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Few modern weddings manage to avoid the ritual of wedding favors. Traditionally, wedding favors are usually placed on the table, in front of every guest, although this idea seems to have diminished, in recent years.
Choices of Wedding Favors
Trying to select a small gift that is going to appeal to the entire wedding party is tricky, to say the least. Arguably it is impossible! However, there are ways to avoid giving inappropriate wedding favors, while also keeping the budget in check.
Why not simply create a selection of sweets and chocolates that can be placed in the center of the table for all to pick at. This is a great way of allowing people to choose their own gifts, without having to worry about issues of taste.
With a small, intimate party, it is actually possible to select gifts, individually. This is only really possible when the party is very small; normally a maximum of thirty is appropriate for these types of wedding favors. If you take this approach, be certain that position the wedding favors correctly and inline with the table settings or you might just find that your carefully selected wedding favors end up in the wrong hands!
Edibles are always a good choice when it comes to wedding favors as many people are getting quite hungry after the ceremony and photographs. Sugared almonds are considered to be the traditional wedding favors. However, the fact of the matter is that not many people actually enjoy sugared almonds, so it may be better to consider an alternative. Why not use chocolates or sweets instead? If you are in a warm climate chocolates will need to be stored in a refrigerator until the last minute, so make sure that you have this facility.
Alternatives to Wedding Favors
Moving away from the more traditional types of wedding favors, you may wish to consider a more modern and innovative approach. By daring to be different, not only can you save yourself some money, but you are also more likely to make a lasting impression on your guests.
Some different ideas for wedding favors include a lottery card each, but think about how you would react if someone wins big-time on the ticket that you have bought! If this thought does not appeal, then consider having a raffle where everyone is given a ticket and there is a range of prizes available.
Another great idea could be to place a bowl of goodies such as chocolates sweets and alcohol miniatures, in the center of the table, allowing a bit of potluck for the guests. If you have a bit more time on your hands, you could wrap the wedding favors up and allow guests to select their own and take a chance on the outcome.
One of the key things to remember with wedding favors is that you want to generate discussion. When guests arrive at a wedding reception, they are often slightly shy or timid and having a game involving wedding favors will do wonders to break the ice!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Don't Forget To Plan For Wedding Favors In Your Budget
Wedding favors are small, inexpensive gifts or souvenirs that you present to your guests as
a way of saying "thank-you for attending our wedding celebration". It has become customary
to give something in return to your guests that they can keep as a memory of your special
day.
Favors don't have to be large or expensive. Some are elegant, some are practical and some
are just plain fun. Choose a favor that reflects your wedding theme in some way. Many favor
ideas can easily be interchanged with various themes just by substituting a decoration or
color on the favor.
Budget For The Cost of Wedding Favors
When planning out your wedding budget, be sure to allot about 3% of your money toward
favors. Make sure you know the approximate number of guests that will be attending your
reception, then you will be better able to estimate the maximum amount of how much each
favor can cost. The fewer guests that you have, the more expensive your favors can be, if
you so choose.
When making or buying any favors, keep in mind the color scheme of your wedding and use
ribbons, tulle, flowers, etc. decorations that reflect your wedding colors.
Once the favors are completed, attach personalized favor tags that have your names and
wedding date printed on them. You can use paper tags or monogrammed ribbons that you either
create yourself or purchase from a vendor. Some couples also add a small saying to their
tags as well.
Delight Your Guests With Unique and Creative Favors
Wedding party favors are only limited by your imagination, so mix and match, and have fun
a way of saying "thank-you for attending our wedding celebration". It has become customary
to give something in return to your guests that they can keep as a memory of your special
day.
Favors don't have to be large or expensive. Some are elegant, some are practical and some
are just plain fun. Choose a favor that reflects your wedding theme in some way. Many favor
ideas can easily be interchanged with various themes just by substituting a decoration or
color on the favor.
Budget For The Cost of Wedding Favors
When planning out your wedding budget, be sure to allot about 3% of your money toward
favors. Make sure you know the approximate number of guests that will be attending your
reception, then you will be better able to estimate the maximum amount of how much each
favor can cost. The fewer guests that you have, the more expensive your favors can be, if
you so choose.
