Wedding pictures hold some of the happiest memories of a lifetime, so be sure you consider all the angles when preparing to be photographed on the big day.
In the weeks and months leading up to the wedding…
Plan your procedures ahead — it’s easy to get caught up in the craziness of tastings, fittings and appointments and forget to schedule facial treatments until the last minute. Don’t be tempted to get microdermabrasion or chemical peels within at least a month of the event, depending on the exact type of laser or peel. Laser resurfacing “heals within days and normal color returns within a few weeks — if that long” according to Dr. Edward Lack (Chicago Rhinoplasty ). Even a simple facial shouldn’t be considered in the last few days leading up. Call well ahead of time and discuss this with the technician.
Practice good skin health — stay hydrated and eat healthfully leading up to the event. Don’t try new skincare products, or anything that may irritate your skin. Anticipate your skin’s history, and treat it accordingly depending on changes your skin may experience in the climate or weather that’s expected at the venue.
For the big day…
Start with a good base – be sure that your foundation is the right color and formulation for your skin. You may feel like you should use a heavy cream or stick foundation since you’re being photographed, but heavier formulas will look caked on and are more likely to leave a line of demarcation around the neck and hairline that’s tougher to blend away. Just stick with the liquid or powder that works for you, and be sure it’s properly matched to your color. No one wants to look washed out, but it can also age you a bit if your base is too dark for you. Color correcting concealers, like green or yellow for redness, and peach or yellow for undereye circles are a much better choice than simply layering on more makeup. Remember that redness will be easily picked up in photographs so take care to balance that out, and stay away from more pink based foundations.
Avoid the shiny look – glitter will reflect too much on camera, and shouldn’t be worn to a nice event like a wedding anyway. Radiance-enhancing or shimmery foundations make faces look too slick and shiny for photos, so if you must, only keep the sheen on cheekbones and the cupid’s bow for highlighting purposes. Always finish the t-zone with powder, which is especially important to balance any highlighting applied. If you know you’re more oily, pop pressed powder in your bag so that you stay shine free.
The eyes have it – keep in mind that darker eyeshadows and heavy liner make eyes look smaller. A matte or pearl shadow formula will be universally flattering and especially in warm, earthy tones. To keep eyes looking big and bright, highlight the inner corners and brow bone with an off-white, light pink or pale gold shadow or crayon. The older you are, the more important it is to stay fast to the no shimmer rule, as it tends to bring attention to fine lines. Black eyeliner can also look too harsh for older women (same goes for liquid liner) and fair blondes are more suited for eyeliner and mascara in the brown tones. Don’t forget to make sure brows are properly framing the face — everyone looks better and younger with defined brows. Fill the arches with powder or if using a pencil, blend with a brush. Brow color and size are important considerations here, so don’t forget to use a light hand and blend.
Consider your venue and lighting – do take the time to stop and think about if the event / photos will be taking place indoors or out, and at what time of day. Indoor photos will be taken with flash, so it’s important to use powder to combat shine and to also be sure foundation is matched well. If outdoors, soften makeup a bit as it can easily look too heavy or harsh. Also adjust your makeup look for more formal locations, and later times in the evening. When considering these factors, you will want to use more color and definition over simply adding more makeup.
Keeping these ideas in mind, remember its always most important to look like yourself and feel comfortable on your wedding day. These techniques will help ensure you look flawless both in person and in photographs for years to come.
It can be really difficult to find the perfect wedding cake topper that truly reflects your unique personality as a couple. Somehow a generic bride in a white dress and a generic groom in a black tuxedo just doesn’t always cut it — even if you can find a topper that gets your skin and hair colors right.
These generic cake toppers just don’t say anything about the two people who are getting married.
If you appreciate this problem, then you are going to love the concept of custom-made wedding cake toppers.
These toppers are made to order. You tell the artists exactly what you imagine and they will work with you to create a cake topper that is perfect for you. Such a cake topper would obviously be a great keep-sake for you to display long after the wedding is over.
