Importance of Pre-Wedding Photo Shoot

Talking of weddings, you can picture in mind a very special day for couples in love. You may be imagining a day when your fairy tale dream comes true. You think of it as an event where couples are the main actor and actress. In making this dream a reality, lots of preparation needs to be done. In attending into the details for the big day, make sure that pre-wedding photography is a part of it.

Pre-nuptial photo shoot is mostly a part of the wedding photographers' package. This can be done at a venue of the couples' choice, either indoor or outdoor. Here are some reasons why a pre-wedding photo shoot is a need.

• Knowing your wedding photographer well. This gives the couple a chance to know more about the wedding photographer. It will make the couple and the photographer more comfortable with each other as you spend more time together on the wedding day.

• Exchange ideas. You can tell the photographer what you like and dislike. This way, the photographer will know what to do and when to take action on your "big day".

• Experience how your photographer works. Through this, you get to know how your photographer works. If you like it, you made the good choice. If you don't, you still have enough time to look for a better photographer.

• Get photos of natural looking couple. This is your chance of taking pictures where you will look naturally beautiful and not as bride and groom. Do it in a more relaxed and informal setting than the wedding venue.

• Can be used for wedding invitations. You can choose a picture from your pre-wedding photos that you can use for your invitations. Not only that, use it also on other wedding details where you can use your photos especially for a slide show at the reception.

Doing pre-wedding shoots are fun. Set it on a weekday as wedding photographers are busy on weekends. You can do it anywhere you want, much better if you can have it at your planned venue. This will also help you get to look at the details of the wedding venue. Last but not the least; never forget to sign a contract between you and the wedding photographer. Read carefully before signing to avoid misunderstanding and future problem with your photographer. Don't hesitate to ask questions on terms that are not clear to you.

Starting a Wedding Photography Business - Photography and Office Equipment

Photography Equipment and Your Home Office

Setting up a wedding photography business entails you have the appropriate gear to get the job done, on location and at home. But it doesn't mean you have to go into debt to get it done. I've seen photographers buy brand new top of the line gear spending over 10 grand only to find that they weren't able to make the business work. I started with 2 Rebel EOS cameras and some moderately priced lenses. In fact you might already have these or better. I'll go over briefly some items you'll need just to get started. I'm not going to cover top of the line items, just the minimums. You can upgrade as you go along. In my business I've moved on to Canon 5d's, Canon L series lenses and the whole shebang, but it didn't happen overnight. While the gear may be similar to other types of photography one major difference is the amount of backup items a wedding photographer has to have.

Backups

The most important lesson that I can't stress enough is to have backups of everything; back up cameras, back up lenses, back up computers, back up images, back up memory cards, back up everything. Because while you may never need any of them, the one time you don't have a backup camera, your shutter will lock up and you will have just cost a bride and groom their images. Even with photographer's insurance at this point you'd be hard pressed to justify the failure to the insurance company, not to mention the bride and groom. I've had memory cards fail, hard drives dropped, cameras lock up, images deleted, and computers crash. Luckily I heeded the advice of wedding photographers before me and had backups in place. So in closing, backup, backup, backup!

Photography Equipment

If I was posting in a forum I'd get flamed for telling you this next bit. When starting off don't go out and buy the top end camera gear. There are three different categories camera gear falls into. Consumer (average joe), pro-sumer (avid hobbyists) and pro (for people who do this for a living). The problem is when you start off in wedding photography you're not doing this for a living yet. You're trying to do this for a living. So live within your means and purchase gear that will work for your price range.

I started with Rebel EOS XT cameras and while I wouldn't want to go back to using them I see nothing wrong with them. Cut your teeth learning on a Rebel EOS and you'll be that much better when you can afford a 5D. When it comes to lenses there are lots of options, but if you're on a budget most Canon lenses won't be on your plate and that's ok. There are other lens makers out there that put out quality products. I'm also only listing a workhorse lens and 1 fixed lens. I'm not going to go into the telephoto lenses because in my opinion they aren't a requirement. I didn't get one for a year until I could afford the Canon 70-200 IS L series lens. I'm also only listing Canon gear but if you're a Nikon fan the go for it. Here is a listing of some essential items, remember double what you see here and backup, backup, backup.

• EOS Rebel XTI or XS without the Kit, the lens in the kit isn't worth the money


• Sigma 24-70mm F 2.8 EX Dg lens, less than half the cost of its Canon counterpart and to be honest I still use it as my workhorse lens. I'd be hard pressed to pay over double for the slight gain in quality that you'd get for the Canon 24-70 L series lens. There is also the Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di LD lens which is close in quality to the Sigma and a bit cheaper. I used it for awhile and now it is my backup lens.


• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8, very inexpensive and great for low lighting. But it is fixed so if you haven't shot with one before remember, there is no zoom, your feet are the zoom.


• 4 GB memory cards, as many as you can afford. Regardless of what some might tell you the brand doesn't matter. I've had the most expensive ones fail and some of the cheapest ones are still going strong, backup often and change your cards often. Don't buy larger than 4 gigs or you'll be tempted to put a lot of the wedding on one card, BAD IDEA.


• Canon 430ex II flash. You could go with a cheaper flash, but to be honest I wouldn't. Lighting at receptions requires at least the power of a 430ex II flash. Your backup can be a Sigma or something similar. Later on upgrade to the 580's.


• Tripod and Monopod. You may not like shooting with these but in low light conditions they can help to limit camera shake and help to sharpen your pictures.


• Camera Bags.


• Backup batteries for you camera and flash (as many as you can afford)

Office Equipment

Your office will need just as many redundant (backup) items as your photography gear. I'm not going to go into specifics about processors and such, because they change too often. Needless to say you'll need a computer that can handle Photoshop or whatever graphics program you are using. I'd say you need a second computer in case yours crashes but if you can't afford that you'll at least need to be able to gain access to another PC if yours dies. You'll need a large amount of hard drive space within the PC/Mac and at a minimum one external hard drive with a large amount of space. If you can't afford an external hard drive then you'll need to back everything up to DVD's.

After every wedding you should backup all your images onto the computer's hard drive and a second external hard drive or DVD set. Then whatever you do don't leave your external drive or DVD's in the same location. I keep mine at a close friend's house. If your house burns down your customers will only care if they get their images or not. There are lots of other things for your office that you can buy for your wedding photography business but this should cover the essentials.

The History of Wedding Photography

Every one who is having a wedding wants to have photo shoots during the wedding ceremony so as to capture those memorable moments. It is this very reason that wedding photography has actually been a major boost for many independent and small scale photographers. This spells out the fact that a modern photographer has therefore got to keep up with the technological advancements as far as photography materials and equipment are concerned.

Whether the wedding event will happens indoors or outdoors, is is very crucial that the photographs meet the required standard otherwise the photographer stands a chance to lose customers. He should be able to provide digital prints, slide shows as well as albums in which the printed pictures will be well stored.

Wedding photography has a history that is closely related too the invention of the modern camera and dates back to 1826 and is associated with Joseph Nicephore Niepce who had a hard time coming up with his first photo because it had to take him eight hours of exposure before he could come up with the print.

It is interesting to note that the first wedding picture that was taken was that of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. This paved way for the wedding photography that is the in-thing today in most wedding ceremonies. Note the progress in this photography, in that, in days gone, the photo shooting was not done during the ceremony but long after it was over and done with and after people had changed into 'more appropriate' attire for the photo shooting. Today there is an overhaul in the whole scenario in that there is a combination of traditional classical photos and capitalization on all the important moments throughout the day, not forgetting the fetish that people have acquired for family albums.

A Do It Yourself Wedding in New York City For $10,000 Or Less, Is It Possible?

A do-it-yourself (DIY) wedding in New York City sounds like an oxymoron, but it can be done. There are various ways of complying with that statement above and all for under $10,000. Well, under $10,000. You can still have quite an extravagant wedding, even an over the top wedding for under $10,000 AND in New York. Let me show you how it can be done, including your honeymoon. Now I know you're thinking that is an impossibility. My husband and I did it and so can you.

It mostly depends on just what it is you want your fantasy day to say and whether or not one thing is the most important item or if you would prefer to have featured several things. For me I wanted the colors of our wedding to be featured, my dress and the water feature for my husband at the reception. At another time I will tell you about my excursions to and from the various locations to secure, just what I wanted for my wedding. Right now, I will give you the nitty-gritty about what I reaped from my excursions.

What if you only wanted one thing to be the major featured item? Of course, it does not have to be just one thing, it can be several, but just so you don't go crazy, I suggest you choose one to two items rather than a whole slew, but if you want more than that, don't do any more than five. Most brides start off believing they can do it all and realize within eight to six months of the wedding that they can not. A friend's help comes in quite handily, after all your really close friends will have asked you all along what they can do to help. At about ten to eight months out from the wedding is the best time to take them up on their offers. I did. More about me later, though. I have a friend who did a wedding with a potluck reception at a very famous church here in Manhattan and even though it was phenomenally delicious, to my idea that was not even the featured item in her wedding. I am getting ahead of myself though.

Her wedding had a committee of three women -the project managers- to help her stay within her budget which was WAY under $10,000. I believe she and her new husband paid no more than $6000 for their entire wedding, which included the reception space in that very same famous church. They did not pay for catering which can be quite pricey when it comes to weddings. In fact, the wedding couple paid nothing for the food at the reception, so plus the cost of the space, If they'd paid for catering it would have run close to the $6000 for their 150 guests. By having a potluck, she paid nothing other than the cost of the hall. The Riverside Church Chapel for me cost $800 (In a previous article, I said $1200, but in reality it was $800 for mine.) in 2005, but for another friend of mine last year, she paid $1500. I got the members' cost, but last year, there was no differential between members and nonmembers, so even though she is a member, she had to pay big bucks.

