Wedding & Party Network - Online wedding, special event and party planner

December 25, 2009 by Mandy Maxwell

Timeless Photography’s Secret To Artistic Wedding Photos

Romantic Wedding Photography Photography is not a job to Lon Crook of Timeless Photography — it’s a way of life. He’s been passionate about taking pictures since he bought his first 35mm camera.

During the past 25 years, his passion and talent have grown, shaping the artistry in which he captures every bride.

Without a doubt, brides in Williamsville Illinois receive more than just wedding photos when they choose Timeless Photography; they receive an array of masterpieces.

Quality is the most important element to Lon because he wants every photo to be your favorite. His dedication to producing the perfect wedding photos is so strong that he only shoots a limited number of sessions each year. This allows him to take the time to work one-on-one with the bride. He devotes his full attention to the bride and fulfilling her desires for a unique wedding album. This kind of wedding photographer is a rare find, and the results are out of this world.

With Timeless Photography you get:

No Picture Limits
No Time Limits
No Post-Production Fees
Copyright-released High Resolution Pictures on DVD’s
Complete Wedding Coverage including the Rehearsal
Low Cost Professional Printing

The last thing you want to worry with on your wedding day is your wedding pictures. There’s to much to enjoy! Lon takes this burden off of the bride’s shoulders. You always know that you are in very capable and trustworthy hands. You don’t have to worry about whether or not your wedding photographer will be there to capture every detail. Just like every other enamored guest at your wedding, you command his undivided attention as well.

December 7, 2009 by Mandy Maxwell

Experience really can make the difference!

Experience is the name of the game when it comes to Wilson Photography. Since 1985 Wes Wilson has been doing top quality photography in the North Augusta, SC area, and oh what a portfolio he has!

Among my favorites of Wes’ were those that demonstrate his use of black and white photography and his unique eye for composition. In the world of digital photography, it is rare to see a photographer capture black and white the old fashioned way. Wilson Photography does this! His blacks are true blacks, not the in-between grey you usually get from digital photographers without experience.

Another thing I noticed about Wilson’s photos was just how well he captures the moment in the eyes of his subjects. You can really see the emotion in each and every photo. The wedding photography is where this is extremely evident. The deep love in the bride’s eyes, the playfulness of the children in their little suits and dresses and the thoughtfulness of the attendants … these emotions seem to be encapsulated in the eyes.

Wilson Photography is definitely the photographer you are looking for if you want amazing photos that really capture the heart of the moment, as well as a veteran photographer’s patience and professionalism.

Want more advice on where to find party and wedding vendors? Find vendors and other party and wedding planning tips at www.WeddingAndPartyNetwork.com.

November 27, 2009 by Mandy Maxwell

Mojica’s Photography Gives Wedding Photos A New Look!

One look at a photo can bring back memories of a moment captured in time. Whether it is a wedding photo, engagement portraits or family pictures, all are equally as important in some way or another.

Mojica Photography understands the importance of little, candid moments and can turn these into masterpieces. Their creative photographer Loraine’s unique view on things is what makes Mojica stand out amongst other photographers. Just listen to her thrilled client:

“One thing I was very impressed with was her creativity. She had wonderful ideas for shots that I would have never thought of before–those are some of my favorites–but she is equally skilled with more traditional shots as well.”

Another thing Mojica is known for is family photography. Anyone who has tried to take pictures of children knows that … well its practically impossible. Sitting still is simply not an option for kids, so Loraine’s natural way with kids puts her a cut above the rest!

“We had so much fun doing them i don’t even think my son even realized we were taking pictures most of the time. Which is great because the pictures turned out very natural and really captured our family.”

You can’t get much better than that! So if you are looking for a good blend of creativity with the technical photography skill to do fantastic traditional wedding photos, Mojica Photography is your best bet!

October 30, 2009 by Mandy Maxwell

A Force To Be Reckoned With – Galeforce Photography!

“Your dreams become beautiful treasures in my hands.” That pretty much says it all! Susan McKinney of Galeforce Photography in Fort Worth TX knows exactly how important it is to get the most out of your photo shoot.

Susan has a real gift for photography and an artistic vision to match. Her technical expertise and attention to details make Susan a true gem! She is a veteran professional photographer and comfortable in all situations! Even underwater! That’s right! If your destination wedding calls for underwater photography Susan has been there, done that!

Picking a good photographer can be one of the hardest things about planning a wedding. Susan McKinney specializes in wedding photography and knows how to capture those little moments that make your wedding personal. Being a woman herself, she makes sure the bride looks her best in every shot. Does your hair look okay? Is the veil straight? Your confidence on the big day is essential and you will be in such good hands with Susan you won’t give it a second thought.

