Michiana Wedding is the best wedding site to plan your northern Indiana and Southern Michigan Wedding and Reception with! We are here to serve your with ideas, planning advice and a database of available wedding vendors. So if you are getting married in South Bend, Mishawaka, Elkhart, Granger, Niles, Notre Dame and everywhere in between check us out!
Add a sense of childhood nostalgia to your wedding reception and send a keepsake home with all of your guests, by renting a photo booth!
For the last two years photo booths have been increasing in popularity at weddings, with the advent of the digital photo booth. While they will never replace a professional photography (just try dancing your first dance in a traditional photo booth to get some pictures, not going to happen) a photo booth at your reception will add fun, be a conversation piece and can be enjoyed by everyone!
There are two types of true photo booths.
The traditional or classic photo booth which uses chemicals to develop actual photographic paper with four pictures on it. The classic photo booth is slow to produce the strips, anywhere from 90 seconds to 7 minutes, which decreases the amount of photos and times the guests can enjoy the experience. The classic weighs anywhere between 300 to 900 pounds so transportation cost is a factor.
The digital photo booth is the modernized version of the classic. Portable, quick to set up and just as easy to use. Digital photo booths offer a lot of options their classic cousins just don't have. Not only can you have the traditional vertical stack of four images, taken one after another, but you can have the sheet customized to reflect you or your wedding! The digital photo booth also offers the ability to print out a post card shape strip instead of the traditional vertical.
Is there a picture that you or some of your guests would love to have a 4x6, 5x7 or 8x10 made of? Most digital photo booths store the images for reprinting later on. Some rental companies offer montages, set to music of the images or the original digital files, on DVD.
Another advantage of digital photo booths is the ability to share with everyone on the outside what is happening on the inside! Some booths offer the ability to play back as a montage all the images taken as soon as they are taken. So you can see that crazy face your best friend made before the image is even printed to paper.
What to look for in a photo booth.
With the popularity of the photo booth increasing lots of people are calling things photo booths that just are not a photo booth! We all know what a photo booth looks like, every time we go to the mall there is one there. They are a box with a camera on one wall, a small bench on the other and most can fit 4 people comfortably. You step in, sit down and pull close the privacy curtain and hit the button to start the pictures. Limited space is half the fun! In college I and my girlfriends decided to see if we could get 15 of us into one picture in a two person photo booth. We managed to get 8 heads and a half in one picture. (Wish I could find my copy of that strip today.) That is what I consider a photo booth, not only are photo booths where you throw inhibitions to the wind and get funky, but where the challenge can be getting everyone in the picture! The memories of high school and college.
But today, to make a quick buck people are throwing the label photo booth on just about anything. Last year I saw a supposed photo booth, it was a section of pipe and drape (nothing boothy about it) against a wall and opposite it a camera hooked to a cheap printer. The photographer then stood there and told everyone to smile. Not a photo booth.
Then there was the ad I saw recently touting the "photo booth that can fit as many people as you want". Once again it was pipe and drape, but this time at least in the shape of a rectangle and again a camera on a tripod with a cable run to a printer... Blah! Not a photo booth.
Then there is a company offering the "Open Air Photo Booth", two boxes stacked, one with a camera, the other a printer, no "booth". Just slightly above the camera on a tripod.
So if you are going to spend $1500 renting a photo booth, I recommend making sure it's a real booth, hard sided rectangular with a bench and curtain and not something that should be hanging from your windows. Oh and the photo trigger at your touch, not someone standing outside with a laptop telling you to go "cheese" and clicking a mouse...
Digital photo booths don't use chemicals and photo paper, but any printer that can interface with the software. So this means the photo strip can be printed by a laser, inject or dye-sub printer. Talking with a few photographers and doing some internet research it looks like a dye-sub printer will be the closest experience to chemical printing. Dye-sub is long lasting, comes the closest to looking like photo paper and truly prints a 2x6 strip of paper if you want the classic feel. All other options must be manually trimmed to feel like the classic strip. Also the dye-subs are very fast, approximately 30 seconds.
As with any service or rental you have on your wedding day, make sure you have a contract and that the vendor has liability insurance. Then step inside, pull the curtain close and get FUNKY and have fun!
Oh and still not convinced you should get a photo booth for your reception? The photo strips make fantastic party favors for your guests that they will treasure for a lifetime!
We have all seen chocolate fountains, hot dogs, sliders, and candy bars as late in the reception treats for your wedding guests. How about another fantastic and fun treat?! Cotton Candy! I was surfing the internet when I found this AP image of a couple eating cotton candy at their reception. What a cool and fun idea! So when looking for something to treat your reception guest with, consider cotton candy.
If you are planning on getting married in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at Notre Dame in 2010, the books will be open on March 2, 2009. To help you improve your chances of getting a date, Cynthia Basker of Celebrated Events has posted a blog that gives you some good ideas. The competition is stiff and the popular dates go fast, so be sure to check out Cynthia's blog!
Evidently when you attempt to contact wedding professionals through their system they first attempt to sell your information to professionals who are not the ones you are attempting to contact before it is sent to the professional you are attempting to contact.
Once again, we recommend you avoid this wedding website.
beware of the website eventective.com! I ran into a couple of brides over the last week or two complaining that wedding professionals, mainly photographers and djs who they had contacted were ignoring them. A few questions and I found out they had contacted these wedding professionals through a website called eventective.com. I have done a little digging and if you are seriously trying to make contact with the wedding professional DO NOT use the eventective.com contact option! Do a google search and find their real website
eventective.com is another in a long line of internet scams. They have crawled the internet looking for websites of wedding professionals and listed those site on their service, in most cases without permission. When you click on "contact vendor" on their site, you are not contacting the vendor! eventectiv.com then takes your email and instead sends a sales pitch to the vendor, telling them if they pay up they will send them your original email. Most wedding professionals, did not sign up for this website, and consider these offers spam. After one or two they don't event look at the offer, hence you are 'ignored' by the people you contact.
Here at Michiana Weddings our vendor listings lead directly to the wedding professional's sites and you can contact them from there. I suggest avoiding eventective.com most of the time no one is on the other end of that email!
A reminder everyone, the only major south bend bridal show in January is the Bridal Spectacular. The WSBT bridal show is not until February 28 for reasons only known to them, which in my opinion is way too late for planning a 2009 wedding. So make time this coming Sunday to attend the 24th Annual Bridal Spectacular at the Century Center.
Times are 12 to 5 PM. Fashion shows at 1:30 and 3:00
Many of our favorite wedding professionals will be in attendance!; Music Machine. Allure Films and Photography Hilton Garden Inn Knollwood Country Club Inn at St. Mary's Bernardo's Bernardo's for the Bride Be sure to stop by their booths!