My friend's wedding costs are an approximation, because I didn't pry that much,.. yet. She is out of the country now, so I can not ask her at all, but I am judging from her comments to me at the time. Forgetting about the cost of hers and her husband wearing apparel which I can tell you he had his own tux in his closet and her wedding dress was bought from a non-wedding wedding store on sale.

• Since my friend is a singer too, she had friends who sang during her wedding, that were of course gratis or gifts. Basically that is a win-win situation all around. Since you tap your friends, you tap the voices you want singing your songs of choice. That's what I did and both she and her ex-husband sang at my and my husband's wedding.


• Here's a big tip if you don't want to spend big time money on your dress, if it's to be one of the featured items, go to a non-wedding store in search of your gown. Personally I went to Filene's Basement bridal store, a year before my wedding and bought a dress for $536 with tax, so it is possible to pay for a dress under $3000. But my friend did not go the bridal store route. She went to Paramus Mall to Lord & Taylor. I don't remember exactly how much she paid, but I do know it was almost half as much as my dress.


• She also did not go with a traditional veil, but went with a tiara alone. For mine, I had both, but did not pay a premium for either. I made up my own veil for less than $10 and found a tiara that didn't look cheap at Claire's Accessories for less than $20. She wore a tiara as well. A gold tiara, which costs no more than a $100.


• For her reception, she had no music, we'd had plenty during her wedding ceremony. In another article I've already told you about using your own Mp3 player and saving big bucks in that respect. If you do want to hire a DJ or reception host, I suggest you go with a friend of a friend who is just starting to spin, but that the friend can vouch for their abilities, if you have not experienced them for yourself. Remember, whatever you do, GET a contract. One that spells out exactly what you want and expect them to do at the party. That means the songs you expect and when. That way, the surprises won't have anything to do with dancing. That way both you and your guests can be happy without much annoyance on anyone's part. New DJ's can start as low as $75 an hour and go up from there. If you want an established DJ, it could be as much as $125 - $350 an hour. This again is if you want to stay within your budget of $10000. Just remember you will need your DJ for at least four hours, so do your multiplication from there.


• Transportation: Ah, you can go the traditional route with the white limos, or you can go with black limos, too. Did you know that the color of the limo can determine the price. White limos are more expensive and if you mention wedding additional money is added for that special day. Just be glad that you are not going to prom, because that is the limousine's big day(s) for money making. Limousines can be anywhere from $500 for a two and half hour rental to, of course thousands. To really save money, if you are friends with a special car association you could rent or borrow the owners' cars. Or now with the Internet companies, Zip Car, Drive Mint or even Connect By Hertz you could rent a car of your dreams for a great rates. Each of these dot com hourly car rentals can save you a bundle. Think about it.


• Did you guess already that the featured item for my friend's wedding was the dress? Well, if you did you would have been correct. The bride wore, what appeared to be gold. In actuality, the dress was a copper lace with a light pink undergarment that peeked through, which made the dress upon entrance and even as she continued to walk down the aisle appear to be molten liquid gold. She was drummed in. Of course, the bride is usually the center piece of most weddings, but as they say in the theater, people were humming the dress the rest of the evening, especially since she was able to match the dress with a cape, that was already in her closet.


• Transportation - Getting to and sometimes from the wedding ceremony can be challenging when it comes to keeping costs down, but with these suggestions you can be home free.

Dress $536

Tux Rental $56

Cake $825

Limo/Catering $375/$625 = $1000

Special added catering $0 Wedding gift from Mother-in-Law

Professional Photographer $400 for 5 hours - childhood friend of groom

Video $0 Best Man's gift

Ceremony/Minister $800 Christ Chapel Riverside Church

Flowers $375 from Flower wholesaler

Reception rental and 2 cases of champagne $1251

DJ $250 - 4.5 hours

Printer $68 printing wedding invitations & thank you notes

Papers Invitations, Envelopes, (Inner/Outer) Thank You Notes/Envelopes $82

Save-the-Date magnets $16

Miscellaneous Favors, candles, material, silk rose petals, disposable cameras, decorative Chinese boxes, & tissue paper $350

Honeymoon Cruise & extras $1391

Our total expenditures in 2005 Wedding/Honeymoon $7400

1. Car Rental for the weekend: Go Green with http://www.ConnectbyHertz.com $160.33/weekend day whether it is for 6 hours or 24 hours. Go with the 24 since you can use it for those last minutes things that come up before the wedding. That is for a smart Fortwo, talk about making an entrance. Keep in mind with Hertz you can pick the car up at one location and drop it off somewhere else, as long as they have a lot. That could save you some time. For instance: pick up at a Hertz on the upper west side and drop it off at one of their hotel locations especially if you're not going away to your honeymoon right away..


2. Car rental for the 3-day weekend from Speedy-Rent-A-Car $205.00


3. Rental from Zipcar.com or DriveMint.com are by the hour from $11.00 - $17.00 for the weekend depending on the car. A Scion Xb or smart Fortwo on the low end hourly or a Mercedes on the high end hourly at DriveMint.com


4. Or offer relatives and friends a couple of dollars, depending on your budget, to chauffeur you and your wedding party around for a couple of hours.


5. What if you want to have your wedding catered, it is still possible to do it economically in a big city, whether it is in New York City or Chicago, or even Boston, you just need a bit of ingenuity to stay within your budget. If you're a curious detailed oriented person like I am, then you'll decide this is the fun part, the chase or the journey to end that you really want. It is actually the magic part about the entire wedding, I think, because you are at the stage where you are shaping the outcome of the day. It will take patience and possibly legwork, to see just what you might be getting for the day of event, but the hunt (for the guys) is on and it can be a great deal of fun. Here are a few tips:


6. Decide on the type of wedding and plan your food accordingly. Such as casual, spiffy-casual, or formal, (usually sit down) While casual and spiffy-casual may come very close to looking like the same thing, they really are quite different when it comes to food. I have seen casually catered events start as low as $12.95 per person or just under $1200 for 85 people. This is strict buffet style, no seating provided, but stand-up cocktail tables in various spots with food arrangements on them along with some passed appetizers, as well.


7. My friend's wedding although it had a very high-church of various cultures feel to it had a casual reception, since all the guests were expected to bring something. With her committee of 'wedding corralling ladies', the guests with each acceptance of the invitation was then asked what were they bringing. By doing it that way my friend saved all sorts of money and even had leftovers. Wedding party paid nothing, zero, zip, for that feast. Their reception had everything from appetizers to desserts including rum balls, (YUM!). Some of us were getting high just smelling the rum balls, additionally there was even a fruit bowl.


8. Another casual reception could be to have a stand around party with a huge sandwich or various pizzas or have your new mother-in-law make something for the crowd. You can probably strike up a deal with your favorite pizza store once you pass 10 pizzas. Figure at 3 slices per guest and you've got it made. For instance, a pizza usually has 12 slices and for 80 guests, you'd have to have 20 pies feeding each person 3 slices each. My neighborhood pizza store sells a large pie for $16 each, but if I ordered 20 pies for 85 guests, my budget for food would be at around $350. Even as much as $350, you must give your guests something to wash down the pizzas.


9. For more organic less oil, use whole grain flat breads; American or Italian version with different toppings, as your starter rather than bread and cheese.


10. Perhaps as I did you can get a combination price with another feature of the wedding. My limousine company managed a caterer and so I got a combination price. Plus, my new mother-in-law, made something special in large quantities for her son. We had 85 guests and our total with the 4-hour use of the limousine and caterer was $625. My new mother-in-law's food was gratis. Ours was a casual formal of sorts. It was buffet style with seating.


11. The formal caterer or sit down with service is where you'll have to weigh your options on how much is too much. These types often run as low as $27 per person and up into the thousands. If you're trying to do a wedding for under $10,000, as I am advocating then you're probably priced out of this market unless you can strike a deal with one of your favorite restaurants. Perhaps Carmine's, in which the food is served family-style, but everyone is sitting. This could be a possibility. My friends took me there for graduation and we ordered one full meal and had left overs for two additional people.


12. If using Carmine's works for you, I am betting that it can work for your budget as well. Think about it, a main dish for a meal is $21 - 25, which easily feeds 5 - 6 people. If you have 12 tables of 8 could still be pricey, but your guests will be full and have potential doggy bags to take home. Roughly your pricing could still be under $1000, even with the addition of salad, garlic bread and dessert. YUM! A pure feast to behold.


13. Decorations is another item that can run into lots of pennies. In this instance, I am talking about the flowers for the bride and the wedding party and the extras for the reception to make it wedding theme oriented. The extras could include tulle and floating or almost infinite ideas as motifs or table decorations of some kind. Here are few of my favorites with pricing of the day:


14. Check any of the websites that sell pre-made flowers and you're good to go. Flower arrangements start as low as $29.95 and go $79.95 for our purposes. Flowers can, of course go into the hundreds from these websites and upward if you use a florists.


15. To cut cost further, the bride and matron/maid of honor could be the only people to carry flowers and then everything else could be decorated at the ceremony venue with tulle or aisle candles.


16. At the reception venue, the theme could be carried further with floating candles on the tables as centerpieces instead of flowers. If, like we did, you have a water feature, add some floating candles, larger than the table candles, to it and call it a day. Candles at the reception venue could run you a whopping $100 to start unless you want or have a half an acre to decorate.


