Hiring a photographer is basically a three step process: browse, interview, and then, negotiate. The browsing is the fun part. Find some photographers in your price range and then check out their work. Don't worry too much about packages at this point, that can come later. Evaluating photographs is part science and part instinct. There should be a good selection of photos to view, not just one or two weddings, and the technique should be excellent. If it is, you almost won't notice. Everything will just look right. If the technique is bad -- such as harsh, dark or dull lighting or fuzzy pictures -- then the photos just won't look good and you'll be able to tell right away. Do the photos look professional or just common? Style is a matter of taste and where your instinct comes into play. In my opinion, wedding photography should be natural and exude a sense of elegance. Be picky! It's alright to be hyper-critical at this point. Does a photo make you smile or is it just another snapshot of someone you don't know? Is it a carefully posed photo or a moment captured? Some couples don't mind spending extra time for special photos, while others prefer to keep posing to a minimum and trust the photographer to "see" and photograph the day as it unfolds. There should be a consistency in the work that is presented. Everything should be of the same general quality, not a couple good shots along with a bunch of average photos. Of course some will be better than others, but overall, the collection of photos will give you a good overview of the photographer's skill and style. After selecting a few candidates, the next step is to interview them and get a feel for their personalities and approach. I suggest a telephone interview as a good first contact. Send an e-mail to your candidates and ask them to contact you. Have them call you at your convenience. Give them a number and a suggested time to call. Get them to confirm the time and that way you can both avoid playing telephone tag. Be prepared to ask plenty of questions and take notes. Maintain control of the interview. You are the customer and the photographer should respect that. Watch out for the hard sell. After your telephone interviews, you should have a pretty good idea who you want to hire. The final step is to meet and negotiate. By and large, photographers are independent business people. We can be flexible. You may want more or less than what is presented as a standard package. Talk it over and see what can be arranged. Be prepared to make a decision shortly after you meet. If you like a photographer, chances are good that so do other couples.

 

It's common knowledge that it takes many creative, hard working individuals to pull off the perfect wedding. There are so many small details to worry about, it would be enough to drive the bride and groom insane. This is why they hire us, the wedding professionals. This includes, but isn't limited to wedding planners, caterers, photographers, justices of the peace, etc. This list can go on forever, depending on the extravagance of the wedding and the amount of details you are willing to leave to someone else. It isn't always understood however, that the bride and groom still reserve the right to control their own wedding. Often times, the couple places themselves at the mercy of the wedding professionals, and are afraid to comment or direct them in any way. This relationship may work fine in most cases, but sometimes this results in the bride and groom being placed in uncomfortable, or undesirable conditions, or ending up with a product that is less than they had envisioned. Hand feeding your spouse cake or smashing it in the others face isn't always what couples want. Long drunken speeches may not be your idea of pleasing either. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with it if it is your idea of a good memory or photograph; it's just not for everyone. As far as photographs and food go, the couple will be much happier if they feel they have some control, and end up with an end result that resembles what they were thinking about when they started hiring people. Don't let us, your wedding professionals, put you in places you are uncomfortable with. It's your special day, not ours. We are just trying to make it as perfect as possible. We have no desire to take over your wedding; we are just trying to do our jobs. Problems naturally arise because we may have a different vision of your perfect day than you do. We, the professionals, are not perfect. We can't read minds, and we probably don't think the exact same way you do. Our opinions are often subjective, and reflect what we would want at out own wedding. Just because we have a vision of our perfect day, it doesn't mean that it's the same vision you have of yours. While it's important to give your photographers and other professionals the freedom to do things that they know will result in a good final product, don't be afraid to tell us what you want. After all I hardly think this is the day that we have been dreaming about since we were little girls. And I really don't think we lost any sleep wondering when the perfect time to pop the question will be. The bride and groom are the most important part of the wedding, and a good wedding professional knows this. We are almost always willing to be flexible for you, because we aren't happy unless you are. So feel free to show us samples of things you like, or pictures of things you find beautiful. Any help you can give us will help you get the wedding of your dreams.

