1. Wedding Gown
   Ask around. There may very well be an heirloom dress in the family or a close friend may have a gown you can borrow. Most women would be honored by the request. One thing, be sure to get permission for major changes or size alterations you would like to have made. Also, if the dress is going back to the original bride or family member after the wedding, it is only fair that you pay to have the dress cleaned and prepared for storage before returning it.
    
2. Bridal Party
   The smaller the group you have standing up front, the less expense is involved. Even if the attendants pay for their own attire, there are still flowers, gift and rehearsal dinner expenses involved when having a large bridal party.
    
3. Flowers
   Instead of bouquets that bubble over with exotic flower selections from around the globe, a single long-stem rose tied with a satin ribbon for the bridesmaids is a simple and elegant choice. The bride could use a small prayer book or bible with a small bunch of lily-of-the-valley.
    
4. Attendant Gifts
   Take a casual photo of your bridesmaids and purchase inexpensive frames to give each member a memento from one of your bridal showers or a "girls' night out". Be sure to include a message and the date on the back of the picture for an even more meaningful touch.
    
5. Invitations
   Go simple! The most impressive wedding invitations are the sleek, one card type. Also, selecting a card size that does not require extra postage will save money incrementally depending on the size of the guest list.
    
6. Photography
   Professional photographers usually have several options for you to choose from. You can get the album you want without breaking the budget. After you have selected the pictures you want in the formal album, ask about buying the rest of the proofs. If you know someone who takes great photos, ask them to be your photographer. Usually you can buy the film and pay for the developing yourself. At the reception, it is fun to have disposable cameras at each table to get plenty of candid and often very funny shots. Just be sure to include the development costs for each camera in the budget.
    
7. Guest List
   Keep it short. Invite the people that are most important to you, your family and friends. An intimate gathering will be more memorable for you and everyone you share it with.
    
8. Ceremony
   Decorate the church with large bows and simple flower arrangements. Large flowers such as magnolias look beautiful at the end of long, wooden pews.
    
9. Rice Shower
   Some brides substitute rice with bird seed. Cut a yard of netting into 2" x 2" squares, place a small amount of bird see  in the center, gather up the four corners and tie it with a ribbon. With bird seed, there's also no cleanup necessary at most venues.
    
10. Programs
    Wedding programs are not necessary, but if you want them and have access to a computer, you can easily make them yourself. Most paper or craft stores carry a variety of covers. Select your favorite and get creative. Be sure you have the correct spelling for all names.

A professional photographer is NOT necessarily a wedding photographer.  True wedding photographers are able to tell a "story" with their photographs.

If you have the opportunity to attend a Bridal Show, you will have the chance to meet several wedding photographers with a variety of sample albums for you to look through.  This is a great way to compare the different styles and approaches that are used for wedding pictures.  Another helpful way to aid in your search for the perfect photographer is to ask friends for their wedding albums and compare the work of each of their photographers.  Here are a few tips to help you assess one photographer's work over another:

1. Look closely at all group shots.  Check the background.  Are the faces shadowed?
2. Are the bride and groom shots flattering?  Do the poses look natural?
3. Are the shots lit properly?  You can tell by skin tones - are they too light or too dark?
4. Are the sample photos creative? Are they all posed?  Are some of the shots candid?
5. Do the photographs tell a story of the event?

All of these elements indicate the talent of the photographer.  The correct use of lighting, shadows and background settings give dimension to the pictures and help make the subjects in them look more attractive.

Hiring a professional wedding photographer can be very expensive.  If you choose to spend less, you might consider hiring a talented amateur photographer instead.  Contact the local colleges or universities to see it they have a photography instructor or talented student who may be interested.  Also, you can check the local high schools, extension classes, the YMCA or the local camera shop.  Ask to see a portfolio since you probably will not have access to any references.

Videotaping a wedding is not as easy as it may look.  The ceremony should be discretely recorded.  Guests should not be aware of the videotaping activity.  A professional videographer will know how to set up the lighting so there will be no distraction during the ceremony.  Check with the wedding site as some churches do not allow videotaping during the ceremony.

When viewing a videographer's work from other weddings, watch an entire recording.  This will let you see how talented he or she is at creating a story of one wedding.  Sample tapes, which usually consist of selected shots from several events, do not give you a story from beginning to end. 

