What a Wedding Photographer Would Do Differently for Her Own Wedding

Every once in a while, someone in the wedding world shares something so honest that it makes you pause. On TikTok, Annabelle, a wedding photographer, talked about what she would do differently if she could plan her own wedding today. Her words hit with a quiet kind of wisdom, the kind you can only gain after witnessing dozens, maybe hundreds, of love stories up close.

Her message was simple. Your wedding should reflect you. That is what matters most.

As photographers, we see every kind of day. Big celebrations bursting with energy. Small gatherings filled with stillness. Elegant venues that feel like movie sets. Chaotic, beautiful, messy mornings that somehow come together perfectly. Sacred moments no one even notices but us. Every wedding is different, and every couple carries their own truth.

Annabelle shared what hers would look like now, after everything she has learned.

She said she would not spend the morning apart from her fiancé. She would wake up next to him, make breakfast, laugh, maybe cry. They would get ready together. She would help with his tie. He would zip up her dress. They would start the day the same way they planned to live their life. Together.

She said she would skip the bridal party titles. No bridesmaids or groomsmen. No assigned roles or expectations. She would simply ask the people she loves most to wear a certain color so they feel honored, not obligated.

She would forgo the venue entirely and rent an Airbnb where everyone could stay the night. No curfews. No strict timelines. Just dancing, food, comfort, and people who feel like home. A potluck because her family cooks better than any caterer. A night that feels like family, not production.

She would invite fewer people. Only the ones who truly know her, love her, and will walk with her long after the wedding ends.

She and her fiancé would read their vows in private with no cameras. No audience. No pressure. Just the two of them sharing their promises in peace.

She would do her own hair and makeup. Not because she does not appreciate the artists who create magic, but because she feels most like herself that way.

Her final thought was the one that matters most. When a wedding becomes more of a production than a celebration, it becomes harder to look back on the photos with joy. The images lose their meaning if you did not love the day itself.

And that is the heart of it all.

Your wedding should feel like the two of you. The way you love. The way you live. The way your relationship actually feels when no one is watching. If you build a day that reflects that truth, your photos will become something you treasure for the rest of your life.

Celebrate your way. Make choices that feel right for your relationship, not someone else’s expectations. Live in the moment. Let it be yours.

And when you are ready to have it all captured exactly as it unfolds, I would be honored to tell your story.