We are having problems finding an officiant to marry us at our parent's home. The pastors at the two churches our respective families attend are insisting that we get married in church. Do you have any suggestions.
Peggy
Well if you don't mind a civil ceremony, most of the city judges will perform ceremonies. There is also The Wedding Pastor. We have worked with him in the past and he's a really cool guy. Located in Ft Wayne, he travels around the state. Check him out at The Wedding Pastor.
Also this should be a spectacular fashion show runway, like none seen in Michiana before. Designed by Cynthia Basker and executed by Michaelangelos it.
If you are getting married in 2009 this is the bridal show to start your wedding planning at!
Girly Girl Gifts, my favorite shop to spend way too much money in has announced their annual Holiday Open House! This year it will be taking place on Friday, November 7, from noon until 8:00 pm, and on Saturday, November 8, from 10:00 am until 5:00 pm. On Friday, from 4:00 - 8:00, they will have a trunk show featuring One of a Kind jewelry creations by gifted and delightful designer, Ali Oesch. Also playing bartender again will be Brian from Allure Films and Photography, with free champagne, wine or sodas. Also snacks will be on hand.
Last year was a lot of fun. If nothing else stop by and just say hi. And if you are looking for a photographer for your wedding, ask poor Brian a photo question, all the girly talk got to him last year. Hi Brian. ;-)
Ladies mark those calendars we have two excellent bridal shows coming up for you to attend. First we have the: Michiana Premier Wedding Expo Sunday, October 26, 2008 Noon - 5:00 pm Fashion Shows at 1 & 3:30 Fleur de Lis Ballroom Hilton Garden Inn
The wedding expo is a new bridal show taking place at the beautiful Fleur de Lis Ballroom at the Hilton Garden Inn. I am really looking forward to checking out this bridal show!
Next we have the largest and oldest of the bridal shows in Michiana: The Bridal Spectacular Sunday January 4, 2009 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. Fashion Shows at 1:00 p.m. & 3:30 p.m. South Bend Century Center
This one can't be beat. The largest vendor floor with a wide variety of wedding professionals, be sure to attend!
Girly Girl Gifts Is Having A Summer Sale Thursday!
Hey ladies, my favorite gift shop for unique and fun gifts is having a summer sale this Thursday. Join Cyndi and her team at Girly Girl Gifts Thursday from 4 to 8 PM for a champagne, soft drinks and fun!
Don't forget to check out their fun, cool line of jewelry from Jess LC. They are featuring her 'Lucky in Bed' line, gold-filled or sterling silver necklaces and bracelets combined with the lucky Chinese color, red, along with the longstanding tradition of adding "in bed" to the end of any fortune cooking messsage.
If you have read much of the blog, you know that one of my favorite videography companies in Michiana is Allure Films / River City Productions. Brian and his team are in my opinion the best you can hire.
Well they recently posted a fantastic new wedding trailer on their blog, that I almost cried during. Click play below to watch!
Weddings are very important days for everyone. But if at your wedding it rains and you have to move the formal pictures indoors, or your wedding dress gets dirty and torn or a hundred other little things happen... Go with the flow it could be far worse.
Take for example this bride and groom from China. The world came crashing down during their wedding literally, during the earthquake!
Things to consider when looking for your reception location.
1 Where do you want to host your reception? Traditional banqet facility, restaurant, hotel, club or outdoors?
2 Are there stairs and if there are stairs is there an elevator? Some halls were grandfathered in and weren’t required to have an elevator. If you have family or friends who have a hard time walking up stairs, is there alternative to getting them up to the reception.
3 How many people are you inviting, put together a rough guest list for the count?
4 How many hours are can you reserve the facility for? What is their overtime policy?
5 What are the policies and restrictions that the facility has for music, food, flowers, décor, etc…?
6 Are you able to bring in outside vendors, or are you limited to their services? (i.e. wedding cake, Hors d'oeuvres , entertainment, etc.)
7 Is there room for a disc jockey or band? On thing to note about entertainment, don’t put tables between the dance floor and the entertainment! The entertainment will end up blasting your guests who are seated in the tables to get the sound to the dance floor.
8 Do you want your dinner served plated, buffet, or family style and what is the cost for those options. Plated will usually be more expensive than buffet.
9 Is there reasonable distance from the place of the wedding ceremony to the reception?
10 Are you able to have your wedding ceremony on site if you wish?
11 Do you want an open bar or a cash bar?
12 Are there time limits as to when your decorations, flowers, the DJ or band are able to arrive and set up?
13 If children are invited, is there an area for them to go if needed?
My future brother-in-law emailed this one to me. For decades the bouquet and garter toss was suppose to be an indication of who will be married next. Now the guys have come up with an easier and more direct way to determine who will be the next groom...
What is the proper way to introduce the newlyweds at the reception?
Shelly
Shelly, in our opinion there is no proper way for the reception, this is your reception, infuse it with your personality. The formal way to introduce the newlyweds at the reception would be Mr & Mrs Grooms first and last names. So if your fiance is named Jason Trumbell the formal introduction would be Mr. & Mrs Jason Trumbell. There is also Dr. and Mrs Jason Trumbell or Mr. and Dr. Jason Trumbell for a few variations.
However we say have fun and be yourselves. If you are a less formal type of persons, go with something like Jason and Mary Trumbell. We have even heard just first names at receptions. In our opinion there is no wrong way to introduce yourselves at your own party.
It is a new wedding season starting next week and we decided to overhaul the look of Michiana Weddings to better serve you, the bride and groom. Since the blog saw the most traffic it is now the index page! As you look at the new site, you will see our traditional links to listings of South Bend, Mishawaka, Elkhart and surrounding area wedding vendors. On the Right is direct links to the websites of some of our favorite wedding vendors! On the right you will also find Planning Your Wedding which are links into our planning articles, be sure to visit them!
Michiana Weddings is about providing you with information about having your wedding in south bend, Notre Dame, Mishawaka, Elkhart, Niles, Edwardsberg, Plymouth, New Carlisle, LaPorte and all of the surrounding areas. Check back often as we will be updating often!
I am a sucker for romantic movies and it seems like there is something in the water of Hollywood. This year we are having a bounty of movies involving in some way wedding planning! First there was the very funny 21 Dresses, and then this summer we have The Accidental Husband and Made Of Honor. Enjoy these movies about weddings!
The Accidental Husband (Uma and Colin, I'm there!)
Emma Lloyd has made a career out of her sensible, mature and responsible approach to relationships. She has a hit radio talk show, an impending book deal, and a loving relationship with her fiancé, Richard, a conventional sort-which is precisely what Emma is drawn to. Then Emma finds out that she is already married to a man she's never met before, a result of a misguided prank that leaves her bewildered and very confused. Worse than that, her plans for the future are now threatened. With her wedding just around the corner, Emma must find the mystery man and obtain an annulment. Emma tracks down her "accidental husband" - Patrick, a charming and handsome neighborhood fireman, with a big secret...that he was behind the "accidental" marriage. Unable to fess up, Patrick goes along with the ruse pretending to be just as baffled as Emma.
