Wedding Photography Tips - NJ/NY Wedding Planner

Once you have your venue and ceremony site you want to start thinking about photography. The first thing you want to do is set a budget from the beginning before starting to look around, photography can start as low as 1k but can go as high as the sky, so you definitely need to set a budget! Remember with wedding photography you get what you pay for as far as quality and experience of the photographer. Also, remember this is the one thing that after the wedding you will be able to look back on and see all the details of your special day, so you want to make sure you are prepared and have done your research before heading out to interview photographers. Sit down with your fiancé and talk about what you want out of the photography, below are a few things to think about.
- Style (traditional and photojournalism)
- Extras (portraits, bridal album, parent albums, DVD of pictures, thank you’s)
- How many photographers and how much coverage
- BUDGET!

Let’s talk a about style. If you’re not familiar with photography styles or all the types of effects that can be done we hope we can give you an idea of each to help you figure out what you want your style to be.

Traditional/Classic - This is the most common type of photography known and also the “oldest” style. This is your typical posing and group shots usually directed by the photographer and will consist of the traditional shots. For example: picture of bride & groom with parents, with grandparents, with bridal party, with guest. These pictures are usually predictable and because it does require the direction of the photographer, it can sometimes take time away from you enjoying your reception. Some of these photos don’t seem as posed, but they are to a certain degree. The photographer will direct you on exactly what to do to capture the “fun photo,” therefore, it still falls under the traditional/classic category. Although this style is considered outdated now, most photographers you meet with will tell you they will do the traditional shots either way along with any other ones they do, only because most parents want the family photos, these are the ones that most will hand out to family members.



Photojournalism - Currently this is the most popular type of photography style being used for weddings. This is a more relaxed way of taking photographs. When meeting with photographers ask to look at their work, what you are looking for is candid shots and not many posed. A lot of photographers in my experience will loosely describe their style as photojournalism when it actually is not. What you want to look for is about 85-90% of the shots being candid shots, the rest will be the traditional shots that most photographers will still want to do. Most studios that are photojournalistic will provide two photographers for your wedding day. Sometimes it will be included, others you will have to pay extra but for true photojournalism you want to have two photographers. Why? Well think of it this way, you have one photographer taking the traditional shots and capturing the important events of the day but then the 2nd photographer is capturing reactions, details, moments you wouldn’t be able to capture with one photographer. This style allows you to enjoy your wedding more because the photographers are not pulling you away for pictures instead they are capturing the moments in action and as they happen and if they are really good you won’t even notice the whole day! This style is also great for those of us who are camera shy because the less posing the better!





Which style is ideal? Well they both are! You always want to have the traditional posed shots and maybe try and find someone who has fun with the traditional posed shots instead of just having everyone stand and smile. For the reception you want to be able to enjoy it so you also want to find someone who is good at capturing the moments as they happen without having to pull you away from your party!

What to look for as far as photography packages? You will come across a variety of packages offered by photography studios. This is where your budget comes into play the most. Think about what you want from the photographer. Do you want a bridal album, parent album, portraits, engagement session, second photographer, DVD of pictures, proofs and thank you cards? Some studios will give you some “basics,” like printed proofs (usually a certain amount), and a DVD of ALL high-resolution pictures. All other extras mentioned earlier may be extra. You will find studios that include all of the above plus the bridal album and sometimes an engagement session. There are also plenty of studios that will offer you everything in one package and are willing to work with you on your budget.

Top Questions to ask the photographer - As we have mentioned before with other topics, always do your research. If the studio has a website, browse through it carefully, look at all their albums and pictures online to get a really good idea of what they offer. Some will have pricing and packages on their site, if not email them and ask for information and make sure they have your wedding date available. It’s always best to do this because you don’t want to make an appointment to meet with someone and find out they are over your price range. One thing I have learned is once you make your appointments always call to confirm them the day of if they haven’t already! There are tons of wedding websites that can help you find local vendors including photographers: www.weddingwire.com ,www.brides.com , www.theknot.com. Even referrals from friends is a good way to go too!

