Two photographers who do we choose?

ONE: I spent hours looking over his work, talking and bargaining. I really like what he does, it is subtle and whimsical and he is interested in trying different artistic shots for the wedding, suggested locations for good shots that will emphasise the colour theme. He is easy going and makes me smile real smiles (rather than fake polite smiles). Has no contract and I will have to ask to have one written up with all details from our bargaining.

$1700 (US$1100) for 7 hours coverage, bride getting ready, groom getting ready, photo shoot a 3 locations, ceremony, family photos, another photo shoot, 2 hours of reception with studio for couples photos then trash the dress session after wedding.

Includes 1000+ high res digital negatives all colour corrected with the best touched up (ie special effects, vignetting, black and white, sepia etc) and DVD put to music.

TWO: Fiancees ex-photography teacher, looked at his work and it is nice, but could not show me one whole wedding and isn’t as nice as other photographers, seems more point and shoot with some effects. Loves to talk and is pretty easy going, but to me it was a little strained (he talked fishing). Cheaper than the other photographer. My fiance want to go with him because he knows him and he has shot many of his friends/school mates weddings. Has a contract written up all we do is sign.

$1500 (US$975) for coverage of bride getting ready, location shot, ceremony, family photos, location shot, reception till bridal waltz.

Includes 400 high res digital negatives with the best touched up (ie special effects, vignetting, black and white, sepia etc

Which one would you choose and why?
Obviously I would get photographer 1 to write up a contract with all the details before giving him any money.
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Are you nervous that you will not be able to write your bride wedding speech? I know how excited you are for your wedding. It is such a great feeling that you don’t want tarnished by your inability to write your bride wedding speech. The truth is, it is really easy to write your speech, just as long as you have a guide to help you in the creative process.

Like I said, it’s not that hard to write your bride wedding speech. Even if you don’t have formal training in speech writing all you need is a positive attitude and a little guidance. Fortunately, I found a few speech writing tips and tricks for you on-line.

Allow me to share with you the tips and tricks that I learned.

When writing your bride wedding speech, be sure to be as simple and short as possible. Just use regular, conversational English when composing your awesome speech. This will allow you to write faster, plus it will draw in the attention of your listening audience.

Underscore a single unifying theme for your speech and stick with it until the end. The single theme will keep your speech in line with keeping it short and simple. With a single theme your speech will be short, coherent, and cohesive.

Write your bride wedding speech using a rough draft. The first draft will allow you to free write as long as you want. You can free write until you are finished and then you can heavily edit your speech later on. You can have someone edit your work if you want.

Use descriptive words when writing your bride wedding speech. You can use simile, metaphor, and even imagery. Just be descriptive in order to engage the imagination of your listening audience. With descriptive words your speech will be much more colourful and fun to listen to.

Avoid using fancy words when writing your bride wedding speech. Using fancy words that can only be found in the dictionary will only alienate your listening audience. Be considerate. Not all of your audience have the same educational attainment. So stay on the safe side and use simple, regular words that you use in conversations.

Now you know how easy it is to write your bride wedding speech. Just have a guide handy and have a positive attitude all around. You will be on your way to writing your first draft. If you need more professional speech writing guides, then head on over to http://www.weddingspeechesforall.com

Technorati Tags: Bride, easy, Guide, speech, Wedding, Writing

Your wedding day should go smoothly and without a hitch, and the key to this is good organization well in advance of your wedding day. Here are a few tips to help you deal with the pressure of planning your wedding.

First things first…

1. Buy a pretty notebook, or even a nice blank book. If you have everything wedding-related written down in the same place, it’s hard to lose bits or forget details. Carry the notebook everywhere so you’ll have it when you need it – and later it can be a keepsake. Write down:

a. Phone numbers
b. Tips for decoration
c. Vendor information
d. Guests
e. Notes

2. Keep loose data like wedding receipts together with an accordion folder. This is a paper or plastic enclosed file holder with pockets. Plastic’s your best bet because it’s easier to change labels. Label sections as you accumulate those loose papers: receipts, invoices, RSVPs, ideas and articles, etc.

3. Depend on a computer. There are good wedding software programs for guest tracking, gift tracking, menu selections, table assignments, budgeting, and even a calendar; the best ones will do it all for between $35-60. You can even do it yourself if you’re good with Excel, and some starter templates are free to download from the Microsoft Excel website. Be sure to print everything out in case of crashes.

