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Wedding Dresses The Latest Trends! Wedding dresses are such an opportunity for any bride to show their unique sense of style and to really make a fashion statement. Gone are the days of the plain ‘meringue’ style wedding dresses with a little cute well-placed bow; now we are daring to be different! In fact, one of the latest trends is to offer wedding dresses that can be used again. Not only is this a great idea from a budget point of view, but it is also reflective of the simple lines that are part of the modern trend in wedding dresses. Arguably, this fashion is due to the ever increasing age of first time brides as well as the large number of second weddings.
Wedding Dresses for the Winter Wedding Another great idea is to include a fur collar, or long fake fur coat. If you love a touch of luxury and you want something a little different, then winter wedding dresses may just be the thing for you!
Wedding Dresses for the Summer Wedding Wedding dresses must, of course, fit into this theme and as such colors and accessories are vital. Popular, seasonal colors for wedding dresses include lilac, pink, blue and yellow. Often, brides will choose a half-color theme where the bodice is colored or the skirt is colored, but the other half of the dress is kept in a plain cream or white. Subtle is the name of the game with modern wedding dresses. Wedding Dresses – Standing Out From the Crowd Today, wedding dresses are all different; no-one wants to look the same as the next bride and, naturally, brides go to extreme lengths to make sure that they stand out from the crowd. Of course everyone wants to do so in a classy and not trashy way! It seems that individually designed wedding dresses are the way of the future. By commissioning a made to measure dress you can make sure that it fits perfectly, is exactly what you want and above all, is unique. Wedding dresses are an expression of your personality, so don’t hold back; let your imagination run wild! About the author: Elsie Gilbert offers great insights to all different types of wedding ceremonies, wedding styles, wedding accessories. From traditional to the exotic she makes it easy for the bride and groom to review and choose. For more details on all types of wedding ideas visit this site now www.weddingfinery.com Wedding Planning Blog By Jimmy Horner, WedNet Specialist Blogger on Groom Issues, The Man Registry, http://www.themanregistry.com They’ve been with you every step of the way — through good times and bad. And now they’re ready to stand beside you on the day you say “I do.” As your groomsmen, they’ll be renting tuxes, planning your bachelor party, making toasts and helping out on the big day. How to repay them? Here are a few ways to say “thanks.” Engraving something with the groomsmen’s initials is a nice way to personalize your groomsmen gift. Try engraving or monogramming one of these gift options: . Pocket knife or pocket multi-tool Avid sports fans will appreciate a gift that relates to their love of the game or the great outdoors, such as: . Golf equipment Another option is to organize a group outing for you and the boys (on you of course). Popular ideas are: . Casino night (or a Vegas trip if it's in the budget) Finally, if your groomsmen support any major causes - a donation in their name is a very unique and meaningful gift. The Bottom Line: No matter what type of groomsman gift you choose, the name of the game is to find a gift that will make your groomsmen feel appreciated (and help ease the pain of a pricey tux rental). Think of your gift as a memento of your wedding that your groomsmen will remember for years to come. Cheers! Photography: Prevent Grief - Hire a Professional! By Daniel Sheehan (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Photography): A Beautiful Day Photography, http://www.abeautifuldayphotography.com At a number of weddings this past year I had several people came up to me during the receptions and mention that they had been watching me work over the course of the day. I was flattered and had not noticed. They had been married recently but complained that their wedding photographers did not take both as many pictures and the variety of interesting photos I was making. When I asked them who had photographed their wedding, they responded a family member or friend of the family was the photographer, but they wished that they had hired me. In times like these, people are often tempted to save time money on an expensive wedding by accepting the services of a family member or friend when they come to the wedding photography. This often results in a case of unintended consequences as the friend or family member delivers less than acceptable results due to the lack of prior experience, and both of you feel regrets that it turned out to be a disaster. Despite the cost, there are a number of benefits to hiring a professional wedding photographer. The combination of years of experience, artistic approach, and choice of equipment insure that the professional wedding photographer’s work will stand the test of time. A professional photographer’s cameras and lenses make a big difference on the fundamental level coupled with extensive experience with the equipment