17. Add some special candies or other cheery items for the table; M&M's or Jordan Almonds or Junior mints. We went with special made-to-order M&M's. I bought 3 bags and that was all I needed, at $11 per bag, it was a steal. And you get to choose your colors so they can coordinate with your wedding colors. Pretty cool, I think and inexpensive, too.


18. Don't forget those disposable cameras, so your guests can snap some fun pictures as well. Check out various websites and you might be able to get 9 cameras all for $35, just like I did.

So, it can be done with a bit of ingenuity, verve, and flair. Dreamers can.

The Seven Jewish Wedding Blessings, A Secular Humanistic Version

Many interfaith/Jewish weddings include the Seven Blessings. I was asked to officiate a ceremony, with a Secular Humanistic non-theistic Hebrew/English version of the Seven Blessings. I searched for a Hebrew version (I found only one or two), and nothing I found felt right, so I resolved to write one myself. It was important to me to preserve most of the original words, which would give it a traditional feel, and enable me to chant the blessings in the traditional tune. I also decided to try to write in a way that each of the six blessings (the seventh is the standard blessing over the wine) would parallel one of the six principles of the Humanist Manifesto III.

Blessing #1 - Baruch hamaskil ba'adam hamaiveen sheha'olam lo nivra lichvodo. Praised be the enlightened one amongst humans, who understands that the world was not created for him. The traditional blessing blesses the deity for creating everything for his glory; humans aren't the reason for creation. Humanists agree with the latter. The first Manifesto principle states that, "knowledge of the world is derived by observation, experimentation, and rational analysis". It is these very tools that have made it clear that the vast Universe, wasn't created, and certainly not with us in mind.

Blessing #2 - Baruch hamodeh al yitzeerat ha'adam. Praised be the one who is thankful for the evolution of humans. The traditional blessing thanks the deity for creating humans. The second Manifesto principle states that "humans are an integral part of nature, the result of unguided evolutionary change." This doesn't belittle our existence. On the contrary, our existence is something that Humanists celebrate and marvel at, feeling lucky to be alive in such a wondrous world. Hebrew doesn't have a word for evolution, so I preserved the word, yatzar, which doesn't have a definite ex nihilo tone to it.

Blessing #3 - Baruch ha'ohev kol ha'adam kitzalmo kitzelem dimoot tavneeto ki'ezro kol echad vi'echad. Baruch hamodeh al yitzeerat ha'adam. Praised be the one, who loves all humans as one's self, as one's very own self, and loves every human as one loves one's spouse. Praised be the one who is thankful for the evolution of humans. The traditional blessing thanks the deity for creation in his image, the Mosaic rationale for according each human respect. The third Manifesto principle states that, "Humanists... are committed to treating each person as having inherent worth and dignity". The Humanist sees no need to ground respect for fellow humans in anything beyond the Golden Rule. We treat everyone, as we would want to be treated or want our loved ones to be treated. The Hebrew word tzelem, in this context, means "himself", rather than "his image".

Blessing #4 - Sose tasees vitagail ha'akarah bikeebootz baneha litochah biseemcha. Baruch hasame'ach eem tziyon bishoov baneha. Let the barren (city) be joyful and exulted at the ingathering of her children into her midst in gladness. Praised be the one who shares in the gladness of Zion at the return of her children. The fourth traditional blessing prays the barren Israel/Jerusalem, will one day (anthropomorphically) rejoice in the Jewish People's return. The fourth Manifesto principle tells us that meaning isn't imposed by the deity. We "animate our lives with a deep sense of purpose, finding wonder and awe in the joys and beauties of human existence, its challenges and tragedies." We can derive meaning from human history and culture. As Jews, we are proud that we rose from the ashes, and fulfilled the "2000 year old hope", returning to Israel, which serves as a beacon of democracy and Jewish culture.

Blessing #5 - Same'ach nisamach re'eem ha'ahuveem kiseemchat gan eden meekedem. Baruch misame'ach chatan vikalah. Let us gladden the loving couple, (so they may enjoy gladness) like the legendary gladness of paradise. Praised be the one, who gladdens the bridegroom and the bride. The fifth traditional blessing implores the deity to gladden the couple, as he gladdened Adam and Eve. The Humanistic blessing is explicit about the non-factual nature of this couple, but still embraces the idea of two people feeling like they were made for each other. The fifth Manifesto principle reminds us that, "humans are social by nature and find meaning in relationships." The peak of human relationships is that of true lovers. The ending of #5-6 emphasizes that it is we who should gladden the couple.

Blessing #6 - Brucheem hamarbeem sasone viseemcha chatan vichalah geelah reenah deetzah vichedvah ahavah vi'achvah vishalome vire'oot. Mihairah bichole ha'olam yeeshama keev'arai yihoodah oochvichootzote yirushalayeem kol sasone vikol seemcha kol chatan vikol kalah kol meetzhalote chataneem maichoopatam un'arim meemeeshteh nigeenatam. Baruch ha'misame'ach chatan im hakalah. Praised be those who increase, joy and gladness, bridegroom and bride, exultation, song, pleasure and delight, love and brotherhood, peace and friendship. May there soon be heard, all over the world, as in the cities of Judea and as in the streets of Jerusalem, the sound of joy and the sound of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the happy shouting of bridegrooms from their weddings and of young men and women from their song filled feasts. Praised be the one, who causes the bridegroom and bride to be glad together. The sixth traditional blessing thanks the deity for creating happiness, and implores him to hasten the day, where liberty may return to Israel, so weddings may regularly occur there. The sixth Manifesto principle also discusses happiness and liberty. It tells us that, "working to benefit society maximizes individual happiness", and that we must "minimize the inequities of circumstance and ability... so that as many as possible can enjoy a good life." To get there we must, "uphold the equal enjoyment of human rights and civil liberties." The return of our own right of self determination as Jews, coupled with Israel's democratic nature, inspire us to work towards a world where all people live happy and free.

I hope these blessings will enhance future wedding celebrations. In the words of the Manifesto, may we be "guided by reason, inspired by compassion, and informed by experience", and, through that "live life well and fully."

穢 Copyright 2010 - Rabbi David S. Gruber - All Rights Reserved - First published on http://www.interfaithfamily.com

A Reasonably Priced Dream Wedding

It is possible to have a reasonably priced, yet beautiful wedding. To leave for Italy with her fiancé, my daughter decided to get married with only two month's notice. We managed to put together a beautiful wedding with a decent price tag.

First of all, she wanted to get married on the beach at sunset. We found a gazebo right on the beach and asked the local mayor to officiate the wedding. The cost was nominal. The gazebo was just large enough for the people attending to be seated inside. The bridal party walked around the gazebo and stood between the gazebo and the water for the ceremony.

One of my big concerns was the people on the beach. They weren't invited guests, yet they would be in the midst of the wedding. Much to my surprise, these people were quite delighted to witness the ceremony and treated the officiating with the utmost respect. They merely turned their beach chairs around and watched the wedding in silence. Decoration for this part of the wedding was minimal. We donned the posts of the gazebo with bows of tulle and let the breezes blow them about. Extra chairs were loaned from our church and returned by a friend. The happy couple stayed at a bed and breakfast for the night and came back to town the next day.

Since the beach was not close to where we live, we had the reception the next evening at a hall. Maps were provided on small cards in the invitations so guests could find both locations with ease. The hall offered a complete package if you liked, DJ, cake, flowers, linens, the works. After figuring out each individual price if I didn't pick the package, the price would have been much higher. The DJ did an excellent job as master of ceremonies, introducing the parents, the wedding party, and finally the couple. Then the couple had the first dance with everyone looking on. This was nice for the older folks who would leave early in the evening and ordinarily miss the first dance. After the meal he also helped officiate over the cake cutting and got the music started on time. Table decorations were simple for the evening, flowers from the catering package, and large flat bowls filled with sand, shells and a light blue candle.

The most expensive factor of the wedding was the photographer. We chose a photographer that not only did the posed traditional pictures for the album but also included hundreds of candid shots. We had to pick a longer time package than most weddings because the celebrations were spread out over two days. This ended up being a great factor because it offered a lot more opportunities for candid shots with attendees. The longer time package was great value because it included a leather-bound photo album for the bride and groom with 50 photos inside. My daughter was extremely pleased with the variety of photos she could choose from.

Overall, my daughter got the wedding she dreamed of, which was quite lovely and had a reasonable price tag.

Strange But True: Wedding Statistics and Traditions

Did you know that save the dates are different from traditional wedding invitations? Have you ever wondered who came up with having something old, something borrowed, and something new? Weddings have been a human tradition for thousands of years, and over the years wedding ceremonies have gone through a lot of changes. There are hundreds of wedding traditions you can practice, and some of the more unknown traditions and facts could surprise you.

Invitation Phrase

When people "request your presence" at a wedding they aren't simply using fancy words to describe an event. In the United States the wording of a wedding invitation can tell you a lot about the ceremony you're about to attend. When a wedding invitation uses the phrase "request your presence" that means that the ceremony is being held in a religious house of worship. When an invite uses the phrase "pleasure of your company" that means that the ceremony is being held in a non-religious location.

Good Luck

It seems like every culture has their own way to ensure that the bride and groom will have a happy marriage. In Greek culture brides tuck a sugar cube into their gloves to sweeten their marriages, and Muslim brides paint henna on their hands and feet to protect themselves from the evil eyes of jealous guests. Alanis Morissette recognized the cruel irony of having it rain on your wedding day, but Hindu brides and grooms welcome the rain on their wedding day because having rain on your wedding day is considered good luck.

