Save the Date Cards and Etiquette: Everything You Need To Know
This article is courtesy of Edna Renskers from Edna's Sweet Announcements
Edna is a professional wedding invitation designer.
www.EdnasSweetAnnouncements.com
info@ednassweetannouncements.com
Save the Date Cards, what are they, do I need them, how do I word them, and when do I send them? I'll answer these questions and more, to help you make an knowledgeable decision.
Save the Date Cards are announcements that inform your guests of your future wedding in order to keep your special day free. They are essential in the following situations: if many of your guests are traveling to your wedding, your wedding takes place on or around a holiday, you are planning a faraway destination wedding, or your wedding will take place in a seasonally busy or tourist locale, where the flights and hotels perhaps book up early.
They are generally sent at least 4-6 months prior to your wedding but, if you are planning a destination wedding, for example Hawaii it is strongly recommended that you send them 12 months in advance if not longer. For seasonally busy and tourist locales or on or around a holiday it is best to send them 9-12 months in advance. Your guests will then have ample time to make all the necessary arrangements needed to be a part of your special celebration and may even extend it into a vacation of their own.
Use your imagination, Save the Date Cards are not meant to be formal. There are many design options available. You can have them match your wedding invitations, magnets, brochure style, post card size, multiple layers, booklet style, you can add a picture of you and your fiancé, or embellishments to add a personal touch.
Here are some guidelines on what your cards should state, your names, date of wedding, city or town and state of where wedding will take place. Also, because Save the date Cards are a recent trend and many that have not attended a wedding recently may mistaken them for the actual invitation be sure to include something along the lines of, "Invitation to follow", "Invitation and details to follow", "Invitation will follow" this is usually placed at the bottom of the card. For more wording suggestions visit www.verseit.com. If you have a wedding website don't forget to include the address for your guests to view.
If you need to keep your guest list to a minimum, make a list of close family and friends whom you want to make sure will be able to attend and mail them a Save the Date Card, you do not need to send Save the Date Cards to everyone you are inviting but, every guest that receives a Save the Date Card must also receive an invitation.
We recommend providing your guests with additional information to help facilitate their planning such as airline, car rental, hotel, information on things to see and do in the area and surrounding areas, special events, theatrical shows etc. Go the extra mile and acquire group discounts by calling specific companies and seeing if they offer group discounts.
Have fun planning your special day!
iMemoryfilms
www.imemoryfilms.com
818.760.9490
info@imemoryfilms.com
For more info, tips, and details on wedding videography, please visit us at www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com
Showing posts with label john lafever wedding planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label john lafever wedding planning. Show all posts
Monday, May 16, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Tips for the ENCORE Bride!
A good article and info from Jean Neuhart of Weddings From The Heart
Yes, You Can – Tips for the Encore Bride
If you are like many brides, this may not be your first wedding. So you’re probably wondering "what am I allowed to have at my wedding?" Guess what? There’s good news. You can have your wedding any way you want! This day is for you and your fiancé and the celebration of the love you have for each other. Don’t let anything in the past put a damper on the excitement of this new and wonderful relationship you share, or get in the way of having the celebration you really want.
With the minor exception of two things - a veil and orange blossoms, which both symbolize virginity - there is nothing you should avoid having at your wedding. Yes, you can wear white - it is the color of celebration. Your bridal party can be as large or as small as you want. You can register for gifts. If your attendants or someone else wants to throw a bridal shower for you, let them. You can also have a bachelorette party.
Think about your previous wedding for a moment, and consider the following:
Do you want to do everything in a new way?
Did you feel overwhelmed by the size of your last ceremony?
Did the style of your first wedding reflect your tastes, regardless of its outcome?
Do you want to find a special role for your children?
Are you still close to your in-laws, ex-spouse?
Would you feel more comfortable with a civil ceremony?
Honestly answering these questions can help guide you in your wedding planning.
Don’t concern yourself with any party-poopers who are wondering why in the world you’re planning a wedding anyway. The love and commitment you and your fiancé have for each other deserves celebrating. Why not shout it from the roof tops with a dream wedding? And if they don’t get it, then that’s their problem, not yours.