Since they are custom-made, they can cost more than your average cake topper. But to get around this problem you could ask an artist friend to make a cake topper as their gift to you. Or you could talk to a university art class instructor about having their students all make customized cake toppers for you and the best one will win a gift certificate and their piece will be used for your wedding cake.
Or you could save money in another area of your wedding budget and apply those savings to your cake topper budget. For great ways to save money on your wedding, get a copy of our downloadable wedding planner.
Here are some cake toppers that were custom made for brides and grooms who wanted their cake toppers to really catch their unique personalities.
Have you ever been to a wedding reception with the disc jockey from hell? The music is too loud, he doesn’t know how to get people on the dance floor, and he has the most ridiculous song collection ever!
Don’t let this happen at your reception party.
Our Number One Suggestion:
See the DJ in action before you hire him! Choose a DJ from a wedding you have attended. You might even be able to negotiate with a DJ that you are considering to be allowed to attend one of his events (never hurts to ask) before making your final decision.
Here are some questions to ask before hiring a DJ:
Are you the one who will DJ our wedding?
(Make sure you know who will be doing your wedding reception.)
How many people will cover the event?
How long have you been a disc jockey and how many weddings have you performed at?
(You don’t want your wedding to be his practice session, do you?)
Do you also Emcee the reception?
Do you wear a suit and tie?
What time do you arrive to setup the equipment?
Do you carry liability insurance?
How many songs do you have in your library?
Do you provide a wireless microphone for speeches?
Do you bring backup equipment with you?
Are lighting effects included?
Do you provide a written contract and guarantee?
What are the refunds / cancellation terms?
What are the terms of payment and what costs do I need to be aware of?
(gratuity, service charge, taxes, overtime, travel expenses, etc.)
Here is a video we found offering ten things to look for when hiring a DJ.
For additional ideas, you may find the following article to be helpful:
How to Hire a Wedding Disc Jockey By Kevin Colangelo
In the age of the Internet, things are very different. I started with maybe 100 albums, with an additional 200-250 45’s. That is not even a drop in the DJ bucket. I have seen websites of DJ’s who are claiming 20,000 available songs for their events. My own song library went from milk crates of albums, to boxes of cd’s, to MP-3 files on a USB hard drive. And, a USB hard drive is a lot easier to carry around than 20 milk crates.
So, what do you need to look for when you hire your DJ? I think one of the easiest ways to find a good DJ is to take a look at what people have complained about at my events. And be sure not to hire the same DJ these people hired.
“He just wouldn’t turn down the music”.
This has been among the most reported of the complaints I have heard about. One father of the bride, after the DJ had been asked to turn it down many times, finally told the DJ that he would stop payment on the check if the music wasn’t turned down.
How do you insure that you won’t have this same problem? Or if you do, what recourse do you have? Many DJ’s are subcontractors of national chain organizations. You have probably pre-paid for the event. I am sure the national organization will be interested in the conduct of the DJ. If you feel that you have been treated badly, let them know. If they receive additional complaints, that particular DJ might not be working for them in the future.
“He just wouldn’t shut up”.
I have had numerous event attendees come up to me over the years and thank me for not talking their ears off while I was doing the DJ work. A major complaint was that the DJ started “chattering” a minute or more before the song ended, kept up the dialog during the fade to the new song, and didn’t stop talking until the new song was almost a minute in.
One lady told me that the DJ she hired was talking thru almost half of each song. Someone figured out how to handle the situation: they all quit going out on the dance floor. When the DJ asked why no-one was dancing, someone shouted that they couldn’t dance when the DJ wouldn’t shut up. She reported that the DJ got the message.
As above, if the DJ is a sub-contractor, his umbrella organization will probably want to know how the DJ handled the event. If the DJ doesn’t comply with your requests, you may request a refund.
“He didn’t play any of the music we wanted to hear”.
This has been probably the most reported DJ problem. One lady told me that the DJ she hired for the 25th anniversary party she had scheduled for her parents wouldn’t play any of the music she had requested. He had asked her to give him a list of the music she wanted, but over halfway thru the party, he had not played anything she had listed.