Below are a few of the most common questions to ask when meeting with a photographer:

-Can I see complete sample albums? There are a lot of different styles of albums you want to ask to see all the ones that fall in your price range and also to get an idea of how they design them from start to finish.
-How much experience do you have? You want to know that they will be able to accurately get the pictures you need. It’s also important to get an idea of how they work with the pictures as far as editing, effects and lighting. You may also want to know if they have shot at your venue before and if they haven’t if they are willing to visit the venue before hand to get an idea of the environment and what will work best in pictures.
-How many photographers are on staff? This question is important for many reasons. One is because if you go to a studio and look through a few different albums and there is one in particular you like the most as far as style of the photos you want to make sure you know which photographer took that and if they are available for your wedding date. Second is do they have backup photographers in case of emergency as well as backup hardware.
-Will you be my photographer? If not, can I meet him/her before contract signing? The photographer is one of the vendors that will be with you most on your day, besides us. It is essential to have a good relationship with your photographer. If you’re miserable, remember, it will show in your photos.
-Can I look over the contract? If you have made a decision on a studio make sure they allow you to take home the contract and read it over. You want to make sure that all the specifics are correct as far as how many prints you get, any extras that were requested are on there and WHO will be your photographer and if possible who would be the backup. Make sure the hours of coverage are correct and any extra fees that may be added on are valid and were discussed with you. It is VERY important to know who your photographer will be especially if you have a preference when you viewed sample photos.
-Do you provide video? We didn’t touch on video, but this is a question you may want to ask because most photographers have a videographer whom they work with best. It is a good idea to get a “team” that works well together so that no one gets in each other’s way. Video should also be researched thoroughly and you should think about how elaborate you need the video to be. The photographer should be able to give you references to people they work with best. Some may provide discounts if you book both services with them.

During your search if you really want to make the right choice I suggest making appointments with several photographers, this process could take a little while, but remember this will be one of the things that you will be able to pull out 20 years from now and show your children and grand children so you want to make the right choice. Although your budget is important do not let it delegate your decision completely, you get what you pay for and in the end you don’t want to feel like you could have done better. Hope all this information helps make the process a little easier and has you ready for your photography interviews! Have Fun :-)

Nadya

Sources:
http://www.allenweddings.net/photography-video.html
http://www.newgroundphotography.com/blog/
http://www.photoaxe.com/artistic-photojournalistic-wedding-photographers/
http://parriswhittingham.blogspot.com/2008/01/secret-sauce-of-wedding-photos.html

Finding the perfect dress! - NJ/NY Wedding Planner

Hi Everyone! Sorry it’s been a while, but we’ve been busy little Planners. Anyway, hope you enjoy this one!

Wedding dress shopping tips
You have started your planning, probably have a few things done, but now comes the fun part! It’s time to start looking for that perfect wedding dress. Some of us may have childhood visions and know exactly what we want in our dress, but the rest of us have no clue! Although you may have an exact picture of what you want, give yourself some options and be open minded because you may fall in love with the unexpected! Your dress should express your personal style and not be something that is completely different from whom you are. Below are a few ideas to keep in mind when starting the search. These suggestions will help you have a fun and not stressful experience! Enjoy :-)

Research - Before you venture off and start actually trying on dresses we recommend all brides-to-be do a little “research”. Go out and buy yourself a few of those wedding magazines or search the internet for all different styles. When doing research, I recommend going to a few wedding websites such as theknot.com and weddingchannel.com to name a few. These sites allow you to search and narrow your search by style, silhouette, and pricing, which is important if you have a budget to stick to. Give yourself a max budget when dress shopping. Consider the cost of alterations and accessories when you’re doing your budget. Start saving photos of the styles you found in magazines and on websites so that you have a print out of the pages to show the bridal shops, that way they have a much better idea of what you are looking for. Once you have a good idea of what you want to try on start looking up bridal shops in your area. Again, you can do this by searching online, as well as using the websites mentioned above - they will assist with finding bridal shops in your area. Once you have a few salons, start calling up and making appointments. Although an appointment is not always needed, most places prefer you make an appointment especially on the weekends when they get very busy. This will guarantee you personal assistance by a bridal gown consultant.

