Chicago Wedding Photography

Have you picked up flowers for your wedding? Have you talked to a florist who understands what you want to achieve on that special day? Choosing the best flowers for the wedding should not be taken for granted. The success of a wedding depends on how seriously you take the flower arrangement. If you are trying to avoid those mistakes that could spell a disaster at your wedding, keep on reading.Preparation is the Key
Be organized and prepare properly. Choose your florist well ahead of schedule. The best florists get booked in advance. So, if you wait till the 11th hour before you start searching for one, you might end up disappointed. Most florists will ask to pay a small amount in advance so as to confirm you on their plans for the month. This is good as it commits them to your cause and reduces the chances of a 'no show' at your marriage.Because of the importance flowers bring to a wedding, go for someone with a good track record. Ensure you sort out everything, including colors, flower type and quantity. Give plenty of time to your flower expert and correct any mistakes before your big day.Do not try to cut corners and make do it with a newbie just starting out. It does not take much to show that a wedding is a dud. Just get a crappy florist.Time is Everything
Even if your friends and family are supporting your special day by providing flowers, tell them not to get them too early. There is nothing more embarrassing than having dying flowers at a wedding. This is something you should take very seriously, if you are getting married in the summer. If your flowers have to be set up 24 hours earlier, ensure they are kept in water.

There are 2 kinds of people in the world. Those who know the going rate for wedding photography, and those who don't. Those who do usually gasp and be amazed at the prices they rake in per wedding, and soon after go on their daily lives. For those who don't, now is the cue to do the above. Wedding photography can cost up to US$3,000- $10,000, depending on the experience of the photographer.The upper limits often put people in awe of how much these wedding photos cost, after all it was all in a day's work. But is it really just a day's work? More often than not, what people fail to see is the sheer amount of hard work required to prepare for the big day (yes, it is the photographer's big day as well) and the work that follows. Those au naturale shots you see? Not without the hours of effort from the photographer on end.Weddings were never an inexpensive affair to begin with. From the caterer, to the DJ, to the venue - all these sum up to a substantial amount of money. For the uninitiated, today we shall unravel the mystery as to why these esteemed bunch of photographers deserve the amount they are quoting.Wedding photography is no walk in the park, that you should already know by now. Work begins even before the wedding day starts. Photographers have to ready their equipment, which does not come cheap. Just the camera for example, is at $2,500 a pop. Photographers usually have a back-up just in case of a malfunction of the first. Not to mention other special equipment such as lenses for different scenes and situations, extra battery and memory card backups etc.At the wedding itself, the photographer devotes 6-10 hours of his day (on a weekend, no less) to capturing the essence of the event of your lifetime. Anyone who has been through a day of wedding would have no problems seeing how demanding and stressful it is for anyone who is not a guest. Other than having to be on standby for planned shots, the photographer also has to be on the lookout for great candid shots that would mark the occasion and emotions for the newly-weds and their guests for years to come. That we are talking about non-stop, hardly any breaks kind of back-breaking work. If the client's pockets are deep enough, the photographer might have some to spare for an assistant photographer.The event does not end there for the photographer. What happens behind the closed doors of the photography studio is the photographer crouched over the computer, editing the images so that your eyes are not half-closed or your beloved little cousin is not making a face at the group shot. And contrary to popular belief, perfecting a photo does not take the same time as snapping your fingers. It takes time, and a lot at that.So, let's summarize what has the photographer has done to deserve the top dollar. First, there is the preparation stage where he has to spend time making sure he has all the necessary equipment (and beg, steal or borrow if he doesn't have it). Time is also required to create a shot list, and coordination if the couple requires some must-have shots of their guests. If the wedding venue is somewhere unfamiliar, it would also help if the photographer could conduct a recce of the place to seek out the good photo spots. Without stating the obvious, the photographer gets busy again after the actual event, going into post-processing of the pictures to create that perfect album in your eyes. ALL of that - takes time.Other than your wedding favours, wedding photos are the only other souvenirs you bring home to remind you of your beautiful nuptials forever. Surely you do not want to compromise on this just to pinch that few pennies? Pick a wedding photographer whom you can trust and just relax, and focus on being the happy bride or groom you are supposed to be at your wedding.

