Check out Dozi Design to find out how to make these cool centerpieces! You could also use them to decorate for the ceremony or for the guest book table. If you’d prefer to use real roses, you’d still be saving a bunch of money by just buying a few and placing them in between the branches isntead of ordering a full bouquet from the florist!
If you love to sew, you’re going to love Spoonflower. They print custom fabric designed by you. For just $18 per yard, you can take the unique flair of your wedding to a whole new level. Imagine what you can make with this: ring pillows, table runners, handbags for your maids, chair covers, neck ties, vests, photobooth backdrops…the list goes on and on. Check out their Flirckr pool to see some of the fabulous things people are making with it!
This blue and orange wedding is so vibrant and unexpected. Perfect for an informal summer event!
I’ve noticed there are some common questions that are asked frequently on many different forums, so here’s a little FAQ you might want to use when interviewing photographers!
Images on Disk
There are two basic type of images photographers give clients:
Proofs. The chosen images that will be delivered to you have been given a very quick, basic amount of editing to adjust for white balance, exposure or contrast.
Prints. The images are “print ready” because they have been given a full edit to make each image its very best. Print level images will be on par with the images on the photographer’s website, while proof level images will not.
Of course, photographers and clients may use different names for these categories, but the important thing is for you to ask the photographer whether the images on disk will be fully retouched or if they will just have basic adjustments done.
All of our images are print ready. Each and every one is individually cropped, retouched and enhanced before being put on the disk!
Coverage
The amount of hours the photographer(s) will be at your wedding is often the biggest factor in deciding which package to select from a photographer or whether to choose one photographer instead of another. Most couples need between six and ten hours of coverage.
How do you know how much coverage you’ll need? The general rule is to start counting two hours before the ceremony until the latest time your reception venue is booked until. Some couples compromise and don’t have a photographer for the shots of the bride and groom getting ready, and some only book the photographer until the first dance or until the cake cutting. My advice? Don’t! You’ll feel rushed the day of your wedding, and afterward you’ll look back on your photos and wish the photographer had been there for all those great moments.
We feel that it’s of the greatest importance that we be there from start to finish, and that dividing our packages up by the hours of coverage would prevent us from giving the same quality of work to all our couples. Plus, we like things simple. So if you book us for the day of your wedding, there are no time limits whatsoever. Be sure to discuss your coverage with photographers you talk with, and if they do divide their packages by coverage, remember to ask whether it’s possible for you to add on an extra hour or two on the day of the wedding just in case things run behind or if you’d like them to stay later.
One photographer or two?
Having two photographers doesn’t automatically mean you’ll have twice as good images, but it does mean that moments are less likely to be missed. Even a solo photographer often brings along an assistant or intern, but be sure you talk about it ahead of time and if necessary, ensure that it’s in the contract that there will be two shooters on the wedding day if that is important to you.
Corey and I love shooting weddings together because it creates a great dynamic where he can be with the guys before the ceremony while I can be with the girls, and we have two slightly different shooting styles so it gives a diversity in the types of images we capture.
Should I do an engagement session?
We definitely recommend it! Engagement sessions are so much fun, and it really gives us a chance to get to know you and find ways to make you relaxed in front of the camera before the big day. This can also be a great way to express your personalities by going to beautiful and creative locations that you might not be able to do for your wedding.
What three things would you recommend to every couple you meet with?
1. Book early. Since most people don’t get married over the winter months, there are really only about 30 Saturdays available in a given year. You wouldn’t believe how many inquiries we get for just one day! Also, the general rule is that the earlier you book, the better deal you will be getting because the photographers’ rates will increase with inflation on an annual or bi-annual basis.
2. When choosing a photographer, look at the big picture. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in just how much their packages are or how much you love their work, but try to put everything in perspective so that you get a better idea of what it will be like to work with someone. One aspect that may go unnoticed at first is how responsive your potential vendor is. Customer service is going to play a huge role in the quality of images the photographer is able to get and ultimately deliver to you! If a photographer (or any other wedding vendor) doesn’t get back to you in a prompt manner or doesn’t answer your questions fully or doesn’t seem interested in giving you their full level of attention, those are red flags that should definitely be taken into consideration. I’ve heard so many horror stories from brides who saw those things early on but shrugged them off, and now they can’t even get their photographer to send them their images.
3. Whoever you choose, love their work. I know I’m biased, but I think photography is one of the most important aspects of your wedding. You should be happy, giddy, besides yourself with excitement about your wedding pictures! If getting the photographer you realllly love means adjusting your budget so that less money goes to favors, do it. When you’re looking back on your photos twenty or forty years from now, you won’t regret it!