Made Of Honor (Patrick Dempsey I'm Sooooo There!) Made of Honor revolves around Tom and Claire, who have been platonic friends for 10 years. He's a serial dater, while she wants marriage but hasn't found Mr. Right. Just as Tom is starting to think that he is relationship material after all, Claire gets engaged. When she asks Tom to be her "maid" of honor, he reluctantly agrees just so he can attempt to stop the wedding and woo her.
Here is a cool idea that is different from the norm! Coaster Invitations from Snow & Graham! Genuine coaster stock, and cool designs with the invitation area on the back, Snow & Graham's double-sided coaster invitations are a unique way to invite guests to your next party or bridal shower!
Really it shouldn't be too surprising, first from Ms. & Mrs. there was the Wedding Survival Kit, then the Bride's Maid Survival Kit and now the Grooms Survival Kit. Included Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Dental Floss, Mints, Pain Reliever, Antacid, Facial Tissues, Deodorant, Razor, Shaving Cream, Styptic Pencil, Adhesive Bandages, Nail Clipper, Hair Comb, Interior Mirror, Lint Remover, Mending Kit, Scissors, Safety Pins, Boutonniere Pins, Stain Remover, Static Remover, Wrinkle Remover, Stress Ball Keychain, Extra Wedding Bands, Black Socks.
Your groom and his men will keep their composure on the big day with this . The kit includes all the essentials to keep his stress level at a minimum. Inside is a collection of 26 wedding day solutions for any emergency that befalls the groom. This sleek and practical Groom's attaché is made of silver chrome and is topped with a stress ball...just in case! Just be prepared to assign a bridesmaid to carrying this one around, you may find your man just a little reluctant to carry it himself. But it is a cool idea, knowing most men! ;-)
Check with Girly Girl Gifts I'm sure they'll have this one in stock!
Cynthia Basker over at Celebrated Events posted a cool idea in her description of the decorations at one of her weddings. Beside each table number, were photos of Kristy and Jason, when they were the age of the table number. For instance, at 5, there were images of the bride and groom, when they were both 5 years old. This is a fantastic idea, especially if your number of tables does not exceed your age!
Monday is Basilica Day when the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at the University of Notre Dame opens their books to brides and grooms who want to book the church for their wedding in 2009. Wake up early ladies and flex those dialing fingers and good luck! Here's hoping you get the date and time you want!
One of my favorite jewelers is Ali Oesch from One Of A Kind Jewelry by Ali. Her work is fresh and creative. Well I didn't know she was coming out with her own line for weddings but over on Girly Girl Gifts, that is exactly what Cynthia says she is doing!
Ever After Collection by Ali Oesch
We here at Girly Girl are excited to announce that Ali Oesch of One of a Kind Jewelry is currently developing a line of wedding jewelry that will debut here, in our store! The Ever After Collection will be designed exclusively for the bride and her bridal entourage. We can't wait to see what Ali creates! We will be holding a trunk show here at Girly Girl to unveil the much anticipated collection on Thursday, March 27, 2008. We will be sending invitations to all of you who are on our mailing list.
----------------- I can not wait! Mark your calendars!
I have been procrastinating on this. Brian from River City Productions forwarded to me some images he took at the best bridal show in the area, The Bridal Spectacular host by Act II Modeling. The show was great and Brian was evidently having some fun with snapshots.
Cynthia Basker and the Girly Girl Booth. Fashion Show, 2 seconds after this was taken Andrea was nearly dropped as the model tripped over her train. The Hilton Garden Inn booth, decorated by Michaelangelos The Event Company. This is one of the best booths I have ever seen at a bridal show and Brian agrees. Love the lighting and I love the Tiffany colors. A Rascia's Creative Cake on display at the Hilton Garden Inn booth. Brian loves his odd angle shots on cakes! :-) Master of Ceremonies Paul Chamberlin of the Music Machine doing his always excellent job and organizer Cynthia of Act II Modeling giving away a door prize. Andrea owner of Act II Modeling displaying a gown during the fashion show. And there you have it everyone. If you are getting married in 2009 be sure to check out next years show, which we will be having more information on as the dates approach.
Guest Blog by Brian Peterson. -----------------------------------------------------------
I've been involved in weddings professionally since 1989 and one of the disappointing things about our local area has been the lack of a facility that can bring the big city feel to a wedding reception. If you ever have been to a wedding in NY, Chicago, LA or Atlanta, you know what I mean. We have fantastic locations like Palais Royale, Windsor Park, Knollwood Country Club, Marriott, etc which are top locations for a wedding. But they are products of the midwest small town feel, lacking the big city type ambiance, attitude and pomp of a Four Seasons, Ritz, Drake or Marriott banquet hall in downtown Chicago. And this has been detrimental to how people look at what can be done when it comes to a wedding in the local area. I cringe every time I hear a guest comparing the wedding they are at locally to one they attended elsewhere and I hear them say "But you couldn't do that in this town..." or in at a wedding that came close to pulling off that big city feel "I didn't know they could do that here..." I know full what that you can do anything here that you can do in the big cities, our professionals in the various industries are just as good as anything Chicago can dig up, but that lack of a certain "ambiance" for lack of a better word has perpetuated this attitude that we are in some way "less" than the big cities.
Well ladies and gentlemen that is about to change!
Tonight I had the honor of being invited to an Open Plate at the new Hilton Garden Innon the Saint Marys Campus and the Fleur de Lis Ballroom (the banquet hall's name may change before they open so from here on out I'm just going to call it the banquet hall or Hilton). An open plate is where a banquet or catering facility invites the professionals they interact with on a regular basis in to show off their capabilities or inform them of something new. Unfortunately Amy couldn't attend so she left it up to me to write up this report on this new facility.
I've been involved in the wedding industry for 18 years and honestly having worked in downtown Chicago, traveled to Las Vegas, NY and Atlanta for jobs I've become somewhat jaded and honestly it takes a lot to impress me. Well tonight I wasn't just impressed I was blown away! General Manager James and his management team of Nicole and Leanne (I'm bad with names so forgive me that I can't remember their last names) are some of the sharpest, friendliest and have a can do attitude that I have not encountered in a long time! They love what they are doing and it shows. Also how open they are to ideas and feedback was very refreshing.
The banquet hall is still under construction and they've barely begun decorating but this is going to be the it place in town. The hotel itself has a bright urban feel to it that will continue into the banquet hall, a major contrast to the "country club" feel that we have in most of our higher end banquet facilities in the region. The hall itself is spacious, open with a large entry area that wraps half way around the hall which will be a fantastic place to hold cocktails before entry into the main hall for dinner and dancing. Of most benefit to someone like me at the Hilton Gardens vendors will no longer have to enter through the same doors and disturb guests trying to get our equipment in. The new facility supplies a hidden side entry where we have direct access to the hall, without cutting through public areas.
