or enhance – your spectacular event, so hire the very best professional you can and consider it an investment.

Hire a Stellar Team

Just as a gifted photographer is an important asset, so too is the team of wedding vendors that will bring your wedding to life. Professionals with great reputations and a history of working well together are essential, and you can find proven teams of talent by looking at the vendor lists of the real weddings you love. Having previously published work is always a good sign, but an entire team of professionals whose work is published regularly is priceless. (If you'd like to see our curated list of professionals, please view our Editors Circle directory here.)

Select an Impressive Venue 

A gorgeous backdrop is essential for any wedding, but published events in particular require impressive settings. Airy spaces with high ceilings, good lighting, lovely details, and even respectable flooring (it shows in a lot of photos) work well for indoor venues, while outdoor sites should be uncluttered and have a naturally lovely background. Unusual locations are also at a premium, so the more creative you are with your venue, the better.

Think Visually

Although exceptional details play a role in helping set a wedding apart, it’s the visual elements that matter most for the purposes of a feature online or in print. For example, the fact that a cake showcased nine flavors and was shipped from a famous boulangerie in France isn’t as notable to an editor as the actual design. Local flowers styled in a dazzling new way will always trump imported tulips arranged in an ordinary fashion. Make sure your wedding details pack visual impact.

Upgrade the Standard-Issue Elements

While unique details are important, one of the best ways to make your wedding stand out is by being creative with the usual elements that every event shares. Guest seating, for example, rarely varies from chiavari chairs. As a result, most ceremony and reception photos look eerily alike simply because seating appears in so many of them. Ceilings can be decorated, flooring can be customized, and ornamental lighting can completely transform a space; enhancing or upgrading these typically undeveloped areas will dramatically set your wedding apart.

Throughout the planning process, we'll be here with plenty of expert advice and beautiful images to help guide and inspire you! When the special day has come and gone, and you would like to submit your wedding for a potential feature on InsideWeddings.com or in Inside Weddings magazine, please click here.