Most of all, celebrate your love and have fun.
by Jean Neuhart
Weddings From The Heart
www.imemoryfilms.com
info@imemoryfilms.com
818.760.9490
For more wedding tips, info and articles,..visit us at, www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com.com
Yes, You Can – Tips for the Encore Bride
If you are like many brides, this may not be your first wedding. So you’re probably wondering "what am I allowed to have at my wedding?" Guess what? There’s good news. You can have your wedding any way you want! This day is for you and your fiancé and the celebration of the love you have for each other. Don’t let anything in the past put a damper on the excitement of this new and wonderful relationship you share, or get in the way of having the celebration you really want.
With the minor exception of two things - a veil and orange blossoms, which both symbolize virginity - there is nothing you should avoid having at your wedding. Yes, you can wear white - it is the color of celebration. Your bridal party can be as large or as small as you want. You can register for gifts. If your attendants or someone else wants to throw a bridal shower for you, let them. You can also have a bachelorette party.
Think about your previous wedding for a moment, and consider the following:
Do you want to do everything in a new way?
Did you feel overwhelmed by the size of your last ceremony?
Did the style of your first wedding reflect your tastes, regardless of its outcome?
Do you want to find a special role for your children?
Are you still close to your in-laws, ex-spouse?
Would you feel more comfortable with a civil ceremony?
Honestly answering these questions can help guide you in your wedding planning.
Don’t concern yourself with any party-poopers who are wondering why in the world you’re planning a wedding anyway. The love and commitment you and your fiancé have for each other deserves celebrating. Why not shout it from the roof tops with a dream wedding? And if they don’t get it, then that’s their problem, not yours.
Most of all, celebrate your love and have fun.
by Jean Neuhart
Weddings From The Heart
www.imemoryfilms.com
info@imemoryfilms.com
818.760.9490
For more wedding tips, info and articles,..visit us at, www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com.com
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Best Man's Speech 101
Some great advice from Reagan Blaclpool:
We've all been there. The wedding is going smoothly and the bar is now open,.........as the guests settle into the reception the MC announces a few toasts before dinner. The Best man gets up to speak and nervously announces he didnt prepare anything after knowing the groom for so long, & he was going to just "wing it". Uh-oh! While once in a while a best man will come off funnier than a Adam Sandler movie, usually the speech will make everyone stampede to the bar to try to forget what they just heard. From talking about sexual exploits with past girlfriends, to letting everyone know he has never been one to "settle down",..lots of things remain best unsaid. A speech with some humor, a good story or two, and positives about the bride & couple make the toast a winner.
A best man's speech can make or break a wedding receptions atmosphere, & by using some "Best Man Speech 101" tips you can make sure your toast is remembered for all the right reasons
A wedding is certainly a nerve racking day for the couple of the day, but the nerves also extend to the best man who has the difficult job of coming up with a memorable speech at the reception.
The main problem people have with their speech is that they overcomplicate things and make things harder for themselves. A good best man's speech should be short and snappy - more than five minutes and people's thought start to wander, longer than seven and people start to get bored. While brevity is important, it's good to use two minutes as your minimum marker.
Confidence is key to delivering a good speech so try to get it written and ready a good while before the day and practise as much as you can. The better you know the key points of your speech, the more relaxed you will be and, remember, the groom chose you to be best man so be yourself.
A good best man's speech includes jokes (good jokes, not dirty ones), a story or two about the couple (how they met, how happy they are together - stories that are appropriate for all ages), a thank you to all who made the wedding possible (such as whoever paid for the event) and, finally, a toast to a successful future.
You should try to make your stories balanced between the bride and the groom, but as you are the groom's best man you may not know the bride as well. In this case, it's always good to talk about the groom's feeling for the bride. This is generally the time to act as a salesman, talking up your friend to the bride's family who may not know the groom - what you tell them may help to form their first impression.
It is always best to err on the side of caution with your speech - being boring or soppy is a lot better than being offensive. Telling dirty jokes or speaking about the groom's ex-girlfriend may get a few laughs from your mates, but the bride's parents and elderly relatives may not be amused, and if it's you that's blamed for ruining the wedding with your inappropriate speech it's more likely to be you than the wedding insurance providers who ends up shelling out compensation.
So follow these tips and help make the wedding a memorable celebration for your best friend.