 

Hiring a Wedding Planner/Coordinator is very important for even the smallest weddings. However, a planner is there to do just that, plan your wedding. Unless you are willing to give the reins to your planner and let them pick everything out and surprise you, there needs to be an idea in place. We, as planners, can pretty much do anything you will need us to do, but we don't pay for everything and we are not the ones getting married. Therefore, we ultimately cannot make the decisions. The first thing you really need to have an idea about is your theme and your colors. From there we can give you examples of how we feel the ceremony area and reception area should be decorated. You also need to know which types of flowers you like and then we can give you advice on how we think they should be utilized. You need to have a catering menu ready to go with the items you are wanting for your reception. We cannot pick the menu out for you. We can give you suggestions, but we don't know what you like and don't like to eat. Those are just a few things, but there are more. We are here to help you and make sure that your wedding and reception are your dream come true. However, what people don't realize is how long it can take to hire vendors. The longer it takes to put a menu together, the longer it will take to hire a caterer. This time is crucial. If you wait too long, your preferred caterer may not be available. As a wedding planner, I thoroughly enjoy planning and coordinating weddings. However, unless you are willing to put everything in the hands of your planner, some decisions have to be made ahead of time to make things run smoothly. This is particularly true with choices like your caterer, videographer, venue, and photographer, to name a few. We want your wedding to be the best day ever for you and your guests. If there is a plan already in place as to who you would like to use for your vendors, this will greatly help us. Even if it is two or three vendors in each category -- at least we have an idea and we can get you what you want. In the end, we want you to be just as excited as we are to see everything come together and be as beautiful as you are expecting it to be.

 

There is a common misconception that digital images come from small cheap cameras and are inferior to film. It has been much to my surprise to see some highly renowned wedding photographers using inferior digital equipment that has given pros who use digital equipment a bad name. The truth is that professional digital equipment can be far superior to traditional film capture in many ways. A professional SLR user with high quality lenses can capture images with less grain, and a higher color fidelity than a film SLR with average lenses. High end digital SLRs can almost always capture images in low light with much less grain than film. Digital SLR's with non interchangeable lenses can also yield poor results. A smaller image sensor has pixels that are much closer together than a larger sensor and can result in "digital noise". These sensors are often found in digital "point and shoot" cameras with non-interchangeable lenses. Some average lenses are more than adequate to complete the task at hand, but are often soft, and lack the "tack" sharpness of many high-end professional lenses. Some film photographers are still using filters to compensate for color balance or not using filters at all resulting in images that can be yellowish where there is ambient light, and white where the flash is fired, ending with a poor overall color balance. It is much easier for a pro digital photographer to compensate for color balance issues before, during and after the image is taken. Many corrections are made in post production before the prints are made. If you prefer traditional film for the sake of archiving the negatives to have a permanent, re-printable record of your wedding you may also have a better option in digital. Most professional photographers have a very intricate archival and backup habit leaving copies of digital images offsite as a backup keeping your memories twice as safe in the event of a natural disaster or fire allowing you to have re-prints and extra albums made with a simple phone call instead of dragging all of the negatives to a lab and leaving your photos at the mercy of old chemistry or an un-attentive staff. Negatives can change color, become brittle, or degrade over time. Digital, when archived properly, will never be any different than the day the photos were taken. When thinking about the camera your photographer will use to capture your wedding, be sure not to be fooled by the megapixel count of the digital camera's image sensor. This number is a count of how many million pixels a camera's image sensor has, but it does not define the image quality or the ability of the camera to render a good image. One 8 megapixel camera may have an image sensor that is very small (the size of a pinky fingernail for example) with very tightly packed pixels that can interfere with each other and cause image degradation. Many smaller sensors are also very cheap mass produced CCD (charge coupled device) sensors that have diamond or hexagonal shaped pixels, typically rendering images that are slightly oversaturated, causing poor skin tones and off color scenery. CMOS (complimentary metal oxide semi-conductor) sensors can often be of truer tone and image sharpness due to their circular or square pixels and are often bigger resulting in much less noise and better color depth. There is no one piece of the photographic equation that will make a good or bad image (beware of photographers that say "that doesn't matter, its this that makes the image great") but a compilation of superior components and talent that make your day truly memorable for years to come. The lens, camera, image sensor, image processor, photographer, and print are all equally important in the final product. Professional digital SLR bodies that are respected and commonly used in the photographic community are: Canon EOS 1D, 1DS, 1D mark2, 1Ds mark2, 1D mark2n, 10D, 20D, 30D, 5D. Nikon D70, D70S, D100, D200, D1X, D2H, D2X Fuji (Nikon based using Nikon Lens system) S1, S2, S3.

