My house is a mess, should I rent a hotel room?

Answered by Chris Cardone during Episode 1;

I always recommend if the budgets tight, ask a few friends, if your friend has the dream house you'd love to take photos in, ask them!

If the budget works, a hotel is a great clean and bright location for bright photos, however, remember you'll have to bring everything to that hotel room.

This room should always be a suite and have an area for photography, where the floor is clean and everything is tidy for those photos and it has bright natural light.

Make sure this room has a window NOT looking at another building.

Watch the full episode!

Click here to watch the full episode!

How long does bridal coverage take?

Answered by Robin Howard in Episode 1;

Bridal Coverage begins at the end of you getting ready by photographers when they show up about 5-10 minutes before hair and makeup is done.

For a bride, if it take about an hour to get your hair and makeup done, make sure to add 30 minutes to that because everyone will be talking and laughing and drinking.

We break this down to TLC.

T- Timing

L- Laughter

C- Conversation

This reminds you of the "quick" conversations, drinks, and laughs that delay bridal coverage.

Overall, make sure to add at least one "safety hour".

What's a safety hour? This is an hour on top of everything, an hour where nothing is planned during it so it can be used for anything that requires extra time.

Watch the full episode!

Click here to watch the episode!

What is Bridal Coverage?

In this Episode Chris Cardone and Robin Howard go over the following questions;

1. How long does bridal coverage take? ( 0:41 )

2. My house is a mess should I rent a hotel room for getting ready? ( 2:20 )

3. Why do I need 2 photographers? ( 4:00 )

4. How long does hair and makeup take? ( 5:49 )

5. Do posed photos look fake? ( 7:51 )

6. What your pricing? ( 9:36 )

Have a question? Click here to submit it!

10 Must-Have Items for Your Wedding

Here are the ten things every bride needs but almost every bride forgets at home;

1 – A good looking hanger, yes, a hanger. Your expensive dress looks really bad on that white wire hanger. Get one that says "Bride" or just one that's wooden and looks good.

2 – A Handheld Steamer, your dress is going to have a wrinkle in it, if not, the veil will – irons will burn the fabric (we've seen it happen, yikes!) a steamer does the job perfectly!

3 – Your Checkbook, you won't remember how many things you forgot to pay in full until the vendor walks up to you looking for the cash – a checkbook makes paying the final invoice easy!

4 – Backup Phone Charger, whatever type of phone you have, it will die. And, most of the time you'll not have time to plug it in somewhere, or you'll plug it and forget it! Here is a cheap phone charger that does the trick;

5 – Double Stick Tape, if you have a dress without straps you need to buy this in bulk, double stick tape is your best friend for the whole day!

6 – A Morning of Playlist, getting married is an all day party, so have your party animal bridesmaid (you know which one) craft the perfect hype-it-up playlist!

7 – A Bluetooth Speaker, whether it's for the morning of playlist, the bus/limo ride or the pictures in the park, a bluetooth speaker comes in handy!

8 – Safety Pins, a lot of them, safety pins are underplayed when it comes to weddings, I cannot tell you how many times something has gone wrong during a wedding and the one thing we needed more of was safety pins.

9 – Scissors, you don't realize how many things have strings on them until you go to a hotel without scissors.

10 – Comfortable Flats, yes, those heels make you look like Beyonce, however, Beyonce was also right when she said "Pretty Hurts" and you will be wanting a nice pair of flats that you can dance the night away in.

Best Wedding Makeup Artists in Boston

Your makeup artist is the person who gets you "glammed up" so you need to pick a good one.

Here are my top 5 suggestions;

Miranda Lynn

Miranda is a fan favorite, working with her is a time of laughter and an outcome of amazement. Miranda is truly skilled at what she does, I highly suggest her to anyone wanting to look incredible for their wedding day!

Makeup by Angela

Angela has been a long time C&C favorite; she has been the leading makeup artist at New England Bride Magazine. Her work never ceases to amaze our founder.

