Top Ten Questions to Ask a Wedding Photographer

Photo courtesy of Rachel O'Brien Photography

As you begin to make appointments with photographers, prepare yourself for the meeting by reviewing these questions:

How long have you been in the photography business?
You want to choose someone who has experience not only in photography, but in particular with wedding photography. Review the potential vendor's website to get some background on the person or company you are considering hiring. Also, look at their testimonials for feedback on what other clients have experienced (this applies when researching all types of vendors).


What is your style of photography? From the article "How to Choose Between the Different Wedding Photography Styles," there are 4 different styles: Traditional (more formal, posed), contemporary (more relaxed and informal), documentary (photographer will record events as they happen, also known as photojournalistic style), and artistic (photographer produces a unique set of images). When choosing a photographer, your individual preferences should be in line with the photographer's specialty. So, if you want more casual pictures, don't choose someone who specializes in only formal, traditional photography. For more information on the various styles, check out the article at http://www.wikihow.com/Choose-Between-the-Different-Wedding-Photography-Styles.

Are you a member of a professional association (such as Professional Photographers of America?
I believe it's important for any wedding vendor to be a member of a professional organization. Each organization has codes of ethics and standards to which their members pledge to follow. In addition, organizations strongly encourage or require that members continue their education to be informed of the latest trends and technology in their field.

Do you have liability insurance?
Some venues may require vendors to provide proof of liability insurance, so be sure to ask this question before you contract with a photographer (or any other vendor).

Do you have backup equipment?

The answer to this question should be a resounding YES! Backup equipment is absolutely necessary in case there is an issue with a memory card, lighting or camera. You don't want any special moments to be missed because of technical difficulties.

When are proofs available for review?
A photographer should provide an approximate timeframe when your proofs will be ready for viewing after the wedding. This will also be outlined clearly in their contract.

Will I have the copyrights to my pictures?
Some photographers offer full copyrights to the pictures as a part of their packages and services, and some choose to retain the rights to them. If you can obtain the copyrights, you will have permission to do whatever you like with the images (post on Facebook, etc). Make sure you understand clearly what the photographer's policy is regarding this.

What kind of packages do you offer?
When meeting with a potential photographer, he or she will provide detailed information regarding their packages and what items are included (number of hours, number of photographers, album type etc.). If there is a package that you would like to tweak, don't be afraid to ask!

Do you have assistants working with you on wedding day?
As noted above, packages should be clear on how many photographers are included to shoot your wedding. One advantage to having more than one shooter is that they are able to capture events from different angles. I strongly recommend more than one shooter...the additional expense is well worth it!

What are the options on wedding albums available?
If you choose to have a wedding album produced, inquire about the types of albums available. Also, find out if parent albums are available as well. For more information about the types of wedding albums, check out this article: http://www.ehow.com/list_7243396_types-wedding-albums.html

Your Planning Assignment
Choosing your wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions you will make. After your wedding, your pictures will be what remains of your special day. Don't trust them to anyone other than a professional! And as always, feel free to leave a comment on our Facebook page about this article. Happy Planning!

Mother of the Bride Dresses: Mom Should Look Gorgeous Too!

While you were looking for the perfect dress for your wedding, your mother (or mother figure) was probably with you at every appointment, sharing this very special time in your life. Now that you’ve chosen your dress, it’s time for mom to focus on and start to consider what she will wear. Here are a few thoughts I have about mother of the bride (MOB) attire:


What should your mothers wear?
What your mothers wear should fit the formality of your wedding. If you’re having an informal event, it would look strange if your mothers wore long gowns. They should look STUNNING, as your wedding is a day they have been anticipating for a long time! I’ve included some pics of dresses that I think are elegant, classy and stylish, yet not frumpy as some MOB dresses tend to be. What are your thoughts on some of these dresses for your mothers?  Note: we've pinned these dresses on our Pinterest board too! (http://pinterest.com/anelegantaffair)

Should your mothers’ dresses match in some way?
Not necessarily (in my opinion). I don’t think the mothers’ dresses should match exactly (they are not bridesmaids after all), but I think it’s nice when they coordinate colors. For example, if your colors include purple, it’s nice when your moms can wear a shade of purple to compliment your color scheme. Even if they decide not to blend into the color scheme, whatever they wear should be tasteful! As I write this, I am reminded of a wedding I attended years ago. The mother of the bride decided to wear a silver sequenced mini-dress that was so distracting that attention was drawn away from the bride. Although mom enjoyed the attention, her daughter was none too pleased. Moms, if you are reading this, don’t be that mother!