they use. Their equipment will be professional quality gear that is able to withstand extremes of temperature or humidity, they will have access to a wider variety of lenses, lights, and accessories than an amateur would, and they will have backup equipment in case of failure or damage. They are routinely more comfortable working with their equipment. This translates into a stronger stylistic expression on the part of the experienced professional. The experienced photographer is then not limited by his equipment and is able to pick from a variety of lenses to obtain a specific look or feel to the photographs. More than just getting some good pictures, the best way to remember the day is to have it told in a picture story. The narrative or photo-journalistic approach to wedding photography is a lot more than just a bunch of pictures and requires someone who has learned the skills of telling a story with a camera. If you are not familiar with the style, check out the work of a wedding photojournalist. Perhaps the most important reason to hire an experienced professional photographer is their experience in dealing with all the possibilities of a wedding day. Even though a non-professional who photographs weddings may be quite a capable photographer, the experienced professional wedding photographer has the ability to deliver work of a higher standard in a wide variety of situations. Despite the many months brides and grooms spend planning the day, a wedding will always be an uncontrolled and spontaneous event. An experienced photographer can improvise and adapt when the timeline changes on the spur of the moment as quite frequently happens. Professional photographers know the flow and timing of a wedding day, which gives them the edge to capture images that highlight the most important moments throughout the day—the emotions, laughter, and spontaneity. Weddings are also the time when family members reunite from distant places. Formal and candid portraits become a timeless keepsake of friendships and relationships. An experienced wedding photographer will be able to create these important family photographs, even under the pressure of a tight schedule when things run slower than expected. Experienced wedding photographers, who once worked as photojournalists, thrive in such anxiety producing conditions. After covering breaking news for a number of years, a wedding, no matter how hectic, is never quite as stressful as having to photograph a war or protest demonstration. The very nature of the work tends to lead professional wedding photographers to love working with people, and be warm and personable so that often the bride and groom will feel as if they are having an old friend photograph the wedding. Avoid the regrets and hire a professional to have the best possible photographs of the day to treasure and preserve your memories of the wedding day. Planning: Keeping your guest count down and dealing with your parents By Kristal Johnson (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Wedding Planning): Event Source Northwest: http://www.eventsourcenw.com/kristal.html I’m noticing lately that couples and their parents have totally different ideas and thoughts when it comes to planning a wedding and all the politics that go along with it. I know when I was planning my wedding my Mom wanted to invite the whole town! Here are a couple of tips to let your parents and/or fiancé know what you expect out of your wedding day and who you want there. 1. Communicate! Talk with your fiancé and your parents about how you want to keep it a smaller wedding and let them down gently when you say that your 3rd grade bus driver who you haven’t seen since then is not invited. 2. Explain how a wedding with too many guests, or people you barely know will totally throw off the intimate feeling you’re going for, not to mention inflate the cost! 3. Make a rule: If you haven’t seen or heard from a particular guest in years and they aren’t family don’t invite them. Chances are that they are not expecting and invitation anyway 4. Don’t feel obligated. Just because your dad’s friends sisters cousin invited you to her wedding doesn’t mean that you have to invite them. Make sure that the guests you choose to invite are there to support your marriage and not just looking for a free meal! Groom Issues: Stock The Bar Couple Shower By Jimmy Horner, WedNet Specialist Blogger on Groom Issues, The Man Registry, http://www.themanregistry.com Looking for a wedding shower that both the groom and bride can get excited about? Look no further than the bar shower. Whether the engaged couple already has a bar in their home, plan to have one or simply enjoy entertaining guests, a bar shower is a great way to include the groom and other guys in the pre-wedding festivities.
This is a great shower for groomsmen or friends of the groom to organize. First, think about the types of gifts the shower should include. For example, is the shower being thrown to help stock the couple’s bar with barware (such as wine, beer, martini, margarita, brandy or champagne glasses), utensils and accessories (such as wine and beer bottle openers, wine racks, jiggers, martini shakers or drink recipe books) or liquor only? We recommend including all of the above.
