Last weekend, I had the unusual pleasure of being a guest at a wedding and not the photographer. The wedding was upscale, the ceremony and the reception where both held at the Constitution Center in Philadelphia. The Mayor of Philadelphia, Mayor Nutter himself the was officiant and a guest.
The wedding started at 6:30pm, so it was a formal evening wedding All the guest were decked out in their finest, some actually in black tie. There was a 10 piece orchestra all dressed properly and even the wait staff was all very appropriate.
Then there was the photographer and videograper. Let me start off first by saying, I have no idea of the quality of their work as I haven’t seen a single image or frame. So this is in no way a reflection on the actual photographs. But, when the videographer is wearing sneakers, black jeans and a black t-shirt. The photographer was wearing some sort of casual blouse and pants that were so long that they dragged on the floor, which was good because they covered the Crocs she was wearing. Her assistant, who I later found out was her father, was at least wearing black dress pants and shoes, but no tie.
Maybe I am old school but this lack of proper attire shows no respect for the bridal couple. No respect for the ceremony that you are covering and personally no self respect. I really can’t see that the quality of their work could be any good when they don’t have the decency to dress well. When I photograph a wedding I am either in a suit or a tuxedo. The point being is it shows respect for the couple who hired you and also, you can blend in with the guests. So many of my couples are amazed at the images I can get and they don’t know I am taking them. the reason is that when I put the camera down, I look like any other guest at the reception, but when your clothing is just sloppy or not appropriate for the event, then you stand out…like a sore thumb.
Then there was the fact that with about 2 hours still left at the reception, the photographers left. It probably was in their contract that they are only there for six hours but come on. The night was still young. The bridal couple was dancing, having fun with friends and family and being romantic on the dance floor. Great shots, missed because these photographers didn’t think much of it. A bride shouldn’t have to look at her watch and make sure the photographer will still be around when they cut the cake.
I guess the point of this blog post is, make sure you know what your getting when you hire a photographer. they may have a slick website, may have a great selection of photos, but what is their appearance, are they professional, will they get everything that you want and will you be embarrassed to have your guests see them.
A wedding takes months of planning, every detail is important. The emotion, joy and fun of the day what you should be thinking about, not what your photographer is wearing or where they are when you and your fiance are sharing a touching moment.
With the advent of digital photography there are so called professional photographers crawling out of the woodwork because they can shoot a ton of images and the camera will make sure they are at least decent. But if they don’t have the experience, they don’t have the instinct to what will be happening and they won’t have the creative savvy to use a place like the Constitution Center for some once in a life time wedding portraits. Make sure your photographer has been in business for at least 4 years, See if they are a member of any reputable organizations such as the PPA (Professional Photographers of America) or the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) If they are a member of the PPA, are they Certified? This guarantees they have a reputable business as well as the technical knowledge. And also, when you are interviewing them make sure you see complete weddings, maybe the entire proof set from a wedding and also take note of how they are dressed. if they don’t care enough to dress neatly for what could possibly be a job, how will they dress for your wedding.
The entire wedding reflects the couple, shouldn’t your vendors reflect the best?
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.
Perkasie Photographer Relocates Studio to More Intimate Setting
Barone Photography Studio is now on Fifth Street in the borough
Perkasie, PA – Seeking a more intimate setting for his studio, Perkasie photographer Michael Barone has relocated to smaller space at 101 N. 5th Street.
Barone, who specializes in weddings, portraits, events and commercial photography, recently traded his sprawling 3,000-square foot loft studio on Seventh Street for about 800 square feet in the former Prudential real estate office building owned by Cathy Weierbach of Perkasie Florist. Built in 1925 as a private residence, it oozes Victorian charm and class, making it an ideal setting to practice “the art of photography,” said Barone.
“This building has a lot of style,” he said. “It just feels comfortable and relaxing.”
Barone’s second-floor studio is divided between two spaces: a Client Room, where he can meet with clients to discuss their needs, and a Shoot Room, where his photographic equipment is set up. A spacious second-floor deck just outside the Shoot Room provides a beautiful backdrop for portraits and Barone said he plans to install an outdoor gazebo next to the building in the spring.
“We can achieve a very natural setting for clients without having to go anywhere,” he said.
Barone is also hoping that synergy between his studio and Weierbach’s Perkasie Florist, which specializes in wedding flowers, will help both businesses.
“Having us under one roof will be tremendously convenient for our clients,” said Barone. “They can take care of two major components of their wedding at one time.”