Another thing that has me excited about the facility is the lighting opportunities. No banquet hall in town till now has really had the ability to light the hall like many do in the big cities. If you wonder what I mean look at the picture below. While this is very basic and was done at the Bridal Spectacular for the Hilton's booth, this is an example of what can be done. As a videographer this makes me very excited because frankly a hall light entirely like that and then some, makes really pretty pictures. And I like making pretty pictures. So I can't wait to see someone hire Michaelangelos and let them go to town like they've never done locally.
Outside decor. By summer a beautiful garden area will be constructed in front of the hall where they also intend to hold outdoor weddings. From the plans we were shown this is going to be one killer garden.
All of this will be finished soon, their first wedding reception will be held there on February 9 so there is less than a month till it opens.
For me though, the true test of a banquet facility, no matter how pretty the interiors or friendly the staff is the food. When you are paying $30 and up per person to hold a reception and you are served crappy food, well that's not a hall I'm going to refer. So it is always with some trepidation that I have approached a new hall and it's cooking. I've been shocked by how bad some places are. If you're wondering I have nothing but praise for Palais, Windsor, Knollwood and the Marriott listed above and St Hedwigs for it's west side Polish dinners... After a look around we were invited into the kitchen by Jim, Nicole and Leanne to enjoy a dinner from their Chef Kirk Dixon.
We were of course given a run down of the Chef's accomplishments and while many the one that stuck out to me is he was once in the employee of Chef Puck at Spagos. Okay that' s impressive, but how was the food? EXQUISITE! Anyone planning a wedding at Hilton Garden Inn has to have, without a doubt the Crab Cake with remoulade and roasted corn relish, you will be in absolute heaven! These are a regular item on their Bistro menu inside the hotel, so if you get a chance try them, if you are having a wedding there you have to have them!
The whole seven course meal we were served knocked my socks off. Even the Tuna Sashimi was fantastic and it takes a lot to get me to eat sushi and usually that has to be in a rice roll before I'll even contemplate it. Also of note was Chef Dixon's creamy stilton Blue Cheese soup with Granny Smith Apples. Everyone in attendance was all a twitter about this dish. It really tasted like nothing I've ever had the pleasure of eating, it was just fantastic. Unfortunately it is not a regular item in their Bistro, but if you ever get the chance, you'll be begging for more, like most of us were.
The big city has finally come to South Bend, the biggest small town in America as I heard someone refer to us today. If you have not found a banquet facility for your wedding reception yet, then my advice to you is to set up an appointment with Nicole and check out the Hiton Garden Inn's banquet facilities, I'm sure you will be as impressed as I was.
Don't forget everyone, tomorrow is the best and biggest bridal show of the year, the Bridal Spectacular! Doors are open 12:00 to 5:00 at the Century Center. With all this snow melting, getting there should be easy. Stop by some of our favorite vendors, River City Productions, Girly Girl Gifts, The Music Machine, The Hilton Gardens, Knollwood Country Club and many more!
I love these, creative, unique and just too cool. I stumbled over this blog My Aim Is True and found a post about these save the date cards. I like them a lot. -Amy
Happy Holidays everyone! Snow is gently falling here in South Bend, IN and it's looking pretty good for a white Christmas in these parts. In celebration of the Holidays here is a recipe for some sweet and spicy nuts shared with us by Brian from River City Productions and Cynthia from Girly Girl Gifts. Brian cooked the wonderful recipe for Cynthia's open house in November and the second one on this past Thursday, Dec 14.
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 Teaspoon Curry Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Tablespoon Honey
3/4 cup black walnuts
3/4 cup pecan halves
Cooking:
Take a cookie sheet and lightly brush with olive oil. In a large nonstick skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add ginger, curry powder and cayenne pepper. Saute' until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Stir in sugar and honey. add nuts and continuously stir until the mixture is amber in color and the nuts are well coated. Approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Spread on cookie sheet and let cool.
Over at Weddings By Socialites wedding planner Kelly has a write up for her first wedding of the season, strange to say first since for us our season in Michiana has wound down. I love reading her blog and as evidenced by the pictures, obviously a beautiful wedding. Even though I'm not sold on long tables vs round tables... But I absolutely fell in love with the wedding cake pictured in the write up! Very simple, yet very striking and I hope it tasted as good as it looks! Check out more pics from the wedding and Kelly's blog.
Did you notice the new clock on the right hand side of this blog? Right now it's counting down to February 2, 2008. But we'll have more on that date in the days to come.
Right now I'm excited to introduce our newest offering over at Wedlife.net, the wedding countdown clock! Head on over to our countdown clock page at Wedlife.net fill out the date and time of your wedding, choose your background and we'll email you the code that will place a countdown clock to your wedding on your website or blog!
A few people have asked about why we have to email. It's because each clock has to be independently set for your date and time. With the Java script we use we have not found a way to automate this part of the process. We do not share or sell email addresses so that is not something you need to worry about with Michiana Weddings.
So head on over and get your a countdown clock to your wedding day!
Do you have a blog? Not happy with the limited selection of wedding related templates out there? Don't know how to create one yourself? Well we have the answer for you, introducing WedLife.net your source of free Blogger and MySpace templates! We will be adding templates on a regular basis to the site so grab the feed from the WedLife blog to keep up to date on new offerings!
And be sure to check out the sponsors, they help to keep it FREE!
Don't forget ladies, Girly Girl Gifts is having it's open house today and tomorrow! Free Chamagne, a chocolate fountain, Meg Jewelry, it's going to be shopping heaven! Sigh I'll probably spend this weeks paycheck. :-)
Are you having trouble choosing the music for your wedding and reception? Drawing a blank? Don't want to repeat the same music you heard at your friends wedding...
Then check out our new feature, Wedding Grooves! Wedding Grooves is a listing of the various categories of songs standard to most weddings; like First Dance, Father & Daughter Dance, Mother & Son Dance, Bridal Party Dance and more to come! Click on a song title and you'll be taken to a page where you can view the music video for that song, learn what genre it's in and purchase either the album through Amazon.com or the Song through iTunes!
If you are creating CD favors for your guests, this will be a great place to start, too.
I got the idea when I found my sister searching for her father daughter dance song on YouTube.
Check back often we will be updating the listings on a regular basis.
Don't forget there is also the Music For Photo Montages at BridalFilms.net where you can find the popular music to use with those baby and courtship pictures!
Special Thanks to McDonald Studio for the use of the picture.