Should you or should you not be the camera guy in a wedding party is the question. You will not get paid for the favor, so I am hard pressed to come up with one good reason why you should do it but I can give you many reasons why you shouldn't.Don't feel bad letting your friend or family know that you will not be able to take on the responsibility because for one it is the most important day of their life and they should really be looking into hiring a professional, not to mention working the camera and all the gear will pretty much ruin your chances of having any fun at the party.But for some reason if you still decide you want to be the camera guy, here are some tips that will help you survive the day. First of all make sure you have the right equipment to do a semi good job. And by right equipment I mean at least a 5 to 7 megapixel digital SLR camera, so the resolution can support up to 8x10 pictures. If you can only have one lens, go with the 18 - 80mm, preferably high density lens to get sharp pictures. But if you have a choice of lenses then get 2 - 3 to cover close-ups, regular portraits and group snaps. For close up photography, prefer to get a fixed focal length 50mm or 55mm lens. For regular portraits, you can use a 28 - 80mm lens with low dispersion. And last but not least for group photography which is integral to Pakistani and Indian weddings, a wide angle 24mm - 28mm lens with low distortion would do fine.Another thing to never forget is an external flash light for your camera. Reason for that is the mini built in flashes on the cameras don't have enough power to have much of an impact on your pictures at bigger venues. You should also familiarize yourself with flash photography before the event as at times it can be very difficult to get the pictures with correct exposure and settings with an external flash attached on the camera. Your pictures will either flat out by excessive light or will turn out to be too dark if you don't know what you are dealing with. Amateurs have their best chance sticking with automatic settings on the new super expensive DSLRs rather than trying their luck with manual settings. And last but not least don't forget to get a diffuser for the flash light to get that even tone across your pictures.Quick check up list before you leave your house for the event:- Camera with batteries
- Lenses
- External flash with diffuser
- Extra batteries
- Memory card and extra memory card(s)

Preparing wedding favors for your guests after they attended your wedding ceremony is one of the best ways you can show your appreciation. Not only can you customize them to be as memorable as you would like, but you can literally prepare just about anything. With that being said, there are so many options to choose from that it can become a little overwhelming. Let's narrow down your selection to the Top 5 Wedding Favors trending in 2013.Personalized coffee mugs make it to the top of the list due to their customization and daily use for any house hold. Put your names, wedding date, initials, location, or something that goes along with your wedding day on the mugs to personalize it. Add a small box of tea, coffee bag, candies, or another small token to fill the cup! These memorable mugs will fill the homes of your guests and keep them talking about the wonderful time they had on your special day.Hang-Over gift bags have been trending the wedding favor list for the past couple of years and making a big hit in 2013. Get fun medium sized buckets or boxes and wrap a fun banner around the outside for a personal touch. Add a customized bottle of water, a sleeping mask, Tylenol, and maybe a Starbucks gift card to help them through the next day after partying on your wedding night. Your guests will be more than thankful for the thoughtfulness the next day when they wake up!Bottles of wine always make for a great favor. They are easy to buy in bulk and perfect for customizing the labels! Add a fun wine opener, bottle stopper, or a pair of wine glasses to spice it up. There are a variety of wines to choose from so get a little creative and select a few favorites to narrow down your selection.Unique bottle openers are small and perfect for wedding favors. You can engrave on them and make them unique to your very special day. Add a little ribbon around the top and put in a cute box and send off with your guests at the end of the night to keep the party going when they get home!This type of favor took a turn on me when it hit the charts as a top favor idea- donating to charities instead of gifting favors! I thought this was a wonderful idea and apparently so did many others. Pick a one or two charities you want to donate to and let them choose from there. Before your guests prepare to leave, make an announcement and have a table set up for them to donate to throughout the night. This type of favor not only saves you money, but it is very rewarding by paying it forward.Every bride and groom wants their guests to remember how much fun they had the next day and wedding favors are the perfect token for wrapping up a great night. Whichever wedding favor catches your eye, just remember to make it personal for your guests to show appreciation for their attendance on such a special night. Take time to think about what you and your groom want to offer, set aside a reasonable budget, and let the creative side take control!