When making or buying any favors, keep in mind the color scheme of your wedding and use
ribbons, tulle, flowers, etc. decorations that reflect your wedding colors.
Once the favors are completed, attach personalized favor tags that have your names and
wedding date printed on them. You can use paper tags or monogrammed ribbons that you either
create yourself or purchase from a vendor. Some couples also add a small saying to their
tags as well.
Delight Your Guests With Unique and Creative Favors
Wedding party favors are only limited by your imagination, so mix and match, and have fun
Top 5 Reasons for Hiring a Wedding Planner
PLANNING A WEDDING
TOP FIVE REASONS FOR HIRING A WEDDING PLANNER
One of the most joyous occasions in life is a wedding, a time when two people in love exchange those powerful words, “I Do”, which binds them legally as husband and wife. Although an exciting time of life, planning a wedding is also a very stressful time. For that reason, many people have discovered the benefits of hiring a professional coordinator to ensure everything comes together as it should. In this article, we are providing you with the top five reasons for hiring a wedding planner so you can enjoy your wedding with much less stress.
Stress-Free
The number one reason for hiring a wedding planner is to dramatically reduce the level of stress. Every wedding, even the best planned will have challenges. Unfortunately, when the bride and/or groom are the ones trying to handle all the obstacles along with everything else, they feel completely overwhelmed and suddenly, the enjoyment of wedding planning is out the door. With a professional planner, they supervise all of the events associated with your wedding so you no longer have to sweat the small (or big) stuff. That means everything from the delivery of the flowers, to the set up of the cake, to the limos arriving on time is taken care of for you.
Creativity
A good wedding planner will have been in the business for years. Because of this, they have coordinated hundreds of weddings and can take ideas to share with you for your upcoming wedding. That means instead of a wedding cake that is three layers of chocolate, you could end up with something tropical, one layer of pina colada cake, one of red raspberry, and a third of coconut cream. The point is that by hiring a wedding planner, your ideas can be expounded on, enhancing your wedding.
Precise Detailing
For all weddings, there are so many small details that often, things get overlooked. One of the frustrations for the bride and groom is trying to maintain all of those details so the wedding goes off without a hitch. An experienced wedding planner knows all about the small details and has an outstanding ability of keeping track of them. He or she would sit down with the bride and/or groom and go over each aspect of the wedding, covering every possible angle so nothing is missed.
Insider Information
A huge benefit in hiring a wedding planner is that they know who the best of the best is. If you want a DJ, they can provide you with several top choices. If you want a catered meal, they can tell you exactly which caterer serves fabulous food at an affordable price, or if you want a horse drawn carriage to take you to the reception, they know who to call. For you, that means no time is wasted making phone call after phone call, only to walk away frustrated and empty handed.
Discounts
Finally, hiring a wedding planner is an excellent idea if you want to save money. Because these professionals have connections with all types of people in the wedding industry, they can typically pass on excellent discounts to you. Keep in mind that does not affect the quality of the service, just the price.
TOP FIVE REASONS FOR HIRING A WEDDING PLANNER
One of the most joyous occasions in life is a wedding, a time when two people in love exchange those powerful words, “I Do”, which binds them legally as husband and wife. Although an exciting time of life, planning a wedding is also a very stressful time. For that reason, many people have discovered the benefits of hiring a professional coordinator to ensure everything comes together as it should. In this article, we are providing you with the top five reasons for hiring a wedding planner so you can enjoy your wedding with much less stress.
Stress-Free
The number one reason for hiring a wedding planner is to dramatically reduce the level of stress. Every wedding, even the best planned will have challenges. Unfortunately, when the bride and/or groom are the ones trying to handle all the obstacles along with everything else, they feel completely overwhelmed and suddenly, the enjoyment of wedding planning is out the door. With a professional planner, they supervise all of the events associated with your wedding so you no longer have to sweat the small (or big) stuff. That means everything from the delivery of the flowers, to the set up of the cake, to the limos arriving on time is taken care of for you.