4. Use index cards in a box to keep your wedding guests organized. Buy a little box, 3″ x 5″ cards, and alphabetical dividers, and assign one card per guest, couple, or family. You can even buy computer paper that tears down into cards, if you really want to be organized. On the card, include information like:

a. Name, address, and phone number
b. RSVP response
c. Gifts given
d. Thank you note
e. Table assignment
f. Menu choice

5. Maintain a to-do list for the major wedding-related jobs. If you use Outlook, this is easy to put together and print out with their Taskpad, along with percentage completion. If you prefer, though, you can just do it by hand. From your large list, you can break out smaller tasks, timelines, and tasks you can give other people. This makes those huge jobs manageable, and you also have the satisfaction of marking each off upon completion.

6. Maintain a wedding calendar with appointments, deadlines, and critical tasks. Again, in Outlook, this is easy to do and to integrate with Taskpad’s list. Every task you have listed should have at least one deadline in the calendar. For a great list of tasks and when to do them, consult our Ultimate Wedding Planning Toolkit’s workbook.

These are just a few ways to get started organizing your perfect wedding. For a complete system that will get your wedding going, consider buying our Ultimate Wedding Planning Toolkit today. With its lists packed with quick information, excellent spreadsheets, and bonuses like daily wedding planning tips, you’re sure to make your wedding planning tasks easier on yourself.

Technorati Tags: Basics, getting, Organized, Wedding

By this I mean things like getting together with the groom and his men, and the rest of the guys, and either going out or sitting around playing video games and drinking booze and laughing about Britney Spears’s lack of underwear. I hate them for it, but what I want to know is, why do they DO it? Is it because of some weird, antiquarian desire to just..”be one of the guys”?? Can they *really* be that..shallow?? I just got back from attending the bride’s little night-before-the-wedding get-together, and dropping to by the *groom’s* little…”get-together.” Yeah. At the girls’ thing, they were all talking and wrestling with major life issues in marriage, and talking about things like how she needs to study up on ways to please her man, etc… And then I go over to pick up my husband at the groom’s thing, and they’re swigging whiskey and yowling about demolitions materials and Britney Spears. Wow, deep stuff here, huh?
So. Some help here, please..
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Wine is something that has been around forever, it is in so many stories from different cultures and traditions that it really carries a deep history. That history is filled with joy, merriment, and celebration. Wine is truly an essential part of any momentous occasion or special moment that you want to remember forever. The best part is that wine carries an air of sophistication. Fine wines are considered classy and are associated with wealth and high prices. So if you want to impress all of your guests you can use different kinds of items and decorations associated with wine in order to bring in that really nice sense of sophistication and class.

Practical wedding favors are really appreciated by your guests because they can use them in their own home and each time they use them they will think about the great time that they had at your wedding and all the memories that they made there. There are a lot of different favors and accessories that have to do with wine that you can incorporate into your decorations and your wedding theme. You can find all of these different things online so that you can pick out exactly what you consider to be perfect for your party.

However, it is important to remember that you also have to keep your guests in mind and focus on what they will really like to get as a wedding favor. They will love you and appreciate your wedding reception if you get them something that they can use or display in their own home and tell stories about your amazing party. So basically, the way to make everyone remember your wedding reception is to wow them with your themes and decorations and to give them everything that they will want in order to thank them for celebrating this special day with you. Here are a couple examples of the different items you can try out that have to do with wine and sophistication. You can find all of these online and have them shipped right to wherever you need them to be.

Chrome Heart Corkscrew:

This will be a useful wedding favor for all of your guests because next time they have to open up a bottle of wine or champagne for a celebration they can just pull out this corkscrew and it will be no problem for them. The silver chrome is really dazzling and adds even more sophistication to the item. The heart at the top of the corkscrew makes it more attractive and adds the sense of romance to the whole evening.

Sea Shell Bottle Opener:

This will go great with a beach or summer themed wedding reception. All of your guests will be amazed by this great find and all the things that it goes along with — like your color scheme, your theme, and your sophisticated personality. There is also a thank you tag where you can write a personal message to make this even more meaningful for all of your guests.

