Check the photographer’s work. Of course this goes without saying. When you ask to see his or her work, see if you can actually take a look at complete wedding albums. That way, you will have a good idea of how yours will look like. One thing to consider would be the photographer’s style. Ask yourself if it suits you and your partner. You probably have ideas of what styles you want for your pictures already. Ask the photographer if he will be able to conform to your style if needed. Also check the coloring and lighting, even the backdrops that he or she uses. One more important thing is to make sure that if you like the work, the same photographer will be the one to attend to your wedding. This is especially significant when you deal with a studio which has several photographers.

Having like a photographer’s work, you should also meet the person. It is vital that you and the photographer can work together in harmony. That is, your personalities should somehow jive. The last thing that you would want on your wedding day is an uptight and demanding photographer who would snap at everyone. Despite his talent, you need none of that attitude on your wedding day.

More than his work and personality, also check his experience. How many weddings has he covered? For how long has he practiced photography? Does he have enough experience to be able to anticipate things that might happen during the wedding?

Most importantly, weigh the price you have to pay for the value that you will be getting. Check if everything fits into your wedding budget. The photographer’s work may be pretty awesome but if the price is way beyond what you have planned on, do not be suckered into making a deal. Remember that photos are not the only thing that you have to spend on. Find a good compromise wherein you will be happy and meet your budget as well.

If you are a very private, reserved person you may not want a grand wedding. An intimate wedding with family and maybe a few close friends may be more your thing. On the other hand, if you were home coming queen and your spouse captain of the football team, you are more used to crowds and a small wedding is more likely to make you feel like you cut too many people out of the guest list.

At many weddings you know that the couple is happy to be married but if you look at their smiles whenever they have to pose for pictures, you can see that they look a bit frozen or glassy eyed. When you barely have an album full of pictures, having someone following you around and capturing every moment for posterity can be unnerving. If you are not used to being in front of the camera, take the time to find a good photographer, one who can work without being obtrusive. Don’t worry they are out there - though admittedly they can be a bit more expensive.

If you aren’t fond of parties a wedding that lasts three hours can feel like a lifetime. People will tell you it is the normal thing and they are right. Just keep in mind though that the control is in your hands. You and your groom can exit when you feel like it. Just don’t expect to be able to sneak out. The best man and maid of honor are known for being pretty sneaky. They’ll find a way to give you a good send off.

If you are marrying someone of a different nationality or religion you may have little choice about doing something that makes you uncomfortable - simply because it isn’t something you grew up with. In this case, you are unlikely to be able to do away with these rituals because they are a tradition your spouse and his family expect you to take part in. The best thing you can do is immerse yourself in their culture and familiarize yourself with it so that you will become more comfortable with it.

If you are marrying someone of a different nationality, learning their language can be a big help. Can you imagine going through a ceremony without understanding a single word? Keep in mind that you will be signing a marriage contract so it is best if you can understand what the officiant is saying. It is also a great way to build closer ties to your new in-laws.

If you are marrying someone of a different religion, inquire about lessons into that religion. It is a good idea to be familiar with your spouse-to-be’s faith since it can help put you and your fiance on the same page with regards to faith. You may even decide to raise your children with these beliefs. Before you get married is definitely a good time to start learning.

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Your family may be gathering for Christmas but there is no reason why you can’t enjoy the holiday and get a little work done for your wedding at the same time. There is no rush on this day and everything can be done in a totally relaxed manner but it would be a waste not to take advantage of the opportunity presented to you.

“What do we mean?” you ask. We mean getting your invitations out there. If you’ve already had them printed, save yourself the cost of mailing it. Christmas is the best time to hand them out yourselves. Most people are home. They might even all be in your home if you are the designated gathering place for your clan this year. That’s a lot of postage saved.

Don’t worry if you haven’t printed your invitations yet. You can actually make an announcement during the party about your engagement and invite everyone at the same time. You can already give them the details of the wedding and ask them to save the date. Do ensure that the invitation follows. Most people will try to be polite and go only if they receive the actual card or a direct invitation from you.

Make sure to note the little touches used at the party. This may give you ideas on what little touches you’d like to use for your wedding. Though the occasions are different, there are basic elements to a great event that are constant, irregardless of when and where they are held.

If you are attending a Christmas party that is catered, take note of the quality of the food. If you like the taste of the dishes, like the way they are presented and served, you may have just found the caterers for your wedding. That saves you a lot of time and effort. You may even get a discount if your family is a regular customer.

Don’t forget to take lots of pictures. You can use some of these pictures for your wedding planning website. You can also use them to help you link names and faces of your future in laws. If a professional photographer was the one taking the shots, then you may want to ask for copies of the pictures and see if you may have found the photographer for your wedding as well.