Creativity
A good wedding planner will have been in the business for years. Because of this, they have coordinated hundreds of weddings and can take ideas to share with you for your upcoming wedding. That means instead of a wedding cake that is three layers of chocolate, you could end up with something tropical, one layer of pina colada cake, one of red raspberry, and a third of coconut cream. The point is that by hiring a wedding planner, your ideas can be expounded on, enhancing your wedding.
Precise Detailing
For all weddings, there are so many small details that often, things get overlooked. One of the frustrations for the bride and groom is trying to maintain all of those details so the wedding goes off without a hitch. An experienced wedding planner knows all about the small details and has an outstanding ability of keeping track of them. He or she would sit down with the bride and/or groom and go over each aspect of the wedding, covering every possible angle so nothing is missed.
Insider Information
A huge benefit in hiring a wedding planner is that they know who the best of the best is. If you want a DJ, they can provide you with several top choices. If you want a catered meal, they can tell you exactly which caterer serves fabulous food at an affordable price, or if you want a horse drawn carriage to take you to the reception, they know who to call. For you, that means no time is wasted making phone call after phone call, only to walk away frustrated and empty handed.
Discounts
Finally, hiring a wedding planner is an excellent idea if you want to save money. Because these professionals have connections with all types of people in the wedding industry, they can typically pass on excellent discounts to you. Keep in mind that does not affect the quality of the service, just the price.
Wedding Gowns – Getting the Best Out of Your Photographs
One of the most important things to any bride is the wedding photography that captures the magical day, for years to come. Most wedding gowns are made to make the bride look absolutely stunning; however, not all wedding gowns photograph as well as they should, so it is important to consider what your short listed wedding gowns will actually look like, in the photographs.
Wedding Gowns and the Accessories that Make Photographs Special
The types of wedding gowns that will look best in your wedding photographs depend largely on the style of wedding photographs that you have chosen. If you are opting for the contemporary style of photographs that are not staged but actually follow the day, on a more informal basis, then you need to be aware that your choice of wedding gowns will be viewed from every angle.
On the other hand, if you are opting for a small selection of formal photographs purely from the front, then your choice of wedding gowns should focus on the detail at the front of the dress. If you have chosen to have only black and white photographs, it is worth considering what your chosen colors of wedding gowns will look like in monochrome.
Top Photography Hints for Wedding Gowns
Never forget how important the detail on the back of wedding gowns is. During the ceremony, your guests will have little to look at other than the back of your wedding gown. Therefore, it is important that all wedding gowns have some special detail and unique look; it is also a great opportunity for the wedding photographer and a picture from the back of the ceremony venue can be stunning!
Bear in mind that accessories can look a little strange in wedding photographs so it may be worth investing in accessories that are detachable from wedding gowns, so that you can choose whether to have them in a given photograph or not. This is a really good idea when the accessory is particularly detailed as it may be superb as part of a close-up picture, however, it may just look like a stain from a distance!
Another good idea is to have a cardigan or jacket as an accessory for your choice of wedding gowns. This way you can vary the photographs and the look that you present, throughout the day. Wedding photographs can appear a little repetitive; therefore it is a great idea to have a range of accessories and additions so that you can vary the photographs and make it look like you had several wedding gowns and not just the one!
Remember, your choice of wedding gown is going to be captured in your photographs for years to come. When you are choosing your perfect dress, consider its ‘photograph ability’ as well as what it will look like in the flesh – they are both equally important!
Wedding Gowns and the Accessories that Make Photographs Special
The types of wedding gowns that will look best in your wedding photographs depend largely on the style of wedding photographs that you have chosen. If you are opting for the contemporary style of photographs that are not staged but actually follow the day, on a more informal basis, then you need to be aware that your choice of wedding gowns will be viewed from every angle.
On the other hand, if you are opting for a small selection of formal photographs purely from the front, then your choice of wedding gowns should focus on the detail at the front of the dress. If you have chosen to have only black and white photographs, it is worth considering what your chosen colors of wedding gowns will look like in monochrome.