Next, think about the invitations. Make sure to include the theme of the shower someplace on the invitation, so guests will know what kind of gifts are appropriate. If guests will be bringing liquor, you may even want to call the guests that have accepted ahead of time to let them know what type of liquor to bring. Otherwise, the couple may end up with seven bottles of scotch. While this may not be a problem for some couples, others may prefer a slightly more diversified bar. If the gifts will include other bar items, it’s helpful if the couple has already registered for some options.
What about guests? This type of shower easily lends itself to the wedding party and friends of the couple, but can also include close family members and extended relatives. This type of shower is usually held during evening hours, so refreshments can include drinks and hors d’oeuvres rather than a full meal.
The Bottom Line: What could be better than a shower that brings together friends, good liquor and plenty of bar gifts? Not only is this a great way to stock the couple’s bar, it’s also a great opportunity for some of the couple’s friends who don’t already know each other to meet in a fun, relaxed atmosphere before the wedding. Grooms Issues: Selecting Groomsmen and Ushers
By Jimmy Horner, WedNet Specialist Blogger on Groom Issues, The Man Registry, http://www.themanregistry.com
Choosing friends or family to be in your wedding party is a very important decision. Asking someone to stand next to you on your wedding day is an honor that is hard to equal. Typically, you want to make your decisions nine to 10 months before the wedding. First, you’ll want to decide with your fiancé the size of your ideal wedding party. However, as with most wedding planning decisions, it isn’t always an easy. For most men, the question often becomes "Who should I ask?"
Photography: The dilema of posed table photographs By Daniel Sheehan (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Photography): A Beautiful Day Photography, http://www.abeautifuldayphotography.com The people you invite to your wedding are important to you since you have asked them to come and witness your exchange of marriage vows and share in the festivities of the day. Honoring them is a decent and respectable thing to do. They have taken time out of their own lives to share in the most memorable day of your life. Some may have traveled from distant parts of the globe to be there with you. It makes sense to honor them in a significant manner by having a photograph to remember their presence and generosity in the years to come. One solution may be to have a photo made with everyone at each table. At first this might seem like a good approach. You could ask your photographer to follow you and your wedding partner around to every table and shoot pictures of each guest or the whole table. But consider the setting with plates half full of food and the clutter of glasses and bottles and a beautiful centerpiece blocking out faces. Consider the amount of time it will take to go around the room to each and every table and the intrusion of getting everyone to stop their meal to pose with the bride and groom. Often some of the guests are missing as they are off visiting other tables too. From my experience, the photographs taken in such a setting do not come out looking very interesting. It is hard to arrange a group of people around a table without all the stuff on it distracting attention away from the people. Wedding photojournalists are best know for capturing the real moments and emotions of the day. Documenting events naturally to tell a story as it unfolds. They therefore tend to hate making these stiff posed table shots. Making posed table photos mean that your photographer will be missing real unscripted moments of you and your guests enjoying the reception since it will take away a lot of time. There are ways to accomplish the goal of getting everyone photographed without resorting to table shots. The solution I recommend is to consider honoring everyone at your wedding in one large group-wedding photograph. I use a large format camera to capture these large groups. I have shot wedding groups of as few as a dozen up to more than 450 people. I include a large print of this group shot with every package and everyone in the picture comes out crystal clear. It is usually the one photo from the wedding my clients get framed to hang on their wall. Instead of the many smaller prints of each guest at their table, everyone is there in one big picture. Usually, I find the best time to do make it is right after the ceremony and just before the reception begins. Everyone is present and it is easy to arrange them all together with the bride and groom in front. It is a lot quicker making one photo than all of the individual table shots. After it is shot, you and all of your guests can go on and enjoy the reception. The rest of the photos will then be of real candid moments of everyone having a blast. That is the whole point of the reception in the first place. Planning: Where to start? By Kristal Johnson (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Wedding Planning): Event Source Northwest: http://www.eventsourcenw.com/kristal.html For many people planning a wedding is a once in a lifetime chance to dedicate an entire day to each other and celebrate your joining together. If you haven’t planned a wedding before it’s often overwhelming and you don’t know where to start. When starting to plan, it’s important to know that you and your sweetheart are on the same page. Avoid disagreements by taking the time to rate the following in order of importance: Food/Beverage Apparel Aesthetics/Appearance (flowers, decorations, ambiance) Music/Entertainment Convenience Spirituality Photography Family & FriendsWhen you look back on your wedding, what do you want to remember most: How romantic it was How exciting everything was How beautiful it was How smoothly and easily everything went How happy my parents and family wereEven though you may not have put together a budget yet, select how much you think your wedding should cost: $5,000 – $10,000 $10,000 - $20,000 $20,000 – $30,00 $30,000 - $50,000 $50,000 - $75,000 more than $75,000You want to get married: in the spring in the summer in the fall in the winter on our anniversary on a holiday (Valentine’s Day, New Years, Etc.)Now, with this information, you should be able to figure out what’s most important to each other and be able to allocate your budget appropriately and create a day that fits both of your wishes. Happy Planning! Photography: A style of wedding photography that works for you By Daniel Sheehan (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Photography): A Beautiful Day Photography, http://www.abeautifuldayphotography.com