Jennifer M. Viveiros

Jennifer is a game changer; her work is hugely in trend and modern! Jennifer is also a fan favorite and a makeup artist we highly recommend!

Gloss Hair and Makeup Studio

Gloss Hair and Makeup Studios is one of Boston's top makeup studios, highly recommended by every bride who uses them and every photographer who photographs their work!

Faces by Robin

Robin (owner of Faces by Robin) has over 15 years of experience in the makeup industry and uses all her skills to make every bride look absolutely stunning.

Budgeting for a Honeymoon

Ways to save for the honeymoon;

First, make deals with any and all vendors – you might not win over any friends, but hey, business is business.

Second, keep everything in one place, if the venue can do the ceremony too, have them do the ceremony, that prevents the need for a limo to stay later or anything like that.

Third, ask for "package deals" this is where one company partners with another to offer low rates.

Fourth, hotels, only if needed. If your house looks fine – use it!

Fifth, ask a friend about who they used for their wedding and bring them up when inquiring. Companies, like us, usually offer lower rates to those who are being referred by a friend!

Lastly, avoid open bars or anything like that – guests can pay $5 for a drink so you can spend an extra day on the beach.

Best Places to Honeymoon

Here are 5 places perfect for honeymooning;

Thinkstock / Bora Bora

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Where to stay: Our friends at TheKnot recommend The Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora (from $919, FourSeasons.com) is located on a coral reef that encloses a turquoise lagoon. Swoon!

What to do: Charter a helicopter to take you around towering Mount Otemanu, then touch down on a neighboring island for a tour of a black pearl or vanilla bean farm.

Why Bora Bora: This is the most romantic place ever, perfect for those just married looking to celebrate their love!

Robert Reck / The Resort at Pedregal

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Where to stay: The Resort at Pedregal (from $395, TheResortAtPedregal.com), an amazing resort overlooking the crystal clear water of Mexico with stunning views from every room! Each room even has its own hot tub.

What to do: Take a tour of El Arco a breathe taking an in-water structure that is a must see.

Why go to Cabo San Lucas: Cabo has some of the most amazing beaches and with the affordable Resort you can stay for a while and enjoy your mariage before returning to reality.

Courtesy Cap Juluca

Anguilla

Where to stay: Belmond Cap Juluca (from $825, Belmond.com), set upon the powder-white sand and turquoise-blue water of Maundays Bay, this intimate boutique hotel is one of the island's most popular honeymoon (and wedding) destinations.

What to do: Cap Juluca recommends doing a day tour where you sail from St. Maarten!

Why go to Anguilla: From the amazing beaches to the weather Anguilla is a trip to remember and the perfect place to visit for a honeymoon.

TravelTriangle.com / Venice

Venice, Italy

Where to stay: San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice (from $764, Kempinski.com) this hotel is five-star for a reason, the amazing views and the hotel rooms that make you feel like the Queen of England seal the deal and make the honeymoon feel just as amazing as the marriage!

What to do: Explore the city, canoe rides, and so much more.

Why Venice: Italy all together is amazing, however, Italy with the person you love so much is somehow even better! Venice is a place you never forget and will always want to go back to.

Cayman Islands

Cayman Islands

Where to stay: Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman (from $579, RitzCarlton.com) this hotel is amazing, with lovely pools, just steps away from the amazing seven-mile beach with tons of bars and even jetskis, the Ritz truly is my favorite place for recommending honeymooning, especially where the Cayman Ritz is at an affordable rate!

What to do: You must visit Stingray City, rent a boat and cruise around the crystal clear waters, go to the Turtle Farm, or shop around in downtown Cayman.

Why the Caymans: The Cayman Islands is amazing with it's weather and it's abundance of things to do.

Personal Note: The Caymans is my favorite place, if I could visit one place again, the Caymans would be my pick in a heart beat.

Why I love first looks!

First looks are one of my all-time favorite events, they reduce stress from the day, help the groom settle down, and capture an emotional moment up close.