By
Reagan Blackpool
www.imemoryfilms.com
info@imemoryfilms.com
818.760.9490
For more wedding ideas, tips, & info visit us at, www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com
We've all been there. The wedding is going smoothly and the bar is now open,.........as the guests settle into the reception the MC announces a few toasts before dinner. The Best man gets up to speak and nervously announces he didnt prepare anything after knowing the groom for so long, & he was going to just "wing it". Uh-oh! While once in a while a best man will come off funnier than a Adam Sandler movie, usually the speech will make everyone stampede to the bar to try to forget what they just heard. From talking about sexual exploits with past girlfriends, to letting everyone know he has never been one to "settle down",..lots of things remain best unsaid. A speech with some humor, a good story or two, and positives about the bride & couple make the toast a winner.
A best man's speech can make or break a wedding receptions atmosphere, & by using some "Best Man Speech 101" tips you can make sure your toast is remembered for all the right reasons
A wedding is certainly a nerve racking day for the couple of the day, but the nerves also extend to the best man who has the difficult job of coming up with a memorable speech at the reception.
The main problem people have with their speech is that they overcomplicate things and make things harder for themselves. A good best man's speech should be short and snappy - more than five minutes and people's thought start to wander, longer than seven and people start to get bored. While brevity is important, it's good to use two minutes as your minimum marker.
Confidence is key to delivering a good speech so try to get it written and ready a good while before the day and practise as much as you can. The better you know the key points of your speech, the more relaxed you will be and, remember, the groom chose you to be best man so be yourself.
A good best man's speech includes jokes (good jokes, not dirty ones), a story or two about the couple (how they met, how happy they are together - stories that are appropriate for all ages), a thank you to all who made the wedding possible (such as whoever paid for the event) and, finally, a toast to a successful future.
You should try to make your stories balanced between the bride and the groom, but as you are the groom's best man you may not know the bride as well. In this case, it's always good to talk about the groom's feeling for the bride. This is generally the time to act as a salesman, talking up your friend to the bride's family who may not know the groom - what you tell them may help to form their first impression.
It is always best to err on the side of caution with your speech - being boring or soppy is a lot better than being offensive. Telling dirty jokes or speaking about the groom's ex-girlfriend may get a few laughs from your mates, but the bride's parents and elderly relatives may not be amused, and if it's you that's blamed for ruining the wedding with your inappropriate speech it's more likely to be you than the wedding insurance providers who ends up shelling out compensation.
So follow these tips and help make the wedding a memorable celebration for your best friend.
By
Reagan Blackpool
www.imemoryfilms.com
info@imemoryfilms.com
818.760.9490
For more wedding ideas, tips, & info visit us at, www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Top 10 Wedding Food Favors!
Having the right food, and guest food favors is crucial to a wedding,...and here is the top 10 best presented by, Karen Sullen who can be found at,
www.MyWeddingFavors.com
Choosing the right wedding favor can be a challenge. There a so many choices, it can make your head spin! From placecard holders to pampering items, there seems to be a gift for every occasion and theme. But how do you know which ones your guests will truly enjoy? Choose a gift with good taste! Food gifts remain the most popular gift choice for wedding favors. Take a look at these mouth-watering wedding favors that top our list!
Chocolate
Anything chocolate is #1 with brides and guests alike. Traditional favorites include personalized chocolate bars and squares, but the latest trends also rank themed chocolates (shaped like wedding bells, starfish, cakes, etc.) and even chocolate puzzles high on the list.
Shaped Cookies
The possibilities are endless with these delicious shortbread cookies. Available in a variety of themes, including hearts, cakes, bells and bride-and-groom, these sweet treats can accommodate most wedding themes, from beach to golf.
Mints
Whether in tins, rolls, pillow packs or “matchbooks,” refreshing mints are always a popular choice. They’re kosher and usually don’t tempt anyone to break their diet. Personalizing them with wedding information makes them a favor to savor.
Coffee & Tea
Beverages are among the top 10 because they’re affordable, practical and lend themselves easily to a variety of themes. Not only popular fall-themed favors, coffee and tea are delightful any time of the year for the couple that’s a perfect blend.