Never agree to hire the photographer to do the videotaping in addition to taking pictures.  The two skills are very different and cannot be performed by one person at the same event.  If the photographer you hired is employed by a company that also has videographers, check out their work.  The company may offer a special discounted price if you contract both through them.

The day after your wedding, your memories, photographs and videos will be all that you have left.  If you have saved some expense but are disappointed with the photographs, your savings may seem very insignificant.   

When selecting someone to capture your special day, there are several things to keep in mind. The first and probably the most important thing to consider is the amount you have budgeted for photography. As with most things, if you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way to pay for it. While we don’t suggest taking out a second mortgage out on your new home to pay for your wedding photography, you might consider cutting back on some other area if the photographer you really want is not that much more than you had budgeted. Basically, what we are saying is that price should not be the only mitigating reason for not hiring a photographer who you otherwise think would be perfect. This being said, here are a few other things to think about when you look for a photographer.

Wedding Experience — Has this person ever shot a wedding before? Are they a full-time photographer or a weekend enthusiast? With photography, as with most everything else, practice makes perfect. Why trust your once in a lifetime photos to someone who is not staking their reputation on your happiness?

Make Sure You Get Who You Pay For — Larger firms are based on the reputation of their best photographer. If you hire such a firm, be sure to meet with the person who will actually be there, taking your pictures. Regardless of whether you hire a firm or an individual, you will need to ask about an assistant. Assistants mean a quicker photo shoot and possibly getting shots one person might miss during the ceremony.

Portfolio Work — As you look through some of their past work, put yourself in the pictures. Do you like the poses? Are the pictures lit well? Are there any glares or deep shadows? If you dont like a lot of the photos in their portfolio it’s probably a good idea to look for someone else.

Personality Type — Spend some time talking to a prospective photographer. Are you going to want this person around you all day on your big day? Do they seem interested in getting you the pictures and wedding experience that you want? If not, perhaps you should keep looking. Your wedding day is supposed to be a happy occasion after all and the last thing you want is a cranky photographer who puts everyone on edge.

Price — While not a mitigating reason, you do need to make sure you get a detailed price list from each of your prospective photographers and use it to make notes on the back. Ask about package deals on pictures, too. While a pre-fab package might not exactly fit your specific needs, it might save you some money in the long run.

Timeline — Asking when you will receive your proofs, albums, and the rest of your pictures might seem a little silly, but you should not assume that you will have the whole package in a couple of days. Most professionals are not going to use the one hour photo. Some photographers take several months to deliver your entire order.

Personal Appearance — Were not suggesting you should judge your photographer on what he wears to your informal meetings, but what they normally wear to a ceremony. It might be more comfortable for them to shoot the wedding in jeans and a t-shirt, but you might not want them wearing it to your wedding. Youll want to make sure they plan on wearing at least semi-formal attire.

By far, the best way to find a good photographer is to ask around. Ask your friends and family if they know of anyone. People who had a good experience will gladly volunteer their own photographer’s name. Beware of the photographer your friend is hesitant to tell you about. While most photographers will be more honest than not about their abilities, a friend is probably a much more reliable source.

Over the next two weeks, we will be posting a photography checklist for each of the major parts of your wedding, including the bride, the groom, the ceremony, the reception and more.