Top Photography Hints for Wedding Gowns
Never forget how important the detail on the back of wedding gowns is. During the ceremony, your guests will have little to look at other than the back of your wedding gown. Therefore, it is important that all wedding gowns have some special detail and unique look; it is also a great opportunity for the wedding photographer and a picture from the back of the ceremony venue can be stunning!
Bear in mind that accessories can look a little strange in wedding photographs so it may be worth investing in accessories that are detachable from wedding gowns, so that you can choose whether to have them in a given photograph or not. This is a really good idea when the accessory is particularly detailed as it may be superb as part of a close-up picture, however, it may just look like a stain from a distance!
Another good idea is to have a cardigan or jacket as an accessory for your choice of wedding gowns. This way you can vary the photographs and the look that you present, throughout the day. Wedding photographs can appear a little repetitive; therefore it is a great idea to have a range of accessories and additions so that you can vary the photographs and make it look like you had several wedding gowns and not just the one!
Remember, your choice of wedding gown is going to be captured in your photographs for years to come. When you are choosing your perfect dress, consider its ‘photograph ability’ as well as what it will look like in the flesh – they are both equally important!
Wedding Decorations – Less is More
Often overlooked, wedding decorations can make a real difference to your wedding. The correct wedding decorations can really help to add that extra touch of sparkle to your wedding day. Having said this, no one wants to spend a fortune on wedding decorations that will more than likely end up in the trash can at the end of the day!
Wedding Decorations – Modern Trends
Modern trends in wedding decorations suggest that less is most certainly more. A few simple touches are normally enough to change an ordinary room into a venue fit for your special day. Ideally, wedding decorations should follow the same theme that runs throughout the wedding day. Don’t forget the smallest of details and make sure that the wedding decorations are placed in the ceremony venue, in the reception venue and even as part of the transport.
Wedding Decorations – Budget Conscious Ideas
The cost of wedding decorations can really spiral out of control, so make sure that you budget correctly and that you shop around for the best deals. You may be surprised by how many artistic people you have as friends and family; ask around to see if some of these people would be prepared to help you create that special look.
If you cannot find a friend or relative to help you out, then why not try the local college or art school as this will offer a dedicated, skilled yet cheap option. It is vital that you plan ahead, because the cost of wedding decorations will normally be a lot less if you buy them all together and not bit by bit.
Wedding Decorations – Dare to be Different
Traditional wedding decorations, such as flowers, are generally very expensive so take a different approach by creating your own decorations. Give your wedding an individual feel and save some money, into the bargain, by daring to be different!
Material of various types can be a really useful way of creating effective wedding decorations. Large bows, for example, make superb decorations for chairs in both the ceremony and the reception venue.
As a centerpiece, why not have a glass bowl with some small stones and a floating candle. Not only will these decorations be cheaper than large flower displays, but they are also more permanent and can be given as gifts or retained as a memento of your wedding day.
Wedding decorations are a matter of personal choice, but remember, be different, be organized and be consistent and you won’t go far wrong!
Wedding Decorations – Modern Trends
Modern trends in wedding decorations suggest that less is most certainly more. A few simple touches are normally enough to change an ordinary room into a venue fit for your special day. Ideally, wedding decorations should follow the same theme that runs throughout the wedding day. Don’t forget the smallest of details and make sure that the wedding decorations are placed in the ceremony venue, in the reception venue and even as part of the transport.
Wedding Decorations – Budget Conscious Ideas
The cost of wedding decorations can really spiral out of control, so make sure that you budget correctly and that you shop around for the best deals. You may be surprised by how many artistic people you have as friends and family; ask around to see if some of these people would be prepared to help you create that special look.
If you cannot find a friend or relative to help you out, then why not try the local college or art school as this will offer a dedicated, skilled yet cheap option. It is vital that you plan ahead, because the cost of wedding decorations will normally be a lot less if you buy them all together and not bit by bit.
Wedding Decorations – Dare to be Different
Traditional wedding decorations, such as flowers, are generally very expensive so take a different approach by creating your own decorations. Give your wedding an individual feel and save some money, into the bargain, by daring to be different!
Material of various types can be a really useful way of creating effective wedding decorations. Large bows, for example, make superb decorations for chairs in both the ceremony and the reception venue.