Just listen to this blissful bride:

All my pictures are priceless! Each time I look at them I relive the most beautiful day of my life! Not only have I gained a photographer that I want to use for the rest of my photogenic days, but I have a new friendship with the most talented photographer. Susan is truly a blessing, and her pictures too! -Andrea B

Just like Andrea said above, Susan does way more than weddings and will be your go-to photographer for any occasion! Once you use Galeforce Photography, you are treated like family. You even receive discounts on future sessions and prints! No matter what the occasion — senior portraits, family photos, even commercial headshots — you can count on Susan!

A rare attribute of Galeforce Photography is pet portraits. If you have a pet, you know they are part of the family too and getting a picture of their “good side” is next to impossible. Susan is gifted with patience and is able to really work with your pet and capture their personality.

No matter what you are looking for Susan McKinney of Galeforce Photography has got you covered! If you don’t live in Texas but would love to have a jack-of-all-trades photographer like this, check out our listings of wonderful local photographers to find one in your area!

For more great wedding planning tips, quizzes, advice and local wedding vendors, visit WeddingAndPartyNetwork.com.

August 31, 2009 by Celebration Advisor

How To Rejoice In The Day & The Memories Captured

Want to remember your wedding day and get a view of the occasion as the rush dies down? Want your wedding photos to be magazine quality and enviable? You will love Lawrenceville Georgia’s most talented wedding photographers, Memories Captured Photography.

For these kinds of photos you need a wedding photographer that will make you comfortable. You need someone who knows their way around a wedding ceremony and reception. You need someone that has years of experience making newlyweds look amazing. Someone who can quickly and easily manage family when it’s time to take the pictures. Put simply, you need Memories Captured Photography. They are every bit of this and more.

Pictures = 1000 words ; Wedding Photo Album = Priceless.

It’s your day! It’s your wedding! It’s time to make 1000 memories that will last for a lifetime. If a picture’s worth a thousand words, your wedding photo album is worth a few good hours of storytelling and nostalgia with friends and family.

Rather than describe your wedding to your loves ones, walk them through your special day with wedding photos that surpass everyone’s expectations. Open up your photo album and see high quality, charming and detailed wedding photos that make the day seem like a fairytale come to life. Where do you get that kind of wedding album? Memories Captured Photography.

If you want to always remember the important moments and some of the little things about your wedding day, choose Memories Captured Photography as your wedding photographer. One look at your photo album and you’ll know your choice was brilliant.

August 1, 2009 by Celebration Advisor

Wedding Photographs: Your Happiest Day Stands Still

Ask the Celebration Advisor: For my wedding in Salt Lake City, UT I would like to have a professional photographer taking photos. I am always so impressed with the quality of my friend’s wedding pictures. What can I expect from a wedding photographer at my wedding? -Mary Anne

The Celebration Advisor: Photographs are one of the best conversation makers and that is why people say a picture is worth a thousand words. I say why stop at a thousand? You can make it two with a professional wedding photographer from Salt Lake City. If you are to be more than satisfied with images of the happiest day of your life, then being satisfied with a photographer is your first big step.

The wedding photographer you choose should have the personality that you get along with best and the energy that matches that of your wedding day. The last thing you would want is for an introverted photographer to shy away from the dance floor. By interviewing a few you can get a head start weeding out the sticks in the mud.

Some photographers will offer to bring external lighting. I suggest this because as photographers know, lighting is never ideal. Sometimes distracting shadows can ruin a picture that could have benefited by some flash photography. Also have in mind scenic backdrops for the photographer to use at your wedding. Oftentimes brides will suggest to include a sunset or mountains into the background. And what better of a backdrop is there in Salt Lake City than the beautiful snow capped mountains?

Wedding photographers will also have various photo packages to choose from. These packages can varry in price from $500 – $10,000 and include different amounts of prints, hours of coverage, special albums and multiple locations. As a rule of thumb with photographers, it is not necessarily true that what you pay for is what you get. Many times you can find fairly low prices that adversely represent the quality you can expect.

Above all else, the Salt Lake City wedding photographer you choose can be expected to provide you with beautiful pictures that are a tangible record of your happiest day. For generations to come, your relatives will find joy in your timeless snippets from the past.

July 28, 2009 by Celebration Advisor

Wedding Photographer Tips For the Budget-Minded

Ask the Celebration Advisor: For my wedding in September I would like to have a wedding photographer present taking professional pictures. I am from Chicago and need to meet with a photographer soon. What can I expect as far as prices go?

The Celebration Advisor: Pictures are like little snippets of memories from our past. To have a photographer document your wedding will allow you to relive the happiest day of your life. Chicago wedding photographers specialize in capturing timeless portraits that are treasured for years to come.

Typically a photographer has varying packages you can choose from. Each one contains anywhere from smaller wallet sized photos to large portraits. Wedding photographers also provide their customers the option to add digital enhancements or use unique photography techniques in order to create fantastical images.