Technorati Tags: Elegant, Favors, Wedding, Wine

Wedding is a special event in everyone’s life. We all try to make this special event wonderful. Tying nuptial knots in a magnificent marriage ceremony – is everyone’s dream. But without financial funds, its like building castle in the sky, as it’s an expensive matter. Now, it’s a time to worth your property and makes your wedding a wonder. With secured wedding loans, you can turn your dream a reality.

Generally, Secured wedding loans are given against collateral. If you have a property such as home, car or even savings account, you can use it as collateral to get secured wedding loans. With secured wedding loans, you can borrow money ranging from £5000 to £25000. But, if your loan amount exceeds this range, then lenders will evaluate the property you are using as collateral. A higher value of the property may ensure greater amount of loan.

Secured wedding loans are adorned with a number of benefits. Such as, Easy repayment schedule, lower interest rate and quick availability. As urgency is involved in it, lenders approve secured wedding loans quickly.
Besides, loan companies have various finance plans to pay for expensive things like reception, hotel, honeymoon, wedding photography, wedding cars. There are also several loan products for parents of brides and bridegrooms, who want to finance the wedding of their children. Even, if you have bad credit history, still you can get the benefits of secured wedding loans. A loan offer would be made to you depending on your credit circumstances by the lenders.
But, before applying for secured wedding loans, some efforts are necessitated. At first, you will have to estimate your financial requirements. Since you are using your property as collateral, you need to be conscious about your financial condition as well. If you fail to repay, it will endanger your property.

Next comes to the choice of lenders. Apart from traditional lenders, like bank, financial organizations, you can opt for online secured wedding loans. It is rather easy to find secured wedding loans online with great interest rates. As a simplest process, for online secured wedding loans, you need to fill up only an application and the lenders will contact you with the deals they find appropriate for you. At last, needless to say, comparing loan rates will help you finding the best secured wedding loans.
With secured wedding loans, you will be able to make your wedding a smooth sailing occasion. These loans are approved very easily. Hence, its popularity is increasing day by day.

Technorati Tags: Loans, property, Secured, Wedding, Wonder., Worth

Everyone knows that planning an event is stressful, with what seems like millions of factors and issues piling on top of each other that threaten it’s success.  This is a general guide to the simple do’s and dont’s when it comes to planning your wedding.  It is very open-ended and allows for a lot of creativity on your part, but it just gives you something to fall back on as a sort of “wedding planning security blanket.” Enough with the boring stuff, let’s get to planning.

First of all, before the event it is important to send out some sort of save-the-date item.  The most common is a save-the-date card, which is simple to print and send off to your family and friends.  You can also add a “green” aspect and make sure that these cards are recyclable.  However, since times are changing, couples are using more interesting save-the-date items such as magnets.  This way, your guests will be reminded of your wedding every time they get a hankoring for icecream or go to make a sandwich.  Here’s a great site that allows you to customize your own magnets: http://www.printmything.com/t20/28271/Custom-Printed-Magnets.html.

Making arrangements for your big day can be incredibly stressful, so try to have a lot of options. For example, don’t plan everything around one location, only to find out that it’s not available.  Have a few options that you like so you don’t have to panic. 

One more popular component of weddings now is themes.  Themed weddings can be fun and add a little more pizazz to your event.  However, for those of us who have seen the movie 27 dresses, it’s all too apparent that themes can come off as tacky and downright embarrassing to be a part of.  This is why I would recommend choosing a simple theme such as a seasonal wedding, where you can incorporate what’s happening outdoors, to your indoor setting.

Now I realize that I’m skipping a lot of details when it comes to your special day, but I am doing my best to hit the highlights. 

My favorite part about the wedding, is the all important bride’s gown.  I am completely obsessed with fashion and the bridal industry is becoming truly remarkable.  For example, the traditional white dress is being given a run for its money.  Vera Wang’s latest show displayed pink and red wedding dresses to the high fashion world.  Other designers are following suit, and the use of color in wedding gowns seems to be unstoppable. Also, not only are colors of dresses changing, but styles are as well. Brides are choosing more unique and obscure styles such as empire and mermaid designs to highlight their curves.  These styles are flexible in the sense that they can mask unwanted curves or create the opposite effect depending on your body type.  My personal favorite style just being utilized is the “crumb-catcher dress” where the fabric is sinched at the chest to create big folds of fabric. All of these styles are completely acceptable in the bridal world today, so don’t be afraid to go wild and express yourself!

