Helpful Hints

The extensive experience I have with weddings, as well as the rich relationships I develop with my brides, have taught me a few wedding planning musts.  And of course I was a bride fairly recently (July 2009)! I want to share with you some of the things I've learned during my career and personal wedding planning.  Here are the top 3!

1.  Go to www. theknot.com.  It is a very helpful wedding planning website!  Although I recommend www.theknot.com, as a photographer I noticed right away how extremely outdated their budget calculator was for photography. Ten or fifteen years ago, wedding photography was not nearly the art form it has become today. You are no longer hiring someone to take a shotgun approach at taking snapshots of your entire day. Instead you are hiring someone to capture your own personal story with artistic flare! You will get what you pay for.

2. Use www.mywedding.com to build your very own free wedding website! It is great to keep guests informed and even to get RSVP and reception meal preferences!

3. If you make your guest list on the computer, include the date you modified the file in the filename (example: weddingguestlist05.09.2010). This will ensure you don’t mix up the most recent file with an old one!

4. Have you thought about seeing each other before the wedding?  The tradition of not seeing your hubbie or bride-to-be before the wedding originated for arranged marriages.  Since the bride and groom had not seen each other, parents did not want the brides and grooms to run away if they did not like the way the other looked!  In most situations, this is no longer the case.  There are HUGE benefits to seeing each other before the wedding.  And simply put, it makes your day less stressful.
  •  You can take the time to appreciate one another: Wedding days are very hectic.  The odds of you two being alone together once the day begins are very slim.  If you see each other beforehand, you have time to take in one another and truly show your reactions to one another without being restrained because it is in the middle of a ceremony.
  • Both the bride and groom's reactions can be photographed:If you see each other beforehand, the photographer can set it up so both the bride and groom's reactions are captured on film instead of just one.
  • You can have a more private moment: You may prefer the first time you see each other to be a more private moment.  Some men, like my husband (wink wink) know they are going to get emotional when they see you for the first time.  If you see each other before the ceremony, he won't need to guard his reaction for fear of embarrassment in front of your guests.
  • You can have an adventure together before the day begins and be home free after the ceremony:  Right after the bride and groom have their private meeting, your photographer can get right into your private portrait session.  For me personally, the private portrait session is the heart of your wedding album.  We get images here that really capture the romance and ambiance of the day.  Brides and grooms really enjoy this alone time together.  They get to relax and have fun with each other, without the stress of guests waiting for them at their reception.  Wedding day jitters can be put to rest, goofing off during pictures and enjoying the company of one another.
  • Formal Photos can be done beforehand:  Oftentimes, formal photos of family and wedding party members are the most hectic and stressful part of the day.  A large group of people are sitting and waiting for their photos to be taken when they would rather be continuing on to the reception for fun and refreshment.  Taking all photos before the ceremony allows formal photo members to be free after the ceremony to do as they please.
  • You won't have guests complaining that they had to wait forever for their food: This is the number one complaint you hear of wedding guests.  Why did guests have to wait so long for food?  Usually it is because all the photos were taken AFTER the ceremony.  Unfortunately this tradition forces guests to wait for 2 hours or more before the food and fun can begin!