Wedding Oreos
Go ahead. Indulge! The decadent enjoyment that comes with these double-dipped Oreos will give your taste buds a treat. Available in white and chocolate wedding themes, they’re a great way to dress up an old favorite.
Jordan Almonds
This classic wedding favor still makes the list because of its sweet, crunchy, nutty goodness. They’re also a great do-it-yourself wedding favor. You can purchase them bulk and package them yourselves in a variety of elegant wedding favor boxes. “Wedding gown” favor bags filled with candy make a cute bridal shower favor.
Fortune Cookies
Including a message of appreciation inside the fortune cookie makes this a unique wedding favor. Not just for Asian weddings, they can be used to spread good fortune among your guests.
Mini Cakes
Don’t cut the cake! These personal-sized mini wedding cakes let guests have their cake and eat it too—without standing in line to get it!
Covered Strawberries
These tuxedo strawberries add an unexpected elegance to your wedding. Delicious berries are “dressed” in a tuxedo and wedding gown made of chocolate. These “bride and groom” chocolate covered strawberries are a match made in heaven.
Biscotti
Chocolate-dipped and personalized, these biscotti wedding favors are a crunchy delight. Guests can enjoy them at the reception or with a hot cup of coffee at home. Either way, the uniqueness of this favor is sure to stand out.
Karen Sullen
MyWeddingFavors.com
www.imemoryfilms.com
Info@imemoryfilms.com
8187.760.9490
For more wedding tips, ideas, and info, visit us at, www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com
www.MyWeddingFavors.com
Choosing the right wedding favor can be a challenge. There a so many choices, it can make your head spin! From placecard holders to pampering items, there seems to be a gift for every occasion and theme. But how do you know which ones your guests will truly enjoy? Choose a gift with good taste! Food gifts remain the most popular gift choice for wedding favors. Take a look at these mouth-watering wedding favors that top our list!
Chocolate
Anything chocolate is #1 with brides and guests alike. Traditional favorites include personalized chocolate bars and squares, but the latest trends also rank themed chocolates (shaped like wedding bells, starfish, cakes, etc.) and even chocolate puzzles high on the list.
Shaped Cookies
The possibilities are endless with these delicious shortbread cookies. Available in a variety of themes, including hearts, cakes, bells and bride-and-groom, these sweet treats can accommodate most wedding themes, from beach to golf.
Mints
Whether in tins, rolls, pillow packs or “matchbooks,” refreshing mints are always a popular choice. They’re kosher and usually don’t tempt anyone to break their diet. Personalizing them with wedding information makes them a favor to savor.
Coffee & Tea
Beverages are among the top 10 because they’re affordable, practical and lend themselves easily to a variety of themes. Not only popular fall-themed favors, coffee and tea are delightful any time of the year for the couple that’s a perfect blend.
Wedding Oreos
Go ahead. Indulge! The decadent enjoyment that comes with these double-dipped Oreos will give your taste buds a treat. Available in white and chocolate wedding themes, they’re a great way to dress up an old favorite.
Jordan Almonds
This classic wedding favor still makes the list because of its sweet, crunchy, nutty goodness. They’re also a great do-it-yourself wedding favor. You can purchase them bulk and package them yourselves in a variety of elegant wedding favor boxes. “Wedding gown” favor bags filled with candy make a cute bridal shower favor.
Fortune Cookies
Including a message of appreciation inside the fortune cookie makes this a unique wedding favor. Not just for Asian weddings, they can be used to spread good fortune among your guests.
Mini Cakes
Don’t cut the cake! These personal-sized mini wedding cakes let guests have their cake and eat it too—without standing in line to get it!
Covered Strawberries
These tuxedo strawberries add an unexpected elegance to your wedding. Delicious berries are “dressed” in a tuxedo and wedding gown made of chocolate. These “bride and groom” chocolate covered strawberries are a match made in heaven.
Biscotti
Chocolate-dipped and personalized, these biscotti wedding favors are a crunchy delight. Guests can enjoy them at the reception or with a hot cup of coffee at home. Either way, the uniqueness of this favor is sure to stand out.
Karen Sullen
MyWeddingFavors.com
www.imemoryfilms.com
Info@imemoryfilms.com
8187.760.9490
For more wedding tips, ideas, and info, visit us at, www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com
Thursday, March 10, 2011
How to get the wedding dress of your dreams!
