I have been in the wedding photography business since 1984. 25 years of photographing couples on one of their happiest and most important days of their lives.
A lot has changed in 25 years, technology, trends, hairstyles, but one thing that hasn’t is the apprehension of the day. So many couples and parents of te couple are so nervous about this “big” day that they forget to enjoy it.
You spend hours trying to figure out a color scheme, them more time working on the gust list, the seating chart and everything else that makes up a wedding. One of the first things you do is hire your team. The team of wedding professionals that will make this day a success. You research them, see their work and hire the best that money can buy. So why is it that some couples don’t trust who they hired?
You did all your homework and picked the best, so let them do their jobs.
I have seen so many weddings get all unorganized and turn south not becasue of the wedding vendors but becasue of the couple or their families involvement. They get in the way of the vendor doing his job. Now I do agree if you hire a wedding vendor off of Craigslist or hire them becasue they are the cheapest, you get what you paid for and sometimes your wedding plans can go terribly wrong. But if you really hired professionals and now weekend warriors to take care of your wedding day, then step back and enjoy your day.
You gave the DJ the song list you want to hear, the cater knows what food you want served and when, the photographer knows what photos you want taken and who is important so get the heck out of their way and let them work!
The best and smoothest weddings I have covered have been those where the couple hires professionals and lets them be. They enjoy their day and have a great time at their reception.
This is a day you are going to remember the rest of your life, so enjoy it becasue it goes by so quickly. And all you’ll have left is your wedding book and your memories and you want those memories to be about all the wonderful moments that happened that day, not how you had to ask the dj 10 times to play a song that he already was going to play.
Sit back, dance, have fun and enjoy your wedding day. You’ve earned it!
There are a lot of good ideas to help you with your wedding planning and I recently found an article which I will re-post here to help you decide on a photographer and what to actually have them do.
Planning a wedding, so much to do, so much to remember. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a location that helps with all the little stuff and is beautiful, elegant and the food it wonderful.
I recently had the opportunity agin to shoot at the Aldie Mansion in Doylestown, PA and it always exceeds my expectaions of what a wedding location should be. The staff is wonderful, the mansion is gorgeous and the grounds are a photographers dream. there are so many locations to choose from when shooting the couple, the bridal party or for that matter the entire guest list.
I have been lucky enough to shoot weddings at some of the most sought after locations in Eastern Pennsylvania, but by far my favorite has to be Aldie Mansion.
So if you are still in the planning stages give the great people at Aldie Mansion a call and you won’t be dissapointed. Oh, and the food by Jeffery Miller Catering is wonderful.
A few weeks ago I photographed a beautiful wedding. The brides home, church and venue were really made up nice. The brides parents had a wonderful spread laid out for their guests and there must have been 50 people in the house, laughing and enjoying the day. The church was simple and reflected the couples background and faith. The reception hall was very nice, a country club that was well appointed with plenty of space and places to photograph the couple. There were both a DJ and a band who both performed fantastically. The dance floor was never empty, and as a photographer looking for those fun dancing shots, I had plenty of opportunities. HOWEVER, when the couple needed anything, food, drink, someone to help organize the events of the night, there was no one to be found. Once the DJ set up the time line, I was the one organizing the couple, getting them into place for the cake cutting, bouquet toss etc. No one from the reception hall was around except the wait staff and they had no clue who could help the couple. The couple and the parents of both the bride and groom thank the DJ and I for being so helpful and making the evening go smoothly. But the entire drive home I was thinking, this couple thought that an expensive country club reception site would have someone there who would make sure the entire night went smoothly. Who would be there if they needed anything. The point I am trying to make in my long winded way is, when you book your reception site, you really need to check over the contract and make sure that you will have an attendant who will be with you the entire length of the reception. When you need something, they will be there to help, no matter what it is.
This in fact goes for any professional you book for your wedding, whether be it the photographer, florist DJ or band. Make sure you read the entire contract and know exactly what services you are getting. Do not let someone say, “Don’t worry about the contract it’s just standard.” I have heard couples tell me this and I cringe. What are they hiding?
So, to make sure your wedding goes off as smoothly as it should, make sure you know what the professionals you hire are supposed to be doing and hold them to it. You hired them, it’s your day, so ENJOY it!
