5 THINGS BRIDES DON’T THINK ABOUT BEFORE THEIR WEDDING DAY

Obviously, there are a lot of things to consider in the months, weeks and days leading up to your wedding. And obviously, you have planned out all the aspects of the big picture. The venue is booked, caterers are chosen and the guest list is set.

But in all the hectic arranging, shopping and calling, it’s only natural that some things can simply slip our minds. Especially because we’re typically not experienced at planning a wedding!

Here are a few things that brides often don’t consider when they’re thinking about their big day. These are mostly small details, but we all know that it’s the details that can make all the difference!

It’s only natural that you want to look your absolute best on this important day. You’ve have made sure that your dress fits perfectly and everything. 

But when picking out your dress (especially if you’re having a summer or spring wedding), try and avoid a lot corseting or other kinds of boning in the bodice. Having that kind of restriction on your abdomen and breathing can make it painful to sit or move around.

Along the same lines, make sure to either wear comfortable shoes (especially sandals or flats!) or at least bring a pair of comfortable shoes to wear to the reception.

And don’t wear post earrings! A full day of hugging guests can cause bleeding on your neck if you’re not careful. Wear fishhook style earrings instead.

You are going to be spending a large amount of (sometimes stressful) time with the special women you ask to be your bridesmaids. Make sure you choose wisely!

Choose the women in your life who you know will stick with you through thick and thin. It is tempting to ask every cousin and girlfriend to show how much you value their friendship. But stick with the nearest and dearest in your life.

Not only will these better friends be better at helping you the day of, but they’ll also make it more fun and enjoyable. Keeping your wedding party fairly small also helps to save some money!

Most of us aren’t used to having a bunch of pictures taken of us, and so we don’t usually know exactly how to pose and smile so we look our best.

So feel free to look in the mirror and test out what angles and facial expressions you like. Try on your dress too! 

And the day of, when your hair and your make up are done – find the most flattering angles for those too! And on the subject of photography…

In the midst of one of the most amazing (and busiest!) days of your life, it’s going to be difficult to remember exactly what kind of photographs you’ll want of your wedding.  

But if you write up a list of all the different bridal party groupings and candid moments you want captured – your photographer won’t miss a thing! 

It should also be noted that if you want to be sure of what you’re getting– be sure to hire a professional. Only a professional will know exactly how to capture your special day in the most beautiful way possible.

And finally…

Because ultimately, your only real job as a bride is to enjoy yourself. The wedding day is so busy and goes by so fast that it can be tough to remember that it’s supposed to be a blast!

Be sure to take a step back every once in a while on the day. Be grateful for the friends and family who were able to come and help you celebrate this next stage of your life. 

And importantly, carve out some time in your day to be alone with your new spouse! Surprisingly, it can be hard to find the moment to just be with each other on your wedding day. Sharing some private time together can help the two of you relax – and remember how lucky you both are!

Get in touch with me today and learn more about what a professional photographer can do to make your wedding as wonderful and stress-free as possible!

5 REASONS TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER IN 2016

Now that high-quality, digital cameras are more widely available than ever, it can be tempting to skip hiring an oftentimes expensive professional to take photos on the special days of your life.

Why hire someone when you can get a co-worker or niece with a nice camera to do it for next to nothing? However, the benefits of going to a pro are always worth the price tag.

Here are just five of the many reasons why hiring professional photographer is always the right decision:

With a relative or buddy who is doing you a favor, it can be hard to get what you want. And when you see that you aren’t getting the kind of pictures you imagined, how do you tell them without hurting their feelings? 

Tiptoeing around a personal relationship can leave you in a lurch. But hiring a professional means that your experience will be a professional one.  This will include such things as contracts that guarantee that you get what you’re looking for.

Professional photographers come with more than a fancy camera. They have lighting set-ups, multiple lenses, props and back-up cameras with extra batteries and memory cards.

This stuff is expensive and it takes someone with skill and experience to use them all well. A casual amateur won’t have the equipment or the know how.

To get the variety of amazing looking photos that you’re looking for, you need someone who has all of this equipment on hand. You can only get that with a professional. But if you still think your cousin with an expensive Nikon can do the job, you should remember…

It takes more than a good camera to take beautiful photos. After all, a digital camera is just a little computer that captures an image.

A camera by itself cannot find the light, frame, or know to take multiple pictures in case someone is yawning or smiling weird. That takes an experienced person behind the camera.

Really, great professional photographers are artists. It takes an artist’s touch to create photos that are beautiful and unique to you!

On the day of the photo shoot, your professional photographer is going to be responsible for more than just taking beautifully composed pictures! 

They have to know how to coax a smile out of a crying baby. They have to know how to make a bride feel relaxed on her big day. And they have to be able to wrangle large parties of people and make them all look nice long enough to snap a photo.

Professionals know how to do all this stuff and they know how to do it well. Why? 

Because this is their livelihood and they’ve done it all many times before. They know just what to do and say to make the process go as smooth as possible.

 When you pay a professional to take pictures, you are buying more of their time than the day of the photo shoot. You are also paying for the days and/or weeks of editing afterwards.

A good photographer will take over 1,000 photos on daylong shoots like a wedding, and they pare that down usually to around 500. Good editing takes more than a passing knowledge of iPhoto. And it does truly take days.

Not only will a professional have the best software needed to make photos perfect, but they have the time to put in the hours and hours and hours to make them perfect. 

Because it’s their job and they want you to be a happy customer! And they have the time, artistry and expertise to make you happy!

Need more reasons? Contact me today to talk about why hiring a professional photographer is always the best option!