 

When I mention the words "Engagement Session" many couples cringe and think of their senior portraits. Once I explain that they are taken at a location of your choice, outside, and are fun, many warm up to the idea. Besides having fun, it is really important to take the time to have these photos done. For me, I want to get to know more about my couples. This session is a perfect opportunity to do just that and to figure out how they are in front of the camera. Maybe one of them is a blinker or pushes their head back to make a double chin. These are things that I don't want to happen on the wedding day. I can now tell them better ways to position their bodies to avoid these problems. They will also learn how I work and communicate with them. In the end they will see a mix of candids and beautiful portraits. Once the wedding day arrives both of us are totally comfortable working together and have fun! The couple knows what to expect from me and will have a wide variety of images to cherish for years to come.

 

One of the first questions that I ask a future bride is this, "how do you want your wedding to feel?" Whether you want sophistication and elegance or fun and whimsical, the colors you select can make all the difference. From the moment your guests enter the space where you choose to marry or walk into the reception hall, the colors you have chosen will convey the mood of the whole day. When you start out with the feeling or ambiance that you want to create, then develop the design of your wedding -- it makes the whole process of a creating your dream wedding easier. For example, recently I had two brides with their weddings a week apart. They both had very different ideas on how they wanted their day to feel. The main color of yellow was picked for each wedding. Bride #1 wanted a very elegant feel where as Bride #2 wanted to have fun and party. The challenge was that the weddings were dangerously close to Easter and neither one wanted their wedding to look like part of the holiday. We designed an elegant feel by pairing yellow with silver and white for the first bride. The second loved bright colors so fuchsia and orange were paired with yellow so when you walked in the door you knew it was time to party. Each bride had started out with the same color of yellow but because they knew the mood they wanted their guests to feel, finding the color combinations to reflect the mood was a breeze. Once that you have a definition of a feeling that you want to create -- whether its classic, whimsical, elegant, romantic, or traditional, this becomes a great starting point for all the other elements. The next step would be to take a really good look at the venue that you have chosen for the wedding and reception. Are there strong colors in the room that might clash with the ones you are considering? I have seen a reception held in a Chinese restaurant where the walls were bright red. The bride's colors were a clashing purple. She did not achieve the romantic look that she had wanted and her pictures show the red chairs, walls and curtains more than the purple tulle scalloped along the tables. Observe the venue at the time that your wedding or reception will take place. See how the lighting will affect the room. Some colors will appear very different with different types of lighting. Here are some color ideas to go with the mood you have chosen: Romantic: Apricot, Dusty Rose, Lavender, Sand, Cream Antique White, Mauve, Sage Green Exotic: Topaz, Mandarin Orange, Corsican Blue, Raw Umber, Carnelian, Jade Whimsical: Fuchsia, Bright Orange, Lemon Yellow, Kelly Green, Cobalt Blue, Lime, Purple Tranquil: Lilac, Sky Blue, Celadon, Eggshell, Seafoam Green, Violet, Mint Green, Taupe, Pale yellow, Peach Classic: Hunter Green, Cranberry, Mahogany, Gold, Colonial Blue, Plum, Navy, Grey, Raisin Brown, Vanilla Elegant: Alabaster, Pale Gold, Deep Blue, Royal Purple, Coral, Deep Periwinkle, Porcelain Rose, Silver These are just some suggestions. You might find a wonderful brown, teal and pink that works perfect together. The general rule is stick to two or three colors at the most because too many start to look like a birthday party. So hit Home Depot or a local ribbon shop. Get lots and lots of paint chips or strips of ribbon and try out different colors until a few feel just right.

 