Hope these tips helped, I will be adding more as time goes on. Feel free to ask any questions, post concerns, or just simply comment on this article!

Technorati Tags: Event, Planning, weddings

I am getting married this summer. Our wedding is going to be traditional and fairly formal. My fiance and I decided from the start that it would be an adult-only affair. He has several small children on his side of the family, and I only have a few. We made our decision clear and everyone seemed fine with as past family weddings have also been adults-only. (I, myself, did not attend a wedding until I was 19.) I know many people feel that weddings should always include children because they are part of the family, but our wedding is not going to be kid-appropriate due to the time of day it is taking place and because we’re having an open-bar at the reception. Everyone we have talked to is more than happy to leave their children at home for one night and enjoy a kid-free celebration. I love children–especially my two nieces!–but I’ve never had any desire to have flower girls or ring bearers in my wedding.

All of a sudden my sister is furious that her two daughters (currently aged 10 months and 3 years) are not going to be included in the wedding ceremony or invited to the reception. The youngest will not even be two years old at the time of the wedding. My sister is also the MOH and I didn’t think it would be easy for her to take care of her children AND serve as the MOH at the same time. However, my sister is convinced that my decision was made because I don’t love her or her children and therefore do not want them involved. We are not going to change our decision and are confused as to why she is suddenly making this such an issue. At this point she is not speaking to me and claiming I am making the biggest mistake of my life by not including her children. It is obvious that it’s really about her wanting her children to be in the spotlight.

Has anyone else had a similar problem with family and children in their wedding? How can I better explain our decision without enraging her further?
Yes, insurancelady82, my sister is used to being the center of attention and she gets visibly annoyed when topic of discussion turns away from her and her children and focuses on my wedding plans. When I first got engaged and initially started talking about wedding plans she was completely fine with her children not being in the ceremony and said it would make the day “easier and a lot more fun” for her and her husband. It is only recently that her attitude changed.
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Between men and women, it’s the women who are more inclined to planning and paying attention even to minute details to ensure smooth completion of a task. If you are a bride, it is very much expected of you to get involved in the wedding planning. Yes, it is grueling at most times but it could also be fun and exciting. Knowing that it was you who made the preparations is a sort of assurance that there is a very little chance of a mess up.

Planning a wedding in its entirety is very complicated with all the details that you have to remember. We could divide the planning into two parts so have a detailed view of the aspects that you have to attend to. The first part is the wedding ceremony planning and the second part is the wedding reception planning. For practical reasons, some couples tend to hold the wedding ceremony and wedding reception in a single venue-less hassle for the people involved and less cost for all the decorations.

Wedding Ceremony Planning

The Venue and Time

Choosing the wedding ceremony venue is one of the first things that you have to determine. Will it be an indoor or outdoor wedding? Will it be in the city or in the province? If it’s indoor, will it be in a hotel function room or in the church? If it’s outdoor, will it be at the beach or in an abundant garden? Is the venue accessible to your guests? What time will the wedding be, morning, noon or evening? In deciding where the venue is and when the ceremony will take place, consider your guests- the availability of the majority and the accessibility of the place.

Venue Decorations

Wedding decorations are essential in creating the wedding scene. The most common decor that you’ll find in any weddings is flower arrangement. Flowers you’d often find in weddings are daisies, roses, calla lilies and tulips. Fresh flowers are superb for wedding however; those on tight budget can opt for silk wedding flowers. Those walking down the aisle, don’t forget have aisle runner as it will instantly create a stylish outlook. One should also have a wedding arch. You’ll create a better wedding atmosphere and it can also be used later to take photos. The church pews or chairs should also be decorated with ribbons, bows or tulle as you’d want your guests sit on something more special that he usual monobloc plastic chairs.

Wedding Ceremony Accessories

When talking about wedding accessories and supplies, one of the first things that come to mind is the set of wedding unity candles. Some couples skip the part of lighting the candle but for a great number of couples, this part is very important. People give it different symbolisms- the husband and wife giving light to each other’s lives and the couple sharing a life together just to name two. Keep the unity candles elegant by having it personalized in harmony with the wedding theme. Other important wedding accessories are the ring pillow, guest book and flower girl baskets.