Start Shopping - Once you have your date set, try to start shopping as soon as possible. We recommend shopping 10 months or more before your wedding, but no later than 6 months before. The reason being that most designers will take about 3 – 6+ months to order/make your dress and have it shipped to the bridal salon. Once the dress comes in and you are 110% in love with it, this will give the store enough time to do alterations and have fittings. Most places will schedule 3 fittings with the bride to ensure the fit is just right for your big day!
When visiting the bridal salon we recommended bringing along 1-3 people, at the most to give their opinion. Two is ideal though. You don’t want to bring too many people because this can be an exhausting experience and too many opinions and ideas can be overwhelming. Also a big request among salon owners is that you not wear too much make up when trying on dresses. Besides the obvious reason of not wanting to have the dress ruined by makeup, but also you want to see yourself at your most natural so that you can really get a good idea of how you will look! It is also very helpful to wear a strapless bra.
Some Bridal Shops will allow you to take photos, so find out before hand if you’re allowed. If so, bring a camera along to help you remember how you looked in the dresses.

Styles:
Wedding dresses come in a variety of fits and styles to suit every bride. You may have tried on a few styles you liked in pictures and then did not like them on yourself. Do not get discouraged! The bridal consultant should be able to assist you in finding a style that will flatter your figure. Another thing to keep in mind is the formality of your wedding. If you are having a simple casual wedding, the dress should be appropriate for the event. Larger, traditional weddings call for a more traditional wedding dress. Below are a few samples of the different available styles.

A-Line - Fitted around the bodice and flows out to the ground resembling the shape of an A, and flatters almost all body types. The bodice can create the illusion of length on a petite bride and also slims down a rounded figure.


Empire - Starts the waistline underneath the bust. This fit works well on petite brides because it will make you appear taller. It is also a recommended fit for a smaller bust. Keep in mind this style can also be combined with the above A-line skirt, which also makes for a great fit!


Column - Starts at the neckline and is narrow from the neckline to the hem. This fit is made to hug all your curves. This fit is a little more casual then most and is seen in a lot of destination weddings. This fit is best for a lean bride, tall or short, a curvy bride may feel uncomfortable because the fit is not usually accommodating to problem areas, but this can sometimes be fixed with the purchase of a slip/body shaper.


Ball Gown - This fit is the most classic and popular among brides. This reminds most of us of being a princess and a ball! This is exactly how you should feel the day of your wedding. This fit has a fitted bodice and a full skirt, which works best on slender or pear-shaped figures. It brings attention to the torso and the waistline and takes attention away from the hips. The full skirt might not work to well on a short bride because her height may not hold the skirt up well. Be sure you feel comfortable and not overwhelmed by the full skirt.


Mermaid - One of this season’s favorite fits; this fit contours your body from the neckline down to your knee and then flares from the knee to the hem. This fit will accent all the natural curves of a women’s body. We recommend this fit for slender brides preferably taller but petite brides can pull this off as well! The flare at the bottom may make it a little harder to walk so you do need to feel 100% comfortable in the dress.


Along with all these dress styles there are a variety of necklines that can be used with all of them. As well as the option of having straps, sleeves or no straps on a dress, either of these options can be discussed with the bridal salon.
We hope this information has given you a better idea of what to look for when you start your shopping. Remember this should be a fun and exciting experience and in the end it comes down to the dress you love! You will know when you find it and you just don’t want to take it off! Good luck ladies and happy dress shopping!

Nadya

Sources:
Pictures:
http://www.ribbonsandpearls.co.uk/style_guide/dress_guide.htm
http://www.partypop.com/Forums/images/268504.jpg

Dress Styles
http://www.weddingsolutions.com/fashion_and_beauty/Dress_Styles.html

You're Invited! June 1st Event - NJ/NY Wedding Planner

Hello my lovely Bride/Grooms-to-be!

So, on Sunday, June 1st, The Studio Photographers and I are hosting a special event in our Millburn location. If you would like to come, please RSVP with your name, telephone number, and number attending. All of the contact information to RSVP is below. Hope to see you there!

Kisha

Editorial in Manhattan Bride - NJ/NY Wedding Planner

Check out our new editorial in Manhattan Bride!!! (Click to enlarge) Enjoy!




Kisha

Jewish Traditions - Manhattan Bride - NJ/NY Wedding Planner

Hope you all are having a blast planning!!! Here is an article that we contibuted to for the most recent Manhattan Bride issue - click to enlarge. As you can see, we can handle various cultural events also!