The first thing you should do is decide on a date for your wedding. That is the most important thing to have before you start to even think about looking for possible vendors. Make sure you have more than one possible date for your wedding. Why, you ask? Here are some reasons: 1. If you are going to hire a wedding planner/consultant, they book up fast. Lets say, for instance, that your wedding date is September 2, 2006. When you call a planner/consultant, they may not have the 2nd available, but they may have the following weekend open. So having a little bit of leeway with the date could help you in hiring a planner. 2. When booking your church or reception hall, the date you have chosen may also be booked. Having an alternate date will help you and your planner in booking the venue you want. This goes for other vendors as well. The second thing you should do after choosing a wedding date is hire a planner. The earlier you do this the better off you will be in general. Most people think that you have to wait until 6-9 months before your wedding to hire a planner. This is a misconception. You should hire a planner/consultant ASAP. Not only does this give you more time to pay for the consulting fees, but it gives the planner extra time to plan your wedding and make sure that you have gotten the best vendors. You can hire a planner anywhere from two years prior to the event to two months prior to the event. However, the shorter time span the planner has will decide how great your wedding will be accomplished. After you have hired a wedding planer, they will keep you up on what tasks have to be done and when. If you hire a wedding planner you don't need to worry about what comes next, but if you are not going to hire a planner you will need the following immediately (in order of importance): 1. Church or Wedding Site 2. Reception Hall/Site 3. Photographer (they book up to at least 1 year in advance) 4. Caterer (they book up to 1 year in advance) 5. Videographer 6. Florist 7. Honeymoon (depending on where you are going) 8. Band or DJ Service 9. Cake (some cake designers will allow you to book 1 year in advance, but many don't) 10. Transportation 11. Invitations (need to be mailed 2-3 months prior to wedding) 12. Save-The-Date Announcements (need to be mailed 6-9 months before wedding) 13. Wedding Dress (needs to be chosen at least 8 months prior) 14. Bridesmaids Dresses (need to be done at least 6 months prior) 15. Decoration Rentals (at least 6 months before) Once you have the important things out of the way, you can concentrate on the other things that need to be done, like favors, gifts, hair stylist, et cetera. By this time you should be good and stressed out. This is why it is so crucial that you hire a wedding planner. The stress of planning a wedding can become overwhelming and annoying. Therefore, before you decide to do things yourself, call a planner and get some direction from them. With the stress being taken away you can enjoy your special day.


 

As you know, planning a wedding is a very exciting and sometimes stressful time. There are so many decisions to be made that most of the time you don't know where to start. With choosing flowers, it really can be very simple. First find the colors that you want to use for the wedding. Remember that flowers provide the accent to your day. You are the center of attention and your flowers and colors, even the bridal party, are all accents and extensions of you and your exquisite taste. Always choose flowers that accent your dress, not blend with it. Even the most subtle spashes of color can be absolutely beautiful because sometimes less is more. Try to keep in mind the season in which you are planning your wedding so that you can wisely choose flowers that are in season so as not to exceed your flower budget on special flowers that may be harder to get. Remember too, that this is a happy time for you in your life -- so let a professional minimize your stress by helping you choose flowers that will best accent your wedding.

 

9. Will the DJ host the event and interact with your guests? The DJ should do more than just play music and should be prepared to handle any announcements and special events throughout your event. There are many options for specialty games and crowd participation dances which can enhance any event. Whether you prefer wild or mild, you should be able to decide exactly how interactive the entertainment will be before the event takes place. 10. Will your disc jockey be suitably dressed for the occasion? It is important that your DJ looks the part by dressing in formal or semiformal attire, depending upon your preference. Be sure to specify the type of apparel that your DJ should wear. There should be no added fee charged for formal attire. 11. Is your disc jockey willing to discuss musical selections ahead of time, and are they willing to play requests, particularly if they are suitable for dancing? It is important for your DJ to know exactly what type of musical preferences and entertainment needs you have for your event. They should be willing to listen to your ideas and suggestions. They should make themselves available prior to your event to discuss selections. They should be earnest in accepting the songs you have chosen to be played as well as those you have chosen not to be played. Special requests should never be a problem and your DJ should be willing to play them where they are appropriate. 12. Will your disc jockey arrive on time? Punctuality is a necessity, and as professionals they should be aware of their responsibilities to their clients. Normal time spent setting up and removing equipment is not a part of the entertainment fee. 13. Can your disc jockey provide a written contract? It is extremely important to have your booking confirmed in writing. All terms of the agreement should be in writing to avoid any complications at a later date. 14. Will you play my CDs? Honestly, there is no guarantee that your CD is in playable condition. If it skips, who gets blamed? Instead, talk to your DJ about the songs that you want; many times if your DJ does not have a particular song he/she will get it if it available. 15. Is there backup equipment on hand? Murphy's Law is always present, so it is important to know whether your DJ has extra components, or hopefully another entire sound system available to them. Any number of circumstances may arise between the time you book your Disc Jockey and the date of your event. Booking a reliable Disc Jockey is a very important decision for the success of your event. 16. What is the DJ's music source? Many DJs are using Computer Playback Systems (CPSs) these days. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. However, the music they play from their CPS could come from unlawful downloads; this is a problem. Ask your DJ where he obtained his music. If he said it was downloaded, ask where because there are pay download sites available. If he uses one of the music sharing services, RUN FORREST RUN. Even with the legal download sites, still be suspicious because the quality cannot always be guaranteed; that is, degradation may have happened in the transfer, the encode may have been bad on the site, the encode may have been at an unacceptable bit rate, etc. If the DJ indicates that he did the encode, find out the source of the original encode.