In this instance, the DJ was not affiliated with a national organization. In order to get the event, he had given the client a 50/50 deal, 50% down and 50% at the conclusion of the event. The DJ was extremely surprised when the client rejected his request for the final payment. When the client showed the DJ the list of music she had given him, without a single song checked off as having been played, he responded that he expected to be paid, even though he had not played anything that had been requested.
“He didn’t show up with the equipment he promised”.
One attendee at an event I DJ’d told me of the following nightmare: She had hired a DJ for a singles mixer at a local night club/restaurant. The night club had 3 separate seating areas, for which the client had requested separate speaker systems, to provide music to all areas of the nightclub. When the DJ showed up, all he had was a single set of speakers, which were unable to provide sufficient sound to the areas farthest from where he set up. When the client asked where the rest of the rest of the speakers were, the DJ replied that he didn’t really have the additional speakers. The client had paid a 10% down payment, with the rest expected to be paid before the event would be started. The DJ had several excuses about why he didn’t have the equipment, but told the client he expected to be paid in full, simply because he showed up. I got the impression from the client that the DJ wasn’t happy.
After thirty years in the DJ industry, I have heard many other tales of woe. But, I think there are ways to decrease the possibilities that you will fall prey to the same types of DJ’s I have already mentioned. Now that we know who not to hire, let’s look at some things to look for to find the right DJ.
#1: Pre-determine the music required for the event you are planning.
Make a list of what you want to hear. I am sure it will change as the evening goes on, but you will start with something you are happy with.
Several years ago, I did a back-yard wedding reception. The list that the client gave me was actually quite simple: 50% classic rock, 25% country, 25% top 40. No problem. However, no one took into consideration that most of the attendees were of Mexican descent. It soon became apparent that by not listing that they wanted Tejano music, I didn’t make an effort to get Tejano music. I did, however, have a couple CD players. We scoured the CD libraries of two of the residents in the home, found all the Tejano music we needed, and salvaged the reception.
If you are planning, for example, a 50th anniversary party for your parents, they probably grew up in the 30’s, 40’s or 50’s. That’s the music they listened or danced to when they were dating. That’s the Big Band era. They are likely not going to get on the dance floor for Rap or Techno music. I am sure you will get someone out there for those music styles, but if you invited your parent’s friends, there won’t be many of their age group on the dance floor. So, find a DJ who has an excellent library of the 30’s – 50’s Big Band music. He will be surely asked to play something from that era.
When I started my DJ business, I was listening to what has become known as Classic Rock, although back then it was just Rock. The Birds, Alice Cooper, Bachman Turner Overdrive, The Who, The Beach Boys, and even the Beatles. So, I would be a good selection for a singles dance whose attendees were in the 30-50 year old range. You would never ask me to do a sweet sixteen birthday party for your daughter. I wouldn’t have the slightest idea what they were (or are) listening to.
Granted, in almost all venues, there will be a diverse music requirement. Big Band will not be the only request at the 50th anniversary party, but it will likely be a large portion of the request lists. So it is a very delicate balancing act to incorporate all the styles that will be requested. I just know that I have and will likely turn down any requests to do Rap music or sweet sixteen parties.
#2: Select the DJ for the venue based on his ability to fulfill the requirements of that venue.
My first DJ events were singles dances in Seattle. They were held in the cultural halls in two LDS churches. I soon discovered that I just didn’t plan very well. I was trying to fill an area approximately the size of a standard basketball court with sound. It could be done easily with the equipment I had set up for the first dance, if there were no people there. With fifty people trying to dance to the music, I just didn’t have the projection capabilities.
I soon added another pair of speakers about halfway down the floor, pointing straight across the floor at each other. This solved the problems of getting the music from the front row to at least halfway back. Another pair of speakers solved the issue of getting the music all the way to the back.
There were other ways to solve the special issues of sound. I could have installed the speakers on stands to get the music over the heads of the dancers. My approach was to use 350 Watt speakers, usually in 2 or 3 pairs, around the outside of the dance floor, to get the booming bass I thought was so important. I felt that the stand speakers were a little too “tinny”; I wanted to “feel” the music.