In the beginning, wedding photography was in black and white and the cameras were big and bulky so most wedding photographs were carefully posed. Then came color photography and smaller lighter 35mm cameras and more photographers began to try and shoot candid pictures. Over time, different styles have developed and you may find yourself attracted to one style over another. All of them can be in black and white or color. With the coming of digital, all photos are made in color but can be converted to black and white without any degradation, so it is just a matter of your taste and the style you find yourself attracted to. Traditional and Photojournalistic are the two primary approaches to wedding photography that the majority of wedding photographers practice today. Classically posed images and a great deal of photographer direction and interaction on the day of the wedding are the hallmarks of the approach of the Traditional Wedding Photographer. The poses dictated by the photographer have been practiced since the days of the big bulky cameras by traditional wedding photography studios and have served them well over the years. Your parent’s wedding was most likely photographed in this style. Editorial photography style with an emphasis on telling a story of the day with unposed candid pictures, with little photographer direction and interaction best describes the Photojournalistic Wedding Photographer approach. The emphasis in photojournalism is on capturing the story, atmosphere, details and emotion of the day, so the viewer has an appreciation of what the wedding was like, rather than a series of pre-determined poses. Photojournalism is easier to define, as the term infers the photography is by its nature similar to journalism, where the emphasis is upon reporting and recording events in a newsworthy manner and the photos are more about you than a predetermined pose. There is now a new approach that sprung up in the last couple of years. This third style of wedding photography, which has lately been gaining popularity, is a contemporary fashion magazine approach. This approach blends elements of the editorial photojournalistic approach with the kind of highly styled posed fashion pictures that find their inspiration in magazines like Vogue or Elle or Vanity Fair. Most of the photographers who follow this approach rely heavily on post-production processing in Photoshop to give their images an over saturated romantic look, sometime layering texture patterns over the picture. Just as the fashion magazines use Photoshop to digitally enhance all of their pictures, this style leans in the direction of fantasy, depicting the bride and groom as glamorous models in an exotic location. Contemporary fashion wedding photography may include an element of photojournalism but is not exclusively that style of photography. The digital manipulations create a more artistic and dreamy look than straight, non enhanced photojournalism alone conveys. As a matter of course, some photographers blend elements of all these styles in their practice of wedding photography. In fact, due of the rise in popularity of the photojournalistic approach which has been considered hot the last five or six years, many traditional wedding photographers have adapted to the times by creating poses that mimic the look of candid photojournalistic pictures. The poses often look stiff compared to true to life candid pictures, but they offer a different look from their older poses. A number of straight photojournalistic photographers are adopting elements of the fashion magazine approach to some of their photographs. Consider all three approaches when you look through the online portfolios of wedding photographers before you find the one who you think will best convey the elements your own style. Photography: How to save money on your wedding photography By Daniel Sheehan (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Photography): A Beautiful Day Photography, http://www.abeautifuldayphotography.com Part of the fun in planning a wedding is discovering a whole world of details from finding the right dress to the perfect bouquet. Most people planning a wedding are learning as they go and one of the things they discover in the process is that really great photography seems to be very expensive. The point to keep in mind though is after every thing else is long gone, years later the only two things you will have are the rings and the photographs to remind you of all the special moments of the day. Planning: Simple budget cutbacks without changing your wedding day? By Kristal Johnson (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Wedding Planning): Event Source Northwest: http://www.eventsourcenw.com/kristal.html Weddings are expensive, there’s no doubting that. Many couples these days are paying for their own weddings which can cause grief and of course debt. There are many simple ways to cut back on your spending without compromising your spectacular dream wedding. Prioritize your budget from the beginning. Sit down together and list out the parts of your wedding from the most