Here are my thoughts on why first looks are amazing;

Better photos

Even though I'd love to, we can't get as close as we want at the ceremony and usually can't capture that first moment seeing each other perfectly, a first look gives us the ability to capture every second of it in the right lighting, the right location, and lastly from the right perspective.

Stress-free day

Every bride who has ever been stressed has only wanted one thing – to see their soon-to-be partner and vent. A first look lets you too relieve the stress before walking down the aisle and then talking to all your guests.

More couple photos

If there is one sentence that will always haunt me from weddings it's "I want a photo with the bride", I say this because the day is about the couple, yet most of the photos of them have guest after guest shoving their way in.

The first look gives us time to highlight the stars of the day and get those great looking couple shots without any guests lingering in the background.

Opinions & Article by Chris Cardone

Bridal Skin Care Tips!

Skin care is extremely important for every bride's confidence during their wedding day, so we have teamed up with Marisa's Skin Care to bring you the best tips for preparing your skin for your day! 

WHEN SHOULD BRIDES WITH ACNE PRONE SKIN BEGIN A SKINCARE REGIME? 

For brides with acne or any other skincare problems (i.e., rosacea, hyperpigmentation, etc.) nine months to a year to begin a "treatment protocol" in order to calm down and cure.

WHAT PRODUCTS SHOULD BRIDES STAY AWAY FROM?

Stay away from things with alcohol and other chemicals that may be rough on the skin, however, always go in for a consultation to receive advice on specific products. Also, never pick!

ADVICE FOR DRY SKIN?

Dry skin requires exfoliation so the moisturizer can penetrate the skin, at Marisa's Skin Care they use enzymes to help with dryness. 

HOW CAN BRIDES TAKE CARE OF THEIR SKIN ON A LOW BUDGET?

Invest in a good cleanser, most will last 2-3 months (day & night), reframe from using something over the counter with alcohol because cleansers with alcohol will strip the skin over time.

SKINCARE FOR GROOMS?

Same treatment protocol as the bride, with the inclusion of using good razors. Brides and grooms should always see a licensed dermatologist or aesthetician for a customized skin care regime.

SHOULD GROOMS GET FACIALS?

Yes! Facials will help everyone; we're all fighting the same battle for good skin.

CHECK OUT MARISA!

Marisa is a lovely and caring person, with an abundance of knowledge that she passes on to her clients, we highly recommend seeing Marisa's Skin Care!

What to look for in a hair and makeup artist!

Congratulations! You are engaged.  You start planning and researching everything you need for your big day – including hair and makeup so you can look your very best on one of the most important (and most photographed) days of your life! But where to start? So many artists and options out there it may seem overwhelming. Being a hair and makeup artist myself, here a few things to look for in your search that I find the most important.

The Checklist:

1. Licensing

   1. Licensed or certified? Know the difference

   2. Knowledge of Sanitation and hygiene practices

2. Website

   1. Do they have a professional website?

   2. Reviews from past clients

   3. Experience and training listed

3. Portfolio

   1. Do you like their work?

   2. Does their work fit your desired aesthetic?

4. Pricing

   1. Assess what you need and what you value

   2. Are their rates within your budget?

C&C Design Studio / The Connors Center

First up, Licensing. An unpopular opinion of mine but this is what I find single-handedly the most important. Unfortunately, in most states, the state is not keeping a close eye on artists and stylists opening their own business with no licenses. With the rapid growth of social media such as YouTube and Instagram, anyone can become an artist. While this is a great tool for people to showcase their work give them a platform to be the artist they desire to be, it's hurting the actual professionals. If anyone can be an artist/stylist, where is the regulation? How do you decipher between a true professional and a non-professional?

• Licensing vs Certification: You browse the web and come across a great artist, and in their bio, it says they are ‘certified.’ Great! That means your artist took the time to invest in themselves to gain further education in their craft. Not a bad thing - Bonus points, if you ask me. But this does not mean they’re licensed. Certifications should be used to further one’s education and skill. I like to compare it to teachers, electricians, lawyers, nurses etc. They all must take a state-regulated exam and must pass in order to be a professional. Makeup artists and hair stylists are not any different. Look for someone who holds a cosmetology or an esthetics license.