Now, it is a holiday, so do take the time to relax. Don’t devote your whole day to planning your wedding. You need to enjoy having your loved ones around and renew ties. There’ll be lots of time to talk and plan the wedding. Just take the time to enjoy being with your family and friends. Exchange gifts and stories as you drink some eggnog.

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Sometimes, you will have to tell them to just once, set aside their differences. Ask them if they want to be a part of your wedding and ask them exactly how involved they want to be. Usually they will volunteer to be civil and can tell you that they will be as polite as they can be as long as their former spouse doesn’t provoke them - that’s pretty fair. Just enlist your entourage or other family members’ help to keep the peace and the space between your parents if you must.

They might tell you that they will go but just as guests. That means only one of your parents will have the spotlight on them and the other will just mingle. That can be a good thing.

If they can barely stand each other but are willing to set it aside to see you married, simply ask them to walk you down the aisle (assuming you will use the style where both parents walk with you). They need not talk. It is their blessing for you and you can seat them separately at the wedding and reception.

Now, where to seat them? In the normal arrangement, the men and the women are on separate sides of the table so that really isn’t a problem. They can both be at the main table with you. They’ll be far enough apart that they can pretend the other isn’t there.

If they can’t stand to be at the same table, go ahead and seat them at seat them at separate tables. This will mean your table arrangement will be different. It will be better if you have a bridal table for two and spread out your wedding party. You can let a parent preside over different tables. This is especially ideal if your parent has remarried and has brought your stepmother or stepfather along.

Make sure to brief your wedding professionals about your parental situation. It will make for a very awkward moment if the photographer keeps calling for the parents of the bride to pose for a picture that calls for them to hug each other when they can barely stand to be in the same room. Have mercy and make sure that your parents will be spared that. There are other ways that they can pose with you.

Honor and respect them both at your wedding. Give them both the credit they deserve for their efforts to be part of your wedding, no matter how small. If it wasn’t for them, you wouldn’t be there. No matter what faults or problems they have, they somehow managed to produce a wonderful person in you and they are glad to see you find happiness.

Technorati Tags: weddings, divorce, parents, seating arrangement

After NewsChannel3 ran the story, a few of the brides received CDs that are supposed to contain their wedding photographs. They arrived without CD cases or protectors. They were simply placed in a loose envelope. Worse, the images on the discs couldn’t be opened - even with the help of the news network’s professionals. In the end, the happy couples did not have any pictures of their once in a lifetime affair.

This can happen to anyone but there are some ways that you can minimize the risk that it will happen to you. After all, there is no way to repeat the event just so that you can have pictures.

First, before you hire anyone, make sure to ask people you know, especially tose who have already gotten married or work as wedding planners, about possible professionals. Compile a list of everyone they recommend. Take a look at the wedding albums and ask about what kind of experience they had while dealing with these photographers. It is best to select someone that your friends were happy with. The very fact that they can recommend the services of these professionals is reassurance that you should receive the same treatment and definitely receive the wedding album.

Second, ask a lot of questions. Ask them about how they work. Visit their shop. Even if they work from their home they should allow you to see their office or work area. Tell them you just want to see samples of their work so that you can have more options to choose from.

Third, read the contract carefully. Basic rule for any contract is to read everything including the fine print. Make sure that the details of the services are clearly stated on it. Check that there is a specified date of delivery from the time your wedding takes place so that you aren’t kept hanging for a year while they take their time handling other weddings.

Now, you may still get unlucky - we never can tell for sure. Your photographer might cancel at the last minute. They unfortunately damaged all the film or erased all the images taken of your wedding. It happens. So better have a contingency plan.

The best contingency plan is to ask some of your guests to please take some pictures then ask them for copies. Worst case scenario, you may have to make your own wedding album and the images won’t have been taken by professionals but at least you will have some images of your wedding day.

Another option is to have a video made of your wedding. It can be as easy as asking three or four friends to bring their handycams and setting them up in strategic places. Have at least one person following you around for the best footage. Then you can simply have pictures printed from the video, thanks to the magic of the digital evolution.

[/tags] weddings,photography,wedding problems,wedding professionals [/tags]

Many couples opt to get married outdoors. They often worry about whether it will rain. They often forget however to think about the heat. If you’re having your weddings out in the open, you need to be well prepared for the elements, no matter what form it will take.

Be considerate of your guests and do not hold your wedding with the sun shining high in the sky and all of you unprotected. You and your groom will be in a gazebo or some similar structure. They will be sitting in the sweltering heat watching the ceremony unfold. Having your wedding in the early morning or later in the afternoon when the sun is not as bright, will be much appreciated by your guests.