As a centerpiece, why not have a glass bowl with some small stones and a floating candle. Not only will these decorations be cheaper than large flower displays, but they are also more permanent and can be given as gifts or retained as a memento of your wedding day.
Wedding decorations are a matter of personal choice, but remember, be different, be organized and be consistent and you won’t go far wrong!
Wedding Rings
don’t tend to get the public airing that they deserve, in your average wedding celebration. However, wedding rings are likely to be worn for the rest of the bride and grooms’ living days, so they are, arguably, the most important element of the wedding accessories.
Wedding Rings – The Basics
Wedding rings are exchanged as part of the ceremony, normally as vows are said by both parties. The guests do not normally see the wedding rings until after the ceremony is well and truly over, so it can be tempting to skimp on this element and save money.
Bear in mind that the bride will almost certainly wear her wedding ring alongside her engagement ring. It is essential, therefore, that they both rings work together well. This is particularly important if the engagement ring is of an atypical shape or with a particularly large stone.
Always consider your everyday jewelry. Although it is possible to accessorize on your wedding day to complement you choice of wedding rings, this ring will be worn every day, for many years, so it must fit in well with your general style. This is equally important for the groom, as he too will have to wear the ring for some time, so he should also consider what would go well with his usual attire.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not essential to choose golden rings. If you prefer silver colored rings but want to retain the quality, why not consider white gold? It is also possible for the bride and groom to have different styles of ring, so do not feel pressured into selecting matching styled rings.
Wedding Rings – Ideas for Slashing the Budget
Whilst you want the best wedding rings possible, you do not need to spend a small fortune! Often, wedding rings are passed through the generations, particularly on the male side, so find out whether this is the case so that you can avoid the time and energy of searching for the perfect wedding rings!
When you are selecting an engagement ring, it may be possible to negotiate a discount on wedding rings, if they are purchased at the same time. Another possible option is to consider using cheaper wedding rings for the ceremony itself and to purchase the more permanent wedding rings, at a later day. The real point of this is to spread the major expenses – weddings do not come cheaply!
A great way to make cheaper wedding rings look unique is to have them engraved with your wedding date and your initials.
With a little imagination, wedding rings can truly look magical, without costing the earth!
Wedding Rings – The Basics
Wedding rings are exchanged as part of the ceremony, normally as vows are said by both parties. The guests do not normally see the wedding rings until after the ceremony is well and truly over, so it can be tempting to skimp on this element and save money.
Bear in mind that the bride will almost certainly wear her wedding ring alongside her engagement ring. It is essential, therefore, that they both rings work together well. This is particularly important if the engagement ring is of an atypical shape or with a particularly large stone.
Always consider your everyday jewelry. Although it is possible to accessorize on your wedding day to complement you choice of wedding rings, this ring will be worn every day, for many years, so it must fit in well with your general style. This is equally important for the groom, as he too will have to wear the ring for some time, so he should also consider what would go well with his usual attire.
Contrary to popular belief, it is not essential to choose golden rings. If you prefer silver colored rings but want to retain the quality, why not consider white gold? It is also possible for the bride and groom to have different styles of ring, so do not feel pressured into selecting matching styled rings.
Wedding Rings – Ideas for Slashing the Budget
Whilst you want the best wedding rings possible, you do not need to spend a small fortune! Often, wedding rings are passed through the generations, particularly on the male side, so find out whether this is the case so that you can avoid the time and energy of searching for the perfect wedding rings!
When you are selecting an engagement ring, it may be possible to negotiate a discount on wedding rings, if they are purchased at the same time. Another possible option is to consider using cheaper wedding rings for the ceremony itself and to purchase the more permanent wedding rings, at a later day. The real point of this is to spread the major expenses – weddings do not come cheaply!
A great way to make cheaper wedding rings look unique is to have them engraved with your wedding date and your initials.
With a little imagination, wedding rings can truly look magical, without costing the earth!
Wedding Video - Selecting a Wedding Videographer
Selecting the right wedding videographer is very important because wedding videos hold special moments from your wedding day. Just like you need to find the perfect wedding dress, it should be without question that you need a quality wedding videographer.