For many brides the hairstyle they choose for their wedding day is almost as important as the dress they choose. While every bride wants her hair to look great on her wedding day, there are also many factors to consider in choosing a style. Women with longer hair often have an especially difficult time deciding on a hairstyle.Designing wedding updos takes a great deal of planning. An updo is essentially a hairstyle that involves pinning the hair up so that is off the neck. There are many different styles of updos available and the bride may find choosing the perfect one to be a challenging task. The bride has a lot of factors to consider when choosing a hairstyle. This article will outline some of the factors to consider when deciding on wedding updos.The shape of the face is one of the most important factors to consider when choosing wedding updos. This is important because certain styles of updos are more appealing on faces of a particular shape while other styles may create an unappealing look. For example some hairstyles may make a round face appear even rounder while other hairstyles may create a slenderizing illusion.The veil or headpiece which will be worn should also be considered when choosing wedding updos. While the shape of the face is very important, the headpiece is equally important because it will influence the types of styles which can be used. Once the headpiece is chosen, the bride to be can start choosing a hairstyle.The process of choosing wedding updos usually begins with paging through wedding magazines or scrolling through websites. Most soon to be brides get their inspiration from magazines and websites which focus on weddings. Seeing models with hairstyles you like can give you the general idea of what type of hairstyle you will choose.When looking through these magazines and websites it is important to consider the shaper of the face of the models in the hairstyles you like. If they have face shapes which are similar to your own, these styles will likely be flattering. However, if the models have faces which are shaped drastically different from your own, you may find the style to be unflattering.The next step in the process of choosing wedding updos is to visit a salon to experiment with different styles. If you already have a hairstylist you trust or have recommendations from other friends you can choose this stylist to complete your wedding day look. Otherwise you might need to visit a few salons to see pictures of their previous work before deciding on a stylist. Once you have chosen a stylist you can do a trial run to see how the hairstyle looks with the headpiece.Preferably the trial run to experiment with different wedding updos should take place close to the date of the wedding. This will ensure the hair is relatively similar to how it will be on the wedding day. You may experiment with different hairstyles a few months in advance only to find that the weather or other factors have changed to texture of your hair making the style that was so appealing a few months ago to not be as attractive. The trial run is very important because it is when the bride to be will really see how the updo will look on her and with her headpiece.

To understand how to control the law of attraction you need to understand what the law of attraction really means. Everyone exercises the law of attraction in their lives but most do not recognize that this is what is happening. Attraction is about an energy that is created from your emotional responses. When you think of or visualize something you are creating an emotional response towards this thought. This energy can be either positive and something that you would like in your life, or the energy can be negative and something you really are trying to avoid.Manifestation happens when thoughts are focused and emotions connect to those thoughts. The Universal law says that energy attracts like energy and in so doing manifests itself as part of your life. If you have a lot of destructive things in your life experience, it is the result of what you have been holding in consciousness or the way you think and feel. If you 'expect' problems, then you will have problems. If you 'expect' abundance then things will happen that are a provision of some kind for you.How to control the law of attraction then becomes a matter of how to control your own thinking and emotional responses. To manifest things that are more to your liking then it is a matter of learning to exercise more control over your own thinking.How to do this is to simply, think about what you are thinking about. Being mindful of those negative thoughts is the key. For instance, for years I use to make the joke, 'I can get lost in a phone booth'. I was always getting lost. Then, I thought about what I was thinking about this and how my little joke was causing me to manifest the wrong experience. I stopped myself from saying this to anyone and when the thought crossed my mind I replaced it with a more positive thought. "All things are in perfect order and I am good at finding my way anywhere!" I say this anytime I set out somewhere new and always find my way perfectly, with ease. I am now confident in my skill for navigating and it would seem odd to me to get lost.If you look at your thinking process and find that something you think about does not make you feel good, make the effort to change that thought to something positive. Acknowledge that this is a 'good' thought and the emotion will follow. How to control the law of attraction is just that simple. Controlling of your thoughts and emotions controls what will be attracted to your life and what will be manifested. This is an ongoing process and does take effort but it does work.

As you plan your wedding photography, remember to think about the specific shots you want in your wedding album. While the typical posed shots are pretty and will guarantee that all important friends and family members are photographed, sprinkling your wedding album with some unique images will ensure you will cherish your photos for years to come. Try these special photo opps for images that will shine through the formal poses, capturing the true emotions of the day.The Big DayThis is the day you have been carefully planning for months, and a lot of preparation is involved. Have your wedding photographer on hand as you primp and the excitement steadily builds. These behind-the scenes-shots at the salon, your parents' house or dressing room will record the nervous joy and anticipation. This is the day; your wedding photography should capture the poignancy of these special moments. Black and white film works perfectly here.The DressYou may only wear it once, but this gorgeous compilation of silk and lace is a work of art. Your wedding photographer should capture the masterpiece in all its glory. The perfect way to reveal its essence is to photograph it in its element. Hanging in a window in the dressing room with the sunlight pouring in, your dress will reveal its natural beauty.Mom and Dad - Letting GoYour wedding is an emotional day for your parents. They feel a mixture of pride, joy and sadness. Their little girl/boy is all grown up and entering a new stage in life. Capture these emotions and conflicting feelings during the wedding ceremony and throughout the day. Especially make sure your photographer takes a shot of each of them as they focus on you during the ceremony. Even though you won't be watching them as you exchange "I Dos;" these precious images will capture the full force of their emotions.Just MarriedOn this busy day, there may be only a few moments when the two of you can steal away and spend time together. But just after you are pronounced "man and wife," the two of you will just have each other. Married at last! Your wedding photographer should not miss those first few moments as a married couple. Try to give yourself a few minutes alone after the ceremony to relax and reflect the significance of the occasion. You will cherish these photos in your wedding album.