Every photographer charges differently and quality of service and final products are not necessarily based on price. Packages of wedding photos can range anywhere from $500 to $10,000. Broken down, the prices include:

multiple prints
an X amount of coverage hours
special albums
photographers assistants
multiple shoot locations

You must meet with a number of photographers to properly establish which one will fit your needs and budget best. If budget is a problem, here are some tips to keep those wallets fat:

negotiation of prices
weekday wedding (most weddings are on weekends)
limit digital enhancements
limit length of photo sessions to just the ceremony or reception.
put disposable cameras on tables at the reception ( for shutterbug relatives)

At your wedding there will be countless opportunities for a Chicago wedding photographer to capture the photos you desire most. For years to come your wedding pictures will frame a moment where happiness withstood the test of time.

July 15, 2009 by Celebration Advisor

5 Essential Ingredients For A Successful Wedding Reception

Wedding Receptions: The First Party Of Your Married Life

Your first party together as husband and wife – the wedding reception – is a celebration of your love and commitment, a truly momentous event that should be glorified as such. Family and friends will come from near and far to help mark this important milestone in your new life together. And you will have the time of your life. Great wedding receptions are talked about and remembered fondly by guests and wedding party members alike for years and years.

Just think of all the great memories you will make together as husband and wife surrounded by the most important people in your life. What a great way to start your journey together.

However, before you put on your dancing shoes and let your hair down, there is a lot of planning that goes into making your wedding reception perfect. While there are many aspects of the wedding reception to consider, if you take care of the core five ingredients (food, music, decorations, location and photographers/videographers), it will come together beautifully.

Food: Success Begins With Great Taste

Just imagine, as your guests enter the reception hall they are greeted by a stunningly beautiful ice sculpture that sparkles and glistens in the warm candlelight. Near the buffet table a chocolate fountain gurgles a cascading sheet of rich milk chocolate and nearby an elegant champagne fountain bubbles out the sweet lavish liquid. The aroma of a delicious meal fills the air, leaving your guests with a feeling of excitement for the festivities to come.

Feeding your guests a great meal may just be one of the most important aspects of your reception. A caterer can take the worry and hassle out of feeding a large crowd. A professional wedding caterer can help you plan the menu and tailor it to the desired atmosphere of your wedding reception. He or she can help you add those special touches like a delicious chocolate fountain, an elegant ice sculpture, or maybe even that bubbling champagne fountain.

Music: To My Ear and Theirs

Think about how much fun you’ll have twirling around the dance floor to your favorite song. Or maybe your entire wedding party will wow the crowd with your own choreographed version of “Thriller” which could make your party one of the most unique receptions your guests have ever attended. Just think how much fun you and your wedding party will have, not only learning the dance but showing off your new smooth moves as well. A professional choreographer can help you create that special dance.

Music sets the mood for dancing and fun and is a vital part of a good reception. A professional DJ can help keep things lively and get everybody out on the dance floor. You’ll be surprised to see your aunt kick off her shoes and get down to “She’s a Brick House,” but a good dj can make even the most prim and proper guests want to get out there and shake it. Plus think about all the good memories you’ll have of dancing and being silly with your friends and family.

Decorations: A Feast For The Eyes

Imagine your guests entering the reception hall. On a table strewn with bright rose petals, photos of the bride and groom greet them at the door. Bunches of sweet red roses surrounded by the soft glow of romantic candlelight grace round tables draped with rich cream colored linens. The shimmering candlelight along with soft music create a picturesque atmosphere for your wedding reception.

Or maybe picnic tables and buckets full of drinks for guests, lanterns strung through the trees above the tables and whimsical palm tree centerpieces with Jimmy Buffet playing in the background is more your style. Whatever your style may be, there are wedding decorations to make your reception the ideal one for you.

Decorations can make any reception location look amazing and are a must for a great reception. When selecting your reception decorations look for items that match the look and feel of your wedding. If you have a very formal wedding, a formal reception hall would be appropriate. If you have a laid back beach wedding, a more casual laid back reception would match the wedding and your attire.

Location: The Best Place To Celebrate

A church hall, a hotel banquet room, or a garden party all make great places to hold your dream wedding reception. When selecting your reception location consider:

the number of guests
whether an indoor or outdoor location
proximity to the ceremony
nearby accommodations for out-of-town guests
availability on the date you have selected

When booking your reception location it is important to do so well in advance to secure the date you need. When it comes to places to hold your reception, the sky is the limit. If you can dream it you can probably do it. Just make up your mind and make it happen and you are sure to end up with the reception location of your dreams.

Photographers and Videographers: Capturing A Moment In Time

There will be so many moments you’ll want to capture and preserve forever : like cutting the cake, your maid of honor’s heartfelt and teary toast, your first dance, the daddy-daughter dance and all the other great moments at your reception. What better way than with photos and videos that will last a lifetime? A professional photographer can capture great candid shots of those special moments and the special people at your reception. Those creative toasts can be relived again and again on video. A professional videographer can help you preserve those precious words and wishes.

