11/11/11 from 11 to 11:11

So this is a big day for weddings.  Last year it was 10/10/10.  This year it's 11/11/11.  Next year it will be 12/12/12 if the Mayans and doomsday prophets are wrong.  It's an easy anniversary to remember.  But your day should be memorable enough that you don't need a gimmick.

I just did an intimate private ceremony on top of a parking structure overlooking the Mission San Juan Capistrano with a couple who met up there.  They already have a wedding planned (and will still do it with all their friends and family) but wanted to take advantage of this date to tie the knot.  So this clandestine affair took place with only me and the photographers to capture the event.

We started at 11 AM and I was able to time the ceremony to finish with the big kiss at 11:11.  It was fun, romantic, simple and cheap.  For some couples, that makes the memory they are looking for.

Whether you plan ahead for a special date like today (as my last couple today did booking me 14 months in advance to be sure to get the date because she is a math and binary freak!) or you capitalize on it at the last minute flexible time with a few friends, you should make your day memorable by living in the moment and hiring a good photographer to snap candid shots.  The only memories posed pictures make is how much your face hurts from the plastic forced smile you have to hold all day.

Rainy Day Weddings

So it's the day you've been planning all your life and most intensely for about a year, and it's raining! What are you supposed to do?

Since most of the weddings I do are outdoors, I have some experience with inclement weather weddings. Today is looking like it could be one of those days. I am performing a wedding ceremony at Tivoli Too in Laguna Beach early this evening. This is where having the right coordinator comes in handy. Here are a couple thoughts about how to deal with a downpour.

1. Plan ahead. You can't control the weather, but you can ask your wedding planner and the venue what their plan is in case of rain. Do they have cover? Tents? Umbrellas? Indoor options?Heaters? If you plan ahead, you will at least know the answers.

2. Make the call. When you realize it's going to rain, make the call to your planner, venue and vendors to give them the heads up and ask if there is anything they will need to do differently. It's not their wedding day so they aren't thinking about the weather as much as you. Don't be afraid to make the call and ask.

3. Keep your cool. Think of this as a fun challenge, not as a disaster. Just roll with it. The serenity prayer comes to mind - "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can't change, (like the weather) courage to change the things I can (like your attitude and your makeup) and the wisdom to know the difference."

4. Make the most of it. Go with the rainy day theme. Some of the best wedding photos I've seen are rainy day pics. You won't be wearing this dress again, so don't be afraid to trash it. Embrace the wildness of it and you will have a memory that lasts a lifetime.

How late should a wedding start?

Brides often don't know if they should start on time or wait a little. Here are a few things to consider.

1. If you are getting married at a venue that does lots of weddings, they keep a tight schedule. The coordinators will push you to start on time. Go with it.

2. If you are planning to start late and telling your guests another time, be sure to tell your vendors ahead of time. They plan their schedules around the actual times you tell them.

3. It is normal to start 5 minutes late, OK to start 10 min late, acceptable to start 15 minutes late, but after that it gets tacky. Don't make the people who got there on time pay for the tardiness of others.

4. If you are starting late, having something to drink for your guests will pass the time.

5. If the weather is not good and it is outside and people have to wait a long time, they may get cranky, sunburned or cold. Think about your guests.

6. Whatever you do, don't stress. It's your wedding and ultimately you can do what you want. People will give you grace. Be in the moment!