How fantastic would it be to have a wedding where the biggest expense were the wedding favors? How about a wedding where the biggest decision you had to make was whether to purchase the wine wedding favors or the silver wedding favors. Now for the really big question, what if you could have beautiful wedding for less than a thousand dollars? It can be done and I know someone that did. I asked my friend how he managed to afford getting married when they were just starting out and made less than fifty thousand a year between them. His answer may surprise you.All For One
When my friend and his wife decided it was time to tie the knot, they did so knowing that they could not afford a big wedding just yet. They also knew that to have the kind of wedding he thought she deserved and that she was secretly dreaming of they would have to work and save for years. They decided that the old adage is true; two can live just as cheap as or cheaper than one. They knew they could combine their utility bills into one and save money. The also knew that two people can share food and waste less than one because the majority of food is already packaged for two. Their rent, cable bill, and almost anything else that we pay for in this world can become less burdensome when two people split the bill.The Priority List
My two friends then got together and wrote a wedding priority list to decide what they really wanted, and what they were willing to settle for until they could afford it. What they came up with surprised everyone, themselves included. Of course, they would need some help but hey, that is what friends are for. They decided that the majority of their first wedding budget should go to the honeymoon slash vacation that they both so richly needed and deserved. With that in mind, here is what they came up with.Getting the Basics
They Applied for and received a permit to hold the wedding in Heartland Park in downtown Omaha. It is a beautiful place and the weather was gorgeous. If you are going to have a decorator for your wedding, who could be better than Mother Nature to provide a beautiful setting? Then they purchased the wedding attire. She bought a beautiful dress. It was perfect. She found it at the first shop she visited and I have never seen a prettier bride. He rented a tuxedo. The total bill came to $900.00 just about even. The park permit cost $25.00. Now all they needed was a preacher and friends who were willing to pitch in and make it right.

The first point to remember is that the day should happen exactly how you want it to; it is your wedding after all. However there are a few things that you could or should consider. To start with draw a time-line with hourly or 翻 hourly gaps then in pencil start to plot in events onto that time line.The first thing I would consider is what time you want or need to leave the venue. Are you going away on honeymoon that day? Do you have to catch a flight? Or are you staying at a different hotel and need to travel there. Plot this time on your timeline to start with.The next thing to think about is what time you want to eat, rather than what time you will have your ceremony. Consider if you have any elderly or infirm guests or children. Will they need to eat at a certain time? If you are considering having a buffet later you will need to think about allowing a sensible gap in between without making your evening guests wait too long for their food.So what time should you have your ceremony? Think carefully how much time you will need in between the ceremony and your meal and of course add on how long the ceremony will last. A civil/hotel ceremony will last about 30 minutes but a church service with hymns and readings will be at least a hour, possibly longer. You should then allow some time to mingle with your guests, confetti throwing etc.After that it is usual to have your photographs taken. This commonly is divided in to two sections. The groups and the Bride & Groom photos. The amount of time needed for the group shots will vary depending on how many you have but you need to allow at least 30 minutes. You also need to allow a good amount of time for your Bride & Groom pictures. I would recommend 30 minutes as the absolute minimum. Do consider that the more time you give your photographer the more they can achieve for you. Do not forget that if you decide to have your photographs taken somewhere other than the venue you need to allow travelling time for this. Consider at this point if your wedding is a winter wedding or if you are planning to have your pictures taken on the beach. You will need to check the sunset and tide times. There is no point in arranging your whole day and then realising it will be dark for your photographs or you cannot get to the beach as the tide is in.Now you have plotted in your ceremony and photography times. Another question - is this time okay for everyone? Have you got anyone travelling a long distance? Will your ceremony time mean that they have to stay the night before? You should also think about what time you will need to get up and start getting ready. Make sure you understand how long the bridal hair and make-up will take and you need to allow time for your bridesmaids too. Do not forget to factor in getting dressed, photographs before leaving and travelling to the venue.You should now have lots of the day's events on your timeline. This is the point where you put it away, out of sight for several days. Come back to it afresh and review all your entries. Ask others what they think too. Have you any friends who have been married recently? Ask their opinion; is there anything they would do differently after their big day? If you have booked your venue and photographer talk through the timings with them. Ask their opinion. Check the mileages involved and ask your car hire firm their best estimation of travelling times.Once you have finalised your time line, make sure all the relevant parties have a copy and understand their part in helping your day flow as you have planned. These should include the hair and make-up people, the car hire firm, the photographer, the florist, the venue, the best man and chief bridesmaid. Good luck with your big day, successful planning will help you to have a stress free time!

