Dev Khalsa knows a lot about getting married in Sun Valley. The highly acclaimed, Hailey-based photographer has shot hundreds of weddings in just about every nook, cranny and ski slope in the area. We asked Dev for a handful of tips for getting married in the Wood River Valley.

1. Remember It’s Your Day!

In planning their wedding, some couples get so caught up in trying to please everyone around them that they sometimes forget that their wedding is really a celebration of their love and that when it comes down to it, it’s their own vision of the day that’s most important.

“The first question for any engaged couple should be, ‘What’s most important to you?’” Dev said. “You can really do whatever you want. Do you want an intimate celebration or a big party? Do you want something casual or formal? Wha

t do you want your wedding to feel like? Think about the emotions connected to it all. Consider the people who are most important to you and who you really want to share the day with.”

Once you’ve answered some of those questions as a couple, you can begin to create the day you envision.

2. Hire Local Vendors You Trust And Let Them Guide You

The Wood River Valley offers something for everyone and you will be hard-pressed to find a more picturesque backdrop for your celebration!

As you develop a vision of your wedding day, begin to look for local vendors that you connect with. Let them guide you through the planning process and help you bring that vision to life.

“This is a great place to have a wedding,” Dev said. “Part of what makes it so special are the many great local vendors who know all the hidden gems and how things work around here,”

Dev advised. “We are a tight-knit community of helpful, friendly people who work well together. Having local vendors helps things go smoothly.”

Pick experienced vendors, knowing that they have done this many, many times and can share valuable insights with you. Stay in close contact with them, use them as sounding boards and ask all of your burning questions! “Everything takes 15 minutes longer than you think it will on your wedding day,” Dev said. “If you plan in that extra time throughout the day, it definitely takes the pressure off so that you won’t feel rushed.”

3. Make Photography Fit Into Your Day

Dev has a background in photojournalism, and for her, it’s important that she gets to know you as a couple and what’s important to you, so that she can be turned into and ready to capture all the little emotional moments that are happening throughout the day. She wants the photography to complement the wedding, instead of defining it.

“It’s supposed to be a wedding, not a photoshoot,” Dev clarifies. “This is your special day and we are here to capture your experience in photos!”

Dev will help you think through what you want your experience of the day to be like. For example, is it important for you to wait to see each other for the first time at the altar or do you want to do a ‘first look’ earlier in the day? If you opt for a ‘first look,’ you can get family and wedding party pictures taken care of before the ceremony, freeing up some extra time during the cocktail hour for you to enjoy a dance with your nephew or have a sip of that signature cocktail you created!

4. Nervous? Do A Trial Run!

An engagement photoshoot serves as a great trial run before your wedding. If you are nervous about being in front of the camera (as most people are!), this will help. Engagement sessions provide a great, low-stress way to get comfortable having your picture taken, and as an added bonus, you’ll end up getting some great pictures of you and your significant other doing something that you love in a casual setting. As with your wedding photography, make engagement photos your own, choosing an activity and location that are meaningful to you.

5. Take A Deep Breath And Enjoy Yourself!

Let your team of vendors help you plan, plan, plan, and then, as the day draws near, you can be confident that they can handle whatever comes their way and you can just relax, be present and have fun. Of course, when it comes to weddings—expect the unexpected! “No matter how much you plan, you never know what will happen, and that’s part of the magic,” Dev said. “But whatever happens, you might as well enjoy it and let us capture the day as it unfolds.”