Now I don’t mean a wedding videographer that asks Aunt Gretchen to say a few words about her little niece Sharon who is all grown up. And I don’t mean a wedding videographer that likes to force everyone to smile in the middle of dinner time because he is always in your face with that video camera. Run from those wedding videographers.
The Right Wedding Videographer
Albert Ling of Encore Weddings, was the right videographer for me. He was unobtrusive (we hardly knew he was around), he didn’t use crazy special effects in his previous wedding videos and he had a demeanor that made it easy to feel comfortable around him. Don’t worry, the right wedding videographer for you is out there. And once you find him, hold on tight because he is an important part of your wedding budget and he (along with the wedding photographer) has your once in your lifetime moments in his hands. Make sure your wedding videographer is experienced. You wouldn’t believe how easy it is for someone to just call themselves a videographer. Do you really want to be one of their early wedding video mistakes? Albert had hundreds of video that my husband went through with him during the consultation but even though he had done so many wedding videos, our wedding video was still different from all the others.
I just popped in my wedding DVD (that’s right, I didn’t get my wedding video on VHS) in order to give you some important tips on what to look for in your wedding videographer’s portfolio. Yes, you need to see the wedding videographer’s portfolio.
The Wedding Videographer’s Portfolio
You need to make sure he hasn’t done 1,000 wedding videos that are exactly the opposite approach you want. It also matters if he clearly understands what you want from him. Can he produce that? And has he done that before? You don’t have to see all his videos but you don’t want to see a video montage of what he thinks are his best clips. You want to see what he has done from start to finish. See if the videos were steady if he uses a hand held video camera instead of a tripod. Watch for editing – do they make sense? Are you going from the wedding ceremony to the reception or from the reception decorations to the ceremony? Has he captured all of the members of the wedding party? Was he too slow and didn’t get the “here comes the bride” entrance? Where the close ups “too close up”? Are you having an outdoor wedding? What if it is windy? Does he have unobtrusive mikes for the wedding party? Or will you end up with the sound of wind on the wedding video and muted voices? You also want to be able to speak with happy clients from the wedding videos you liked the most.
One Videographer or Two? One Video Camera or Two?
For my wedding, we had one videographer with one handheld camera. Having a second camera can help obtain extra points of view which may be needed during editing and sometimes if the first camera man is unable to get a shot, the second camera will hopefully be able to pick it up. Our wedding videographer was experienced so we didn’t feel like we needed a second camera or videographer.
Wedding Video on DVD or VHS?
After watching the wedding video once, most people don’t sit through it in full many times after. They usually fast forward to parts that they like which over time wears out your wedding video. If you choose to have your wedding video on DVD, you can easily jump to the parts you want to highlight instead of having to sit through a few hours or constantly fast forward and rewind your videotape.
And speaking of wedding videos that last a few hours - please spare your friends and family. You don’t need every single moment from your wedding day on the wedding video. My wedding video is 30 minutes long. It was set up like a story book with scenes from throughout the day highlighting the wedding ceremony, my father’s speech and the cutting of the cake. The other scenes were played with one of four songs we chose.
Special Additions to Your Wedding Video
The wedding videographer will probably offer you a few additions to your package. I personally felt they were unnecessary but you may feel differently. You may include a prelude of some wedding planning, commentary about the couple from their family and friends, photo montages and video from before the couple met and special effects (slow motion and fading in and out).
Wedding Videographer Cost
You can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 for your wedding video. The wedding videographer will be one of your biggest wedding budget expenses.
And now some advice that was given to me that I want to share with you.
My matron of honor gave me some advice when I was planning my wedding … even if you are on the fence about a wedding video – just get it! You may never watch it or your grandmother may be the only one that watches it but one day if you want to watch it and you don’t have a wedding video, you will feel incredibly sad about not having one to watch.
One last thing! Make sure you include your wedding videographer (and camera man) on the list for a meal at the reception or else you risk having them take an hour break so they can get some lunch/dinner. (Remember they are working straight close to 8 hours if not more! Feed them! No exceptions.)