In fact, that’s exactly what happened less than a week after Barone moved to his new location. Former Perkasie resident Jackie Bentz stopped in to see Barone about doing the photographs of her wedding next August at the Warrington Country Club. Not only did Bentz book Barone’s services, she also contracted with Weierbach to provide the flowers.
“Having Barone Photography and Perkasie Florist in one building was such a blessing,” said Bentz. “Brides have so much to do, and having a photographer and a florist in the same building is so convenient. They work wonderfully together, making sure everything coordinates. It’s a tremendous service.”
Barone said he and Weierbach are hoping a bridal consultant might be interested in setting up shop in the building, giving them a full slate of wedding-related professionals.
“I’m very happy in my new location,” said Barone. “There’s a certain vibe about this building and the people in it that makes for a pleasant atmosphere that our clients will appreciate.”
For more information, visit baronephotography.com or call 215-453-1208.
One of the important parts of any wedding book are the the sentimental and often fun moments that happen on the dance floor. About one third of all the images from the entire day happen on the dance floor. But if your music isn’t right, you’re dance floor will be empty. On my website there are links to some great DJs and bands that I have worked with who know how to play the crowd and keep the dance floor full.
Another import aspect is the actual music being played. How appropriate is the song to the moment. I have photographed a lot of weddings where the parents of the couple getting married have been divorced. So what song do you play when the bride wants to dance with her step-father? How about a song entitled “Step-Father of the Bride”. Never heard of it? Well your not alone, it’s pretty new. It isn’t written by some huge mega star, but by a friend of mine who’s step-daughter was getting married and it was his gift to her.
If you happen to be in the situation where this song is appropriate, please check it out.
I am getting ready to photograph a wedding today. The ceremony does not start till 4:00 but I will be at the brides home photographing all the pre-ceremony goings on at 1:30. Today’s weather forecast is not pleasant, hazy, hot and humid. Yes the dreaded three “h”s. By 3:00 it is supposed to be about 95 degrees, the groom will be in a tuxedo, as I will, the bride in her beautiful gown, and everyone else dressed in their finest. It is not even the beginning of summer and our bodies are now being shocked by the sudden bump in temperature.
So just how does one deal with the heat in these conditions? According to Dr. Noel D. Nequin, president of the American Medical Athletic Association, it takes about 10 to 14 days of working or exercising in the heat for your body to adjust or become acclimatized. He also states that the best time to consume fluids is before you are thirsty — by the time you are thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. It’s best to drink on a schedule when it is hot outside. Avoid drinks containing caffeine or alcohol while in the sun or heat. These types of drinks stimulate the production of urine thereby promoting dehydration. The best drinks are water, or one of the many flavored sports drinks that are on the market. According to Dr. Nequin, “Research clearly shows that a properly formulated sports drink like Gatorade combines flavor and sodium to encourage people to drink more than they would when they only have access to water. Sports drinks help to replace some of the electrolytes you lose through sweat and provide carbohydrate energy to working muscles.”
Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration:
Dry lips and tongue.
Headache.
Weakness, dizziness, or extreme fatigue.
Concentrated urine that appears darker than normal.
Nausea.
Muscle cramps
So to make sure you have a happy and fun wedding, make sure that drink plenty of water and Gatorade before the wedding begins and also keep some in your limo next to the champagne. It may not be the sexiest drink but it will keep you partying well into the night.
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.
Planning the perfect wedding is a lot like juggling. The more dramatic a juggler is the more balls are in the air at the same time.
Your planning your wedding, you picked the date and confirmed it with the church, but now you have the reception site, the caterer, the photographer, videographer, invitations, florist, gowns, dresses, tuxedos, limousines … lions and tigers and bears OH MY! All this and you still have your personal life and families to deal with. When you want the perfect wedding and really don’t have the time to juggle, it might be time to call in a professional. An event planner. I know the first thing you are thinking is, I can’t afford that. Actually you can. Most event planners have different plans that they can customize to your needs. They can do as much or as little as you want, say do all the phone calls and get you a few florists to check out so you don’t spend hours on the phone narrowing down your search to those you can afford.
A wedding planners job is to help you realize your dream wedding and to help cut down on stress. Now isn’t that something we all can use. As a photographer, I love working with a wedding planner because nothing is left to chance. Everything is timed out and you are certain that your wedding day will run smoothly and stress free. Well as stress free as a wedding can be!
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!