Kisha

Design dilemmas - NJ/NY Wedding Planner

Color Scheme
Once you have your wedding date and location set, one of your next steps will be to pick a color scheme and design for you special day. For most brides this can be the most stressful part because your choices will, in the end, set the Ambiance for your entire day!

This is when your Wedding Planner comes into play! We can work with you on coming up with unique concepts and help you choose the right colors and designs that will reflect the vision you have. If you already have countless ideas but you’re not sure how to put them all together, we will work with you to create a one of a kind event that is just what you’ve envisioned!

There are a few things you want to keep in mind when choosing your color scheme and design for your wedding:

Season - This is very important because this can help determine what colors you will want to use. Having the colors reflect the time of the year and environment is always a wonderful touch, so this is important to keep in mind. It’s important to know if it will be an outdoor or indoor wedding, because you may have some design ideas that will only work under certain conditions. The season also determines what flowers will be available that time of year.

Colors - You and your Groom may want to consider your favorite colors, but if they are two colors that just clash together, you should try and see what other color combinations you can come up with by either using one of your favorite colors or trying something different. (You can always use the other color for another upcoming wedding celebration, like your rehearsal dinner.) If you need help combining colors, we found a site that can assist you in making color combinations and give you a basic idea of what they would look like together.

Kuler Colors - This site is great! It allows you to create your own color palette to see if the color combination you have in mind will work. Also, if you're unsure of which color(s) will go well with a specific shade you have in mind, it can create a color combination based on that one shade provided! In addition, if you have a specific motif or flower in mind and you have an image of it, you can upload your image and it will work with the colors from the image!

Below are a few ideas of popular color palettes:

Whites and Greens - These two colors complement each other very well in design and bring a clean and crisp feel to a wedding.



Pinks, Red and Green - These colors can work great together and you can choose to make one of them brighter, to use as an accent color.



Soft blush tones - This sets a fresh, soft feel to your wedding. You may want to consider using pearls as a design element.



Red - You can choose to go all red or use red as an accent color against white or ivory, with pearl and crystal accents which make for a romantic feel.



Pinks, Green, White and Purple - These colors are fun a vibrant and are great for a spring time, outdoor wedding. You can incorporate a lot of great flowers with these colors.



Time of day/formality of the wedding - This is probably just as important to consider as much as season. Once you have the season pinned down, you can work on what colors will work for the time of day your wedding is held. Usually, an early wedding - late morning into late afternoon - would be considered a daytime wedding. It is recommended that you use a light color palette, such as pastels, but if you wanted to step away from the norm, you could definitely consider using bright, bold colors. For an evening wedding - considered late afternoon into evening - you may want to think of using bold, darker, dramatic colors. You can create more of a romantic Ambiance and/or lounge feel, in the evening. Needless to say, you can also use bright colors that POP!

Design
Usually once you have a color palette and you want to add that unique touch to your wedding, you can choose to have a design that is used throughout the wedding. This theme can be used on the invitations, wedding cake, menu cards, linens and lighting. One of the popular design elements that have been brought into weddings is the elegant monogram. This is always a simple, yet classic way to personalize your day. Another popular design comes from the Bride's wedding dress. The dress may have a special beading, crystal, or lace pattern that you would like to use throughout your wedding. What is important here is that you don’t want to overdo it. You want to try and choose maybe one or two designs that complement each other, but are not necessarily completely different. Having too much going on can cause you to lose the concept you were going for and the theme will get lost in translation. Again, this all depends on the Ambiance of your wedding. It may be a more elegant wedding where you would want to try and be simple, or it may be a fun, bold, very dramatic wedding where designs and shapes will help with the feel you want to give off! Again, we can help create the perfect design concept, despite how many of the design elements you may have figured out, and it will have all the unique details you crave! Most important thing is at the end of all the hard work, your wedding should reflect your personalities. This is your day to shine and everything, down to the color of the tablecloth should be all about the two of you!





Nadya

Photo credits: Carrie's Cakes, Graceful Cake Creations, Kuler, Jill and Morgan's Wedding Website, Party Floor, Bliss Weddings Market, Chezvous, Scrapbooks, etc.

Happy Valentine's Day! - NJ/NY Wedding Planner

Just wanted to wish all of you a very Happy Valentine's Day! Hope you have something special planned! :-)

Kisha