Happy Friday everyone. I can sense a cold coming on, so the weekend is much needed! I had the pleasure of meeting with Haley & Michael from Shandro Photo (Edmonton) yesterday and one of the things we agreed on was that you should never EVER go with a non-professional for your wedding photos. Personally for me, I consider it one of the most important things, even more so than the venue because these are the keepsakes you will look back on in the future. I can’t stress this enough! Here’s what Haley from Shandro Photo, our guest blogger, has to say about the topic…

One of the biggest decisions that every bride faces is how to budget for her big day. Websites and magazines provide checklists to help you allocate your budget for all of the details of your wedding, large and small. Every one of your friends who just got married will also be more than happy to give you wedding planning advice.

While these budgets can be a great place to start, nothing is set in stone, and you have to decide what is most important for YOUR wedding. For many brides, photography is THE most important thing for their wedding. All of the details of your wedding are important, but your photos are the only permanent record of your wedding day. Here are a few tips to help ensure you have budgeted enough for your wedding photography.

Do I need a professional?

My uncle can do it for me. These days anyone with a camera thinks that they are a photographer, but a professional has the experience, equipment, personality, and backup equipment to ensure that your photos are stunning and safeguarded.

How much is too much?

A few years ago, you could hire a great wedding photographer for $2000-$3000. These days, people are spending more on their photographer, and it’s not unusual to pay $5000+ for an amazing professional photographer for full day coverage with an album and disc. Why is it ‘so expensive’? There is a difference between amazing photography and poor photography. The talent of a true professional photographer can be the difference between ho-hum photos and stunning images of your most important day. Wedding photography is one field where you do get what you pay for.

How much coverage do I need?

Gone are the days of stiff portraits after a traditional ceremony. Many brides now want documentary-style coverage of their wedding. However, not everyone wants photos of getting ready. Or, your budget might not allow for hiring a pro for the whole day. Rather than hiring a mediocre photographer for the whole day, consider spending a bit extra and hiring a professional for less time.

Do I get a disc of images?

To some brides a disc is important, to some it is not. If you are a bride who values having a digital archive of your photos and the ability to print what you want, check to see if the disc is included, or if there is an extra charge. If the initial package price is low but there are fees after the fact, this may affect how a photographer will fit into your budget. Also, understand that there is a difference between a disc of high-resolution files that you can print to a large size, or downsized files (or low resolution) that can only be used for the web or small prints.

Click below to read more about whether you need a wedding album, how to personalize your photography, and what to expect if you’re having a Sunday or winter wedding.
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Hello wedding friends! As you may know, I rarely get the opportunity to showcase an outdoor wedding, primarily because they’re not common for weather reasons, especially here in central Alberta. So I was thrilled to hear from Jenn of Stark Photography, based out of Hamilton, Ontario. The wedding was held last July at the bride’s parents gorgeous property near London, Ontario and the wedding goes to show that if you have the space, lovely weather (or lucky breaks!) and creativity…outdoor weddings CAN be done beautifully.

From Jenn, the photographer:

Thunder crashed outside my window that morning as I got out of bed and got my gear ready to head out to Stacey & Mark’s wedding. That is, Stacey & Mark’s outdoor wedding. In our e-mails back and forth during the previous week, Stacey wondered out loud why she ever wanted to get married outside in the first place. I wondered how she was holding up. But, as I drove down the winding country roads that led to her parents’ property near London, Ontario, the rain stopped, the clouds parted, and the sun came out to stay. Their wedding was nothing short of perfection. From Stacey’s gorgeous dress to the acres of rolling hills and leafy trees surrounding their venue, to the tropical themed florals and the smiles on the faces of all their guests, I loved being a part of this wedding and couldn’t have asked for a better experience for my first time as the official photographer.

Thanks Jenn! It was such a treat to showcase this wedding.

Bridal Gown: La Sposa Fanal in Ivory
Florals: Rossini Floral & Event Planning

{images courtesy Stark Photography}

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My name is Melissa and I am a wedding-oh-holic. You know you are obsessed with weddings when you literally visit home decor stores at least once every 2 weeks and when you’re out you can’t help but notice anything that’s part of your “color palette”. I swear, Jason is going to take my credit card from me one day and condemn me to a day without weddings. I spent an entire afternoon last weekend at my favorite store Home Sense and literally wanted to take the entire store home. Immediately as I walked through the store doors, there it was…a table full of green & black stationary objects which were marketed as “office” items. But to me, I could care less what they’re meant for…but instead I fall immediately in love with the color and end up figuring out how I can make it work in the wedding. So…now I’m stuck with the item at home with a couple ideas of my own on how to use it. But I’d love to hear what you suggestions you have!

Options I can think of:
1. Seating Chart. The first box would be labeled “A-L” and the second “M to Z”. The escort cards would be lined up inside and the box would be similar to a library catalogue filing cabinet…
2. One that I think is more realistic….a gift card box. I initially thought about using a suitcase but scrapped the idea when I realized I wanted something worn and vintage (still on the lookout…). But would people understand that they can put their cards inside without stating the obvious tacky signage “thank you for your gift!”. yuck.
3. Just decor…fill the drawers with flowers….or use the box as a stand for something else.
4. Keep it for the home office and be done with it! But oh how I love how the color’s so purrrrrfect for the wedding.

Yes, I am slowly going crazy.

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Came across these adorable mini mushrooms (likely made out of the same ingredients as macarons) over at Bakelab. I am a SUCKER for packaging so I love how they create & display food items in ways you wouldn’t normally see them. I know I can’t exactly head over there to try it out but it looks like they have an online shop that ships to any state in the US. Guess all us Canadians will have to dream about them instead..

{images: Bakelab}

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I’m slowly getting over the oscars buzz and came across some of the decor that graced the many over-opulent parties for the celebrities before and after the award ceremony. Here’s a select few that you can get some ideas from for your own weddings. They’re GREAT examples of how you can use lights to create the right environment for your party. I would DIE (knock on wood) to have a wedding in the third party (blue lights), with the large staircase and open space & high ceilings.
Essence Party

Elton John’s After-Party

My fave! The Governor’s Ball:

{images: bizbash}

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