• Sanitation: Hairstylists and makeup artists work with the general public. They come in contact with bodily fluids, skin conditions, conjunctivitis, cold sores, potential open wounds and whatever else the client may or may not have. Your artist needs to be able to know how properly handle any illnesses/diseases/contagious conditions of the client. (And in school, you learn all about contamination, proper sanitation, hygiene, anatomy, etc) You want to make sure your artist/stylist practices proper hygiene and sanitation. A few simple things to look for is disposables. Does your artist have mascara wands, cotton pads, q tips, alcohol, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant? Are they using mascara straight from the tube and double dipping? (Can you say pink eye!?) Are they using lipstick or gloss straight from the tube onto your mouth? (how about oral herpes?!) How about the brushes, are they dirty with the last client’s makeup still on them? It's equivalent to going to a makeup counter and applying testers, that thousands of people have used, all over your face. Yuck.

Next is Website. Does the artist/stylist you are hiring have a professional website? I know today people use social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook to show off their work, but you want to look for someone who has really invested the time and money into building a professional website for their business. Here you not only can view their work but can also access their rates, reviews, bio, etc

• Reviews are so important to research! You want to work with someone who has reviews from past clients and read about their experience with this artist or stylist.

• Experience: Most likely on their website they will have an about me section. There you can usually find more information on your stylist/artist of their career experience and find out their qualifications, education, training, etc. This doesn’t necessarily mean someone with say 10 years in the business is better than someone with 5, but it’s important to know the background of your stylist or artist to see if they fit your needs.

Portfolio is also very important when it comes to finding the right stylist or artist for you. You not only want to like their work, but you want to make sure their overall general aesthetic compliments yours. For example, if you are a bride who really loves the dramatic and glam hair and makeup, I would suggest finding someone who has a lot of that particular style in their portfolios. If you view their portfolio and find that most if not all of their work is nothing even close to what you’d like, then maybe that artist/stylist isn’t the best fit. Many artists and stylists can accommodate all different styles but finding someone who can help create your vision for your wedding day and compliment your personal style would be best. If you are ever unsure of what your artist/stylist can create for you, be sure have a full consultation beforehand and book a trial.

• Also, be cautious to artists who over edit their work. If you find photos of their work are heavily filtered and clearly edited with smoothing tools and photoshop, the work they deliver may not look like what is in their portfolios. Try to find a makeup artist that does not filter or heavily retouch their photos.

Last but certainly not least, is Pricing. Every bride has a budget and a lot goes into planning a wedding. There are many vendors to be considered to fit into this budget so its essential you budget properly to make sure you have enough put aside to invest in your wedding day hair and makeup. Again, this is probably the most photographed day of your life and you want to make sure you and your bridal party look and feel beautiful.

• Ask yourself, What do I value? What are my needs? If you really value hair and makeup, need services for your whole party, need on location services, and require touch-ups, etc – you’re going to need to invest in all of those luxury services. If you’re a bride who doesn’t necessarily care about her hair or makeup, you may not need or see value in all these luxury services. Your budget may be much different than someone who does. More needs = Higher Budget. If you want the best of the best, you’re going to have to invest!

• Also, keep in mind that experience plays a factor as well with pricing. Someone who has been a professional for longer may be more expensive than someone who hasn’t. Someone who is in higher demand may also have higher rates.

• Rates and pricing are most likely listed on their website. If not, contact the stylist or artist and ask for a price quote.

• And most importantly: Be sure not to price shame. While the beauty industry is fun and rewarding, at the end of the day it is still a business. We are still a wedding vendor just like your DJ, and your florist, and your dress shop. Be sure to budget properly and do your research to find someone who will meet your needs and expectations that fits within your financial means. I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for.

