Ok, so now you’re engaged and your todo list is going to grow by the day. One of the biggies on that list is finding the perfect wedding photographer. Looking for the right photographer can be one of the more intimidating parts of wedding planning. When you book a wedding photographer you’re purchasing a product (albums, canvases, prints etc) but you also need to find someone you can trust completely. Knowing where to begin can be a challenge. Here are some tips to get you started.

OK, we’ve set the date…when should we start looking for our photographer?
You really can’t start too soon. Planning on having your photographer booked at least six months in advance of your day is a good goal. Any less than that the risk is not bingeing able to hire your first choice. Also, having less than six months restricts your options for bridal and engagement sessions. If you live in a region that has more extreme temperatures you may find yourself limited to a hot or cold time of the year. Finally, more time to cultivate the relationship with your photographer is always a good thing.

Alright, I’ll start looking…how do I start?
If you have friends that have been married within the last year, start asking them about their wedding photographers. Ask to look at their albums, images and just as importantly pick their brains about the experience of working with that photographer. Google is also ad incredible tool. Search for photographers in your area and don’t forget to search using the name of your venue. Look for photographers that have blogged about your wedding location. Make a favorites folder in your web browser and limit yourself to 15-20 wedding photographers. Once you hit 20 always knock someone off of the list when adding someone new. From that list make a “Top 5″ list. Contact those photographers and set up consolations. From that point you already love their photography. Personality, budget and availability will likely be the deciding factors.

How much do I need to know about their camera equipment?
Photographers love to talk about gear, so don’t be afraid to ask about their cameras, lenses and backup strategies. Photographers that shoot digital should be shooting on the latest camera bodies. Technology has made huge leaps in the last 18 months and the creative possibilities available to photographers in low light are better than ever. Your photographer should have backup camera bodies and and assortment of large aperture lenses specialized for low light photography.

Ask your photographer how they handle the security of your images after the wedding. Typical solutions should included multiple backups in their studio as well as secure off site backups such as duplicate hard drives in a back safety deposit box. They should have “worst case” plans. Hard drives are mechanical and will fail, and home and studio accidents can happen. You want to know the long term safety of your wedding day images has been planned for.

We hadn’t really thought about an engagement session, is one really necessary?
The time in your life between your engagement and wedding is one of the most exciting you’ll experience. Having a photographic time capsule by virtue of an engagement session is something that you’ll be more grateful for as the years pass. Not only that, the time and experience spent with your photographer before the wedding day goes a long way towards establishing the trust a photographer needs to create their best work. Having spent time creatively together before your wedding, you will understand the way your photographer works and having seen the results you’ll trust that work. Knowing that you can just enjoy the day and your wedding photographer will be there to scoop up the moments is a wonderful feeling on your wedding day.

How important is a second photographer?
There is a lot of talk about second shooters these days. Quite frankly, you don’t want to hire a photographer that couldn’t capture your day solo. One person cannot capture every moment but neither can two. A second shooter may add a small measure of security but it is often marginal. Some photographers would disagree with me on this point but from my perspective as a wedding photographer I would rather be concentrating on my clients and their moments on their wedding day than managing a second photographer. If you are paying extra for a second photographer I encourage you to ask to view a portfolio of that shooters images. Photographers often charge for a 2nd photographer and then use unpaid assistants that are looking for experience.

If you are having a very large wedding with many attendants (250+ guests) that’s when a second photographer really adds value.

What should I expect after my wedding?
Talk to your photographer about expectations after your wedding day. Of all the vendors you choose, your photographer may be the only one you talk to after the big day. Have your photographer explain the time frame for image delivery, album design etc. This is my typical time frame for an example. I blog teasers within a week after the wedding. The entire wedding if posted in an online proofing gallery 3-4 weeks after the wedding. From that point by clients choose their favorites for their wedding album. Once I have the favorites, I start the design process. The bride and groom give the final OK on the layout and then it’s about 4-6 weeks to have the album created. The whole process typically takes around six months. DVD of high resolution images is delivered with the wedding album. Every photographer is slightly different for how they handle delivery after the wedding so make sure you know what to expect.

Phil Holland is a Dallas wedding photographer. As owner of Holland Photo Studio he provides creative wedding photography for brides in grooms in Dallas and any destination. If you have any questions not covered here don’t hesitate to let him know in the comments or through an email. All of the images in this post are his handiwork!

Hey all!! It’s been forever since I posted last (W-S post not included). I’m getting hitched next Saturday (10/16) and things have been quite hectic.

I wanted to drop in and tell you about something we’re trying out for our big day – Storymix Media. Brandon actually connected me with “their people” just a few days ago, so I was a little hesitant to sign up. But, since our videographer is my fab-but-still-in-training cousin, I figured, “why not?”.

Storymix has unique photo and video services designed for couples tying the knot. We are going to use their Flip Wedding and Guest Memories products and I’m really interested in seeing how it all turns out. If all goes well, I think it could be a seriously awesome service for couples to consider, especially if a pricey videographer doesn’t fit in the budget.