#3: Discuss with the DJ the recourse you have if he doesn’t fulfill your expectations.
I realize that expectations can be very generic. What you might think is a total failure in the event might simply be a missed conversation, one that didn’t take place, but should have.
I believe that most DJ’s, if they are truly trying to provide the absolute best for their clients, will take the time to get to know all of the client’s requirements, from the time the DJ needs to show up, to what they are going to wear. Showing up at 8:00 Pm for an event at 7:00 PM just doesn’t impress the guests very much. And wearing a tux to a 50th birthday party in someone’s back yard when all the guests are wearing cut-offs might be a little pretentious.
So, talk to your DJ. Ask him what you should do if he can’t find the volume knob, or if he can’t keep his opinions about the music to himself so the guests can dance to music and not a play-by-play of the latest band gossip. And, ask one of the most important questions if the interview process: Just how interested is he in making your event the best it can possibly be?
I have done DJ events from a singles dance with 4 people to an international event held at the Peace Arch near Seattle. Along the way, I tried to learn what the client expected, and did my best to provide that client with everything they needed and wanted. So, here’s a short list:
1) Get all of your expectations in writing.
Does the DJ have a Services Contract? Does it list everything the DJ will do for your event, including who he/she is bringing?
Give your proposed DJ a list of everything you want for the event when you interview him/her.
Talk every item over with them.
Insure the DJ has an Event Planer (and fill it out in great detail).
2) Find out if the DJ is a local independent, affiliated with a national organization, or just pulled his AM/FM tuner out of his stereo cabinet.
Does he/she have the final say in the decision process? If not, find out who makes the decisions, get a phone number and address, and contact that person.
Use Internet resources to verify claims the DJ makes. If he says he is a member of XYZ Entertainment, contact them.
Ask for a list of clients he has DJ’d for in the previous 6 months. You can go back further, but the industry has changed so significantly, the DJ may not be recognizable.
Don’t assume that everyone on the list is a positive referral. CALL EVERYONE.
3) Find out if the DJ has an on-line music library listing, or has a list printed up for you to select your music from.
Make your list as specific as possible. Don’t list “Country” as a music style; list specific country artists.
If you have a list of music, make sure he/she knows what you want to listen to.
Find out what you can do if the DJ doesn’t play what you want.
If your DJ says you have to listen to only what they want to play, find another DJ.
4) Really “look” at your DJ.
Check out his/her internet site. Look for anything that might tell you if he/she is the one you want at your event.
Ask for your DJ’s equipment list. I am sure he/she is very proud of their 1000 watt “boom box”, but that might not be the best equipment for your event.
5) Cheaper is not better
If you have gotten 4 quotes exceeding $700 each, and 1 quote for $300, don’t be excited to be getting a $400 discount; be excited to discover why you are getting that price.
In conclusion, your selections can make or break the event. If you select the wrong caterer, hire the wrong hall, have the wrong dress company make your dresses, or even hire the wrong DJ, the event may not be the best ever. But, a little detective work, a little attention to detail, a question here, a question there, and you will create an event to be proud of.
The ”I Do with Mirassou” Contest requires that you be 21 or older to enter and that you be in the United States (except CA, TN, UT, PR and where otherwise prohibited by law). If that’s you, definitely apply because you could win $10,000 !
The Grand Prize winner will receive:
$10,000 toward a dream wedding
The opportunity to meet with Celebrity Chef Aida Mollenkamp, host of the popular Food Network show “Ask Aida” as well as David Mirassou, wine expert and sixth-generation member of America’s oldest winemaking family, to create a custom California-inspired wedding menu, complete with wine pairings
A trip to San Francisco and northern California wine country
A wine tour and dinner hosted by David Mirassou
Five lucky finalists will receive:
a Mirassou gift package and be featured at www.mirassou.com for an online vote from July 16 – August 8, with the winner selected in August 2010.
The contest is open for entries through June 27th.
We urge you to read the contest rules before applying to make sure that you are eligible and to make sure that you understand how this contest can be won.