When your grandchildren ask about your wedding you will be able to show them the video of your first dance or the cake cutting. You will also have keepsake photos of you looking gorgeous in your beautiful wedding dress that you can pass on through the generations. That is why selecting a wedding photographer and or videographer is so important. You and your spouse will enjoy looking back at all the wedding reception photos and video and remember the beginning of your great journey together.

A special thanks goes to:

Mendon Massachusetts photographer, Blueberry Photo for the use of their bride and groom photo.

Bentonville Arkansas Caterer, Catering Concepts for the use of their fruit platter photo.

Uniontown Ohio Photographer, Curtis Photography-Videography for the use of their wedding reception dance photo.

Tulsa Oklahoma Wedding Florist, Perfect Presentations for the use of their wedding reception decorations photo.

May 18, 2009 by Celebration Advisor

Help A Lowell Bride! Who Pays For The Wedding Photographer?

Ask The Celebration Advisor: Can you help?? I am helping my sister plan her wedding. Our parents are deceased. My sister’s future in-laws offered to pay for the wedding photographer, but my sister wants to make sure she’s following proper wedding etiquette. So, who normally pays for the wedding photographer and how far in advance should we look for and book one? Tracy Lynn, Lowell Massachusetts

The Celebration Advisor: Thanks for your question, Tracy Lynn! It’s very sweet of you to help your sister plan her wedding! That should turn out to be a great bonding experience for you and her. Your question is one that can be easily answered and will help your sister out tremendously.

Traditional wedding etiquette states that the family of the bride is responsible for the wedding photographer.

BUT…modern brides (even in Lowell) are less stringent about wedding etiquette these days. Much etiquette is now dictated by the situation of the couple and their families. After all, we’ve come a long way since the days that the bride’s family paid for it all. It’s estimated that 55% of modern brides still pay for the wedding photographer. However, couples also pay for the wedding photographer together. Brides often team with relatives to pay for the wedding photographer. 50% of grooms bear this responsibility, so it’s not outside the realm of wedding etiquette to allow the in-laws to pay for the wedding photographer.

It’s obviously a big gesture for your sister’s in-laws to offer to pay for any of the wedding, especially a big part like the wedding photographer. Without offending them, there are easy ways to accept their gesture without compromising wedding etiquette. If your sister is a stickler for tradition, suggest that she discuss other traditional wedding payment roles with her in-laws. For example, traditionally the groom and groom’s family are responsible for the rehearsal dinner other things like this. If you’d like more ideas, visit this blog about wedding expenses (who pays for what).

When you consider hiring a wedding photographer in Lowell MA, put that on the bride’s list of things to buy since she favors traditional wedding etiquette roles. Her in-laws can still contribute in other ways (which will be a big burden off of her own shoulders) and will not feel left out of the ceremony.

As far as when you should begin looking for a wedding photographer, begin right away! Once a date has been set, it’s never too early to begin the search for a wedding photographer in Lowell. Wedding Photographers book up fast. Depending on the season in which your wedding falls, it’s best to begin looking as soon as you know a set-in-stone date.

Don’t forget to return to Wedding And Party Network and share the wedding photos with us! Enjoy the ceremony!

March 12, 2009 by Celebration Advisor

Coordinating The Wedding Photo Shoot

Ok. So it’s the big day and your wedding photographer is ready to start shooting. As a savvy bride you’ve discussed which wedding photos you’d like to have as part of your photo album. However, getting everyone in position can sometimes be an arduous task. Many photographers have assistants that are able to work with the photographer in readying the shots. However, many wedding photographers may either not have an assistant or opt out of using one according to the size of the wedding and other factors.

To prevent this from slowing down or dampering the mood on your day, select a member of the family or wedding party to be the photo coordinator. The photo coordinator that you choose will be in charge of readying people for the next photos. Your wedding photographer should have a list of the photos to be taken which will help your coordinator know who to gather for the next shots.

When choosing a wedding photo coordinator, consider someone who can command a room in a gentle way. “Firm enough to get the ball rolling but without a cracking whip” is a good description for the type of person that fits this role well. Often parents, aunts, uncles, or sprightly grandparents play this role well as younger members of the wedding party are inclined to follow the instructions of respected elders.

No matter who is chosen, having someone to follow the lead of the wedding photographer but who will also be able to gather the wedding party efficiently is a very helpful addition. This prevents things from slowing down which means that you have time for more shots. You also have more set-up time which means time for better wedding pictures. When your wedding photo album opens in your lap for the first time, you’ll be amazed at the memories that will roll out and how thankful you are for your photographer and photo shoot coordinator.