Costs

Weddings have been expensive since the institution of marriage began, and the Association of Bridal Consultants did some research in 2012 about what the average American wedding costs. Overall people can expect to spend an average of $28,082 on their wedding. Some people may think the majority of that amount goes towards dresses and d矇cor, but d矇cor and dresses are actually a very small piece of the wedding pie. Paying for venues and catering is the most expensive part of the wedding, modern couples can expect to spend $10,500 reserving everything for their big day. Ironically the marriage license itself is the least expensive wedding costs; most states only charge $70 for one.

Rings

Nobody knows for sure when the tradition of wedding rings began (or when save the dates became mandatory), but most people believe that either the ancient Egyptians or the Greeks first started using them. Around the world most engagement and wedding rings can be adorned with a variety of gem stones, but in the west most rings have diamonds. The first documented use of a diamond ring being used to propose to a woman was in Vienna during the 15th century. In 1477 the Archduke Maximilian of Austria presented his betrothed Mary of Burgundy with a diamond ring, and his fancy ring officially made diamond engagement rings a must for the upper class. It actually took Americans a long time to join the diamond ring craze, and the wedding ring craze all together. Engagement rings weren't even common in the west until the end of the 19th century, and diamond engagement rings didn't get popular until the 1930s.

Ideas for the Illinois Wedding Photographer

Gone are the days of stiff, uncomfortable wedding photographs.
More and more bridal couples are demanding that their wedding album be
more about them and their ideas. They don't want their pictures
to look just like everyone else's. The freethinking Illinois wedding
photographer will adapt to the change and have some extra special
posing ideas in mind to happily accommodate his or her clients.
In addition to having ideas of your own, it is important to listen to
what the couple has to say. They may already have certain images
in their minds that you haven't thought of.

Some great family and friend themed poses that are going in popularity
are multi generational pictures and photos of the bride and groom
together or separately with co-workers or old friends. An
Illinois wedding photographer that takes a family photo of everyone
from Great-Grandma to the newest addition is giving that family a
keepsake that will be passed through the generations. With the
current trend of many people moving far from family, friends are
quickly filling the void. Any bridal couple would be delighted
with a posed picture that included all of the people who have made
their new home, home. These are just a couple of ideas you can
run by your clients to be sure their wedding photography needs are met.

The use of different colored wedding photographs is a rising trend
among young, engaged couples. There is nothing like the
simplicity and elegance of black and white photos. The result of
using some black and white film is an artistic, nostalgic feeling
picture that couples love. The Illinois wedding photographer that
is knowledgeable in sepia toned photographs has
something else to offer clients. Many couples are also leaning
toward black and white pictures that have one item highlighted in
color. It may the bride's bouquet or the wedding rings. The
idea is to offer special options that will give the newly married
couple the wedding album of their dreams.

Don't forget the fun. Not all of the wedding photographs have to
be perfectly choreographed. A fun idea would be to tell the
wedding party to stand or sit where they want, engaged in conversation
and take a nice, relaxed shot of these people in a comfortable
setting. Considering that Illinois is a beautiful place, the
Illinois wedding photographer may want to suggest a park or natural
setting to take some of the group pictures. Not only does it
create wonderful wedding pictures, but also it gives the bridal couple
warm memories of their special day. Have a good time by mixing
and matching the bridesmaids and groomsmen. Pictures of the
groomsmen having fun with the bride and the bridesmaids acting silly
with the groom are always a big hit. People often get very
serious about weddings, breaking up the tension and enhancing the
joyous part of the occasion makes great wedding photographs.

An Illinois wedding photographer can rise above the competition by keeping the clients
in mind and creating for them a wedding album unlike anyone else's.

Wedding Table Decorations and Centrepieces of Hand Made Fresh Fruit Bouquets

Even in difficult financial times when a couple decide to get married and have a traditional wedding with the usual marriage ceremony and reception they seem to want all the various trimmings. This is understandable as this is generally a once in a lifetime event which is going to be a memorable event for the happy couple and all their family and friends.

The happy couple want all their family and friends to witness their commitment to each other and then celebrate with them at the following reception. Receptions vary massively from small receptions held at a local pub to vast receptions held at country houses. Either the local publican has sufficient room to offer seating to all guests with food from a buffet or hot food served by staff or the country house venue organises the event within the house or outside marquee. A growing trend is that the couple decide to hire a wedding coordinator to arrange the event.

Whatever type of wedding reception the couple have they always want the reception to be decorated with 'wedding decorations'. The wedding ceremony is generally limited to the traditional flowers and bows. The evening dance is generally covered by the disco or live band. The reception is where there is a vast industry producing everything for the reception tables where guests will be seated for their meal. Unlike going out for a meal at a restaurant you know you are at a wedding reception simply by the decoration of the tables.

Before you enter the room there is normally a plan layout of the table seating which shows where each guest will be seated. Then on each table will be a card at each place setting with each guests name on it. I have never been to a wedding reception without the tables being covered in a white table cloth. Chairs covered in bright materials with bows on are a nice touch.

The wedding cake is the first wedding decoration that guests notice where the photographer always takes a photo of the couple cutting the cake. Favours for guests used to be a few sweet almonds rapped in a material mesh and tied with a bow. Now there are thousands of different favours you can buy which can come in lovely little boxes which also come in various colours, shapes and sizes. Sometimes the tables are scattered with brightly coloured 'words' normally saying 'Wedding' 'Congratulations' Best Wishes' etc.

The table centrepiece can be a simple rose in a vase to larger flower arrangements. I have been to a reception where a fish bowl has been the centrepiece of each wedding table. Fruit is often used as a centrepiece and now there are companies providing fresh fruit bouquets as centrepieces for wedding table decorations.

Wedding Photojournalism - Much More Than Just Fashion

Most people think wedding photojournalism is yet another fashion trend, and like most trends fade away, people will get over this trend as well. However, there are several other aspects to wedding photojournalism that people do not know much about; and perhaps these are the very aspects that have not allowed wedding photojournalism to die.

Wedding photojournalism is not only about taking pictures of celebrity weddings and have the pictures published all over the celebrity gossip sections in the newspapers. It is much more!

When you Look at the career of any wedding photojournalists through the materialistically or through the "money" point of view, it is only then you understand the kind of money that is involved in wedding photojournalism. Right from the amount of publicity a celebrity gets to have wedding pictures captured, and then sell the rights of these to a magazine to the having the pictured published online, there is a whole lot of money involved in the profession.

The Responsibility Wedding Photographers must bear

Other than the money factor, another factor that has been very important in the progress of wedding photojournalism is the emotional aspects of every person. It is true that all of us want to capture memorable moments of our lives so that we can cherish them for ever. Wedding photojournalists allow the bride and the groom to enjoy each moment of their wedding long after the wedding ceremony is over.

Thus, every wedding photojournalist should be sensitive towards the complete job. In fact it has been observed that the best wedding photographs have been captured by wedding photojournalists who had a friendly relationship with the bride and the groom rather than an extremely professional one. In fact, the responsibility that a wedding photojournalist has to fulfil are immense; especially because of the fact that today, wedding pictures are more about the bride and groom in the moment, than the moment itself. For instance, its not about capturing the cutting of the wedding cake, but capturing the smile on the brides face when she is cutting the cake.

Although, the difference hardly seems to be anything, in reality it is this sensibility of a wedding photographer that makes the wedding photographs look unique. This is very important, as whether photographers are wedding photographers in Seattle or in Chicago, they are always expected to captures images that are truly versatile. In fact, if as a wedding photographer, your work is no different from the pictures that Uncle Joe clicked for his niece's wedding, then there is not reason enough for anybody to hire you.

Wedding photojournalism can be of great help to wedding fashion designers as well. Making a beautiful dress look like a spectacular piece of art on an elegant model is only possible if you have the sensitivity for such a job.

Thus, wedding photojournalism is much more than just a trend, after all who would not want to capture spectacular moments from their wedding day even if these were extremely whacky moments.

Plan a Labor Day Weekend Wedding

The long weekend and mild temperatures make Labor Day a popular time to get married. These tips will help you pull off your Labor Day weekend party.

Labor Day Weekend Weddings - Things to Consider:

Plan Early - Labor Day weekend is a popular time to get married, so ceremony site and reception venues book up quickly. Be sure to secure your settings as early as possible.

Mind Your Guests - The three-day weekend may allow long distance guests to attend without taking time off, but remember that most people make Labor Day plans well in advance. Combine that with more expensive flights and accommodations and crowded roads and airports, and you've got a potentially nightmarish situation for your guests. Be sure to notify guests of your Labor Day event well in advance, and help them out by securing the room block at an affordable hotel. Consider doing some leg work to find cheaper airfare and alert your guests of potential deals.

All in the Details - Labor Day Wedding Ideas

Invitations & Stationery

• Add a picnic motif - such as flip flops, picnic basket, or insects (cute ones - like ladybugs, dragonflies or bumblebees) to your stationery suite
  


• Add an understated patriotic motif - add a small embossed flag or silver star.

Location

• Get outdoors - typically mild weather makes Labor Day the perfect time to plan an outdoor wedding.

Décor Elements

• Color Palette -
  
  - Red, white, and blue - the obvious choice. They key is to be subtle and avoid turning an elegant affair into a gaudy tribute to old glory.
  
  - White and silver - a sophisticated take on the patriotic vibe.
  


• Wave the flag - Along those lines, you can accent your day with American flags, but don't overdo it.
  


• Go casual - Labor Day weekend weddings lend themselves to a casual décor scheme fitting of a backyard barbecue. Think checked table cloths, benches, and picnic tables.