Visitors and Invitations

A wedding is incomplete without the guests. In order to ensure the success of your wedding event, your guest must leave the wedding feeling happy and satisfied. To ensure that your guests are happy, you need to prepare food that will make your guests happy as well as enough in portion. You wouldn’t want your guest to leave feeling hungry would you? Decide on the number of people attending your wedding and once you’ve got the number, plan carefully. Soon after that, you should also be sending out your wedding invitations which has been decorated and designed to suit your wedding theme.

Wedding Reception Planning

After the ceremony, it’s time to have a good time and celebrate. The time to mingle with your guests must be a fantastic experience not only for you but also for them, as they sit there, have chats with one another and have a taste of the entrees.

Food and Drinks

Great food will keep your guest happy and satisfied. Discuss thoroughly with your caterer on the kind of food suitable for your wedding theme. You might also want to do food testing before you hire the caterer. Drinks served during the event should also be enough to last to the end and make sure you have both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Just as well, you should also have vegetarian food to cater for your vegetarian guests should you have any.

Music

What kind of music suits a wedding? Well, there is no universal music for wedding but with that said, make a point to keep your entire guest happy with different choices of music. You and your partner might love Jazz but think of your other guests. They might prefer pop or rock. So don’t bore your guests during this big event!

Wedding Cake

Wow your guests with the wedding cake design and what is on top of it. Instead of the traditional porcelain figurines, have the elegant monogram cake topper. Have your initials on top of the cake using acrylic.

There may seem like a lot to be taken care of here but actually, there’s more! Don’t worry because no matter what you do or haw bad things look like, they will always turn out OK in the end. Just relax and have fun planning your dream wedding!

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Wedding gifts are something that can make participants and guests enjoy more during the wedding. Gifts for bridesmaids, maid of honor, groomsmen and best man are given with sentiment of thanks from the groom and bride. Although it isn’t mandatory to give gifts for them, still many brides and grooms opt to give something that can show appreciation to those people who have done a fantastic job. One particular role in any wedding is being a groomsman. A groomsman could be the groom’s brother, best friend or favorite co-worker.

When giving gifts for groomsmen, first is you have to think of their personality. You don’t want to buy something that is completely opposite to their taste. You may consider finding out about their interests, likes, hobbies and past time. It would be very helpful if you have these ideas to refer with when going out for shopping. The more knowledge you’ve gathered, the better you can conceive what to buy. Example, if you have an active athlete during your wedding, you can give him a sports related gift, or if he is a professional you can give him business gifts. It is very important to have this idea on mind, or else you would feel upset seeing them disappointed during your wedding.

Gifts for groomsmen come in a variety of choices, from very simple to sophisticated. You may give them a special present that’s also coordinated with your wedding theme. Example, if you have a beach themed wedding you may hand them cooler chairs or cooler bags. Remember that your groomsmen might use their gifts within the party.

in today’s wedding trends, brides and grooms opt for something unique for their participants, especially groomsmen. There are a wide array of selection for personalized mementos for the groom’s buddies. Where to find it? You can shop online where a plethora of choices await you. All you need to do is to browse the net starting with typing the keyword “gifts for groomsmen”, then online results will pop up. In the results, there are different online stores that offer lots of groomsmen gift choices for you to choose from.

You may consider an Embroidered Weekender Bag for Groomsmen that are versatile enough for your groomsmen to carry their valuables during parties prior to the wedding day. This trendy weekender bag is made with durable denier polyester and distinctively trimmed with metal hardware and leatherette pull tabs. It makes a great surprise gift for professional men who are busy with business trips. Or perhaps a Pewter Medallion Ceramic Mug for the groomsman who is a beer addict and collector of beer steins and beer mugs. Inspire them with this one of a kind gift with their engraved initials.

Other personalized gifts like engraved money clips, business card holders, personalized leather goods and other desk accessories can make a perfect gift for groomsmen who are devoted to their business career. Some of these items are themed to fit men’s personalities, fashion and hobbies. You can find business gift items with a sporty theme like a Mini Pool Table which is finished with silver-plated satin, that reflects your sports enthusiast groomsman.

Technorati Tags: Gifts, Groomsmen, Personalized, Wedding