Written by Miranda Berube

Getting Ready Coverage

Of course, this is the conversation I have with all of my brides in the studio a week or two before their big day. We discuss all the critical details of their wedding day; we plan out timelines, image capture request, locations, you name it we review all of it thoroughly. But and I do mean a big “BUT” then the wedding day arrives and with that comes all the excitement, nerves, and organization…. or lack of following any scheduled timeline that was planned out… Now let's not take any of this personally, it happens to every bride and every wedding. I should know I have been to 3000 weddings or so and counting. 

So I wanted to write this Bridal Coverage Rescue Blog, so I can offer you a detailed insight into how to plan, organize and stay on a timeline, so you don’t have to worry about running late to the church or your ceremony location…

What is Bridal Coverage or Getting Ready Coverage; it is more complex than most of us realize. This part of your day is where your story begins, but also it has many moving parts that need to come together so the rest of your day can flow with ease.
Here is a break down of all the components you will be dealing with at the start of your day.

My hope is you can use this helpful information to navigate a straight line without too many distractions to get to your ceremony and amazing reception on time!

Coordinate with bridesmaid and others that are included in the getting ready coverage and have a timeline for their arrival. Have them stick to it; many times there are late arrivals.

Coordination with Hairstylist & Makeup Artist; Know how long they will be working with each person and consider extra time for anyone with lots of hair, this will undoubtedly take longer than predicted.

If you are going to their salon always remember to add your travel time to and from the salon; this will most likely add an hour even if the salon is close, remember there is a lot of conversation happening so everything you do will take longer than a typical day.

 If Hair & Makeup are coming to your location, know their exact time of arrival. Be ready to have a specific place for them to do their work efficiently; Have extra chairs, lighting, and mirrors available and add in an extra hour for TLC. TLC stands for Timing, Laughter & Conversation, everyone will be welcoming your team of experts ( lots of laughter & conversations) while they are setting up all of their tools, and products, this setup will take 30-45 minutes

Once hair and makeup are underway, enjoy, this glam session, this is a once and a lifetime experience so enjoy a little TCL.

Have Flowers delivered to your location near the end of your glam session, so they stay fresh and vibrant, Have a point person to welcome your florist in and have a place chosen for the large boxes of bouquets they will be stored.

For Photography & Video
Having your Gown, Jewelry, Wedding Shoes, Invitation, and any sentimental piece in easy reach for us to start right in with our storyline coverage is a great timesaver.
 
Photography & Video arrive about 2 hours before your ceremony start time; this should be at the very end of your hair and makeup session, so everyone is ready to put on their dress when we arrive. There is a lot to capture so the more organized you can be the more amazing images and details we can capture.

Our goal for getting ready coverage is to start with you and all your girls having a champagne toast in your robes and capturing spontaneous and natural images of you enjoying the day. Then we will set you up for stepping into your gown with your bridesmaids and your mother helping with this process; we then take many images of you putting on jewelry, shoes and wedding veil. Once you have completed the dressing stage, we will take pictures of you alone in beautiful portrait lighting, photograph you with your parents and you with all of your bridesmaids. This coverage tells such a beautiful story you will see the emotion, excitement, and nerves in every image.

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Now it's off to your ceremony, this will add 30-40 minutes to your timeline for travel, plus getting in & out of cars/limos/  or trolley, so let us make sure we add this in!  We can now meet up with your Groom and his men and start Grooms Coverage.

We will photograph all of your detail items if you have all the bridesmaids dresses hanging up with your gown this makes for a beautiful addition to your detail pictures.  Our goal for getting ready coverage is to start with you and all your girls having a champagne toast in your robes you stepping into your gown, with your bride. 

First and Foremost I want anyone reading this to remember these three letters;  T.L.C

Which is my acronym for; Timing, Laughter, Conversation. 

Now for timing, we can all say that for your wedding day there are a lot of things to plan out. most of my clients feel they have planned a timeline pretty well until we start breaking it down together. 