We were recently asked to write an article that has now been published in the Winter / Spring issues of San Francisco Bay Area’s Mocha Bride Magazine and Bride Nine Magazine.
Today, we are going to share our article in its entirety to help you know how to plan your dream wedding for $5,000 or Less.
5 Keys to Having Your Dream Wedding for $5,000 Or Less
By: Tim and Lisa Spooner
When we got engaged, we had beautiful dreams of a wonderful wedding. Many of our friends were getting married at the time so we attended their weddings and imagined what our wedding would be like. We wanted our wedding to reflect our special love for one another while giving our family and friends an opportunity to celebrate with us.
The only obstacle to achieving our wedding dreams seemed to be our very limited financial resources. In a community where the average cost of a wedding was more than $24,000 the huge cost of a wedding loomed in front of us like a locked door blocking the path to our dream wedding. It seemed ridiculous to sink so much money into our first day of married life. Yes our wedding day would be special but should it warrant such wild spending? We refused to believe that wedding dreams should have to be purchased at such a high cost that would inevitably put a pinch on our newlywed finances.
After consulting both of our bank accounts, we agreed that we could comfortably afford to spend up to $2,000 on our wedding day.
We chose to believe that we could achieve all our wedding dreams by using just five keys. These keys made our dream wedding possible. Since then, we have helped thousands of brides and grooms use these very same keys to unlock the door to their dream weddings.
Key #1: Know Your Budget
Wedding spending can be a very slippery slope. Unless you know exactly how much you can afford for each aspect of your wedding it will be very difficult for you to say no to all kinds of upgrades and add-ons. Before you know it, the dream wedding you imagined will have turned into a monster with a life of its own and your wedding expenses will have snowballed out of control.
You should carefully consider how much you want to spend on your wedding. Keep in mind that after the wedding thank you notes are written you will be faced with everyday bills like rent and everyday problems like a car breaking down. Do your best to make sure that the expense of your wedding isn’t a part of these financial stresses.
You can easily find a helpful wedding budget online that will calculate how much of your overall budget should be applied to each aspect of your wedding.
Your budget should guide how much you spend on each part of your wedding planning. You will be amazed to discover that simply knowing your spending limits will open up great doors to savings that you never knew existed.
Key #2: Know What You Want
The wedding world is full of all kinds of marketers trying to persuade you to believe that what they are offering is essential to the success of your wedding.
Before you get swept along like a flower petal on a river, anchor yourself by thinking about what is really important to your wedding.
Ask yourself why you want to have a wedding ceremony and reception. What is keeping you from simply visiting the justice of the peace or taking a trip to Las Vegas? Once you know why you want a wedding ceremony and reception you can start to envision what your wedding day should be like.
You need to know what goals your wedding is meant to achieve. If one of your goals is to have a fun celebration of your marriage with your family and friends, then you will want to focus on making your reception everything you want it to be. If another goal is to have lots of beautiful photographic memories of your wedding day, then you will want to make sure that you hire a good photographer and choose a venue with beautiful background scenery.
You probably have more than one goal for your wedding but if you think carefully about it you should be able to think of one primary goal for your wedding. The purpose of our wedding, for instance, was to be an occasion for our guests to celebrate our marriage with us. Once you know the primary goal for your wedding, you can make sure that all of your other wedding goals support your wedding’s overall purpose.
Instantly downloadable Wedding Planner reveals Tim and Lisa’s strategies that made their $2,000 dream wedding and countless other beautiful dream weddings possible.
You can then design your wedding with your primary purpose in mind. Knowing what you really want from your wedding will allow you to focus your wedding dollars and your energy on what is really important to making your wedding dreams come true.
Key #3: Know Your Resources
Even if you are not expecting either of your parents to pay for your wedding, you should still check in with them to find out if they are able to contribute in any way. You might be surprised to find out that they were waiting for you to come to them and invite them to help you reach your wedding planning goals. They may be able to offer to pay for a certain aspect of your wedding such as the wedding cake or the wedding dress. Or they might be able to write a check to cover some portion of your wedding costs. They might be able to give you a tip on where you can get a great deal on your wedding and reception venues. Bottom line is that you won’t know until you ask. Don’t make the mistake of assuming that your parents can’t help.