Your Planning Assignment
Brides, don’t be a dictator about what you want your mothers to wear. Allow her the freedom to choose a dress that is appropriate and flattering to her. And remember, this day is just as important to her as it is to you! Happy Shopping!

An Elegant Affair wins the WeddingWire 2012 Bride's Choice Award

{Riverview, FL} – January 23, 2012 – WeddingWire, the nation's leading wedding Marketplace, is excited to announce An Elegant Affair has been selected to receive the prestigious WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2012 for Wedding Planners!

The esteemed annual awards program recognizes the top local wedding vendors from the WeddingWire Network who demonstrate excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry. While many industry awards are selected by the organization, An Elegant Affair was selected based on its stellar reviews from past newlywed clients.
An Elegant Affair is recognized as part of the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire local vendor community, comprised of over 200,000 wedding professionals throughout the United States and Canada. The Bride’s Choice Award recognizes the best local wedding vendors across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, based on their overall professional achievements throughout the past year.

“WeddingWire is thrilled to honor the success of the top-rated wedding professionals within the WeddingWire Community,” said Timothy Chi, CEO, WeddingWire. “Since the launch of the Bride’s Choice Awards™ program four years ago, thousands of outstanding wedding professionals have been recognized by the bridal community for their supreme service and dedication to the wedding industry. It is with great pleasure that we congratulate An Elegant Affair for their continued professionalism and commitment to enriching the wedding planning experience for engaged couples.”

We are happy to announce that An Elegant Affair is one of the very best Wedding Planners within the WeddingWire Network, which includes leading wedding planning sites WeddingWire, Project Wedding, Brides.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Weddingbee. We would like to thank our past clients for taking the time to review our business on WeddingWire. Thanks to their positive feedback we were able to receive the WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards™ for 2012.

For more information, please visit our WeddingWire Storefront today at http://www.weddingwire.com/biz/an-elegant-affair-llc-riverview/aa3aeaf673e0f110.html. 

To learn more about the Bride's Choice Awards™, please visit www.WeddingWire.com.



About WeddingWire, Inc.

WeddingWire™, the nation's leading marketplace serving the $70 billion wedding industry, is the only online wedding planning resource designed to empower both engaged couples and wedding professionals. For engaged couples, WeddingWire offers the ability to search, compare and book over 200,000 reviewed wedding vendors, from wedding venues to wedding photographers. WeddingWire also offers a comprehensive suite of online planning tools for weddings, including wedding websites and wedding checklists, all at no charge. For wedding professionals, WeddingWire is the only all-in-one marketing platform for businesses online and on-the-go. WeddingWire offers one simple solution to build a professional network, improve search visibility, manage social media and reach mobile consumers. Businesses that advertise with WeddingWire appear on WeddingWire.com, ProjectWedding.com and other leading sites, including MarthaStewartWeddings.com (NYSE: MSO), Brides.com and Weddingbee.com.



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What Tools Can Help Me with My Seating Arrangements?

One of the most important (and sometimes most challenging) tasks to complete is your reception seating chart. Who’s going to sit by whom? Which people should be placed on opposites sides of the room? How should my reception room be arranged? This article shares a few of the online tools that are available to help make this part of wedding planner easier.


TheKnot.com
One of the most popular wedding planning sites available, a very popular feature is the seating chart section. You can design your floor plan, name and arrange your tables, and assign guests to a table. You can then print the diagram, although I’ve heard from a few couples that it can be a bit of a challenge to get on one page if you have a large layout.