I love Apartment Therapy, and recently I came across a great idea that could be incorporated into reception decor! These fairy lights are a really inexpensive way to spruce up your lighting while incorporating your wedding colors, don’t you think?
Corey and I recently saw Coraline in 3D, and it’s out-of-this-world fantastic! It’s the first time I’ve seen a 3D film since Disney World’s Captain EO featuring Michael Jackson. Things have changed a lot since then, for sure.
Neil Gaimon is the author of Coraline, and although I haven’t read the book, we’re big fans of his other works, like Sandman and Stardust. If you love fantasy and stop animation films like Nightmare Before Christmas, you’ll love Coraline. Here are two Etsy finds related to the film!
This sleep mask is inspired from the story. Creepy! I love it.
Check out this button key! I have a thing for keys in general, so this is near and dear to my heart.
I definitely recommend spending the extra few bucks to see it in 3D. It’s really fun!
This program is neat in that all you need to do is print out 8×11 sheets horizontally and fold them down the middle, then tie them with string. I love the idea of incorporating a few different complimentary colors for the colors!
The silk and scalloped edges of this program are really chic. If you have a sewing machine, this would be super easy to do!
These might just be my favorite! The program pages fit inside a tag (like these) and the outside has been stamped with a damask pattern from PaperSource.
Have you decided what programs you’ll be using? Let us know if you’d like to share them with our readers!
We’ve just been invited to be a part of The Wedding Chicks Family! I am so freaking excited right now! If you’re not familiar with their website, definitely check them out. They have tons of gorgeous photos from some of the best photographers in the field, tips for saving money and planning your honeymoon, a forum for brides and a Real Weddings section that’s a gold mine all by itself. Did I mention that they have contests and prizes? (Nope, there’s no foreshadowing here at all. Not a bit. Nada.)
I love how their tagline describes their readers as sassy brides. It really speaks to the bold, creative young women of our age. I guess joining the WC family means we’re officially sassy photographers now, too. 
I can’t wait to see what the future has in store!
Here are our nine tips for saving money in 2009!
9. Put things in perspective. Sure, your wedding is milestone that you want to remember for the rest of your life. At the same time, that doesn’t have to mean going into debt. If you have to put the wedding off a year to save up a little bit more or you have to scale down the guestlist, it’s okay. It’s more important that you begin your new life together without regrets.
8. Consider gettings married in the off season. Some venues offer reduced rates for Friday or Sunday weddings, as well as weddings on holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.) or from November to May. Definitely look into it!
7. Build your own inspiration board. Do you want your wedding to be rustic, vintage, formal, chic…? If you create a theme early on, it’ll be easier to choose favors, invitations, etc. as you go.
6. Shop wisely. Year-round, dollar stores are indispensable sources for wedding incidentals. From paper lanterns to garbage bags, these retailers sell everything cheap. Candles and lights are essential to any wedding’s theme, and dollar stores sell both.
5. Prioritize. Decide which areas of your wedding you’re willing to splurge on, and which you can either do yourself or do without. For my own wedding, I would invest in photography, the venue and the dress. I’d rent tuxes, do without or bring our own alcohol, and diy a bunch of stuff: invitations, flowers, centerpieces, programs, etc.
4. Plan the ceremony first. Yes, even before you book your photographer! Make sure your venue and officiant are available for your date, because otherwise you might end up paying more for a place you don’t like as much.
3. Ask for help. Maybe some family members can help set up on the day of. Ask your bridesmaids if they can help put together your invitations. If you have friends who are music proficients, ask them if they’d be willing to play at your ceremony.
2. Choose your wedding attire carefully. First, try on as many dresses as you can (and tell your bridesmaids to do the same!). You’d be surprised at how different dresses can look on you instead of on the rack. Have a friend or family member take lots of pictures so you can compare them when you get home. If you’d like to save some money, consider getting your bridesmaids’ dresses from a department store. Also, remember that David’s Bridal runs a $99 special several times a year!
1. Be flexible. Always keep an open mind and weigh your options carefully. An idea might come along that originally wasn’t in view of your dream wedding, but if it saves you money and guests will hardly notice, go for it!
As much as I loooove Etsy, I love EtsyWedding even more! The idea of supporting individual people who use their talents to make unique, personalized items is just fantastic. You can find everything you’re looking for but never knew was out there, from invitations to bridal accessories, jewelry to favors, flowers to veils (Oh God, the veils!)…
I’m definitely ordering this stamp and this moss terranium! Have you found anything cool from Etsy you’re going to be getting?