I was looking at the latest wedding shot by Greg Luzney of Luzney Photography when I ran across this image. A quick call confirmed it was a Rascia's Creative Cake creation. She does such unique and creative work! There is no one else in this market in my opinion that rivals her artistic style and cooking skills, because not only do her cakes look awesome they taste heavenly too!
I don't know why it seems that some vendors, videographers, photographers, bands, disc jockeys think just because they are working a wedding it's okay to drink while doing their job. You wouldn't do it at a weekday 9to5 job so why they think it's okay at a wedding is beyond me.
Sunday, January 6, 2008 South Bend, Century Center (A & B halls) 12:00 pm - 5 pm Bridal Spectacular is proud of being the largest and longest running bridal show in the Michiana area. Over 85 vendors on display everything you need to plan your wedding! Fashion shows at 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
When I found this image of Jennifer Jason Leigh from T Magazine I just sighed and said to myself, bliss. I don't know why but I've had cake on my mind lately so here are a few of my favorites from Rascia's Creative Cakes. The pictures were taken by Brian at River City Productions. Rascia is such a creative individual and her cakes taste fantastic! Not sure who made the following cake, I just found it cool looking. The picture was taken by Paul Chamberlin at The Music Machine.
Sis and I were surfing the internet tonight in search of some entertainment ideas when we ran across this DJ service, who's name I have made sure is removed, so don't ask. Talk about conflicting messages! They don't have obnoxious DJs, but their image says the DJs are strung out, unshaven and not even close to being properly attired for a wedding, with a look of we don't care on their face! Didn't oversized, goofy looking head phones go out in the 80's.
Wow! We went on to the next. You just have to wonder sometimes, what are people thinking!
Nothing is more romantic than a marriage proposal.
Yesterday Inside Edition did a piece called Proposal Cam where the groom hires a photographer and videographer and has them document the big question from hidden locations. I loved the look on the bride's face when she realized what was happening! I'm trying to track down the video and will post a link as soon as I do.
Then today I'm visiting my favorite blogs and find a lovely proposal set up at Weddings By Socialites. Sooooo romantic. I hope there was video or photos of the actual event!
Yesterday my sister and were out checking out photographers. Of course the ones I like are the ones she doesn't want to visit, go figure! Don't listen to your maid of honor, sis! We saw some nice work, but two photographers really left a bad taste in my mouth.
The first one, I'll call Acme Photo (no real names on this post), was just so obnoxious! His work was good, but his opening sentence was about how great he was, how he was an award winner, how my sisters wedding was his wedding. Which wouldn't be bad, all vendors in the sales pitch tell you how good they are, his just came across as conceited though. It only got worse from there. We were informed that neither family or guests would be allowed to have cameras at my own sister's wedding and that if we wanted video we needed to hire only his referral. Wrong answers buddy! I couldn't pull my sis out of there fast enough. First of all no one is telling me I can't bring my camera to my own sisters wedding! How rude! Some of my favorite pictures from past weddings are the ones I or a friend took. Second no one is dictating who my sister can hire for anything but my sister or our parents who are paying for this extravaganza or me. ;-) I believe who Acme Photo really is is who my predecessor wrote the Consumer Alert about. Never thought I'd actually encounter one of these vendors though. So many professionals believe in working as a team, this guy wanted to be the dictator.
The next photographer we visited was my sister's favorite prospect and the one I call Desperate. His work was nice, but too many fish eye lense shots in his albums in my opinion. Anyways we sat down and started to talk and he was amicable enough. His problem was he just came off as desperate. My sis had no intention of signing a contract with anyone yesterday and I am still trying to get her to agree to check out my favorites. Well we got to the end of the meeting and when mys sis said she needed time to consider he got desperate.
Our original quote for everything my sis wanted was $3000, when she balked at signing he suddenly started throwing add ons into the price. By the time we left by my calculations, his origianl package at $3000 had ballooned in value from $3000 to nearly $8000, he even threw in video production for the price of $3000. We got extra albums, a love story shoot, video and large size wall prints thrown in. Of course on the drive home my sister was ecstatic, she was going to get from Desperate Photographer $8000 worth of merchandise for $3000, what a deal!
I have a different opinion though: What is she going to give up? He started out telling us that 8 hours of wedding day coverage, him as a photographer with an assistant, an Art Leather album, engagement shoot and large frame portrait had a value of $3000. When we walked out the package had grown to include a coffee table album (something that most photographers charge thousands for and he had listed at $2000) two parent albums, a video, thank you post cards, a love story shoot and album and additional large frame pictures. Which left me wondering, his price hadn't changed, but his costs had just skyrocketed! The coffee table album demo he showed us comes from an Italian company, probably the best manufacturer out there and costs $1500 just to print. Video is time to shoot and edit, and burn to disc plus the people he has to pay to do the work. The additional albums for our parents those cost something.
So I'm left wondering what is my sister going to give up to get her $8000 worth or products for $3000? Is the coffee table book going to be of cheaper quality than the one we were showed? Is he going to try and pull double duty and do the video while he also shoots the stills? Will we get his best assistants or the ones with less experience who costs less? Will the pictures be printed on quality archival paper or some cheaper alternative? Or was he just not worth the original price he quoted and the new package for $3000 is a better representation of what he is worth? In other words if my sister had singed for the initial offering would she have been getting ripped off with overpriced product!
Everyone is in business to make money and everything a vendor offers has a specific fixed cost to produce or sell. So I'm just left wondering how do you give someone $8000 worth of product and services for $3000 if there isn't something given up in the process. As I told my sister, you can't go into Tiffany's and purchase the 1 carat diamond, 24 carat gold band priced at $10,000 for $2000. For $2000 you will end up with the 10 carat band and quarter carat diamond!
Ladies if you encounter Acme or Desperate, stay away!
Our resident "official" videographer Brian from River City Productions has posted an interesting idea to his blog, that I'm going to steal.
These are cool! Reusable gift wrap from Lucky Crow Gift Bags. This is a pretty neat idea. Cloth bags, being used as a gift wrapping, that can and should be re-gifted again and again. To me these are far better than the fancy paper gift bags that are so popular these days. It's a neat idea and they are relatively inexpensive.
Photo booths now there are some memories. As a kid I was always begging my dad to let me have my picture taken in a photo booth, when we ran across one. As a teenager my friends and I squeezed 8 of us into one and then proceeded to fight over who got the three photos that had everyone's face in it. Then they seemed to disappear... In college my girlfriends and I stumbled across one while on spring break and had way too much late night fun of margaritas and pictures.
Tonight I was blog surfing and stumbled over a too cool idea!
Mrs. Strawberry over on the Wedding Bee had a photo booth at her reception for all the guests to have fun with!