Seatingarrangement.com
This site has many of the same features as TheKnot. It’s really easy to design your floor plan by dragging and dropping icons for tables, bars, etc. You can also change the dimensions of the room and sizes of the icons, so you get a realistic picture of your specific venue. Finally, just like The Knot, this tool is free!

Perfecttableplan.com
We liked this site as well, but found it was a bit easier to add and save guests than seatingarrangement.com (just our opinion). What I like most about this site is the fact that it has online tutorial videos that give you an overview of the site, and also provide instructions on how to do specific things (such as adding guests or assigning seats, for example). You can download a 30-day free trial, or purchase the home edition of the product for $29.95.

Wedding Magic
A tool from Frogware.com (http://frogware.com/wedding_magic.html), this is an overall wedding planning tool, and is not just for seating arrangements. Many of the same features in options above are available in this one. One additional feature is the ability to email guests and vendors directly from the software. You can also download a 30-day free trial or purchase the CD for $32.99.

Your Planning Assignment
As you can see, there are many options from which to choose. Try each one (or search for additional options) to decide which one fits your needs best. Happy Planning!

Stacey and David's Wedding - 9-10-11

The Grand Plaza Florida on St. Pete Beach was the perfect setting for the wedding of Stacey and David on 9-10-11. Although their wedding date was a popular one this year, this wedding was full of unique elements to make it a very special day, not only for Stacey and David, but also for their guests, who traveled from across the country to witness their nuptials.

The beach ceremony began at 10am, with guests enjoying the warm breezes of the Gulf of Mexico and harp music provided by Jessica Cardwell. The bride thought of everything, and provided flip-flops for guests to slip into and cold water for them to drink as they entered the beach. The bridal party was appropriately dressed, with the gentlemen attired in linen (including custom made shirts by Ya-Ya’s Little Secret), and ladies wearing sunshine yellow one-shouldered short dresses perfect for the beach.

Following a moving ceremony, guests were escorted to the Presidential Ballroom for light appetizers and drinks, including the bride and groom’s signature drink – frozen Blue Hawaiian. Tables were named after beaches the couple has visited or plans to visit, including Ft. De Soto Beach, Vero Beach, and Clearwater Beach.

The afternoon rain did not dampen the spirits of the newlyweds or their guests. Guests enjoyed their choice of main entrée, followed by wedding cake provided by A Piece of Cake. The groom’s cake highlighted his love for the game of chess. Following a sumptuous meal, guests then danced the afternoon away with entertainment by DJ Ron of Universal Music Entertainment (in fact, there is a pair of shoes that, as of this writing, still has not been claimed by a wedding guest!)

In addition to the partners listed above, many thanks to Streets and Streets Photography and Video Productions, Patrick Burley Photography, Nicole White Photography,  makeup artist Lorretta Taylor, and Jonathan’s Flowers for helping make Stacey and David’s wedding day one they will cherish for a lifetime.

Top Ten Questions to Ask a Travel Agent

As you begin to plan your honeymoon or destination wedding, consider these important questions!


Are you a licensed travel agent?
This is an important question! You want to ensure you are dealing with a professional and someone who is credible. There are too many travel scams out there that are after your money!

Do you specialize in honeymoons?
A honeymoon is more than a vacation...it's a trip that kicks off the beginning of your married life. Seek out someone who has experience in planning honeymoons and has insight into what newly married couples want to do.

Do you have honeymoon packages?
This question is closely related to the one above. Ask about what honeymoon packages may include (champagne upon arrival, breakfast in bed, etc) that can make your trip extra-special!

Do you plan destination weddings?
If you are considering a destination wedding, you want to work with someone who has experienced in this area. They should be able to coordinate room types and rates for your guests, help you plan your ceremony and reception, and guide you regarding the marriage laws of your particular wedding location.