They supply Flip cams for three days, that any of our friends, family members or guests, (or even us) can use to shoot footage throughout the weekend. Then they professionally edit it into a 20-30 minute highlight movie on DVD. How cool?!

Their “Guest Memories” package is a simple way for us to capture all those moments our guests have (but we’ll miss). We are going to provide the unique URL to our guests, and they can upload their picture files without needing a username or password. Then we pick our favorite 50 photos and Storymix creates a custom DVD slideshow. Everything ends up on an online gallery so anyone can download any photo or video file they want for free (this is probably my favorite feature!).

Anywho, after things settle down, I’ll do a review to let you know how it all turned out! And hopefully I’ll be able to share the video, too!

Have you used Storymix Media? Tell us what you think!!

I recently had the chance to interview beach wedding expert Jeff Copeland of Simple Weddings, a St Petersburg, Florida based company specializing in Florida Beach Wedding Packages.

Who gets married on the beach?
Well, just about anybody! We get the full spectrum of clients from young “20-something” childhood sweethearts to older couples for whom this may be a second (or third…or fourth!) marriage.

We do tend to attract a lot of people from the Midwest – Illinois, Michigan, Kansas, Indiana…but I think that is just a typical pattern for tourism in this area. I think it might have something to do with the weather!

How are beach weddings different than your average “traditional” wedding?
Believe it or not, they can actually be very similar to a traditional church wedding (aside from the sand of course)! Or they can be completely different.

Every couple is different and we work with them to plan their wedding exactly the way they want it, rather than trying to force them into some pre-determined package.

We just had a couple this past weekend from Canada who had an awesome playlist for their wedding music – they had the Beatles for their prelude and processional and “Signed, Sealed Delivered, I’m Yours” by Stevie Wonder for their recessional!

My point is, things like their music, their vows, and the type of ceremony they choose say a lot about a couple. Sometimes more so than their wedding venue.We try to help them bring out that personal touch and make their wedding a truly memorable event. The beach just happens to be a nice setting in which to do that.

What are some important things couples need to keep in mind when planning and budgeting for a beach wedding?
In a lot of ways, it’s not unlike planning any other wedding. You still need a budget, a guest list, a dress…all the usual stuff. But if it’s a destination wedding, you might also have to plan for travel and lodging.

On the other hand, many of our clients save a ton of money by not having to rent a wedding venue (which can be one of the single most expensive items in a wedding budget) since the beach is generally free. And destination weddings by their nature tend to have smaller guest lists, which means a much lower catering bill. In fact, any of our clients have groups of 10, 20, or 30 people – and they just go out to dinner afterwards!

So I think ultimately, destination weddings can actually be less expensive – it’s just a different set of things you have to plan for.

What are some of the obvious and not-so-obvious perks (or downfalls) to having a beach wedding?
This is one of those cases where the obvious perk can also be the pitfall – the weather.

People want a beach wedding for the weather – they want to stand in the sun with the wind in their hair and the warm sand in their toes and get married on a beautiful, sunny day.

Unfortunately, though we do have some of the best weather for beach weddings anywhere in the country. We do obviously sometimes do get rain. We always work with our couples to arrange for a backup plan in case it rains.

What do guests need to know and be aware of when attending a beach wedding?
This is an easy one – be flexible! As I mentioned, we always have a backup plan in case of bad weather. And we occasionally have to move weddings a few blocks in one direction or the other due to events taking place on the beach.

So beach weddings require a certain degree of flexibility for last minute changes that other types of weddings don’t. And this can obviously impact the guests.

What are three tips or pieces of advice you can offer based on your experience that many couple might not think of when planning a beach wedding?

1) Believe it or not, the beach is noisy. You don’t realize it when you’re there. But when you’re trying to hear something, like say…a wedding ceremony or an acoustic guitar, the white noise from the wind and waves just kind of drowns everything out. We always recommend a professional sound system to our clients for this reason.
2) While many beachfront hotels and resorts offer their own beach wedding packages, we sometimes don’t recommend having your wedding behind your hotel. Most beachfront hotels have cabana rentals, watersports rentals, umbrellas, beach chairs, water slides, and all sorts of things going on behind the hotel. You have to consider whether the convenience of not having to leave the hotel is worth having this stuff in the background of your wedding pictures. At the very least, make sure you get someone to go behind the hotel and take a few snapshots to get a feel for what it really looks like – never trust the hotel brochure!
3) Think about which direction the beach faces. If you want a sunset wedding (which is by far the most popular for us), ideally you want the beach to face west. We’re very fortunate here on the west coast of Florida from Tampa Bay to Naples, in that we have sugar-white sand and west-facing beaches, making this one of the best places in the country for sunset beach weddings! But if you’re an early bird and want a sunrise wedding, the East coast may be a better choice.

Jeff is the owner and marketing director for Simple Weddings. You can learn more about planning a Florida Beach Wedding on his website at www.SimpleWeddingsFlorida.com! Photos Courtesy of Jeff’s lovely wife, Claire, of Simple Treasures Photography in St Petersburg, Florida

I feel really lucky to be able to work in the industry I do. The way people are with each other when they are at the height of love is truly inspirational!