Some useful info & tips from Kristie!
By Kristie McDaniel, author of the E-book, "Do Yourself A Wedding Favor",
available at www.doyourselfafavor.net
Inspired by my own search for my wedding dress, I decided to write this article because it turns out you can get lucky if you research and are patient. I started looking for my dress a few months before I got married and I found the dress I loved, but it was $800. My dress was really simple and this was not in my budget, so I got the company name and the style number and searched everywhere online and off for this dress. Finally I found it offline for $499 at a local bridal shop. But them I was looking for flower girl dresses in a popular department store catalog and imagine my surprise when I saw my dress for $299. I couldn't believe it. I know I lucked out, but maybe with these tips you can too!
1. Be patient. You can definitely wait to buy your dress. With all these different companies selling that on dress, you can search to find the best dress. Unless you're buying a Vera Wang original, do a little hunting!
2. Write down the designer and style number or dress name. This is important for your research.
3. Research. Look everywhere online and off for your dress. I found my dress online for a couple of lower prices before I found the $299 dress. A lot of online companies offer dresses at rock bottom price. You can find accessories very cheap online also. Search for "Discount Wedding Dresses".
4. Look at the wedding dresses from popular department stores. These stores can sell the same dress at lower prices because they have the buying power.
5. Have a style in mind, but don't get stuck on one particular dress if you can. Learn the style that looks best on you. I say that looks best on you because originally I wanted one of those poofy Cinderella dresses but I tried one on and it made my hips look huge (and believe me I don't need any help!). So, I tried on different dresses and chose the style that looked best on me.
Good luck on your search and have fun planning your wedding!
Kristie McDaniel
www.imemoryfilms.com
info@imemoryfilms.com
818.760.9490
Fro more wedding tips, ideas, and info, please visit us at: www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com
By Kristie McDaniel, author of the E-book, "Do Yourself A Wedding Favor",
available at www.doyourselfafavor.net
Inspired by my own search for my wedding dress, I decided to write this article because it turns out you can get lucky if you research and are patient. I started looking for my dress a few months before I got married and I found the dress I loved, but it was $800. My dress was really simple and this was not in my budget, so I got the company name and the style number and searched everywhere online and off for this dress. Finally I found it offline for $499 at a local bridal shop. But them I was looking for flower girl dresses in a popular department store catalog and imagine my surprise when I saw my dress for $299. I couldn't believe it. I know I lucked out, but maybe with these tips you can too!
1. Be patient. You can definitely wait to buy your dress. With all these different companies selling that on dress, you can search to find the best dress. Unless you're buying a Vera Wang original, do a little hunting!
2. Write down the designer and style number or dress name. This is important for your research.
3. Research. Look everywhere online and off for your dress. I found my dress online for a couple of lower prices before I found the $299 dress. A lot of online companies offer dresses at rock bottom price. You can find accessories very cheap online also. Search for "Discount Wedding Dresses".
4. Look at the wedding dresses from popular department stores. These stores can sell the same dress at lower prices because they have the buying power.
5. Have a style in mind, but don't get stuck on one particular dress if you can. Learn the style that looks best on you. I say that looks best on you because originally I wanted one of those poofy Cinderella dresses but I tried one on and it made my hips look huge (and believe me I don't need any help!). So, I tried on different dresses and chose the style that looked best on me.
Good luck on your search and have fun planning your wedding!
Kristie McDaniel
www.imemoryfilms.com
info@imemoryfilms.com
818.760.9490
Fro more wedding tips, ideas, and info, please visit us at: www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
5 Things Your Wedding Photographer Must Offer!
Some useful info for brides from, Paul Kaliher
SMS Design Wedding Photography and Videography
You're getting married, right? Congratulations! You want your wedding day to be as perfect and beautiful as you've always dreamed. However, if you choose the wrong photographer, your day may be a lot less than perfect, and you may not be satisfied with the images your photographer captures. Bummer. So, how do you choose the right photographer?
Here's how. Make sure your wedding photographer offers you these five things. Then you can relax and feel confident the love, special moments and important details of your wedding day will be captured in beautiful images for a lifetime of memories.
