wedding wednesday's: bridal show #2

{1: mission accomplished} After much thought and contemplation regarding wedding photographers, I had my mind set that we needed to book and sign a contract right away. Time was flying by and before we knew it our date would be be booked...and my heart would be broken. According to our The Knot Wedding Budget Tool, we are budgeted at $2,400 total for photography/videography. With that said, we tossed around the videographer idea and decided that it wasn't of utmost importance to have that done professionally when we would only pull it out probably twice in our whole lifetime together. So, we are looking at $2400 total for photography only.

Are ya following me?

Ok, so Sunday we attended the 2nd Bridal Show in our region for the year. Going in with high hopes of finding and booking a photographer! Not only is this one thing to check off the list, but the majority of vendors at the show give great discounts if you book with them right then and there.

{Here is a fun snapshot taken by one of the photography vendors- Fox Fotography}

Soo, upon further contemplation and visiting every photography vendor at the expo... we sat down at a table to discuss our options. Without further ado, we came to the conclusion to go ahead and book the date, get the 25% discount, and pay a couple hundred down.

Our package consists of: 

• up to 11 hours of coverage
• access to online proofing website within two weeks, as well as a free 8x10 pressed proof catalog of all images for us to keep.
• 70 edited images on disk, with rights & uploaded onto digital frame
• $200 credit toward any album or prints
• 1 11x14, 1 8x10, 2 5x7, 2 4x6 prints of our choice.
• free bridal portrait session with complimentary edited DVD of all images & rights, as well as 1 8x10, and 2 5x7 prints.

Originally this package was priced at $2600, but since we get the discount because we booked it the day of the expo, we are only paying $2100! I love finding great deals under budget! :)

Here are a few snapshots of her work:

I think we will be overwhelmed with joy & satisfaction with her artistic style ♥

{2: bargains at Micheal's}  After the Bridal Show Sunday, we swung by Michael's and picked up a few things we needed to help us get started on doing some DIY wedding stuff. Here are some of the things I walked out with:

• Elmer's Foam Board's were buy one [$2.99], get one free= 4 boards, $6 

• 8 Initialized note cards/envelopes [$1]- 2 packs= $2   

   

• Three clearance frames "sold as is": 

{1} White 10x10in, matted to 5x5in [$2]

{2} Black 8x10 wood trimmed frame matted to 5x7in [$1.75]

{3} Brown plastic frame [$1.50]

I'm going to spray-paint the first two frames brown & use them in conjunction with the wedding. I'm thinking either: as a "menu" on the candy table & a sign by the guest book explaining how it works.  

 {3: to see or not to see?} The Savannah Wedding Planner had a good topic of conversation posted on their blog yesterday. In today's era, "tradition" is being tossed out the window left and right. I would like to keep the "traditional" idea of not seeing each other prior to the wedding. However, due to the lack of time in between the ceremony and cocktail hour, I'm afraid we won't get our pictures done in time, therefore leaving our guests frantically waiting for our arrival to the reception in order to get the party started. According to our venue's policy, the city ordinance requires the music level to be turned down by 11 o'clock. If our ceremony begins at 7, lasts approximately 30 minutes, we take pictures for an hour before returning, that leaves us with only 2.5 hours to enjoy the reception with our guests. In other words, time is limited. Should we see each other prior to the ceremony and take the majority of our pictures then? I don't want to regret not having numerous pictures of the two of us together on this one special day. 

This is off of the Savannah Wedding Planner's site, "I say this to all of my couples all the time: I feel that the pictures you two take together are some of the most important aspects of your wedding. I loved my wedding photographer but we have only a few pictures of Tim and I together due too much going on and lack of time. It is one of my biggest regrets at my wedding that we didn't do more or have this moment. (that is a different blog post for a different day!)".

Give me your input!

Ohh decisions, decisions, decisions!