Now I don’t mean a wedding videographer that asks Aunt Gretchen to say a few words about her little niece Sharon who is all grown up. And I don’t mean a wedding videographer that likes to force everyone to smile in the middle of dinner time because he is always in your face with that video camera. Run from those wedding videographers.
The Right Wedding Videographer
Albert Ling of Encore Weddings, was the right videographer for me. He was unobtrusive (we hardly knew he was around), he didn’t use crazy special effects in his previous wedding videos and he had a demeanor that made it easy to feel comfortable around him. Don’t worry, the right wedding videographer for you is out there. And once you find him, hold on tight because he is an important part of your wedding budget and he (along with the wedding photographer) has your once in your lifetime moments in his hands. Make sure your wedding videographer is experienced. You wouldn’t believe how easy it is for someone to just call themselves a videographer. Do you really want to be one of their early wedding video mistakes? Albert had hundreds of video that my husband went through with him during the consultation but even though he had done so many wedding videos, our wedding video was still different from all the others.
I just popped in my wedding DVD (that’s right, I didn’t get my wedding video on VHS) in order to give you some important tips on what to look for in your wedding videographer’s portfolio. Yes, you need to see the wedding videographer’s portfolio.
The Wedding Videographer’s Portfolio
You need to make sure he hasn’t done 1,000 wedding videos that are exactly the opposite approach you want. It also matters if he clearly understands what you want from him. Can he produce that? And has he done that before? You don’t have to see all his videos but you don’t want to see a video montage of what he thinks are his best clips. You want to see what he has done from start to finish. See if the videos were steady if he uses a hand held video camera instead of a tripod. Watch for editing – do they make sense? Are you going from the wedding ceremony to the reception or from the reception decorations to the ceremony? Has he captured all of the members of the wedding party? Was he too slow and didn’t get the “here comes the bride” entrance? Where the close ups “too close up”? Are you having an outdoor wedding? What if it is windy? Does he have unobtrusive mikes for the wedding party? Or will you end up with the sound of wind on the wedding video and muted voices? You also want to be able to speak with happy clients from the wedding videos you liked the most.
One Videographer or Two? One Video Camera or Two?
For my wedding, we had one videographer with one handheld camera. Having a second camera can help obtain extra points of view which may be needed during editing and sometimes if the first camera man is unable to get a shot, the second camera will hopefully be able to pick it up. Our wedding videographer was experienced so we didn’t feel like we needed a second camera or videographer.
Wedding Video on DVD or VHS?
After watching the wedding video once, most people don’t sit through it in full many times after. They usually fast forward to parts that they like which over time wears out your wedding video. If you choose to have your wedding video on DVD, you can easily jump to the parts you want to highlight instead of having to sit through a few hours or constantly fast forward and rewind your videotape.
And speaking of wedding videos that last a few hours - please spare your friends and family. You don’t need every single moment from your wedding day on the wedding video. My wedding video is 30 minutes long. It was set up like a story book with scenes from throughout the day highlighting the wedding ceremony, my father’s speech and the cutting of the cake. The other scenes were played with one of four songs we chose.
Special Additions to Your Wedding Video
The wedding videographer will probably offer you a few additions to your package. I personally felt they were unnecessary but you may feel differently. You may include a prelude of some wedding planning, commentary about the couple from their family and friends, photo montages and video from before the couple met and special effects (slow motion and fading in and out).
Wedding Videographer Cost
You can expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 for your wedding video. The wedding videographer will be one of your biggest wedding budget expenses.
And now some advice that was given to me that I want to share with you.
My matron of honor gave me some advice when I was planning my wedding … even if you are on the fence about a wedding video – just get it! You may never watch it or your grandmother may be the only one that watches it but one day if you want to watch it and you don’t have a wedding video, you will feel incredibly sad about not having one to watch.
One last thing! Make sure you include your wedding videographer (and camera man) on the list for a meal at the reception or else you risk having them take an hour break so they can get some lunch/dinner. (Remember they are working straight close to 8 hours if not more! Feed them! No exceptions.)
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