1. Do you like the photographer's work?
Look at a fairly good selection of the photographers wedding images, not just a few photos on a web site. It's best if you can see at least an album or two and a proof book of a complete wedding. The albums probably represent the best of the photographer's work, and the proof book shows all the typical images he or she captures during a wedding day. How do the images look to you? Are they pleasing to look at? Does the lighting and the color look good to you? Is the photographer's style what you are looking for? Most of our bridal couples are looking for a mix of photojournalistic images and classic posed traditional ones. Make sure your photographer is capable of, and comfortable with, taking the style of images you want for your wedding. If you don't like the photographer's work, there is no need to consider them further. Also, make sure the work you see was done by the photographer who will photograph your wedding. Some studios will show you a lot of good work from various photographers, but will not guarantee you will get the photographer whose work you like the best. Sometimes, a husband and wife team like ours is the best way to be sure the photographer's work you see is the work you will get.
2. Do you like the photographer's personality and mannerisms?
Is the photographer confident, easy going and not a nervous ninny? Does the photographer have a good sense of humor? Remember, the photographer will be present through most of your wedding day, interacting with you, your wedding party, your family, and your guests. A demanding, inflexible, and uptight photographer can make your day unpleasant. I know you don't want that! Make sure you and your spouse-to-be get along well with the photographer you choose. If the photographer is going to have a second photographer help at your wedding, meet the assistant photographer and make sure you feel comfortable with them also. To get to know your photographer before you choose them, it is really important you meet with them personally. If it is physically impossible to meet with the photographer, you should make sure some of their testimonials from previous clients make you feel comfortable with the photographer's personality.
3. Does the photographer have a strong sense of professional commitment to photographing your wedding and a professional work ethic?
Does the photographer use professional cameras, lenses and flash systems? Does he or she have at least some lenses that will produce good images in low light situations (f2.8 aperture)? Does the photographer use a soft box over the flash and keep the flash above the lens on both horizontal and vertical photos to minimize shadows in their images? Does he or she always bring a complete set of backup equipment, or bring a second photographer with another set of equipment, to every wedding? How will the photographer and their assistant be dressed on your wedding day? Ask them. Hopefully, they will professional enough to arrive dressed in a tux, suit, or dressy dress. Although, if your photographer is a man and he says he's coming in a dressy dress, you might worry a little about that :-). You should get the feeling that your photographer is dedicated to making sure your wedding day is wonderful, and that all of the love, emotions and important details will be captured in images you will be able to enjoy for the rest of your life.
4. Does your photographer have the experience to anticipate all the good things that will happen on your wedding day, and the experience to deal with the bad things that could happen also?
An experienced photographer will have photographed enough weddings to anticipate and capture special moments during your day, and the important details that may easily be missed by a "newbie". An experienced photographer also knows that things do go wrong sometimes and will be able to anticipate and deal with them, often without you even knowing that something went wrong. That's why a complete set of backup equipment is necessary. My little kit of duct tape, extra cables, pen knife with scissors, and band-aids has been a life saver several times.
5. Does your photographer offer you the right value?
Not the right price, but, the right value. If your photographer doesn't have all of the above four characteristics, it may not matter what their prices are. If the photographer has all four, that's a big part of the value they offer you. In this case, the price should be less important. Just make sure your photographer will provide what is really important to you and is upfront with you about costs for everything you want. Someone who offers a "low" price up front may sound attractive. But, things change when you find they charge extra for every location stop, for the digital image files, for a studio set up at the reception, and so on. A photographer who charges twice as much, but includes almost everything, can often be a better value for you.
So, there you have it. Choose your wedding photographer based on the above five factors, and you will go a long way toward having the wedding of your dreams. Good luck and congratulations again.
Paul Kaliher
SMS Design Wedding Photography and Videography
630-416-6843
www.imemoryfilms.com
info@imemoryfilms.com
818.760.9490
For more info, tips, and ideas for weddings, visit us at: www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com
SMS Design Wedding Photography and Videography
You're getting married, right? Congratulations! You want your wedding day to be as perfect and beautiful as you've always dreamed. However, if you choose the wrong photographer, your day may be a lot less than perfect, and you may not be satisfied with the images your photographer captures. Bummer. So, how do you choose the right photographer?