Since heat stroke is not a good guest at your wedding, it is best to choose somewhere with shade to have your nuptials. It’s either that or put some sort of shelter over your guests. A perfect wedding favor that you can give just before the nuptials start is a fan. That will help your wedding guests keep cool.

A number of brides do not wish to wear make up on any day, not even on their own wedding day. They are content to have nature apply her magic wand instead of using any artificial means. If this is how you feel, then it is best that you tell your photographer ahead of time. You may also want to have some test shots taken so that you can see what you’ll look like on print.

The last thing most brides want is to look washed out in their wedding pictures. Sunlight can bleach the color out of many things and the white wedding gown doesn’t exactly add color. It’s a good idea to wear a white dress similar in cut to your wedding gown for the test shots and have them taken exactly where your wedding will be held. If you have them done during the same time of day as on your actual event, you’ll have a better gauge of how you will truly look at your nuptials and in your photo album. You may find that you wouldn’t mind a touch of color after all.

Some couples like to be married near waterfalls. They make for a lovely background, a natural veil falling from the cliffs to the waters below. It also ensures that the day isn’t too hot. You’re reception will definitely be more relaxed and be surrounded by nature at a venue like this.

Don’t forget that you may not have a power source where you’re planning to hold your wedding since you are opting to be in the middle of nature. You’ll have to arrange everything in such a way that everyone can see and hear what’s happening. It will be fun! Just make sure to brief your team well.

Technorati Tags: wedding, wedding planning, nature, outdoor wedding, garden wedding, no make-up

Regrets are created by a number of things. It can be that something goes wrong at the wedding. It can be because the couple simply didn’t like a particular item. It can even be something as simple as the bride wishing she’d gone ahead and done what she’d wanted instead of being held back by tradition. Here’s a list of the most common regrets that couples have.

Photographs are often a source of regret for most couples. Weddings are once in a lifetime events. It happens quickly and once finished, there is no getting the moment back. Unfortunately sometimes the photographers will miss that special shot or there just aren’t enough pictures.

This is why it is really important to discuss with your photographer what specific shots you want taken. They need to know if you have arranged any unique or special ways to personalize your wedding and when they will take place. Tell them if you want candid pictures of your guests as well as any overhead shots. Best of all, get the best possible photographer you can afford. Choose someone whose work you truly like and meets your needs.

Another regret couple’s have is not getting a videographer. It is easy for a photographer to miss special moments. Having a video means that there is a way to capture those moments. The images can be transferred from video to still images.

Many a bride regrets not hiring a professional make up artist because they look too pale or too heavily made up in their pictures. There is a trick to choosing make-up and blending it so that it enhances your beauty yet looks so natural, no one looking at your pictures would think you were made up. A truly good make-up artist is worth her weight in gold. The best way to check is to go for a trial makeup session, then have some pictures of you taken in conditions similar to your wedding venue’s so that you can get a good idea if the look will work for you.

Many couples so want to be the star of the show that they say forget the receiving line and just have the grand entrance. Unfortunately, this means that they don’t get the chance to personally talk with most of their guests. They also don’t get to truly enjoy their first moments of wedded bliss much since they are busy doing the rounds and posing for pictures. They may not even get to eat properly.

Even with the perfect team, some things may go wrong. Many brides regret spend too much time worrying about making the event perfect resulting in their not being able to truly enjoy their celebration. Just accept that some things will be out of your control and just have a blast at your own wedding.

Technorati Tags: weddings, wedding planning, wedding regrets, photographers

Getting ready for the wedding starts about three hours before the wedding. Typically, the whole female entourage is together before the event even starts. Some go so far as to stay overnight and enjoy a last sleep over party. This is to ensure that everyone looks perfect and arrives on time. That also makes for a noisy, giggling group. With 3 to 5 women all getting ready at the same time, the preparations can drag out.

As the bride, there are many photographs to be taken. Some of them are pictures of the preparation process. That is partly why the preparation starts so early.

The first step is to put together all of the bride’s wedding gear on the bed. The dress is laid out with the shoes are placed below its hem. The veil is placed approximately where the bride would wear it over the gown. The jewelry, in its box, is placed beside the dress. This makes it easy for the bride to get dressed for the wedding.

A sample of the wedding invitation is placed beside the gown as well. Any accoutrements such as the wedding cord, veil and the rings used for the binding ceremony are also placed laid out. The laying out makes it easier for the photographer to take pictures of these items.

It is better to have your bath before all the assistants arrive. Think of it as you are hour of peace and quiet. If you are lucky, your wedding isn’t a morning wedding and you’ll have a lot of time to rest and get ready to face everyone. It is after all your last few moments of singlehood. This is the perfect time to reflect and focus on what’s ahead. A good long soak in the tub will get you clean and give you relaxation time.