Wedding Albums and Wedding Photo Books will help you share and remember all of the beautiful pictures you had taken at your wedding. You can spend over a $1,000 or as little as $100 for a treasured memory of your wedding day. Here is a Guide to help you plan all the photographic needs of your wedding day.Choosing the Photographer
Choosing the wedding photographer is your first step. You can hire a photographer or have a family friend take the pictures. While the wedding photographer may be a large part of your wedding budget they should have experience working a wedding and have plenty of pictures to show their work. A family friend may be a great photographer, but they may not have experience setting up group shots. They may also be more interested in the festivities than they are in the actual photography. If you choose a family friend make sure they have adequate equipment and a working knowledge of the type of pictures that a bride would like.Another difference in photographers is how they provide the images to you. Some professional photographers will provide a certain numbers of pictures and a wedding album for you. If this is the case, make sure the products they offer are something that you like. Another way photographers work is to provide you with the digital rights to all of the photos and give you a digital copy of all the pictures. This is a major difference and needs to be decided before you hire someone.It is important for you to create a list of pictures that you want taken. This will be an important tool for communicating with your photographer. A professional may have a list of possible shots for you to review. Be sure to review this and think what you want. If you do not think about it you might miss a shot that is
important to you.Choosing the Wedding Album or Wedding Photo Book
If your photographer provides you with your wedding album you will not need to make any more choices for the main album. If you receive a digital copy of your photographer's pictures you will need to choose how to print these pictures.

According to Conde Nast Bridal Infobank, the average cost for a wedding photographer is $2,600. For having your wedding videotaped, you could expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 up to $7,000 or more. While realizing that these wedding photos and wedding video will serve as a lasting memory of your wedding day, you may not want this to be a lasting expense. Following are some important things to consider when selecting yours and wedding videographer and methods for reducing costs.The Wedding Photographer

Shop around! Photographers' fees vary widely depending on experience. Spend time researching to select the best available wedding photographer within your price range.
Hire a wedding photographer that gives you your negatives. This way you can make as many copies as you wish without having to order them directly from the photographer. If you choose one that will not provide you with the negatives immediately, find out how long they keep them on file so you can obtain them when they are ready to dispose of them.
Be sure to look at the photo packages available to make sure yours won't cost $50 for a 5x7.
Hire the photographer to stay for the most important aspects of the reception - the first dance, cutting the cake, the bouquet toss, etc. - then send them home when all that is left is dancing so you're not paying for their time.
Leather albums are expensive. Consider putting together your own album. Just be sure to use acid-free paper.
Ask your wedding photographer to work entirely with color film. Black and white photos increases costs substantially since they are often printed by hand.
Hire an advanced student from a reputable photography or film program to photograph or tape your wedding. Many students will charge a flat-fee.
Consider placing a disposable camera on every table at the reception for your guests to capture some fun moments as well.
Inquire about any assistants they may have as you are generally billed for their time involved as well as the photographer's time.
Ask if the wedding photographer processes and develops their film and prints. Costs are generally higher if this aspect of the job is outsourced.
Check references. Beware of any photographer who insists that you pay in full before your film has been developed.

Taking great portraits can be the key to becoming a successful wedding photographer. While this is only part of your responsibility on the wedding day, portraits are the photos that clients will hang on their wall and pass down to family members over the years.Your first goal should be getting to know your client and what their favorite spots are. Meeting with a client in advance of the wedding day to discuss your photo ideas is very important. Develop a good rapport and be comfortable working with each other. Meet for coffee and get in sync on what's expected for the portrait session. You can also exchange ideas and give feed back on their selections.Once you have a good idea of the clients favorite places, go and explore the scene. You should view the locations around the same time you will be shooting. There's no sense going to see a site at 8 am when you will be shooting there at 4 pm on the wedding day. The same goes for seasons; I wouldn't view a park in March if the wedding were September.Scoping out locations is also a must if you want to take advantage of the time you have to shoot. You'll want to know what type of light will be available that day. Also, create some potential compositions so you can crank out the best shots in the least amount of time. You may want to view the sites on both a sunny and cloudy day too.Most couples don't have much time to take portraits or bridal party photos so having a few spots picked out in advance is key. Try to pick the best spots close enough to the ceremony and reception to save time and capitalize on the light that's available that day. Most wedding photographers Chicago clients rely on for good portraits view portrait locations in advance.