Evidently this is very popular in the big cities on the coasts but I have never heard of it here. What a fun thing to do! Photographers for a lot of people can be intimidating, but I can see where a photo booth, which brings back memories can be just the thing to get fun and personality driven images of your friends and family! Don't get me wrong, professional photography can't be replaced but this is a fantastic addition to your reception celebration and memories.
I don't know as of yet of anyone renting out photo booths in Michiana, I'm going to look into it. If you have had a wedding locally with a photo booth at it, please email me at michianaweddings at ameritech dot net. I'd loved to hear and possibly feature you in an article!
One of the things that drives me nuts about this industry is that after spending $20,000, $50,000, $100,000 or more on your wedding very seldom is there anything left to show for all the money you spent. Yes you will have your video and your photos and maybe a cake cutting set or your champagne glasses, but really there isn't anything useful left. Cake sets and champagne glasses tend to end up on a shelf displayed, not touched again till the next generation. You gown is boxed up and unless you do a Trash the Dress it won't see the light of day again. My mom is yelling at my sister to wear hers but honestly it's old, ugly (in my opinion, sorry mom) and not a modern design. My sister has found her own gown and I am sure any future daughter of her's will do the same.
So I am always happy to discover something that actually has an every day use outside of the wedding day. This is too cool, in this months Bride's Magazine the Tigerlilly line of headbands has been named Best of 2007. The cool factor is that Tigerlilly's headbands once used at the wedding can be used again and again as a choker or a necklace. And they are so pretty! I love the Fiona which is what is in their Best Of picture.
And of course ladies, Tigerlilly is available at my favorite store Girly Girl! Tell Cyndi I say hi. :-)
Thanks to a post in the comments I have found this wonderful blog with some excellent ideas on creating wedding related scrapbooks... Avoid those stickers when it's wedding releated! Check it out ladies!
I have never gotten into scrapping. When my sister destroyed one of my favorite family photos so that it "fit just right" into a page she was making without checking to see if we still had the negative to make more copies, was the end for me.
Then today I stumbled across this site: My Life In Print! This is too cool! Lance Gray, the site's owner calls it a digital scrapbook. What you can do is scan your favorite family photos and either use prefab templates offered by Heritage Makers or create you own. From there the company will make for you at a very reasonable price a square bound hard cover book of your pictures!
Photographers charge thousands for these types of books and from looking through the site the pricing is very reasonable. And it goes beyond just weddings into all aspects of your life, the pictures can be anything you want from your memories. Check out some online samples here!
These are really cool.
If you are interested in the traditional form of scrapbooking then I suggest you check out Real Women Scrap, by Tarsa Dawson. A very eclectic blog that is fun to read.
One of my favorite photography studios, McDonald Studio really outdid themselves with a few of the pictures from a July Weddings. These pictures from the Areaux & Kellner wedding are just gorgeous! You can also see more images from this wedding at Celebrated Events.
I just posted a new article on Michiana Weddings On August 11, 2007 at Culver Military Academy, Laura Schrage married Christopher Campbell, but on the Wednesday before, an early morning tornado wiped out their reception tent and all the work that had gone into the wedding day so far. Cynthia Basker of Celebrated Events and her team leaped into action to salvage the day.
Okay ladies, if you are going to be a bridesmaid, like me next spring, then this may just be the item for you, The Bridesmaid's Survival Kit. The smaller version of The Wedding Survival Kit! My sister and I were at Girly Girl, I have got to stop going there or I'm going to bankrupt myself, when Cyndi pointed out her new products to us. It's got a Folding Hair Brush with Mirror, Hair Spray, Clear Elastics, Bobby Pins, Earring Backs, Emery Board, Clear Nail Polish, Mending Kit, Double-Sided Tape, Stain Remover, Static Remover, Breath Freshener, Deodorant Wipe, Tampon, Adhesive Bandages, Pain Reliever, Handkerchief, Dancing Socks.
Actually I'm trying to talk my sister into giving the new Shemergency Survival Kit away as a bridesmaid gift. This one has a few more "everyday" needed supplies.
Either way these items are too cool and useful. Check them out at Girly Girl or online at Ms. and Mrs.
Not having a wedding video? Think again, it may save the day and catch the crook! Of course here's hoping you never face what this could did.
October 2, 2007 (RIGBY, Idaho)- An Idaho wedding crasher is charged with helping herself to more than just a piece of cake. A home video of Sciara and Charles Dougherty was taken at their wedding in Rigby, Idaho.
While the unsuspecting bride and groom enjoyed their first dance, an uninvited guest was captured in the background trying to blend in. Kim Cooper reportedly introduced herself to friends and family and even helped decorate the bridal car.
It wasn't until the newlyweds discovered dozens of gift cards and envelopes with cash missing that they considered the uninvited guest a suspect.
"We said, 'What if she took them?' Then we thought, "No, nobody would do something like that, that was our day, that's all about us," said Sciara Dougherty.
Cooper was caught cashing in the gift cards at various stores. She's charged with burglary
With Christmas coming soon I've been on the outlook for some creative Christmas ideas and this is too cool. An candle holding ornament from CB2!
These would be great hung from a tree (be careful though, use artificial flame retardent trees) or flown from the ceiling over the tables. CB2 carries several different designs. Check them out!
I've been recommending this over on BridalFilms.net an it's gotten good feedback, so I thought I'd post it here. My copy is on order so I can't say how good it really is.
Book description: ------------------------------- Contending that some women are "too nice," comedian and radio show host Sherry Argov has written Why Men Love Bitches: From Doormat to Dreamgirl-A Woman's Guide to Holding Her Own in a Relationship. "I'm not recommending that a woman have an abrasive disposition," Argov writes, "The woman I'm describing is kind yet strong. She doesn't give up her life, and she won't chase a man." Her sassy book is filled with scenarios and advice aimed at making women subtly stronger and self-empowered. Argov's principles, which range from the farfetched to the downright absurd, include "If you give him a feeling of power, he'll want to protect you and he'll want to give you the world" and "A little distance combined with the appearance of self-control makes him nervous that he may be losing you." The book, which has already been featured on The View and The O'Reilly Factor, should make waves with its controversial view of relationships.
Sunday, January 6, 2008 South Bend, Century Center (A & B halls) 12:00 pm - 5 pm Bridal Spectacular is proud of being the largest and longest running bridal show in the Michiana area. Over 85 vendors on display everything you need to plan your wedding! Fashion shows at 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm
An update to my previous post. Cynthia Basker today updated her Girly Girl blog announcing that Meg Lammer or MEG Wedding Jewelry will be at the Girly Girl open house! Yes!
Meg produces some of my favorite bracelets. Like the one in the picture, I love it! She also has a beautiful line of bridal necklaces. This is going to be a great Holiday Open House. I can't wait.
Girly Girl already has the full line of jewelry in stock so if you want to check it out before the rush of the open house stop by their store down at 1314 Mishawaka Avenue, South Bend.