As you think about the various roles that need to be filled at your wedding ceremony and reception, try to think of family members and friends who would do a great job filling each position. Don’t forget about classmates, co-workers, and members of your church. Among all of these people you will surely know a crafty individual who could arrange your flowers, a musician, or someone who can fill any other role in your wedding planning.
People are often generous when they know who they are helping and will give you a great deal on the service you need. Just be sure to express heart-felt thanks for any services provided to you at special pricing. You may even want to give a thoughtful thank you gift to individuals who are particularly generous.
As you think about a location for your ceremony or reception, try to also think about which of your friends and family members are associated with that venue. If the owners of the venue know you or someone you know they are more likely to give you a special discount price when you ask to use their location.
Key #4: Know What to Spend Your Energy On
Planning a successful wedding can take up a lot of time and energy. You should try to delegate time consuming projects like flower arranging and table decorations to willing helpers. You will stay busy enough just coordinating and overseeing everything.
Most of your friends would love to help you with your wedding in some way. They are probably waiting to be invited to have a part in your wedding planning and you won’t know it until you ask them.
We were talking with a friend today who told us that she assumed her friends did not want to help her with her wedding because they were not approaching her with offers to help. As a result, she ended up asking only three of her friends to be a part of the wedding planning process. She told us that after the wedding she found out many of her friends were disappointed that they were never invited to have a part in her wedding planning. They were all hoping to help with the wedding in some way but did not feel right interfering with the bride’s plans.
As the bride, it is your responsibility to ask for help. Don’t wait for your friends to come to you – they probably won’t, even if they would like to be a part of your wedding planning team.
You of course do not want to burden any of your friends with too much work. But if you carefully choose friends to help out with key parts of your wedding planning that fit their particular skills and interests, you will find that they’ll consider it an honor to be a part of your wedding planning team.
Just make sure that you honor them in turn by giving them some creative freedom, giving them your time, and by expressing how much they mean to you and how much you appreciate their help.
You could even have some of your friends over for a craft party. Your friends can come over to help you put together a craft that you will give away as favors. You can express your appreciation by providing snacks and buying pizza. This will save you a lot of time while giving you a chance to have a great time with your friends.
By getting your friends and family involved in helping with your wedding planning, you will be freed up to focus on making sure that everything comes together the way you have envisioned for your wedding day.
Key #5: Know Where to Get the Best Deals
When we were planning our wedding, we looked into buying a unity candle along with family candles. We found that the simplest unity candle sets were selling for about $30.
Then we went to the local crafts and hobbies store where we bought the candles we wanted and the desired decorative enhancements for just $7.
At home we assembled them and had our very own unity candle set for just a fraction of the cost that most brides were paying for similar unity candles.
If you are willing to assemble a few pieces, you can find much of what you need at a crafts store where you will pay just a fraction of what you would pay for a ready-made wedding item.
Also keep in mind that your reception is really just a specialized party event. Instead of paying the big bucks for a “wedding reception” table cover, why not take a look at a party store where you will find a “party” table cover at a much lower cost. The only difference will be that it won’t be packaged in a box that says “wedding” on it.
Second-hand is another great way to go when purchasing items for a wedding. Most wedding items are only used one time and then put in storage. Eventually, the owner of the wedding item gets tired of storing it and puts it up for sale on eBay or in the classifieds section of the local newspaper. Check out eBay and the classifieds and you can find anything from tulle to a bridal gown good as new for bargain prices.
An Open Door to Your Wedding Dreams
The five keys we have outlined for you can unlock the door to your dream wedding. Like us, you can grab a hold of those five keys and move forward with planning the wedding of your dreams at whatever cost you are comfortable with. Even if you can only afford to spend $5,000, $3,000, or less than $2,000 like us, your dream wedding is very possible with the five keys we have shared with you.
Download Wedding Planning on a Budget to discover how Tim, Lisa, and other couples have been saving thousands upon thousands of dollars on their dream weddings!