Your Getting Ready Coverage is full of distractions that most of us don’t foresee; There are so many things happening while you are in the process of getting ready that we forget to make time for so your day can quickly fall off track. 
 What I want most for you is to educate you in all things weddings. This way your day runs as smooth and effortless so you can enjoy the Dream Wedding you planned!

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Timing - When you are planning for Bridal Coverage/Getting Ready Coverage this includes much more time than most Brides realize. You will be having hair and makeup done either on location or at your home, and this takes up most of your morning, so it is super important to be clear with your Hairstylist & Makeup Artist what time you need to be finished/done.
Yes, I am saying plan backward. You want to know how long it will take times the number of women they will be styling, plus doing professional makeup.
Then I know this sounds crazy, but I want you to add at the very least one hour to the time frame of completion!

Professional Hair & Makeup are a crucial component to your Dream   Wedding, but what most of us do is hear is something like “I will be finished with everyone by 1:00”... but what happens on your day is they arrive at your location, have lots of enjoyable conversation than
They start to set up all of their products and tool which realistically takes about an hour. Did you add this hour to your timeline...hmmm now you know.

How many wedding guests should we expect?

It's known in the wedding industry that not every single person you invite will show up.

However, what percent of guests should you expect?

According to a study by TheKnot 10 to 20 percent will decline the invite.

However, ten percent of those who said they'll come don't end up showing up.

Example;

If you invite 200 guests, 20-40 will decline the invite, leaving you with 160 guests, then around 16 of them who said they were coming will end up not showing up, leaving you with 146 guests.

Now, some weddings have all the guests who said they're coming show up and some have even less.

A word for the wise: Never assume people won't show up, always have enough for the number of RSVPs +5, this will avoid any issues.

Do I Need An Engagement Session?

Engagement Session are so much fun! How often do any of us get the opportunity to have a professional photography session, (most likely free and included in your wedding package) an have a photographer that wants to teach you all the best kept secrets to posing and not posing, but you still look amazing!

I Love my Engagement Session, and I’m sure you will to! They are such a great way to learn how to feel comfortable in front of a professional camera, (believe me it's different than our phones) and ask to be yourselves.

Engagement Sessions should be photographed at a location of your choice; a place that you feel represents both of you as a couple; a favorite park, or beach, maybe a winery or farm all are great locations for your engagement session.

Your engagement session will teach you lots of special techniques, posing, body language, and how to truly look natural and “not posed” in every image. All of these learning tools will be a lifesaver and timesaver for your wedding pictures so you can breeze through all of your formal photographs with ease.

Engagement Sessions are awesome for your “Save the Date Cards” you should plan to have your engagement session completed no later than 6-7 months before your wedding to get your Save the Date Cards out in a timely manner.

Albums, the Pros and Cons!

Albums are a fantastic physical representation of your magical day! However, they come with fallbacks just like everything in life, so we wanted to touch on the most significant pros and cons of getting that album.

First off, not all studios offer albums; they’re pricey on the studio, however, here at C&C, we value your love more than our profit margins, so we include them in a majority of our packages at an affordable rate!

PROS

1. Amazing for parties… don’t spill wine on it, haha.
2. Think of your kids; your album will give them something to remember you by.
3. Technology changes, your album doesn’t, years ago we gave brides CDs, now most computers don’t have CD drives, now we give flash drives, who knows if those will exist in the next decade, however, an album will never fade out.

CONS

1. Price, sometimes the budget is tight. However, we can always help you two!

Well, that’s it, there isn’t a lot of cons to a physical copy of your love story.

Why meeting with your wedding vendors is important

So here's a little underplayed topic – as a consultant here at C&C, I hear a lot about brides who just email saying;

“Hey, I like the photos. Please send me a contract.”

These emails make me cringe just a little bit, because, what if that vendor is weird or what if you hate them when you meet them!

Meeting with a wedding vendor is very important because it helps you understand the people who will be at your wedding and who will be helping the day happen.

Here's my vent;

"If you're going to book someone for the biggest day of your life, you should spend one hour meeting them, and getting to know them."