The Bride

• Bride dressing for wedding
  
  
• Mother helping Bride put on veil
  
  
• Bride-full length
  
  
• Bride-half length
  
  
• Bride-close up
  
  
• Bride with mother-full length
  
  
• Bride with mother-close up
  
  
• Bride with father-full length
  
  
• Bride with father-close up
  
  
• Bride with both parents-full length
  
  
• Bride with both parents-close up
  
  
• Bride with grandparents-full length
  
  
• Bride with grandparents-close up
  
  
• Bride with sister(s)-full length
  
  
• Bride with sister(s)-close up
  
  
• Bride with brother(s)-full length
  
  
• Bride with brother(s)-close up
  
  
• Bride with immediate family
  
  
• Bride with maid/matron of honor-full length
  
  
• Bride with maid/matron of honor-close up
  
  
• Bride with her attendants-full length
  
  
• Bride with her attendants-close up
  
  
• Bride with flower girl
  
  
• Bride with ring bearer 

The Groom

• Groom-full length
  
  
• Groom-half length
  
  
• Groom-close up
  
  
• Groom putting on tie
  
  
• Groom with mother-full length
  
  
• Groom with mother-close up
  
  
• Groom with father-full length
  
  
• Groom with father-close up Groom with parents-full length
  
  
• Groom with parents-close up
  
  
• Groom with grandparents-full length
  
  
• Groom with grandparents-close up
  
  
• Groom with sister(s)-full length
  
  
• Groom with sister(s)-close up
  
  
• Groom with brother(s)-full length
  
  
• Groom with brother(s)-close up
  
  
• Groom with immediate family
  
  
• Groom with best man-full length
  
  
• Groom with best man-close up
  
  
• Groom with groomsmen-full length
  
  
• Groom with groomsmen-close up 

The Ceremony

• Groom at the alter
  
  
• Grandparents being seated
  
  
• Groom’s parents being seated
  
  
• Bride’s parents being seated
  
  
• Flower girl walking down the aisle
  
  
• Ring bearer walking down the aisle
  
  
• Bridesmaids walking down the aisle
  
  
• Maid/Matron of Honor walking down the aisle
  
  
• Father walking bride down the aisle
  
  
• Father giving bride away
  
  
• Bride and groom at the alter Bride and groom exchanging vows
  
  
• Bride and groom exchanging rings
  
  
• Bride and groom lighting unity candle
  
  
• Bride and groom-the kiss
  
  
• Bride and groom walking down the aisle
  
  
• Pictures of the receiving line
  
  
• Bride and groom exiting the church
  
  
• Bride and groom getting into car/limo/carriage 

The Reception

• Parents being announced
  
  
• Wedding party being announced
  
  
• Bride and groom being announced
  
  
• Bride and groom’s first dance
  
  
• Wedding party dancing
  
  
• Bride’s dance with father
  
  
• Groom’s dance with mother
  
  
• Best man toasting bride and groom
  
  
• Bride and groom with champagne glasses
  
  
• Bride and groom’s kiss after the toast
  
  
• Wedding cake
  
  
• Bride and groom cutting cake
  
  
• Bride feeding groom the cake
  
  
• Groom feeding bride the cake
  
  
• Kiss after cake cutting
  
  
• Bride tossing bouquet
  
  
• Groom removing garter
  
  
• Guests dancing
  
  
• Bride and groom’s last dance
  
  
• Bride and groom waving goodbye from car/limo/carriage

Formal Pictures

• Bride and groom kissing
  
  
• Bride and groom-full length
  
  
• Bride and groom-half length
  
  
• Bride and groom-close up
  
  
• Bride and groom ‘gazing’ at each other
  
  
• Bride and groom holding hands
  
  
• Close up of rings
  
  
• Bride and groom with bride’s parents
  
  
• Bride and groom with groom’s parents
  
  
• Bride and groom with bride’s grandparents
  
  
• Bride and groom with groom’s grandparents Bride and groom with bride’s extended family
  
  
• Bride and groom with groom’s extended family

Miscellaneous

• Close up of invitation
  
  
• Wedding rings with the invitation
  
  
• Close up shot of wedding rings on your hand with the bride’s bouquet Bride looking at her bouquet
  
  
• Bride and groom signing their marriage certificate
  
  
• Bride and/or groom with special friends
  
  
• Bride and/or groom with special relatives
  
  
• The head table
  
  
• Picture of band or DJ

Think back to when you were in high school and you would cut out pages of magazines and glue them all together in a collage on poster boards in your room or in your locker. Now forget about your favorite pop group and think about your dream wedding instead. There you have it, wedding inspiration boards!

Wedding inspiration boards are pretty much just an idea haven. You will use pictures that help reflect your wedding vision. Use different examples that highlight both your tone whether it be traditional or contemporary and also your color palette. These come in quite handy when you are trying to clearly convey to your vendors, family, and friends what your ideas are and how you see everything working together.

Creating an inspiration board can be as simple or complex as you like. You can go completely old school and just search for the images you want and copy and paste them into something like paint or photoshop. A great way to start one out is to find one thing you are certain you love and build around it. Or you can visit different sites that offer tools just for inspiration boards. Check out Snipi.com and stylemepretty.corn for tips on how to create beautiful images.

Make several different ones and continue to update them all the time. Add and remove items as your plans start to really set in. Inspiration boards are just one more tool that will help you stay organized. The finalized board should exhibit a clear idea to you and all involved in your wedding planning. And let’s face it these are just a lot of fun to make!