Flowers

• Seasonal blooms - since labor day straddles the summer and fall seasons you can use both fall flowers and summer flowers.
  


• Stephanotis - the small white blooms look like stars, making them the perfect choice for a patriotic vibe.

Menu

• Spark up the grill - serve traditional Labor Day weekend picnic and grill fare like barbecue, burgers, and potato salad.

Bar Mitzvah Entertainment Mobile Flipbooks Studio

"Give me some sunshine, give me some rain,
Give me another chance, I want to grow up once again."

Bar Mitzvah is a memorable occasion in every Jewish girl and boy's life, the moment when she or he is considered to step out from the immaturity of childhood to a position of responsibility. Before this, it was the parents' responsibility to see that the child observed Jewish law and tradition. After Bar Mitzvah, children bear their own responsibility for Jewish ritual law, tradition and etjics and can participate in all areas of Jewish community life.

However, Bar Mitzvah is important not only for the child stepping into responsibility, but his/her family, relatives and friends as well. Therefore, for the celebrations to remain memorable for many a year, there has to be something unique about them. Of course, there's no denying the importance of delicious food, vibrant decorations, entertaining music and enthusiastic guests. But to have a really memorable Bar Mitzvah, the should be something that sets it apart from the ordinary.

Having a mobile flipbooks studio as part of the Bar Mitzvah entertainment can ensure just that uniqueness. For those unfamiliar with flipbooks, it's a simple but effective tool for capturing memories on paper. In simplest terms, a flipbook is a book with its pages filled with slightly changing pictures, so that when the pages are turned rapidly, they create an illusion of moving images.

While they were actually developed to simulate cinema before cinema came into being, nowadays videos can be converted into flipbooks for the sake of novelty. Flipbooks are also finding increasing popularity as a promotional tool. At intra-company and inter-company events, flipbooks are often used to spread and reinforce the company brand.

Photo booths at events like Bar Mitzvahs have always proved to be popular. People love taking home remembrances of any event they attend and photo booths meet this important want. A mobile flipbooks studio just carries this concept a bit further by not only allowing people to capture memories, but also to capture them in an innovative and fun manner.

All that is required is space to set up such a studio. With the latest technologies on offer, a 10' X 10' space will suffice. Once the setup is complete, the guests can pose for the video shoot in whatever manner they choose. From formal poses to clowning around, all memories will be captured by the camera. Now,using specialized software, the video is converted into multiple images that differ from the next one by only a small amount. These images are then printed on to the pages of a book at the studio itself. That's it - your flipbook is done! On average, it takes less than a minute for each flipbook to be created.

These flipbooks can now be carried home by guests as fond remebrances of the great fun they had at the Bar Mitzvah celebrations. To ensure that your party stands out and is remembered by your guests, look at this innovative reinterpretation of an old technique today!

Creating Memorable Wedding Guest Books

I have noticed recently that many of my friends have gotten married. I seem to be attending at least four weddings every year, although I have attended very few weddings about five years ago. I now have a pretty good idea of what is popular when it comes to marriages because I have been part of so many ceremonies in the last few years. I hope that this knowledge would be able to help me plan my own nuptial in the near future. Elegant wedding guest books are one of the things that I've seen at each reception.

Have you ever seen a guest book for a wedding before? Wedding guest books are basically big scrapbook-style keepsakes. They are usually signed by those who attend the ceremony such as the newlyweds' friends, relatives, and acquaintances. Guest books for weddings come in different styles, sizes, and designs.

Some wedding guest books have spiral bindings like notebooks, while others have a stitched binding. I have also seen huge, oversized albums and smaller, more manageable guest books. Some couples decide to have fancy guest books that have ornate covers, while other choose to go with the simpler designs. You can surely find fabulous wedding guest books that will suit your tastes.

One thing that I have also observed is that many couples have different ideas about personalizing their wedding guest books. A lot of couples are content just to have their guests sign their names somewhere on the pages, while others prefer something a bit more personal. You can have a more personalized guest book by asking your friends and relatives to write a short message or poem in your guest book. You can also add photos from your wedding and place them next to the signatures and messages.

Don't forget to tell everyone exactly how you want your wedding guest books to be handled. The guest book for your wedding is a treasure that you want to keep for a long, long time to come, so it should have lovely, moving messages from your guests. The last thing that you want is a guest book that has raunchy jokes on the pages.

You can purchase wedding guest books from the same stationery store that you ordered your invitations from. You will have one less trip to the store to make if you go by this route. You can ask the stationer to match the guest book's cover to the color or theme of the invitations. You can also purchase the guest book for your wedding from an online retailer that specializes in these products.

Secrets of Tasteful Wedding Photo Montages

Welcome to wedding season! In the United States, June is the busiest month for scheduled nuptials and related events. Even if your big day is coming up in just a few weeks, you still have plenty of time to create a showstopping (yet tasteful) wedding photo montage. These practical tips will help ensure that you have an elegant and classy montage of memories at your wedding.

Keep It Short

This is the most common rookie mistake in the creation of photo slide shows. And why shouldn't it be? It can often be difficult to edit down the lives of two extraordinary people into just a few minutes' worth of images. However, if it's a truly tasteful slide show you're after, the shorter, the better. Ideally, you'll want to keep your slide show to an absolute maximum of ten minutes (although seven minutes is truly perfect). Any longer, and your family will merely feign interest while your friends wonder why they aren't included in more of the photos (after all, there's a snapshot featuring every pet you've owned since the third grade). Keep it short and sweet.

Stick to the Topic

Yes, we know how much you love the maid of honor, how she's stood by you through think and thin, and how much you appreciate and value her friendship. But she's not the one you're marrying! Keep your photos relevant, which means the majority of the photos should be of the bride and groom, with a sprinkling of photos including parents, grandparents (if you're close to them), milestone events, and a smattering of siblings and very close friends. Remember, the more people you include, the more likely you are to leave someone out and have to deal with hurt feelings.

Skip the Embarrassing Stuff

The easiest way to make your video montage tasteful is to choose appropriate photos. That means no drunken binges, no pictures of you-know-who with what's-his-face, no ex's, and no childhood photos of the bride or groom in the bathtub. Anything incriminating should be omitted. When in doubt, leave it out.

Choose Classic Music

This is not the optimal time to showcase the Billboard top five, or your favorite hip hop ditty. Your wedding slide show should be classic, so choose a classic love song or two, the song you will dance to at your wedding (for your first dance together as husband and wife), or "your" song that's stuck with you since you first began dating. After all, you don't want to look back years from now while watching your slide show and say, "What on earth were we thinking?"

As always, begin with the end in mind. Imagine your friends and family clapping or wiping away a happy tear as the lights go up after your wedding montage has played. This will ensure a truly tasteful wedding slide show.

Key Shots at a Wedding - The Most Important Wedding Photography Images

We are often asked, on our training courses, about providing a list of 'key shots' for a wedding photographer, so that nothing is missed. So here is the list for a traditional English Church Wedding:

First some important notes about the type of images to take and why

When wedding photographers shoot a wedding day it is always important to have a final goal in mind, not just to follow a tick list of items. In our case, the majority of our brides choose a storybook wedding album as the best way to show off their wedding photographs. Therefore the wedding photography should reflect the fact that the final product is going to be a storybook album layout. Make sure that you get a large number of 'background' shots which can be used behind the main images on a page. Wedding photographs of shoes and panoramic views from inside the church are great for this.

In addition try to remember that each double page spread represents a snapshot of a particular part of the day. Make sure that you take enough images at each point in the day to fill out two pages and try to get a variety of image formats. It is important to have a wide selection of portrait and landscape wedding images to make the layout simpler.
Here are the 'must have' list of wedding photography images.

At The House
· Shoes
· Gown
· Flowers
· Bride make-up
· Bride in mirror
· Bride adjusting dress
· Mother adjusting veil
· Brides parents
· Each bridesmaid
· Brides & bridesmaids
· Brothers & sisters
· Bride & dad
· Bride leaving house
· Car shot with dad

At Church
· Groom & best man
· Best man adjusting tie
· Close up of groom
· Groom with parents
· Groom & dad shaking hands
· Shots with ushers
· Arrival of bride
· Dad helping bride out of car
· Bridal party walking towards church
· Bride & dad down isle

During Ceremony
· Shots of ceremony
· Overall shots of church from back
· Close up of groom
· Putting on rings
· Kiss

After Ceremony
· Register signing
· Bride & groom walking down the isle
· Confetti shots of couple
· Couple around church
· Family around church
· Candids of wedding party
· Wedding party
· Posed shots of couple in church
· Couple by car
· Couple in car

Reception
· Receiving line
· Wedding party shot
· Formal family shots
· Toasts
· Speeches
· Cake cutting
· First Dance
· Candids
· Outdoor portraits of couple

How to Interview a Caterer

Almost every wedding reception will involve a wedding caterer and since so much will revolve around their service, it's important to ensure you do your homework before choosing which wedding reception caterer to go with. Many times, the reception caterer will be one of the most expensive costs you will incur with your wedding. That only makes sense since it should cover everything from food and drink, decorating your reception area, kitchen and any wait staff, and pretty much everything to do with your wedding reception. So how do you know which wedding reception caterer that you should go with? There are many things you should consider; far too many completely cover in this short article. However, here are some important tips to remember.

Try to get your wedding reception caterer booked at least six months in advance. Obviously you need to find one within your budget. You should find out about their payment arrangements, such as any deposits required, if they offer a payment plan, if there's a gratuity charge, and when any final payment will be due.

