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.
Read the full story »

I’m hungry just looking at these little suckers. Hor d’oeurves have been on my mind lately since I realized I set aside an hour for cocktails and didn’t budget for them! We’ve been to weddings where there have been some snacks/fruit for people to munch on, but I’ve also been to those where there were only drinks (open & closed bars). So I guess we’ll see, but in the mean time, I wouldn’t mind if I got to taste more for the wedding ! :]  See below for a detailed description for each mouth watering item. Have I made you hungry as well? And for those with opinions on cocktail hour snacks, please let me know!

[1] Nova Scotia lobster with burrata cheese, sundried tomatoes, ligurian olives, and basil seeds.

[2] Thai-marinated lobster with avocado and mango.

[3] Pulled pork shoulder with sweet potatoes, pecans, and garden kim chee. (LOVE kim chee!)

{images from BizBash @ the Wine Spectator’s SoBe Wine & Food Party}

Any press is a great perk so I was super happy to be listed as one of the Top 10 wedding blogs by a Public Relations firm. Makes what I’m doing feel even more worthwhile :]

Ah! Anyone watching the Olympics? An absolutely thrilling day for Canada in men’s hockey, speed skating relay and women’s bob-sledding. EEEK…so excited. I’m working on an engagement post that you are going to absolutely adore and just going through the shots, I feel like I need to have a cup of hot chocolate with the mini marshmallows in it. Here’s a sneakpeek for what’s to come tomorrow evening from Ambient Studios.

This blog, while it’s been an outlet for me to channel my creative obsession with weddings, has always been about providing readers and visitors with daily inspiration – a haven for you to visit every day while you’re planning your wedding or just for pure enjoyment. Or so I hope so!

So…enough about me and more about you! I want to hear about your wedding plans because I know there’s oodles of inspiration out there just waiting to be tapped into. To narrow what I’m looking for, I’m calling for all “INVITATIONS” – I wanna see them! If you want to share your invites, you can send the images to melissa@weddingobsession.com and they’ll be part of a post dedicated to EVERYONE’s invitations and included in a future gallery on the site.

It’s time to show them off!

It’s time to show off that ring of yours! Jen Williams Photography ’s currently having a fabulous contest to win a one hour engagement session and a $100 print credit. All you have to do is submit 1 photo of your ring and 1 photo of yourselves (non-professional images) and get your friends/family to vote for you. Keep in mind that you have to be engaged and living in either Edmonton or Vancouver (one winner will be chosen for each city) and submissions must be received by midnight March 5.

And for those of you who don’t live in Vancouver or Edmonton, check out Jen’s blog post to see if there’s a photographer in your area who’s also having a Flaunt Your rock contest.

Ever since starting the site back in march 2008 (2 years is coming up!), I’ve met the most amazing people, especially here in my hometown of Edmonton. It’s been such a blast going through wedding inspiration, sifting through emails and blogging about what I love most…weddings. The vendors list in Edmonton has been a hit and it’s been a great way for me to reach and get to know talented individuals in the industry.

So…because it’s been a blast and because I’m always looking to get busier, I’ve added a couple other cities. As well, the vendor list is now being called the “LOVE LIST” because you all know how much I enjoy using that four letter word!

First and foremost, this is a BLOG that provides wedding inspiration, but it’s also important to connect brides with the right vendors because inspiration can only take you so far.The blog will continue to remain EDMONTON (and Alberta) -focused and these additional vendor lists will just be an another resource pathway for readers from those locations.

So…I’ll be starting off tomorrow and end off the week with a couple new talented vendors who I know you’ll really enjoy hearing more from in the future. Until then, happy planning.

If you have a service or vendor you’d like me to learn about, please feel free to contact me to discuss further.

FRIDAY FRIDAY!! Here’s my weekly link love for you to peruse over the weekend. Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, I thought I’d make this Feb 14 friendly :]

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Here’s a DIY coupon-filled matchbook – clever, yet cute.

If you’re more of a tech person like myself, here’s an easy way to send a message to tell someone you’re thinking of them. Christopher Elbow Chocolates has created “love letters” where you can write sweet messages in chocolate and send them to your valentine.

{macarons by martha stewart weddings}

Oh I never thought this day would come! I have a jam-packed week of inspiration after the weekend and cannot wait to share it all with you. For those of you who are feeling in a way adventurous or need something to do this weekend, why not make your own macarons? Click here for a recipe…I think I just might try it!

Other links you might love:
- Contest alert: Are you engaged at the same time as your BFF? Both of you should enter to win a joint ultimate destination wedding courtesy Hilton Worldwide. “I do” times two!
- Check out Mad Men star Christina Hendrick’s wedding, especially the eclectic chandeliers!
- Loving this ‘smug‘ style: can I live there?
- how lovely is this bird + love letter necklace?
- Edmonton & Area & Destination brides: Anybody excited about the iPad? Doc weddings is offering couples Apple iPad wedding albums that not only play images & videos, but can move with you – talk about interactive! Click here to learn more.

If you have news you’d like to share, please email me at melissa@weddingobsession.com  – If your news is published you will receive a reply. Thanks!

WHOOPS! The link to the facebook page on this post wasn’t right. It’s now fixed!

Any avid facebook users like myself?

I’d love for you to join Wedding Obsession’s facebook page! You’ll hear about updates and contests first, have the opportunity to ask questions and see real wedding images that I didn’t have room to publish. I’d love to hear from you!