06.04.08
Choosing a Wedding Photographer
The memories that the wedding photographer captures will last a lifetime so it is important to choose your photographer wisely. So, what do you look for when choosing a wedding photographer? Below you will find some important points to consider.
References and Level of Experience. Check his references. If you ask him, he should provide you with a list of his previous customers he has taken wedding pictures for. When you call them ask if they were satisfied with his work and if you can meet with them personally so you can take a look at the photos he did for them. A photographer that is hesitant to give references is possibly not a very good candidate for you to hire.
Personality. Are his ideas the same as yours? Can you communicate with him easily? Does he easily understand what you want or what your ideas are regarding the style of photography that you want achieved? It is important you feel comfortable communicating with him.
Style of Photography. Do the images you see in his past work appeal to you? Do you like his style? If not, you may want to consider continuing your search for another wedding photographer.
Picture Packages. Ask any questions you may have about each package that he presents to you. If you are not comfortable with the packages, will he make one to satisfy your needs?
Accomplished work. Find out how long it will take for him to finish your album, your bridal portrait and all the photos taken during the wedding. Compare the time frames between photographers you are considering.
Price. How do the prices compare between photographers you’ve talked to? If one is more expensive than the other, is he worth spending more here and saving elsewhere in your wedding planning? Take the time to ask all that you need to know and make sure you understand all the services and photos included in the cost. It is better to purchase a smaller package from a great professional photographer than to rely on a friend of a friend who will do it for less if that person can’t capture the memories of your special day the way you want them.
Payments and deposits. Should you cancel, will he give a refund? What happens if he cannot make it for some reason? Does he have a partner to take his place just in case? Make sure you clear all of this with him as well as discuss with him any other concerns you may have. His answers should be able to convince you that he can be trusted.
Contract. Check and read it carefully before signing it. If there is anything you don’t understand, ask him to leave the contract with you overnight so that you can closely look it over. Be certain that everything you both had agreed upon is in the contract.
I wish you well in your search for the perfect wedding photographer and may he capture your beautiful wedding memories to cherish for a lifetime to come.
My next post will help you know what to look for when checking out the wedding photographs from the photographers references, so please check back soon.
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06.03.08
Trust Your Memories to A Professional
It is a must that you understand the difference between hiring a professional wedding photographer for your wedding day as opposed to someone who is just pretty good with a camera. Wedding pictures will last a lifetime, preserving memories of this very special day. They will live longer than the flowers and the catered food, therefore, you probably will want a photographer who understands what you want and can be relied upon to capture every minute of this special day.
Hiring a professional wedding photographer will help ensure a few things that a non-professional may not. Ideally there is usually a contract to help protect both the photographer and the customer for unforeseen circumstances, for instance if the photographer can not show up the day of the wedding. When working with a non-professional usually there is not a written contract in place and often times the expectations are not as clear to both parties.
So what do you look for when you are planning to hire a professional photographer? Usually the professional will have the following:
- A valid and legal sales tax license.
- Proof of current business insurance.
- Specialized and well kept professional equipment (includes a medium format camera aside from a professional 35mm camera).
- Membership in a professional association.
- A permanent studio.
These are the signs of a professional who takes his business seriously. That does not mean that you should not hire any photographer who does not have all of the things listed. However, you should be aware of the difference between a professional photographer and a non-professional when making your decision.
In postings to come I will talk about other things to consider when hiring a photographer as well as what to look for when looking at the photographer’s previous work.
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Wedding Secret Savings Ideas
Almost every girl has a picture of her ideal wedding in her mind. She may dream up something that she can visualize when reading fairy tales that end with “…and they live happily ever after.” She sees flowers, ribbons and laces.
However, when her wedding day comes, she may have other considerations on her mind. She still dreams of her ideal wedding but she starts incorporating other subjects that represent her and her groom. Not to mention that the bride also considers the current trends in wedding fashion and decoration. And the most important subject to talk about when choosing decorations – the cost.
Nobody wants to spend the first few months of being married paying off debts made during the wedding preparations. Therefore, the groom-to-be and bride-to-be should be very careful what they spend their money on. This is where wedding secret savings comes in handy. Here are a few things to consider.
* Personalize the decorations. Not only does this add a personal touch to the celebration but this also cuts down on the cost. For example, if the bride or the groom is a photographer, they may choose to have photos from their collection make the main subjects for the reception design. The photos may also be used for invitations and keepsakes,
* Consider renting. Most of the items that will be used for decorations will not be used again. These include the centerpieces, the vases, the arch ways and the artificial flower arrangements. So ask your wedding decorator for options to rent these pieces.
* Children can get bored during the wedding reception. So instead of having children seated at the same table with the adults, you can have an area where children can be more casual and can have a small party of their own.
* Marriage is a union of families. During the wedding rites, if possible, you may alter some of the practices to include the children of the bride or groom from a previous marriage or the parents and families of the couple. Having them perform a special union rite will signify that the wedding is not just a union of two people but also of two families.
* For the food during the reception, you may inquire with cooking or culinary arts schools. They may agree to cater the reception for just the price of the food, or perhaps, a little more. You may also have a pot luck by asking family members and close friends to cook a dish.
* If you wanted to cut down on the cost for the wedding party, you can just invite more people to the engagement party. Usually, only cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are served, which cost less than the full set of meals for the wedding reception guests.
* For the music, you can look for a local college band or DJ. You can also have your favorite songs just downloaded from the Internet and saved to an mp3 player or CD to be played over the speakers during the reception.
* When considering the cost of church decorations, check if there will be another couple that will get married on the same day. They may want to coordinate what decorations can be used for both wedding ceremonies to lessen the need to change decorations before or after the wedding and to split the cost.
Getting married does not have to be expensive. After all, the essence of marriage is in the union and not in the celebration. You should not try too hard to please the guests. Your family and friends are there to rejoice this wonderful event with you and not to criticize your wedding.
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Bridal Shower Tea Party Idea
There’s a great post with some money saving ideas while still hosting a great bridal shower party. How about having a bridal shower tea party! Check out the article at TeapotLovers site to find out all about it.
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06.02.08
Proper Assembly of the Wedding Invitations
The proper order to assemble the wedding invitations in the traditional way is as follows:
- Place the invitation inside the large envelope along with its protective tissue and make certain that the invitation is facing you.
- Place the reception invitation on top of the invitation, also facing you.
- Position the response card, facing you, inside the flap of the response envelope, which is facing down. (The response card is facing you and the response envelope is facing down.)
- The last to go in are the directions or map which guides the guests.
- When addressing the outer envelope, it is best that you use calligraphy.
- For an added touch, choose a postage stamp that well compliments the general appearance of your invitation.
After assembling your wedding invitations, if possible, bring your invitations to the post office and ask that they be hand cancelled, to avoid unattractive marks or scratches that machine cancelling can cause.
If you find this information useful and would like to see more like this, please leave a comment for me below. Thanks for reading and enjoy!
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