Do you want to serve alcoholic beverages at your wedding reception? If so, you need to find out if they have a liquor license to buy the required amount of alcohol. They may be willing to serve alcohol if you provide it, as well, so you could even save some money if they're willing to do that. Most people enjoy having at least champagne at their reception. Will your caterer provide that or is it an extra fee?

The price you're quoted for a catering service won't always include everything that will be needed, such as tables, chairs, silverware, etc... so ask them specifically if there are any rental charges that you should expect to see or if they include that in the cost.

Look at the different menu's that they offer and see if they offer any initial taste testing. Some caterers specialize in certain cuisines or serving styles.

As with many services, you should also find out if they're insured and have health permits. Also, ask for references from their previous clients and ensure you understand their cancellation or refund policy.

Ideas and Inspiration for Beach and Resort Wedding Koozies

Beach weddings are a wonderful idea for fun and more casual ceremonies. Weather permitting, there's little better than getting wed with the sun shining and the sound of the surf rolling in behind you. There is also no place where a cold beer is more appreciated, so all-in-all it looks like that a wedding Koozie is the ideal personalized wedding favor for the occasion! There are however many options to choose from though, some with very different looks and feel. So, if you think a Koozie will work at your beach wedding, read on for some of our best ideas and inspiration.

Scenic Beach Wedding Koozies

The simplest beach wedding Koozie is just a picture of the sea, rolling surf and sand with perhaps a stunning sunset too with your required text added over the top. Obviously some photos might suit the location of your wedding better than others: ones with palms are ideal for Florida and LA, but might not suit beach weddings in Oregon or Maine so much! Most Koozie suppliers should have a good library of generic beach shots on file to choose from, and there's surely one that will suit your destination, whether it is the Gulf of Mexico or Alaska!

To start off on your mission to find ideas perhaps try a search using Google Images to find something you like the look of to help the designers get the best match for you.

Location Wedding Koozies

To make your beach wedding Koozies more personal why not look for, or even take yourself if possible, a photograph of the beach you are getting married on? Of course many beaches can look quite similar, so find a local landmark to include in your shot if you can: a building, rock formation or big prominent tree or palm perhaps. Something that people will recognize when they are there is clearly ideal if the Koozie is to serve as a reminder of the day for people who have travelled some distance. Do not worry if you are not able to get things 100% right in your photograph, there are a lot of tricks that a good Koozie designers can use to clean up and improve photographs that you send in. This could be erasing power poles, cars and people, to even increase the blue in the sky too for you.

If you are finding it hard to get the perfect shot yourself, one of the tricks a good photographer uses is to take their shots either early in the morning or later in the afternoon, just before sunset. There is a different quality of light at these times and shadows are much more interesting. Besides it is much harder to get lighting right in bright sunshine sometimes, especially if the thing you want to take a photograph of is in the wrong place with respect to the sun.

Another possibility, but one much more difficult to arrange or find, is an aerial shot of the place you are due to be married. Try asking your resort or hotel, if you have one booked, whether they have any imagery you might use as they often have such photographs taken for promotional material.

Personalizing Your Beach Wedding Koozies Further

If you can make it to the beach, there are a few other ideas you might like to try too. Why not write your names in the sand and take a shot from a distance if the local geography allows - or maybe just your initials and a date? These shots also make really great Save the Date photographs too - other photographs we have seen a lot on wedding Koozies are simply hearts drawn in the sand - with or without a monogram or initials. The other text is then added later in the design process.

Another interesting idea worth mentioning involves the bride and groom taking a photo of themselves on the beach - in more casual attire, for example hats and sunglasses, or maybe in a more quirky pose like just a shot of their feet, either bare or in flip-flops! If the composition is right, these make great, fun images, with the couple standing either on the sand or in the thin surf as it washes back.

Iconic Beach Object Photo Koozies

There are lots of things that just say 'beach': seashells, starfish and coconuts are a few. Some locations may have more to choose from - the distinct boats from Thailand for instance. Setting up these shots is quite easy. Place the object in a nice clean area on some sand, shingle or stones (depending on your beach), place yourself looking at the item with the beach and the ocean behind it. Focus on what you are taking the photo of and shoot. In a good photograph, the background sand and sea will be slightly blurred, but the foreground shell or starfish pin sharp. Called depth of field, this is difficult to get right with cheaper cameras or phone cameras that are designed to hold everything in focus, and are easier with better SLR cameras with a long lens. Still, once again, a good Koozie designer armed with the Photoshop pen tool will be able to isolate the foreground object and blur the background for you!

We've also seen some photo wedding Koozies with flowers on, these can be positioned carefully on the sand, perhaps a stone wall or on the edge of a pool with the clean aqua blue water behind and they look stunning. Frangipani, hibiscus and bird-of-paradise are ever popular tropical flower choices. Palms also make lovely shots; try framing the ocean between two trees or banks of trees. Even better, wait until the sun is just going down to bring beautiful oranges, reds and purple hues into the photo. A couple of hammocks or beach recliners symbolizing your partner and you are great ideas to add to the mix too.

Resort Wedding Koozies

Finally, if you and your guests are staying on before during or after the wedding at a resort, then a photo of said resort can also make a great memento of the occasion too. Most hotels or resorts will have some great photograph already, taken for brochures and websites. There is unlikely to be any problem asking them if you can use these on your wedding Koozies as they are almost an advertisement for them!

Exotic Mother's Day Flowers She is Bound to Love

With so many things going on in your life you may just want to take the easy way out and stop at your local Chicago florist shop and pick up the first Mother's Day flower arrangement you see. But why not get her something different this year and skip the traditional flowers such as roses or tulips. Less widely know and exotic Mother's Day flowers will be greatly appreciated and give you mother something to talk with her friends about.

An arrangement of lilies, irises, gerberas and proteas make for a brilliant display of color. Mixing and matching reds, purples, pink and yellow flower will give you an amazing look. How about a bouquet of flowers shipped in from the Pacific Rim. You can give your mother a unique Mother's Day gift that includes protea, anthurium, eucalyptus, and exotic greens. These flowers work well together and I am sure your mother would love them.

I think one of the most unique Mother's Day flowers I have seen are arrangements with the Birds of Paradise. Nothing makes one think of a warm tropical island and sitting on the beach under some palm trees than when you see this flower in a bouquet. The Birds of Paradise with its bright yellow to orange flowers, large leaves, and unique shape truly sets it apart from other flowers.

Going out of your way and getting a unique gift of Mother's Day flowers will truly make the day more memorable. With the variety of exotic flowers available and that they can be shipped to Chicago, it isn't that much more work to give your mother this special kind of arrangement. Not just any old Mother's Day flower but a unique gift she is bound to love.

Get more information on ways to make it a special Mother's Day in Chicago

Bridal Make-Up Tips That Look Good for Wedding Photography

The bride is the most beautiful woman in her wedding. All the attention is centered on her. Every admiring look speaks of her beauty, her long trailing gown, and her entire appearance. Make-up can do wonders for making a woman's face beautiful and refreshed during her wedding. It can also highlight the beauty of a woman who is already endowed with a beautiful face. A woman should look good on her wedding. A wedding photographer will love taking shots of her together with the man she loves. There are some make-up tips that the bride should follow so that she will look her best in her wedding photography pictures.

Before the Wedding Day

The bride should undertake beauty care programs such as regular facials. Facials can help rejuvenate her skin. There are even good beauty products that the beautician can recommend. Women should go for a relaxing massage at least once a week. Massage sessions can help relieve stress. Weather can also affect the skin. Extremes of weather can dry and damage the skin. Women should avoid the sun's rays as much as possible. The use of sunblock is also recommended for outside activities. A bride would not want to look toasted in her wedding photos.

An aromatherapy session before the wedding also relieves stress and relaxes the muscles. A good night's sleep before the wedding can make the bride beautiful and stress-free during her wedding photography sessions. She also has to book for her make-up artist 3 to 4 months in advance. A trial session can also be done so that the wedding photographer will have a preknowledge on what suits her best.

On the Wedding Day

If pictures for wedding photography are taken during the night, the bride needs to wear heavy make-up. But during the day, light make-up is best. A wedding photographer can take candid shots of the bride no matter what the season is. The bride will be beautiful with her bright, pastel shades make-up during a summer or spring wedding. Warmer and deeper shades will be ideal for her during a winter wedding. Since the bride is going to be photographed a lot by the wedding photographer, foundations with yellow tones will work best with flash wedding photography technique.

The wedding is going to be an affair worth remembering. One last tip, but never the least, the bride should carry a powder compact, some tissues and a lipstick. They are necessary for touch ups and are excellent tools for best wedding photography pictures.

Wedding Photography: Tops Tips for the Best Wedding Photograph Composition

Hire a wedding photographer on your wedding day if you want to capture that memorable moment in your life. Your photographer can also advise you how to pose pleasingly and attractively. Therefore, an array of good poses should be suggested to the bride and groom to produce the best pictures. Composition is important in photography.

For many hobbyists, photography has evolved into a rewarding business because today, brides and bridegrooms are willing to pay just to have their wedding pictures perfectly taken. Wedding photo specialists will stay in business because weddings happen so often nowadays. Time-honoured occasions like weddings need to have some professional wedding photographer to immortalize the images as the memorable moments happen.

