Recap of the Society of Wedding Planners "Whose Table Is It Anyway?" table top design competition!

We decided to enter the "Whose Table Is It Anyway?" competition that was held on September 21st, 2011 at the Phoenixville Foundry. Proceeds benefited the Gift of Life Family House.

We LOVE designing anything for weddings (that's why we exist!)! So it just made sense that we would enter this competition. There were multiple categories. We entered the Wedding decor budget of $10,000 or more. We chose to do a wedding design inspired by Steampunk. It was so much fun and very interesting putting together all the Steampunk elements.

There was great food, talented professionals, flower competition, and much more! To read the article and to see a lot more pictures, taken by Lindsay Docherty, make sure you read issue 4 (it will be released December 15th)!

WEST CHESTER CHILI COOK-OFF - Recap!

We had such an awesome time competing  in the West Chester Chili Cook-Off on October 9th, 2011! Now we do realize we are a bridal magazine and not a cooking/food magazine, but food is a huge part of a wedding! We have a fantastic recipe that we just wanted to share with people. It's actually Heather's grandmother's recipe with a twist.

We wanted the chance to meet and connect with great people. And we did! It was also a chance to help raise money for nonprofits in our area. All the proceeds from the wristband sales went directly to the chosen nonprofits. The article and more pictures will be in the December 15th issue! Make sure you check it out when it's released!

Don't forget the details

You spend countless hours and quite a few paychecks to put together the prefect invitations, choose the right favors, and try on dozens of shoes but somehow it all seems to get lost in the mix when it comes to pictures.

If you think about it, without each of those details, you’d be standing barefoot in an empty room. Each detail, no matter how small, attributes not only to the ambiance of the day but to your personality.. These pictures will make your wedding memories even more vivid when you look back 50 years from now.

The day of the wedding can be pretty hectic as you scramble around trying to prepare. It’s best to ask the maid of honor to gather these items for you so that the photographer has access when he or she arrives. this saves the photographer a lot of time, meaning you’ll have even more pictures of yourself getting ready! Unsure of which items to get together? You can always ask your photographer for an opinion, though my rule of thumb is if you paid for it, I’m taking a picture of it.

Questions to Ask Your Wedding Photographer

1) How many weddings have you done?

2) What specifically is included in the cost?

3) What happens if I cancel? What happens if you cancel?

4) Do you use a contract?

5) Do you carry liability insurance?

6) What is the photographer's style -- traditional, photojournalistic, etc.?

7) Do you shoot in a digital format that can create both color and black and white versions of the same picture?

8) What will the photographer and assistant wear?

9) Can I look at a complete wedding album you have shot?

10) Are you the wedding photographer who will actually take our pictures?

11) Can I give you a list of specific shots we would like?

12) Do you have backup equipment?

13) What time will you arrive at the site?

14) Is my wedding the only one he or she will be shooting that day?

15) What is the ordering process?

16) Are any of the images edited and/or retouched?

17) Have you been to this location? If not, will you visit beforehand?

20) Why did you choose to be a wedding photographer? (this question will allow you to determine whether your photographer is truly passionate or just cares about a paycheck)

21) Will you stay additional time if the wedding runs behind?

22) How long do you estimate the formals will take?

23) Do you have any samples of church weddings? (very important if you are having a church ceremony with a no flash policy)

24) Has every picture in your portfolio been taken by you (or the photographer which will be covering our wedding)?

25) What are your payment terms?

26) Am I able to add or subtract once the contract is signed?

Why Wedding Photographers "Overcharge"

I cringe at the days when I thought my camera that I purchased from Walmart was amazing. It took nice pictures and the price was great.

I couldn’t understand why so many photographers charged so much for weddings. Surely they were making a killing and only out to drain brides dry of their money simply because the word “wedding” was being used.

For months, I toyed with my new camera while simultaneously browsing other photographers’ portfolios online. My pictures didn’t seem so nice anymore. In fact, I was horrified at the comparisons. Determined to produce quality images and eventually enter the professional world, I began my research:

I was completely floored as I started going over numbers:

Camera - $3,000
Lens - $1200…each?!
Insurance - $800
Advertising - $1000
Taxes - 30% (seriously?!)

As I compiled my list, it didn’t take long for the total to reach the ten thousand mark and I quickly realized that it wasn’t that professional photographers were vultures - it was just impossible to survive when charging only $1000 for a wedding.

Under $500-$1000 seems like a really good deal, but in the end it will likely produce $500-$1000 worth of images with a camera purchased from Target or Walmart. Those pictures of your grandparents and parents will likely be your most cherished possessions when they pass. A “cheap” photographer could likely provide you with blurry photos that will quickly fade away. When you think about it, spending so little may actually cost you more.

And you can’t put monetary value on memories.