important to the least, then allocate your budget around that. If you need help with this consider hiring a wedding coordinator (they end up paying for themselves in the long run with all of their industry hook ups) Shop around. Don’t pick the first vendor(s) you meet with. Meet with 3-4 in each category. Often times you’re so excited that you get caught up in the moment and forget to READ THE SMALL PRINT. Take time to review their contracts carefully so you know exactly what your being charged for, and don’t be afraid to negotiate! Skip on the specialty linens and upscale décor. Hiring a prop company to do décor is the quickest way to kill your budget, and your guests most likely won’t remember it. Try DIY décor and seek out help from crafty family or friends. It will save you so much money and help other feel involved in your special day. Order your flowers from a local farmers market and create your own centerpieces. This is so simple and a huge savings! Call up your local farmers market about a week before your wedding and place your order. Depending on the season they should be able to get flowers to match your wedding colors and they will arrange them. All you have to do is drop them in vases! Cut the cake! If you plan on having a cake at your wedding, order enough for only ½ of your guest count. Most people don’t eat cake at weddings and it ends up going to waste.These are just a few small changes you can make to save some big cash!
Groom Issues: The Grooms Cake By Jimmy Horner, WedNet Specialist Blogger on Groom Issues, The Man Registry, http://www.themanregistry.com
One of the more popular wedding trends has become adding a groom’s cake to the festivities. The groom and his family usually provide this cake. While it isn’t a necessity, a groom’s cake can often be a nice complement to the wedding cake or even serve as a dessert for the rehearsal dinner. Another option is to have the groom’s cake served as dessert at the rehearsal dinner. This often makes sense to the groom and his family because they’re often already paying for this event. It could even turn out to be a less expensive alternative to your caterer’s dessert options. Entertainment: The ?DJ? can make or break your reception By Troy McVicker (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Events): Event Source NW, http://www.eventsourcenw.com/
Is this true or what?! How many weddings have you been to where the music selection is horrible, sound quality poor, and the DJ completely silent, or worse yet…cheesy! Here are a few ways to ensure that you get quality entertainment on your 1 and only day. 1. Meet with 3 companies minimum. Ask about their philosophy & success 2. Make sure that you’re meeting with the person(s) actually performing at your wedding. The goal is to get a good feel for who will be on the microphone leading your reception. 3. Make sure they will meet with you before the wedding to go over the music, Fun, interactive goals, and the timeline 4. Prioritize goals and budget for your wedding day! If fun, entertainment, interaction, & music are important to you, you need to spend a bit more on this part. You may even consider hiring a DJ/MC team to maximize your chances of a memorable reception. The good ol’ adage “You get what you pay for” is SOOO true when it comes to this! There are tons of areas to cut back, so you can make sure that the party is a hit. Kristal Johnson (wedding planning specialist blogger) will post a blog soon about “Simple budget cutbacks without changing your wedding day”. Good luck and go find someone that will help you make your day fun & memorable….Don’t settle! Photography: Photographers are human too By Daniel Sheehan (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Photography): A Beautiful Day Photography, http://www.abeautifuldayphotography.com Many times I have photographed weddings where I start taking pictures around 8:30 AM and go through the whole day following the couple around. I shoot them as they get ready, and then the ceremony, and then the posed formal photo session (this is usually the hardest work for me, not the shooting but just getting everybody rounded up and checking off all the names from the shot list). Finally we cruise around and do some photos in various locations before we arrive at the reception. Everyone applauds the couple as they make their entrance to the reception and make their way table by table to their seats. I keep shooting as they sit down and begin to eat their meal. At this point I look around for a place to sit down to do the same thing (I have never had anyone ask me where are those photos of us stuffing food in our face). What happens sometimes at this point is I realize that there is no place to sit. Either they forgot about me or I needed to remind them that after 6 hours of taking pictures, I have to eat oo. Sometimes, I can find an empty seat at a table where someone did not make it and sit down with the guests. In fact I enjoy getting to know the friends of the couple. My least favorite weddings are where the venue insists that the vendors must sit out in the kitchen with the staff or some distant room and eat a boxed lunch. This is a good way to alienate someone you have just spent 6 hours hanging out with getting your photographs made. My preference is that I sit where I can keep an eye on the wedding couple. They often get up during the meal and do some wonderful interaction or someone makes a toast that makes a great and memorable photo. For just the cost of an extra plate you can keep the photographer happy. He will also then be around to capture special moments as they happen for the whole day. And he will be happy to stick around for the rest of the reception however long it might extend to keep recording the pictures that will help you remember the most special day of your life. I suppose I should write it into my contract so that it does not become an issue for future weddings. What do you think?