Some people say there are no rules in photography but your photographer should know better than them. Your photographer would surely know that photographic composition must be applied to any scene. Therefore, you must hire an experienced wedding photographer. Visual impact makes a picture memorable and it involves composing the image in the camera to make a natural balance of the images. Your pictures must draw attention and lead the viewer's eye to the photograph. Wedding compositions, just like in any other photographs, are planned and thought off. One of the composition tips is the rule of thirds which positions the most central elements in your scene along the lines intersecting 1/3 of the frame, vertically or horizontally. The best photograph compositions depend on the skill of the photographer and the cooperation of the bride and groom.

Balancing elements would make a fascinating photo or leading lines towards the couple that may produce a great picture. Photographers at weddings may use symmetry and patterns to catch the viewer's eye. At a certain viewpoint, the wedding photographer may shoot from high above, or below at ground level or from any angle side, back, close up or use a telephoto lens to get the desired portrait. Also, the key to perfect wedding images are the background, depth-of-field, framing say for example with archways and plants, and cropping to remove what is not needed in the picture.

Wedding photographers are good in experimentation because of their vast experience in the profession. In addition, digital cameras have given the wedding photographer the flexibility to experiment, unlike before when expensive films were being used. So trust your wedding photographer to do the job for you on your wedding day.

How Commercial Photography Has Evolved Over the Years

Most commercial photography has to do with photographing products and services. However, because commercial photographers are known as some of the most experienced and talented photographers around it comes as no surprise when they are often hired as wedding photographers too. As a matter of fact a fair majority of photographers will double as wedding photographers when they are not working on product photographs for businesses.

The Rise of Commercial Photography

In the old day taking photographs which were to be used commercially was a time consuming and often expensive undertaking. There were few photographers who would want to spend the time taking pictures of products and then sorting through hundreds of them to find the best. Today, thanks to digital cameras and digital storage media like SD cards things are a lot simpler and cheaper. Most professional photographers will have the latest 18 megapixel camera with an exterior flash coupled with some backup memory cards. Compared to what professional photographers used to spend two decades or so ago this equipment is cheap both in the short and long term. The only real investment is purchasing a set of lenses most of which are going to be macro lenses if they specialize in product photography. The time it takes to complete a project has also been drastically reduced thanks to the fact that today's photographers can make on the spot decisions if the pictures they are taking are good and delete the ones that are not. That being said commercial photography is still very challenging and thanks to the latest cameras highly competitive.

Post Production

In the past most post production was done manually so the options available to a photographer were limited. So, photographers either got their shot right or they had to do it again, there was no way for them to correct mistakes, replace the background or add colors. Today, post production is a major part of taking commercial photographs. Post production tools like Photoshop help photographers correct mistakes, fix blemishes and edit photos so that they can be used across an array of print and digital mediums. While using post production tools have become increasingly easier over the past couple of years making the right edits and adding the correct filters, balances and layers requires experience. It also requires an understanding of what the business wants to convey via the image.

Even though the way in which taking commercial photographs has changed and made things easier it still requires skill and experience. Regardless, of if you want to boost the morale of your employees or improve your business's image via social media and print campaigns it is imperative to hire the best photographer for the job. Ideally, the best person will have lots of experience and be able to deliver results.

Why A Photo Booth Works

If you've been considering a photo booth at your wedding and weren't sure if it's a good idea... it is. It's trendy, fun and a good value. As a cruise director for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line I had an opportunity to observe people in a celebratory environment and was particularly tuned to what they enjoyed and how they reacted to entertainment as a group. After 3 years running a photo booth company, I am still amazed at the way people react to a photo booth at a wedding. I started to ask why!

When I first heard the idea, it sounded stupid, until I saw it with my own eyes. Sure enough, this old idea, which we would casually pass up with hardly a second glance at the mall, is breathing new life into wedding entertainment. When people get in the booth together, a spark ignites, the child within them comes out and they play behind the curtain, seeing how silly they can make the photos and laughing the entire time. It's clear to me that photo booths are the new "chocolate fountain", that is to say, a new staple of entertainment at weddings and parties.

So why is it that while every person there has a phone with a camera in it, they line up to play in the photo booth?

• UNFAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT: On cruise ships, people were more childlike and open to silliness because they were out of their element. They looked to us (the crew) for cues how to act. When we showed them it was OK to be playful, they felt free to be silly and had a blast, moving out of their usual roles. A photo booth works much the same way.


• NOSTALGIA: Everyone has been in a photo booth as a kid and being in one as an adult brings you back to your childhood. Older folks may not have been in one for 50 years and stepping inside is like stepping back in time.


• PRIVACY: It is something like a game of peek-a-boo! We know we are going to show our photos to everyone, there may even be an external monitor, yet when that curtain closes we feel we have the privacy to loosen up, distort our faces and pop out laughing! Then we show them our 4 frozen moments of goofiness!


• SPACE: No matter the size of the booth, you have to get close to others, breaking down our usual social barriers as we suspend our personal boundaries. This is exhilarating in itself but it also means the usual rules of conduct don't apply and we let ourselves "play" and interact with the booth and the people we are with. It's fun.


• MEMORIES: The photo booth captures people who might not normally be photographed together. What a wedding photographer captures is quite different from what a photo booth captures. Strange pairings ofpeople who might only be together at your event are preserved forever. This could include family members mixing with college friends from the opposite coast, children with great-grandparents, and best buddies who have never met until now. It gives them something to do together;an experience to share.


• ENTERTAINMENT: Most importantly, a photo booth works at a party because it is a source of entertainment. For all of the reasons above, it is very entertaining. It's less about the photos and more about the experience you have while you are in the booth. You squeeze, you giggle, pose and mug your faces, use props and get creative! Not everyone enjoys the dance floor, but everyone has a face!

Old and young, rich and poor, across race and religion, everyone has fun in the photo booth. Once you unleash your version of the "Roger Rabbit" on the dance floor, there's no editorial control (yikes!), but if you don't like your photos, you don't have to show anyone and you have the option to go again. Plus, each guest goes home with a wedding favor which reminds them how much fun they had at your wedding!

So, a photo booth serves 3 main functions for one price: entertainment, memories and favors. That's pretty good value for your dollar. Photo booths at weddings is still a very fresh idea which is always favorable with today's brides who are looking for unique ways to entertain their guests. Every bride wants her reception to be memorable. Having a photo booth at your wedding reception will be something people enjoy and remember.

Additional Resources:

http://www.lovelybride.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/26/we-heart-photo-booths/

http://www.intimateweddings.com/blog/high-tech-wedding-photo-booth-latest-trend-for-big-day/

Philippine Civil Wedding: How Much Does It Cost to Tie the Knot?

When my husband and I got married and opted for a civil wedding, it's not about the money but meeting halfway - it is totally a different and long story. In most cases however, when a couple decides to go for a civil wedding, it has something to do with the budget. With that being said, how much does a quick and simple civil wedding cost?

Dear judge, here's our witnesses, marry us now and make it quick!

This is where you and your spouse-to-be go to the courthouse or the mayor's office together with a few witnesses (at least two of your closest friends who are of legal age or your parents/guardian if both of you are below 18) and say, "I do". Plain and simple. If you fall under this category, a budget of PHP5,000 - PHP7,000 should already be enough to get married. That is given that you only have two-four witnesses. Here's a list of what your PHP5,000 - PHP7,000 can cover up:

1. Marriage License Application Fee - When we secured our marriage license in 2011, we only spent around PHP200 - PHP250 max as far as I can remember. Make sure to check the City's Official Website fees as it may vary per city. Allotting PHP500 for this step is the safe way to go.


2. Officiating Officer Fee - This could range from PHP500-PHP2500 max depending on who will solemnize your union. You can choose from a mayor, judge or a registered solemnizing officer. Their fees may vary due to several factors like the date that you've chosen for your wedding. Some judges and mayors normally don't officiate civil wedding on weekends.


3. Wardrobe - Ladies can always go for those white/light-pink/peach dresses - those type that you wear to a Sunday Mass, just one notch prettier. While the gents can go for the smart casual attire.


4. Lunch, Dinner, whatever! - Simply put as, you need to treat yourselves to some food after the event. Wherever you want to eat, you definitely could already tell how much budget is needed for four-seven people, couldn't you?


5. Media Coverage - This part is totally optional but is definitely worth it! I mean what better way to look back on your wedding day than watching your photos and video? Nowadays, you'll find independent videographers and photographers who would cover events like debut, anniversaries and weddings for free just to build their portfolios. In fact, if you have friends who love to take good photos and can do decent video coverage with some smart editing, then you wouldn't have to spend a single penny on this one.Let's just say, you didn't happen to find anyone who can do this for free. There are still a lot of suppliers who can offer you their services for such a reasonable price. Some can even customize their service to adjust to your budget (wink). Again, this one is totally optional.

Three Reasons Why the Digital Camera Age Has Lowered the Quality of Wedding Photography

Don't get me wrong. I love the digital photography age. I love its convenience, ease of use, and cost savings. I love being able to digital edit and manipulate my images. However there are some downsides to the digital photography age. Mainly, too many people think that aunt Sarah, who loves to take pictures and has a pretty darn good digital camera, will do an adequate job taking their wedding photos. High mega-pixel digital cameras have brought amateur wedding photographers out of the woodwork. Why is that?

Reason 1 - the image preview
Mainly because the photographer can see the image preview immediately after taking the shot. They can see, more or less, whether or not it turned out. You see, back in the day when photographers were using film, photographers did not have the advantage of seeing the image preview. They absolutely had to know what they were doing because they didn't get to see their work until sometime well after the wedding. A simple mistake of leaving the lens on manual focus when you thought it was on automatic focus or miscalculating the exposure settings or flash settings could ruin a wedding album. There was no "oops, that one was too dark. Or oops the flash was too bright on that one. I'll quickly adjust the settings and retake it."

