Three mistakes to avoid when hiring a photographer
I’m loving that my Facebook friends are sharing all types of great links lately! I actually forget which local Indianapolis Photographer shared this link, but I wanted to pass the info onto all of you!
The article is 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Wedding Photographer
Here are the Cliffs Notes version of the article…
- Don’t Make the Mistake of Overlooking the Photographer’s Personality
- Don’t Make the Mistake of Prioritizing Products Over the Photography
- Don’t Make the Mistake of Expecting Pro Results From an Amateur Photographer
You should definately hop over to this great article by clicking the link below!
3 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring a Wedding Photographer
Creating a Wedding Map for your Guests
Helping your wedding guests get from point A to point B can be quite difficult. Especially for those members in your family that think Google is the name of a character on the Teletubbies. You know the ones that couldn’t use Google Maps or Mapquest if their life depended on it.
We’ve found a really cool site that can help you solve this problem!
It’s www.IDoWeddingMaps.com
They have 4 custom map styles for you to choose from…
- Classic Style
- Romantic Style
- Sophisticated Style
- Chic Stlye
If one of these styles don’t fit you… you’re hopeless. Just kidding! It’s just means you’re special.
Wedding Maps can make a great impression on your guests. It shows that you care. After you’ve put in all this time & money into designing the perfect day, a wedding map communicates that you want your wedding guests to be there to share it with you. Let’s face it… it’s not easy for your out of town guests to figure out how to get from the airport – to the hotel – to the rehearsal – back to the hotel – to the ceremony – to the reception – back to the hotel. That’s a lot to ask! Simply put… that’s a lot of Google Maps!
www.IDoWeddingMaps.com can help with this problem. They will create a custom wedding map just for you and your guests. You give them up to 4 address that you would like highlighted on the map and they will create a local map of Indianapolis that features your exact locations!
The cheapest maps start at $89 for a PDF file that you print on your own. They call this the “Do it Yourself Bride” Their other package is the “Princess Bride” which is where they will print & cut the maps for you. Below is an outline of their prices…
Their order process is also very simple. You just order (and input all your info), review, approve, & receive the map!
So, if you’re looking for a creative map for your wedding guests, you should definitely check out www.IDoWeddingMaps.com!
Disclaimer: We have not personally used www.IDoWeddingMaps.com, so we do not guarantee your satisfaction in their product. We just recommend that you look into their services!
WishTV 8 Talks Indianapolis Weddings
Creating a Wedding Website for your Destination Wedding
Create a Window to Your Destination Wedding
With destination weddings on the rise, it is becoming more and more important for couples to have a means for informing their guests of their upcoming wedding plans as well as provide recommendations for out-of-town guests.
Wedding websites allow your guests one-stop shopping when it comes time for them to arrange their travel plans as well as other details. You can be as specific as you wish and link your website directly to the hotel reservation pages that you would like to recommend to your guests.
You will find that having a website is not only a time-saver but a budget-saver as well. The multiple mailings that can sometimes become necessary to communicate with your guests can easily eat up a good portion of any wedding budget. Allowing your guests to RSVP online will also cut down on your wedding expenses. No need for RSVP cards! However, you can always order just enough for those guests who may not be web savvy.
If you’re looking to create a wedding website… Check out Wedding Window!
Destination weddings have definitely become a way for couples to express their style in a less traditional way. If you choose to have your wedding in a destination location, try to make it a fun experience for you and your fiancé as well as for your guests.
Destination Wedding Tips
1. Location, Location, Location. When selecting a location, choose one that appeals to your tastes and wedding style. Keep in mind, however, that because it won’t be as easy as going down the street to the local church to attend your wedding, you’ll have to assume that your guest list may be smaller. You’ll need to get a good sense about the number of attendees you wish to have before selecting your event facility so you can be confident that it will be appropriate for the crowd.