There are a lot of great ways to create save the date cards for your wedding, but have you ever thought about a business card? Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean boring dull white cards. I am talking about business cards on silk paper or with foil embellishments. I have been using a company called 4colorprint.com
They have been making my business cards for a few years now and they are just wonderful. People always hold on to my card and tell me how wonderful it looks. Mine are their foil cards on their silk paper. They look very elegant and stand out from the rest. Now I know you don’t need 500 save the date cards, but you might. Or think about them as cute announcements, why not!
This time of year is one of my favorite times to photograph a wedding. All the flowers are blooming and it is simply beautiful. When it comes to flowers everyone has their favorites, Calla Lillis, Roses, Carnations the list goes on and on. Flowers are the one thing that can make the reception hall really POP. They can turn a drab hall into something really spectacular. But in our current economics I see a lot of brides cutting back on the flowers. This is one of those things that can be cut without totally ruining your wedding day or memories, but don’t go it alone. You still should hire a professional florist to work their magic for you. A lot of brides and mothers of brides are very crafty and I know you can probably make a center piece that looks spectacular. But, do you want to do them, the night before your big wedding, for 12 to 20 tables, set them up, risk the flowers dying etc, etc. When you trust a florist you have their many years of experience, you have their wholesalers who can guarantee your flowers will be fresh and better yet stay fresh thought your day. There is nothing worse than a groom with a wilted boutonnière. A good florist will understand your vision and budget and work within those means, saving you so much unneeded aggravation and stress.
As with any wedding vendor, make sure you are dealing with a professional. Not someone working out of the basement of their home. A professional will have guarantees, and back ups if the flowers have issues. You can’t say that of someone who doesn’t have a real wholesaler behind them. And NO Cosco is not a flower wholesaler.
I have had the pleasure of working with some wonderful florists, one of which is Perkasie Florist. You’ll work directly with the owner, Cathy. She understands how tough the financial aspect of a wedding can be and she’ll do her best to make your wedding reception your perfect dream, within your budget.
In my continuing series of preferred vendors I’d like to talk about another way you can really customize your wedding. Hiring a calligrapher to hand write out your wedding invitation envelopes, invitation, or pages in your wedding book, is a wonderful way to really make this your own. Now I am not talking computerized fonts that anyone can get, I am talking an actual artist in calligraphy and design. Therese Swift-Hahn from “Bella Scrittura” is such an artist. Her calligraphy is by far the best I have seen. She takes the time and effort to make sure each and every stroke of her pen is beautiful and exactly what is needed to enhance your wedding. We are in the planning stages right now of designing a wedding book with some calligraphic pages along with photographs so that you will have a one of a kind heirloom wedding book unlike any other wedding book you have ever seem. More on that to come. Therese is based in Mount Laurel, NJ and be contacted via email at Bella Scrittura Calligraphy and Design (bellascrittura@verizon.net)
So we talked about the brides gown and fit, but what about the guys? Yes, for the most part a wedding is the bride’s day but don’t forget the other half of the couple. A groom’s tuxedo should reflect his personality and style so that when photographed it is not just a shot of him in a rented suit. Look at how the coat fits, or the style. Is it a day wedding, night, formal or casual? Does his tux fit with the theme? Is he wearing rented shoes that he wouldn’t be caught dead in normally? All these things help to make the grooms look his own and it definitely will show in the photographs. The groom will be more relaxed comfortable and more importantly, himself. Not all tuxedo rental establishments are created equal find one that will listen to you and get what you are trying to achieve. One of my favorite is Fischer’s Tuxedo in Quakertown, PA www.fischerstuxedo.com
Hi all, I want to start keeping up this blog and hopefully help out with your choices for your weddings. being in the bridal industry for almost 25 years I have met some wonderful vendors who really care about making your wedding special. Today I’d like to talk about that all important wedding dress. One thing I really find interesting is the number of wedding dresses that really do not fit properly. A lot of brides love the strapless look but while I am shooting the reception I see so many brides pulling up on their dress to keep it up. If your gown is tailored properly it will stay up and look beautiful the entire night. Every single photograph of you in that dress will look gorgeous. My suggestion? For about the same price as one of those store bought dresses, you can actually have one custom made. Please check out Nilah and company. She is a dress maker and tailor who creates beautiful gowns that fit, well like they were made for you! Her website is www.nilah.com you won’t be sorry!
It was my pleasure and honor to be chosen by Claire and Barry to photograph their summer wedding at the Lake House Inn. What a wonderful event with breathtaking views and a gorgeous sunset.
This is just a small sample of the photographs taken that day. Lake House Inn’s Website