The digital image preview can have its drawbacks, however. A would be professional photographer can feel invincible with the power to quickly preview and adjust settings on the fly. But the image preview still doesn't solve every problem. For instance...

- It is still very difficult to tell if an image is in precise sharpness from the small image preview.
- You could still miss seeing that strand of hair that was in front of the subject's face.
- If you are taken a group shot, you can easily miss if someone blinked during the shot.

Sure, you can zoom in on the image preview on most any digital camera these days and check on these items that are hard to make out on the small preview. That is if you had the time. But if you are shooting a wedding you don't have time to zoom in on every preview or even to glance at every preview between shots. If you did, you may miss a very important shot that happens in only a split second.

Reason 2 - increase in the quality of pictures from automatic camera settings
The quality of these digital cameras only continue to increase and thus so does the quality of the pictures they produce automatically. Most amateur photographers don't know how to use the settings on their cameras properly. They are completely dependent upon the automatic settings of these high quality cameras. So what is so wrong with that you ask?

Well, as great as these cameras are with their automatic settings there is still no substitute for understanding the intricacies of camera settings. How the shutter speed affects the lighting and motion blur or how the aperture affects the lighting and depth of field or how the ISO affects the brightness and graininess of an image.

These high quality cameras fair really well in ideal shooting conditions. Specifically outdoors on a clear day. But all too often a photographer has to photograph a wedding in conditions that are not ideal. Many churches, for instance, are dark inside. Too dark for "ideal" shooting conditions. I once had to photograph a wedding ceremony that was conducted by candle light. Would the automatic settings of a camera save the photographer in this situation? I wouldn't count on it. What would they do if the image previews were too dark? Hope the camera adjusts automatically I suppose. Receptions are notorious for being dark as well. Especially if their is any dancing going on, many times with colorful, flashing lights lighting the dance floor. There are many other situations when the subject if darkly light (maybe in a shadow) and the background is brightly lit (in full sun) or vice versa. The camera's automatic settings will be forced to choose which one to expose properly leaving the other too dark or too bright. Will it choose correctly? I have shot several wedding ceremonies outside at sunset when it is beginning to get dark and yet the sun is still very bright by comparison and is casting very bright highlights onto the subjects. These situations are infamous for confusing the camera's automatic metering system.

Reason 3 - Price
High quality digital cameras prices are constantly being lowered making it much easier for the amateur photographer to get started. I upgrade my camera every two to three years. Every time I have gotten a much better camera. And yet, every time I paid less for the better camera than I did for its predecessor. And lets not forget the price you save on film and being able to digitally upload your images to a lab for prints instead of having to mail the film.

And there you have it, three reasons why the digital camera age has lowered the quality of wedding photography. Now don't get me wrong. I don't have anything against the amateur photographer. I used to be one and professional photographers have to start somewhere. Just know the risk versus reward before deciding to let aunt Sarah photograph the most important day of your life.

The Benefits of Professional Wedding Photography

Nowadays, hiring a professional wedding photographer is now a rising trend. To take photos with relatives and friends as a remembrance for this very memorable day of their lives. This is of course, you can save your money by making it simple, but sometimes it can place you in a risky situation that might occur at the day of the wedding. The couple can look back and find again as they captured those sweet memories they experience.

The various benefits that you can get with a professional wedding photographer:

• The professional wedding photographer is the one in charge handling the backing equipment to be use in order not to malfunction during the occasion.

• Professional wedding photographers have done in many ways the different lighting condition in which they are in charge in delivering reliable quality kind of product.

• Professional wedding photographers should have permanent photographs in getting photos during a wedding day, not just only for that occasion.

• A photography company will have the right to prescribe albums and also giving some alternatives regarding printing which is not available to general public.

• A photography company has to comply everything all requirements such as permits and licenses before you desire to open business to be legalized.

• A professional should have a written contract in order to ensure during the wedding.

• A pro photographer should produce good quality photographs in which it differ the distant range and it should be shots in a full body even how far the distant is.

• The professional should choice that among the top end professional lens in order to declare who among will have the best quality in performing wedding photographs.

• A professional should be aware of and not just take it for granted these obvious shots but to capture this very remembering moment by realizing the important moment that take place in their life.

Through with this professional photography company the couple wedding should justify those memories that capture to find again those moment of years they share for not taking hazard due to non professional way. Professionals can lead to cost but not taking any hazard of those memories in your life that can make your dreams come true in whole life.

Research shows that some photographers want to know what is good in regards to what you wanted. Wanting to get the family portraits you have learn the different style in posing your family tree, or maybe more than a family members. Looking forward the works done through a family portrait of a photographer and professional wedding photographers can simply get the family photos in which it compose up to 30 people in such long photograph. As what others is doing, you immediately discover the main idea on how to increase and learn to adapt your own way of doing it.

Learning how photography and intricacies will make up good photo, then you will be encourage to do better in order to know what kind of photos you want to pose. Through understanding the different effects of lighting and to board up the said speed can give you an idea to plan things in order to achieve your dreams you are looking for.

Budget Wedding Reception Locations for a Frugal Wedding

Some people make a choice in budget wedding reception locations for reasons of frugality; others choose them because they just aren't comfortable with the idea of splurging on a wedding reception when the economy is in bad shape. What your wedding reception ends up costing in large part does depend on your choice of location. Let's take a look at a few of the least expensive romantic wedding reception locations there can be that don't require you to sacrifice anything in taste, requirements in suitability or beauty.

Did you ever consider a garden wedding reception? You do remember how in the movie Meet the Parents, a couple was going to have their reception right here in the backyard of the family home (until Ben Stiller set everything on fire). If you or a friend should happen to have a beautiful and large garden, perhaps one with a deck or patio, you can get your reception underway with no rent whatsoever. All you need to do is to make arrangements for flowers, decorations and perhaps a canopy to protect the food and the gifts. Outdoor wedding reception locations such as a garden or a beach, as we'll see shortly, are wonderful in the summer - when you can be sure it won't rain.

A beach wedding reception is something even celebrities who can afford so much more can't possibly resist from time to time. You could pick a quiet spot on a public beach of your choice, and you wouldn't even have to pay rent. All you would need to do is to make sure that there is no trash that the bash leaves behind in the end, and that it's legal to serve alcohol on the public beach.

There are other great budget wedding reception locations for you if you want to take it indoors. Do you know of a cute little restaurant that you like in your neighborhood? They don't even have to have a private room for receptions. You could book the entire restaurant in advance, and if it's a small enough a place, it wouldn't cost you much. For food and drinks, you can ask your guests to bring their own alcohol. If dinner at the restaurant is too expensive, you could consider simply serving lunch or wedding cake.

Museums are often a great choice for wedding receptions, and wealthy people usually choose them. A public building like a museum can sometimes (though not often) can be available for weddings and receptions at a very low price. The smaller regional museums are likely to be available for rent on the cheap, and should give your reception taste and classiness that no other location could ever hope to beat.

Starting a Wedding Photography Business - Insurance, Bank Accounts, Licenses, and Taxes

The Business Side

Let me first preface this article with the following, what I say may or may not apply to you and your circumstances nor to your state's laws. Look into it for yourself. This should serve as a rough guideline though. Some small business owners when they first begin forget that they are moving away from doing something as a hobby to doing it for a living. When you enter this arena the rules change and you have to be prepared to act as a business owner and not just a hobbyist.

The Wedding Photographer's Geico

When I first started as a wedding photographer I had no idea that I needed insurance. I backed up all my camera gear, images, workstations, and even had a backup photographer so why would I need one. The thing is it's for all of the things you can't plan for. There are two primary types you need to worry about, liability and malpractice. One covers your rear in case you somehow fail in your normal duties and are sued. The other covers you in case you injure someone on the job and covers your gear in case it is damaged. Both are covered through PPA which to be honest is a great community for photographers.

Death and Taxes

A lot of wedding photographers and home based businesses do not pay taxes. This does not make it OK for one more person to not pay taxes. If you are caught the fines and penalties can be extremely stiff. Do the right thing and pay your taxes. Just put aside a given amount for each wedding into a savings account specifically for your taxes.

You'll be surprised at the number of legitimate tax write offs a small home based business has. If you use a certain percentage of your home as a home office then part of your rent and utilities are able to be written off. Purchases for your business, travel expenses, meals at client meetings, and so on are all tax deductible under most circumstances.

Read up on it and find a certified CPA to help you out. It's not as bad as most people make it out to be. In most cases most small businesses are not considered profitable for the first couple of years anyway so you will probably not end up owing much, but even if you do it's your responsibility to pay those taxes. How else would our government be able to function?

License to ILL

A business license may or may not be required in your area. It's been awhile since I got mine but I remember thinking it was going to be a hassle. To be honest it was extremely easy and even easier to renew it every year. It's also extremely cheap in most areas and adds certain credence to your business in the eyes of clients.

Your Business Money Does Not Belong Under Your Mattress!

Equally important to your budding business is where you're going to put your hard earned money. Sure you're going to pay bills with it and could go without an account, but what do you do the first time someone writes a check to "My Pensacola Wedding Photographer". Try getting that cashed at a bank. So once you have your business license you can and should sign up for a business checking account. Any money that comes into your business should come in there first. Once you've paid your business expenses and put aside money for taxes then take what you need for your personal life. Remember to also save up for that fancy new lens you've had your eye on.

Read on

Don't miss my other articles in the series. They cover other equally important aspects of starting your own wedding photography business and shouldn't be missed. Remember they shouldn't be your sole reference, but should help to get you thinking about a plan.