2. Less is More. Destination weddings can be expensive not only for those getting married, but also for those attending. Try to be mindful of that when selecting your wedding site so those who are closest to you can afford to attend. Consider having your wedding during the off-season so costs will be lower. Traditionally, accommodation expenses are covered for the bridesmaids by the bride’s family and for the groomsmen by the groom’s family. All other guests should be responsible for their own expenses. Most hotels will work with you to offer group discounts.
3. Assist your Guests. You may know the location that you will be flying off to for your dream wedding like the back of your hand, but most of your guests will not. Your wedding website can be a tool to help you educate your guests about the area, local attractions, accommodation ideas, the weather and directions. Making their job easier will only amount in a larger turnout at your wedding. Use your website to remind them of the things they may not consider such as a passport if required for your chosen location.
© 2009 Wedding Window. All rights reserved.
Wedding Budget Tip: Ceremony & Reception
Wedding Budget Tips brought to you by: Bravo Bride
* Talk to your favorite restaurant to see how much it would cost to rent a private room or even the whole place. This is an option that works best during non-peak hours, as the restaurant might not want to lose their busy weekend crowd.
* Avoid planning your event during typically busy times like June or around Valentine’s Day. During the “off season”, many places will work with you on the price.
* Earn frequent flyer miles for your honeymoon by paying wedding costs with a credit card. Just make sure to pay the balance in full each month to avoid interest charges.
* Find one location for your ceremony and reception to avoid having to provide transportation between venues.
* Skip the champagne and let guests toast with what they are already drinking.
* Reduce the length of your reception, and don’t announce a last call for drinks.
* Book in advance since last minute bookings are usually more expensive due to the extra work involved to coordinate everything.
* Hire a student quartet to play during your ceremony or cocktail hour. Check with local colleges and universities.
* For inexpensive wedding favors, bake cookies or make your own sachets filled with Jordan almonds.
* Using an online budget tracker to keep your wedding finances in order and help control overspending.
* It costs merchants an average of 2% (or more) to process a credit card transaction so pay cash for all or part of the more expensive components of the wedding and ask for a cash discount.
Wedding Budget Tip: Cake
Wedding Budget Tips brought to you by: Bravo Bride
* Buy a smaller decorated cake for wedding photos, and have a plain sheet cake in the kitchen to serve guests. On average, twenty percent of guests don’t eat wedding cake.
* Choosing butter cream or cream cheese instead of expensive fondant is another way to save money on your wedding cake.
Wedding Budget Tip: Flowers
Wedding Budget Tips brought to you by: Bravo Bride
* Having flowers flown in will raise your costs so only use only in season and readily available flowers.
* To get the best prices, order your flowers from an online wholesaler. Keep in mind, however, that you will be responsible for all of the preparation, trimming and storing them, as well as arranging the flowers the day of the wedding.
Wedding Budget Tip: Invitations
Wedding Budget Tips brought to you by: Bravo Bride
* Save postage and additional paper cost on your wedding invitations by forgoing the inner envelope reply card and asking guests to reply online or by the telephone.
* Avoid oversized or bulky invitations since this greatly increases your postage costs.
* Skip ordering the reception cards, have the reception information printed on the bottom of the invitation.
* Instead of paying extra for your invitations to arrive assembled, buy a few bottles of wine, gather friends and have an invitation assembly party! Just don’t spill the wine on your invitations by accident.
Wedding Budget Tip: Wedding Attire
Wedding Budget Tips brought to you by: Bravo Bride
* Most of the big bridal shops have huge sales once a year, which are typically held at hotels or other venues like wedding shows. Look in your local paper or ask a wedding planner to find out what time of the year the sales are held.
* Think about looking in unconventional places to buy bridesmaids gowns. Go shopping for them during prom season and after New Years Eve at department stores or online. A bridesmaid’s gown doesn’t have to come from a bridal shop.
* Many menswear shops will let your groom rent his tuxedo for free or provide a discount if his groomsmen rent their tuxes there.