Hey girls, I learned today my favorite shop for unique hip items Girly Girl Gifts is going to have their annual Holiday Open House on November 9th and 10th! I can't wait, got to start saving some pennies for a few Save The Ta Tas shits!
With the summer passing into memory I thought I would share with you one of the things I have noticed attending weddings this year. If the reception is a full blow party with dancing, the success of the dancing portion is up to the bride and the groom. As with any function, the guests of honor and the hosts set the tone for any function, but most especially the dancing at a reception.Do not get me wrong, the quality of the entertainment is as important and by some degree more important because if you hire the wrong DJ, band or orchestra for your reception, then there will be nothing you can do to salvage the evening.
But if you have chosen the right entertainment that plays the music that clicks with your guests and you, then how of a success the evening is, is up to you.By this I mean that if you as the host/guests of honor/bride and groom do not get up on the dance floor and dance every so often then the party will be far less than it could be. The most successful wedding receptions I witnessed this past summer were the ones where the bride and groom nearly lived on the dance floor for three or four hours. The host/guests of honor/bride and groom set the tone that their guests will follow. If theentertainment is good there will be dancing, but not nearly as much or as fun as when the bride and groom are participating on a regular basis. If you are outside smoking or do nothing but talking to people around the room then that is what your guests will do. If you are up on the dance floor on a regular basis then your guests will follow you onto the dance floor.
So even if you think you have two left feet, if you are having a band/orchestra/DJ for your wedding reception, then get up on the dance floor and have fun! Your guests will do the same and you party will be all the success that you dreamed it would be!
This weekend we tried to get the website update with the new listing requests that have come in over the summer. I was very surprised when I encountered an unknown Hilton Ballroom listing for Indiana... Where did South Bend have a Hilton hotel and ballroom?
Ladies and gentlemen a little snooping and it appears that opening in 2008 on the St Mary's campus next to the Inn at Saint Marys will be a new 700 person capacity ballroom for your weddings and social events. If I'm right the only facility larger than this one will be the Century Center!
According to the Hilton Garden website the facility will be called the Fleur de Lis Ballroom. Opening date is not listed. While I love Palais Royale, Windsor Park and Century Center, this market needs a high end facility that rivals what you find in Chicago or New York. Hopefully this one will meet the need.
You can find their listing on our Banquet Halls page!
My sister and I went back and forth about video, when she was planning her wedding. I wanted her to have one, she refused on the basis that pictures would do everything. They wrote their own vows and now even though it was only a year ago, I don't know what she said, because at the time she was too nervous and forgot the words. So instead she said something from the heart, totally unrehearsed and not written down. When you ask her or her husband what she said they don't remember or will give you a version that changes every time they repeat it. The actual words are lost to history.
Why am I pounding my head against the wall about his? Well I found another couple on YouTube while looking for some fun clips that pretty much sum up how my sister feels right now, enjoy.
Hey everyone, I just got done posting a new book review on the site! I really enjoyed this one, Peter Merry is a fantastic writer and no slouch as a wedding entertainer either! I highly recommend this book, and if you ever have the opportunity to see him in action as an entertainer as I did in NY over a year ago, you are in for a real treat.
Review:
We have been promoting this book on the site since it initially came out a few months ago, I finally got the time to sit down and write this review. So...
How do you plan the best wedding reception ever? Peter Merry of Merry Weddings has set out to give you, the brides planning advice to accomplish exactly that with the Best Wedding Reception Ever! .
Creating a fun, unique, and memorable wedding reception can be very similar to creating a blockbuster movie. The Best Wedding Reception Ever!
If you are at the start, middle or end of your search for wedding service providers and vendors, you have heard from a lot of the people you interviewed, read it on their literature or seen it on their web site, that they are a member of the xyz association. And asked yourself, what does that mean for you as the consumer? For the consumer it can mean the difference between getting what you want in a vendor or not.
Trash The Dress, it just keeps getting more popular
If you have read this blog before you know I love the website Trash the Dress. It is such a fun idea! I'm still trying talk my sister into being the first South Bend bride to take the plunge.
Trash the dress has been getting a lot of press lately. The NY Times did a piece and ET is working on one that may air tonight, not sure. Then there is this: Joshua Smith owner of the company Cinematic Bride is a young up and coming wedding videographer and at the age of 20 already has won a Creative Excellence Award. Accordig to his blog he will be featured in an interview on Good Morning America on Saturday in conjunction with the Trash The Dress website! So set those DVRs and watch for what I'm sure will be some excellent video footage of what looks like a really fun idea, Trash The Dress.
So Check it out on Saturday ladies!
And if you haven't done so check out the video, in one of my previous blogs, by one of my favorite video studios in New Orleans as they had their Trash The Dress fun!
I love poking around on YouTube, I can waste hours on the site looking at all the memories caught on video. Today I was poking around in the weddings section when this little clip appeared.
The Wedding of George Fulford and Helen Goettsch on Sept. 7, 1935 in Minneapolis.
This family is so lucky! I'd love to have a video clip of either set of my grandparent's wedding! To see my grandfather in his prime strutting around. My grandmother, beautiful and full of life.
Wouldn't you love to see moving pictures of your granparent's at their wedding with friends and family? It's sad really, today when moving pictures and audio are available to every bride and groom through video only a small percentage are having one made. From my sister's wedding her video is her most treasured possession followed by the photos and the hanky dad wiped away her tears with before walking down the aisle. (The tuxedo shop charged dad $20 for that hanky! So dads if you think you may need on make sure you have one besides the pocket hanky that comes with the tuxedo rental!) I know we all want to make money but $20 for a cheap $2.00 hanky! Yesh!
But I digress.
Ladies, if you are thinking about having no video produced, watch that video again and ask youself, "If I could, would I want to watch my grandparent's video?" If you say yes, then it's time to call one of our professionals!
Engagement Video Article in the Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal ran a fantastic article on capturing engagements on video and using them on personal wedding web sites this week. Check out the article and some video clips here,
1. Stick to matte shadow and blush, nothing shimmery. 2. Opt for Mohogany, charcoal or navy eye liner rather than black or dark brown which may look too harsh on camera. 3. Apply at least 2 coats of waterproof mascara using an eyelash curler in between.
For Radiant Skin
1. Get a good nights sleep. 2. use a ligth dusting of bronzing powder on face and neck for a warm glow. 3. Blend cream or powder blush in a rosey hue on the apples of cheeks.
For Luminous Lips
1. Choose lip color that is a bit bright. Nude shades can make you look washed out on camera. 2. If you use lip liner, make sure it matches the shade of your lipstick exactly, even a slight shade difference will be more pronounced on video.