Opinions & Article by Chris Cardone

Groom's Coverage Tips & Ideas

Photography coverage of the groom and his groomsmen is relatively new to wedding photography but it is equally important as bridal coverage.

What makes grooms coverage different than bridal coverage is we can capture amazing storytelling images with the groom and his men in a short amount of time;

The guys don’t have the long task of hair & makeup so photography coverage can start after your bridal coverage is completed and we can start right in with photography & video coverage.

Grooms Coverage can start at any location, house, church or ceremony location about 30-45 minutes before the ceremony begins.

We will capture images of the groom alone and with his guys, detail images of his ring, cufflinks any important keepsake that completes his look, then we take fun, creative and spontaneous images of the guys that look natural and unposed.

Getting Ready Coverage

If you are unsure about what getting ready coverage is you have come to the right place, we can help you plan and execute a timeline step by step to get you to the church on time!

Photography

Photography & Video arrive about 2 hours prior to your ceremony start time, this should be at the very end of your hair and makeup session so everyone is ready to put on their dress when we arrive. There is a lot to capture so the more organized you can be the more amazing images and details we can capture.

Photography & Video

Having your Gown, Jewelry, Wedding Shoes, Invitation, and any sentimental piece in easy reach for us to start right in with our storyline coverage is a great timesaver.

Helpful Hint

If you have a long drive to your ceremony location remember to inform your photo team so they can plan for the extra travel.

Wedding Reception Ideas!

Here are a few of our favorite tips to include in your wedding reception planning that we have seen first hand throughout our 20 years of Wedding Photography. With years of experience these ideas will keep your crowd on their toes all night long!

Start off your introductions with a the Happiest upbeat song you relate to; this will set your energy on fire and also create the party atmosphere you are looking for; just make sure your Band or DJ plays it loudly to get them moving & grooving!!

Have all of your Bridesmaids & Groomsmen do a funny skit as they are announced into the reception, they can dance their way to the center of the room and get the crowd moving as early as possible!

For your first dance start off with your favorite romantic song and just as the song is about to end have your entertainment play loud popular song that gets everyone to their feet… there are no rules here, your guest can dance with you before the blessing and toast, it's your day, be free to be you!

How to Get Wedding Photography at the Best Price

It's not magic when you get that amazing price for an award-winning wedding photographer, there is a science behind it that every photographer knows and no brides have figured out!

By the way, I am about to become ousted by the wedding photography industry, so why not just finish off the "sin".

IT IS SIMPLE; THE LATER YOU BOOK THE CHEAPER IT IS!

WHY? WELL, THAT EXPLANATION ISN'T SO SIMPLE.

So, photographers main booking month is January, this is the make or break it month because everyone is at the photography booking point. So if your wedding is in December and you book in January you will get the normal/highest rate, however, if your wedding is in December and you book in September you'll get a lower rate.

However, some studios to outweigh this might charge a last minute booking fee, also, you run the risk of your date being booked! Avoid doing this if you have a popular wedding date.

Also, please keep in mind that studios might offer a year-round discount like us *hair flip* click here to get our year-round last minute discount just for checking out the blog!

HOW NOT TO APPROACH! AND WHY.

Unlike us, most studios do not welcome last minute booking, especially when you make it clear that your reason is for a discount.

Here is a *real* email we got: "So my wedding is in two months, I was wondering if you have any close to date discount since I am not holding the date for long?"

Why this doesn't work is most because photographers don't want to hear about the discounts you want because to sell you on us most *good* photographers have discounts they offer. We have a few discounts we offer, and since we're a studio/company that believes in full transparency here are the discounts we offer excluding some exlusive promotions we run every few years;

1. Family of a past client
2. Bride of a preferred venue
3. Last minute booking

LAST QUESTION: ARE YOU READY TO BOOK?

If you are we would love to chat, and offer you the last minute discount no matter when your wedding is, click here to learn what our discount is and get to use it!