Planning: Enough help on the day? By Kristal Johnson (WedNet Specialist Blogger for Wedding Planning): Event Source Northwest: http://www.eventsourcenw.com/kristal.html Every wedding is different….different locations, vendors, themes, décor, etc. But there is one thing that every wedding has in common - they all take work. Not just planning, but physical labor on the day of the wedding. In some cases the venue and/or caterer will take care of most of the set up and break down/cleanup. However, if you have your own decorations or rentals you want brought in it’s usually up to you to get bodies to do the work (unless you have $$$ left in your budget to pay someone to do it). That’s why it’s very important to have a detailed list of set up and break down instructions and to GET VOLUNTEERS for them (especially if you want your damage deposit back).
If you’re not sure what your venue or caterer provides on the day be sure to review your contract thoroughly and make sure the guidelines are in WRITING. It’s very important to make sure to have enough bodies, especially at the END of the night, for cleanup. Most people sneak out before they get stuck with cleanup duty and you don’t want Aunt Betty to be all alone with making sure the venue is back in shape (not cool). It’s also good to designate someone to do a final “sweep” of the whole venue to pick up items that may have been left behind…..believe me, there’s always something…
Groom Issues: Tips for picking a tux By Jimmy Horner, WedNet Specialist Blogger on Groom Issues, The Man Registry, http://www.themanregistry.com Picking out a tux for your wedding day doesn’t have to be difficult. The biggest challenge is that most men often don’t consider the type of tux they want until they walk into the tux shop for the first time. But if you ask yourself and your fiancée a few questions ahead of time, it can be a quick and simple process
Should you and your groomsmen wear tuxes or suits? Talk to your fiancée about the formality of your wedding. A formal wedding almost always calls for the groom and groomsmen to wear tuxes. However, for a semiformal wedding, a dark suit is a popular choice, and khaki or white suits are often good choices for summer or destination weddings. Do we know the different styles available? For a semi formal wedding, you’ll usually want to wear a dark tuxedo with a bow tie, cummerbund or vest. If you’re going with a dark suit, wear it with a white or off-white shirt during the spring, fall and winter months. A khaki or white suit is acceptable during the summer months. For a formal wedding, you can never go wrong with a black tuxedo, white shirt, bow or neck tie, pocket square and a vest. Depending on how traditional the wedding is, you might also consider tailcoats and a cummerbund. Should the groomsmen’s colors match the bridesmaids? Most brides have colors picked out for their wedding, so think of these as a theme for the day. Most wedding-related items from ribbons to flowers will reflect this theme. One very obvious thing that will reflect the color theme will most likely be the bridesmaids’ dresses. With that in mind, you want to know the exact color if you want the groomsmen’s ties and vests to match. Should the groomsmen’s attire differ from the groom’s? While it used to be more traditional for the wedding party to wear identical clothing, today it’s completely acceptable and common for the groom to differentiate himself in some way, such as by wearing a different colored vest and tie or a slightly different boutonniere, for a more subtle approach.
The Bottom Line: Most importantly, the first step is to discuss your options with your fiancée. You want to look good, but knowing your bride’s expectations ahead of time will make you shine.
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