For a Flawless Finish
1. Don't tweeze brows the day of your weddings to prevent redness and swelling. 2. Use a primer as a base beneath your foundation to even out skin tone. 3. Apply concealer to any blemishes with fingertip & dust with a translucent powder. 4. Blend, blend, and blend again. Any make up lines will be more noticable on film.
This is such a cool idea! I am surprised that there aren't a hundred imitators of this already! What's Graffiti? Wonderful Graffiti is very thin pieces of matte vinyl that look "printed" when applied to most smooth surfaces. Your entire wedding Graffiti design arrives on one sheet of transfer paper. Just tape the transfer paper into place, burnish it down and peel it away. Only the individual letters and graphic elements remain. Wonderful Graffiti removes quickly, and won't harm underlying surfaces.
Congratulations to the Music Machine and Paul Chamberlin!
I just wanted to take dome time to say congratulations to one of our favorite DJs in Michiana, Paul Chamberlin. Paul and his company the Music Machine got a very nice write up in the Tribune weekly. Check out our screen capture (click to enlarge) of the article or see it here on the tribune website!
I just stumbled across this wonderful site! I've got to call my sister and encourage her to unbox her dress and try this! It's called Trash the Dress! Check it out ladies.
Below is my 2 favorite images from this site:
Wait there is more!
Friends of ours in New Orleans who run the Wedding Planning Experience documented a Trash the Dress event in New Orleans this past weekend, check out the video! BTW the WPE is where many of the ideas orginated that we use in this site. Terry and Julian are a class act, great people and if you know anyone getting married in New Orleans they can't go wrong hiring their video company, Studio Vieux Carre. However you will have to ask them how to pronounce, I have never been able to wrap my tongue around the words.
I hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day weekend! What a wonderful Sunday and Monday we have had, beautiful weather!
Here is another tip for you brides and grooms.
Your wedding is a big day and will fly by in a flash. Quite often brides and grooms don't get a chance to socialize with everyone they want to in the family on their wedding day. So instead of leaving for your Honeymoon on the following day, take a day to rest and get together with family and friends who are still in town. Possibly throw a small party at a parent's residence with the left overs from the reception meal, if the hall allows you to take leftovers. Enjoy yourselves and then take off for your honeymoon!
With everyone's seemingly hectic life writing our names on the RSVP card sent back to confirm our attendance sometimes slips the mind. To help you in knowing who will be attending your wedding number on the back of the return card a number that corresponds with your guest list. This way if the couple or person forgets to list their name on their confirmation card you can look up their number and know who is returning the card.
One Perfect Day: The Selling of the American Wedding by Rebecca Mead
A friend, knowing that I am in the wedding industry sent me this book by Rebecca Mead, who recently appeared on Good Morning America to promote it.
After watching the interview and reading through the book I am left with one conclusion, Rebecca Mead doesn't have a romantic bone in her body, also she doesn't believe that the average bride can say NO. Like someone with an ax to grind she finds the bridezilla's and dwells on their me, me me based behavior and uses this to paint all brides as if they are all budget exploding, badly behaved lunatics who can't say no to any vendor who comes along.
She also seems to think that we all have photographic memories and can recall in intimate detail everything we have been involved with over our liftimes in her attack on photography and video production. The video and photosof my sister's wedding is one of the things I treasure most from that day, that I have received. Not to mention I hardly remember anything except crying with my sister.
Rebecca Mead has an ax to grind over weddings, finding the most debase examples of bad behavior and the inability to say no to support her points. My recommendation is save the money you would have spent on her book and buy a $50 savings bond for the future. Bonds
Over the weekend I attended a friends wedding in Chicago. It was a beautiful affair and the bride looked so beautiful and happy. At the church the processional went flawlessly, even the ring bearer running back up the aisle to his mom, just as he reached the front of the church was too cute. Then my friend started her walk up the aisle with her father, you could hear the ohs and ahs rustle through the gathered guests, everything was perfect and then...
I could have strangled the photographer right there and then. From out of the pews he stepped blocking the bride from continuing the processional. "Smile" he barked, clicking off one then two and three and finally four pictures before he stepped back out of their way and let my friend and her father make the rest of the way down the aisle. A moment of perfection ruined by a tacky photographer!
Ladies, I'm sure you have seen this type of photographer before at weddings. I call him the "poser" the person who isn't skilled enough to get the shot while the event happens but must stop the proceedings to get his shot. Nothing can ruin the enjoyment of the guests or your moment than this type of photographer. Usually they ask the bride's maids to stop their march to the altar a quarter way or half way down the aisle so they can get their shot. It looks tacky and it looks amateurish and most of all the final product looks posed. Classically posed shots have their place in wedding photography, but it does not belong in the perfect moments like when the bridal part and most especially the bride is walking down or up the aisle! These are the times when photojournalistic skills are most needed.
The reception took place in downtown Chicago where everyone made their way down a magnificent stairway to a fairy land of flowers and candles. And yes if you haven't already figured it out, the photographer did his poser thing on the stairway, earning the ire of the band and the Master of Ceremonies. When the bride and groom hit the bottom he started shooting away for a minute until the groom finally barked at him to get out of their way. Later in the night I asked my friend if she knew this was coming and she said he had never ever indicated anything of the like. But she also didn't ask him.
Ladies, get informed, the most important thing you can do is ask your vendors what they will do on your wedding day!
For the last several months Brides.com has been running a contest for 8 couple who were engaged on the ice of Rockefeller Center last winter. The winning couple will receive a Honeymoon trip to one of the Sandals Resorts. The Honeymoons were documented by members of Wedding and Event Videographer Association, International or WEVA with hidden cameras.
This is so cool for these couples in NY. The ladies are able to see their reaction to their best friend asking them to marry. I wish I had one of my sister's engagement, the look on her face I know would have been priceless since it was a complete surprise.
So ladies, if you have a video of your engagement and would like to share it with everyone, we at Michiana Weddings are offering you the opportunity to post it right here on the internet! Feel free to contact me at michianaweddings at ameritech dot net. Sorry for the cryptic address but we are trying to cut down on the robot spam. Just replace the words with their proper symbols. Or leave a message in the comments and we will post your engagement video for free to share with friends and family.
And if you think you are going to be getting engaged soon give your boy friend a hint you'd like it on video. We have some excellent videographers listed in our vendors area, give them a call!
Embeded is my favorite video from the Brides.com. *wink* *wink*
Hello everyone and welcome to our new blog. Please excuse the empty posts below this one, they were tests as we set up the page and unfortunately we do not seem to have the ability to remove them.
I am so excited about our new blog and I have a lot of ideas on what I will be posting here.
Please feel free to leave question about any wedding subject you need more information about in the comments. If I can't answer your question I will find someone who can!
As my first official post on the Michiana Wedding's blog I would like to share with you one of my favorite You Tube videos. This bride and groom is just sooo Fun! What a great way to start off a marriage, just having fun.