Then you’ll need to get your hair and make up done. Depending on how elaborate your coiffure is meant to be, this can take anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours. You’ll usually have your mom and maid of honor in the room as well, assisting you.

Usually the photography session begins one the bride is made up. Think of it as a fashion show of you and your wedding ensemble. Once that is done, you’ll begin to get dressed.

With everything laid out on the bed, it is easy to see if anything is missing. The maid of honor is the person to help you dress, though you’ll probably want your hairstylist attach the veil so your hair doesn’t get messed up. Don’t forget that the perfume should be applied before you put on the gown to avoid staining. You’ll also want to be careful to avoid your lipstick staining your dress.

Once you’re all dressed, it’s time to go meet your groom with a few photos taken along the way.

Technorati Tags: wedding, wedding preparations, bridal beauty, hair and make-up, photography

You are probably wondering what is wrong with that. The problem was the bride was expecting to get the negatives of all her pictures as well. After all you never knew if there were any pictures that you really loved and would like to recopy for your family.

For some couples, it is very important to have the original sources of their wedding photos. Celebrities and media personalities, for example would prefer to keep some images private. Some photographers can be tempted to sell copies of their pictures to make some extracash.

Another reason why most people want the negatives is that not all the pictures taken go into the album. Yet those that aren’t used aren’t given to the couple. Some photographers will tell you it is because you only paid for a specific number of pictures, which will go into your albums. You’ll need to pay more to get those pictures printed out.

Ladies, you should know that most photographers do not include the negatives in the package. You can request that they include it but expect that they may refuse. If they do agree, some will charge you extra for it. After all, they lose business if you will not be returning to them to make reprints of your favorite images.

Of course some photographers will automatically include the negatives in the package. Some will tell you it’s free. Others will tell you it is already part of the cost. It may depend on how good your bargaining skills are.

It may help if you choose a professional who uses digital cameras instead of film. Doing so will mean there will be no negatives to talk about. All images they take will be transferred from the memory used by the phone into a computer.

Usually, the photographers will ask you to do your selecting from the disc that they will prepare for you. All the images you choose will be included in your final wedding album. The rest will be yours to enjoy and share. This disc will usually be given to you to keep once they are done with the printing. You’ll be able to make reprints easily using the files in the disc.

Do expect that they will put a watermark on your image. This will allow them to attract more customers to their work. Maybe if you acknowledge them as your photographer if you put the images up on your site, they’ll be nice and remove the mark.

Don’t forget to read the contract you sign carefully. Some photographers have it in the contract that any images they take can be displayed as samples of their work. If you are a commercial model or actor who gets paid per appearance, you may want that particular paragraph taken out.

Technorati Tags: weddings, wedding photographers, pictures, wedding advice, wedding tips, wedding planning, digital photography

Ladies, you can tell them to relax and let color back in. There is need to paint everything the color of fresh clean snow. In fact, there is every reason to allow a hue or two into your nuptials.

First off, only the bride wears white at her wedding. Let everyone else wear stronger hues. They will provide a perfect foil for your dress. This will make you glow even more.

Second, you may be one of those modern brides who would prefer to wear an ivory, champagne or red colored dress at your wedding. That is really up to you. It reflects nothing more than your personal taste in clothes and style. The tradition of wearing white at weddings only began with Queen Victoria. In fact before that period brides just wore their Sunday best.

It does make sense though to limit the number of colors that you will use for your theme. Usually two colors are more than enough to add some life and cheer to your event. You can utilize the colors that you both love, your favorites. You may prefer to use two shades of your favorite hue. You might even use your favorite color and then simply choose a contrasting color to emphasize the first. There are almost limitless ways to choose.

Keep in mind though that the colors you choose will help set the tone of your wedding. For example, rose and green are a young color. These are colors associated with springtime and new growth. These are usually the choice of a very young bride.

Blue and silver have a more formal feel to it. They also have a certain elegance in combination. Blue has many hues from baby blue to the deepest almost black shade. Again the mood while change based on your choice.

The deeper hues have a more majestic feel to them, matching a medieval or renaissance themed nuptials. Vivid colors like burgundy and royal blue add a touch of formality and elegance without being cold. They also contrast beautifully with your white gown.

If you are a person who loves the beach and wants to bring the feel of your favorite place to your wedding, good choices are the pale blue of sky, the yellow of the sun. If you prefer, you can use red or orange and blue similar to the hues of sunrise or sunset which is usually spectacular on the beach.

Just don’t forget to choose carefully. You want your colors to be bright but not garish, elegant but not cold. It will definitely make a difference in making your wedding more alive, memorable and unique. You’ll need to choose early enough that all the professionals helping you will have sufficient time to create your invitations and other materials in the colors that you have chosen.