We went and interviewed Aimee and Mike about how they met, and the stories they told still keep me smiling! We projected the video at their wedding and the smiles on everyone’s faces were priceless.

It makes me think, being married myself, how you can forget to be that way every day around your spouse, and even your loved ones. A video like this is something that can bring back those wonderful emotions. I read in a book once that someone’s Love Story saved their marriage… amazing! We are really in a new era, with people discovering the importance of documenting their most precious moments. When you get married, consider a Love Story from your Videographer, don’t let your truly special moments slip away!

And even with all those documented moments, let’s not forget to express how much we love the people in our lives…every day.

Watch Aimee and Mike’s Love Story

Here.

by Digital Princess Productions

xoxo Siena HeartDiyWeddingGirl.com

Hello Everyone!

My name is Abby and I am a Wedding Specialist at one of the top venues in Boston. I work with brides and their lovely fiances on a daily basis guiding them through the process of choosing a venue, detailing their special day and finally, executing their vision.

I love design and am inspired by new and unique ideas, wherever they may come from. In my spare time I practice floral design, cake decorating and spending time with my wonderful fiance.

I look forward to giving you advice on choosing a venue as well as being inspired by all of your great ideas!

Ever heard that when shopping around for wedding vendors, as soon as they know it’s really a wedding service your shopping for, the prices magically rise? In some cases it’s true. Obviously, even if you can dance your way around the subject for a while, your vendors will eventually “find out” that they are selling their services or products to a bride. But how can the tips below help? If they quote you a price for a “non-wedding” service or product, they can’t change their prices once you tell them it’s actually for a wedding. And if they do – well, maybe you should find different vendors!

To be fair – there are a TON of great, honest, and talented vendors out there that will quote you the same price for wedding and non-wedding events alike. They are definitely the ones you want to work with! But, we must also remember that sometimes a wedding-related service DOES cost more. For example, you can’t tell a photographer that you want to hire her for a photo shoot, book her for a few hours, THEN tell her “Oh, by the way, we’d like you to be around all day because it’s actually our wedding you’ll be photographing.” It just doesn’t work that way!

Check out what we have below for some helpful hints on working with specific vendors.

Instead of saying you need reception centerpieces, altar arrangements, and personal flowers for your entire wedding party, ask something like “I’m having a party and need some arrangements for the tables. I like lilies, roses, and daisies and I’m looking to spend no more than $2000. What are my options for that price range?”

They may ask what kind of party or how many pieces you need and catch on pretty quickly (they are professionals, after all, and have been doing this for a long time). And remember that if you want them delivered or they require a special setup process, their price may rise in the end anyway.

Not all cakes are labeled “wedding cakes”, thank goodness. When shopping around for cake, try asking something like “I need a cake for a dinner party. I’m looking for something a little different, though, maybe something with square tiers in a pale pink color.” If you need a cake for oh say, 400 people, the baker will wonder. Consider your options: you could get a smaller cake from ABC Bakery that will act as your main cake, and sheet cakes from XYZ Bakery in order to feed the rest of your guests.

While it can be particularly tricky to find a “wedding dress” without asking for a “wedding dress”, it has been done! If you’d happily wear a dress with a simpler pattern or one that doesn’t really look like a “wedding dress” at all, try looking in places that aren’t strictly bridal salons. Look for white dresses anywhere dresses are sold. Or, if you find a dress you love, ask if it can be ordered in white. Depending on who makes it and where your buying it from, special ordering in different colors than you see on the rack is sometimes an option.

For bridesmaids dresses, the same thing goes. Just because you’re not shopping in a bridal salon doesn’t mean you won’t find dresses that flatter your bridesmaids and coordinate perfectly with your color scheme. Keep in mind that dresses made specifically for “special occasions” (and to go on six girls for the same event) are sometimes more cheaply made then those that are usually bought one at a time. Check out this great article from Bridezilla about cheap bridesmaids dresses and other wedding scams!

For a small reception (150 or less), telling your caterer that you’re having a large dinner party would suffice. Because in essence, that is what you’re having. Depending on whether you’re wanting plated meals or a buffet, the price will be different.

When calling around to get information on venues, merely state that you’re looking for a place to hold X number of people for an event you’re having. Ask for weekend AND weekday rates (many times they are different). It is possible to book a place without them knowing that it’s a wedding, but they will find out eventually (if not before, I think walking into the place in a wedding dress and a groom on your arm might just be a dead giveaway ).

For these vendors, a wedding truly means more work, so don’t be surprised when their wedding packages are more pricey. But in all fairness, while you may be paying more, but you’re definitely getting more, too. You can just schedule a shoot with normal sitting fees, etc. with a photographer for your engagement pictures. But, it is good to let them know what these pictures will be for so they can advise you on what to wear and give you more helpful tips.

From Real Simple

*Side note: I like the looks of the bouquet…but I can’t stand the smell of Baby’s Breath. Yick!

In the end, don’t lie. It’s just not nice! But at the same time, neither is charging more for something just because it’s for a wedding. Use those smarts and go get yourself some honest deals!