What types of vacations do you handle (cruises, resorts, spas, etc)?
If you are looking for a specific type of venue (cruise ship, all-inclusive resorts), consider working with someone who specializes in them. They can share with you the unique features of each so you can make an informed decision.

Do you have special relationships with particular vacation vendors?
Again, this goes hand-in-hand with the previous question. Many travel agents are certified with particular vacation vendors (Sandals and Royal Caribbean for example), and because of the special relationship they have, may be able to offer you specials. And because of their certifications and special training, they can tell you what ships or resorts best suit what you are looking for.

Have you visited the destinations you are recommending?
There is nothing like first-hand experience, right? Travel agents certified with a particular vendor are required to visit the properties, so they can provide great insight!

Can you assist me in obtaining travel insurance?
I always recommend obtaining travel insurance. If your luggage is lost or your trip is delayed, travel insurance can come in handy. Talk to your travel agent about the specifics of what is covered in a policy.

What forms of payment do you accept?
This question is an obvious, but important one. Ask it before you decide to go with a particular agent.

Are you able to book airline reservations also?
If they are able to do this for you, find out whether or not they can accept any frequent flyers miles or points you may have with a particular airline. Also, do your homework....maybe you can book your own flights at a better rate via travel websites or directly with the airlines.

Your Planning Assignment
When meeting with a travel agent, ask these questions. Compare the answers of a few agents before you make a final decision. Happy Planning!

Wedding Budgeting: Six Tips to Avoid Stress and Debt

Money, money, money! Thoughts of finances can cause us to stress out and lose sleep, right? Investing such large amounts of money, as with a wedding, can cause even more distress. But the time leading up to your wedding is supposed to be a fun and exciting, and not stressful, right? Follow these tips so that wedding budgeting is not a chore, but will help you stay focused on your goal….starting your marriage with little or no wedding debt!


Take time and develop a budget before doing any other planning
Before you go dress shopping or honeymoon planning, sit down with your fiancé and determine how much you want to, and are able to, spend. Be honest with yourself…..do you have other debts like student loans you are trying to pay off? Do you want to buy a house after you get married, or will you need a new car soon? All of your financial obligations must be taken into consideration when you plan your wedding budget.

Include all elements of your wedding
Don’t forget to include such smaller things as gifts for your bridal party and extra trips to the hair salon for your trial runs. These items may seem insignificant, but they can add up and possibly blow your budget if you’re not careful.

Determine if family members will contribute to your overall budget
Find out from family members if they are planning to contribute to your wedding budget, as early in the process as you can. If someone is not able to give you a significant amount of money, they may be able to take care of your cake or favors (for example). Every bit can help!

Keep your budget in mind when visiting vendors
Now that you’ve taken the time to develop a budget, use it! As you visit vendors and shop for attire, remember what you agreed to spend on a particular item. If the two of you agree to go over your budget on one item, you should make adjustments with another item, so your bottom-line figure remains about the same. Also, adjusting a budget line item should be a joint decision, not one made by just the bride or just the groom!

Don’t make rash purchases
The local craft store is having a great sale on wedding items….do you rush over and buy everything you see? Just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean it’s a wise purchase for you. Again, keep your budget in mind and don’t rush into a purchase. If you don’t do this, you may find yourself with lots of purple ribbon and no use for it!

Use tools to help you
There are many free tools available to assist with budgeting. One I like to suggest is http://costofwedding.com. This is a site that will give you, based on your zip code, average wedding costs in your area. This can help provide a frame of reference for you. Also, a great tool for calculating your individual budget is http://www.weddingplanningonabudget.com/my-wedding-budget.php. Just enter your estimated overall budget, and the spreadsheet will calculate how much you can spend on each category. You can adjust the percentages assigned to each category based on your own preferences.

Your Planning Assignment
Make the time to develop your wedding budget. Block time on your calendars if necessary, but do whatever it takes to get this done. This task is too important to be ignored or rushed through. As always, feel free to comment on this article, 'like' it, and share it with a friend.  Happy Planning!