Here's how. Make sure your wedding photographer offers you these five things. Then you can relax and feel confident the love, special moments and important details of your wedding day will be captured in beautiful images for a lifetime of memories.
1. Do you like the photographer's work?
Look at a fairly good selection of the photographers wedding images, not just a few photos on a web site. It's best if you can see at least an album or two and a proof book of a complete wedding. The albums probably represent the best of the photographer's work, and the proof book shows all the typical images he or she captures during a wedding day. How do the images look to you? Are they pleasing to look at? Does the lighting and the color look good to you? Is the photographer's style what you are looking for? Most of our bridal couples are looking for a mix of photojournalistic images and classic posed traditional ones. Make sure your photographer is capable of, and comfortable with, taking the style of images you want for your wedding. If you don't like the photographer's work, there is no need to consider them further. Also, make sure the work you see was done by the photographer who will photograph your wedding. Some studios will show you a lot of good work from various photographers, but will not guarantee you will get the photographer whose work you like the best. Sometimes, a husband and wife team like ours is the best way to be sure the photographer's work you see is the work you will get.
2. Do you like the photographer's personality and mannerisms?
Is the photographer confident, easy going and not a nervous ninny? Does the photographer have a good sense of humor? Remember, the photographer will be present through most of your wedding day, interacting with you, your wedding party, your family, and your guests. A demanding, inflexible, and uptight photographer can make your day unpleasant. I know you don't want that! Make sure you and your spouse-to-be get along well with the photographer you choose. If the photographer is going to have a second photographer help at your wedding, meet the assistant photographer and make sure you feel comfortable with them also. To get to know your photographer before you choose them, it is really important you meet with them personally. If it is physically impossible to meet with the photographer, you should make sure some of their testimonials from previous clients make you feel comfortable with the photographer's personality.
3. Does the photographer have a strong sense of professional commitment to photographing your wedding and a professional work ethic?
Does the photographer use professional cameras, lenses and flash systems? Does he or she have at least some lenses that will produce good images in low light situations (f2.8 aperture)? Does the photographer use a soft box over the flash and keep the flash above the lens on both horizontal and vertical photos to minimize shadows in their images? Does he or she always bring a complete set of backup equipment, or bring a second photographer with another set of equipment, to every wedding? How will the photographer and their assistant be dressed on your wedding day? Ask them. Hopefully, they will professional enough to arrive dressed in a tux, suit, or dressy dress. Although, if your photographer is a man and he says he's coming in a dressy dress, you might worry a little about that :-). You should get the feeling that your photographer is dedicated to making sure your wedding day is wonderful, and that all of the love, emotions and important details will be captured in images you will be able to enjoy for the rest of your life.
4. Does your photographer have the experience to anticipate all the good things that will happen on your wedding day, and the experience to deal with the bad things that could happen also?
An experienced photographer will have photographed enough weddings to anticipate and capture special moments during your day, and the important details that may easily be missed by a "newbie". An experienced photographer also knows that things do go wrong sometimes and will be able to anticipate and deal with them, often without you even knowing that something went wrong. That's why a complete set of backup equipment is necessary. My little kit of duct tape, extra cables, pen knife with scissors, and band-aids has been a life saver several times.
5. Does your photographer offer you the right value?
Not the right price, but, the right value. If your photographer doesn't have all of the above four characteristics, it may not matter what their prices are. If the photographer has all four, that's a big part of the value they offer you. In this case, the price should be less important. Just make sure your photographer will provide what is really important to you and is upfront with you about costs for everything you want. Someone who offers a "low" price up front may sound attractive. But, things change when you find they charge extra for every location stop, for the digital image files, for a studio set up at the reception, and so on. A photographer who charges twice as much, but includes almost everything, can often be a better value for you.
So, there you have it. Choose your wedding photographer based on the above five factors, and you will go a long way toward having the wedding of your dreams. Good luck and congratulations again.
Paul Kaliher
SMS Design Wedding Photography and Videography
630-416-6843
www.imemoryfilms.com
info@imemoryfilms.com
818.760.9490
For more info, tips, and ideas for weddings, visit us at: www.imemoryfilms.wordpress.com
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