Trash the Dress Photo Shoot

From Wikipedia:

"Trash the dress", also known as "fearless bridal" or "rock the frock", is a style of wedding photography that contrasts elegant clothing with an environment in which it is out of place. It is generally shot in the style of fashion or glamour photography. Such photography often takes place on a beach, but other locations include city streets, rooftops, garbage dumps, fields, and abandoned buildings. The woman often wears a ball gown, prom dress or wedding dress, and may effectively ruin the dress in the process by getting it wet, dirty, or, in extreme circumstances, tearing or destroying the garment."

I personally enjoy the Trash the Dress photo shoot because it is a stress free photo session.  The wedding is over and the bride and groom are more relaxed.  We can do a Trash the Dress shoot weeks, months or even a year or two after the wedding.  I'll give you a discount if you book it at the same time that you book the wedding photography. --  John Arty                    

Click on link for:  Trash the Dress Photo Shoot Video

Thoughts Every Bride Has On Her Wedding Day

After a long road of planning, there are bound to be dozens of thoughts running through the bride's head on her wedding day. Below are a few we imagine may come to mind at some point. PS- they're not always completely logical.

“I’m getting married today! I can’t believe it's finally here!”

“Holy crap, wait, I’m getting married today?”

“There must be something I forgot to do.”

“Oh. my. gosh. I didn’t buy the wedding ring.”

“How are we supposed to have a wedding without a wedding ring?!”

“Oh wait. I did buy it. Phew.”

“WHERE are the hair and makeup people? They were supposed to be here at 8:30 a.m., and it’s 8:31 a.m.”

“Is this airbrush makeup really going to cover up my zits?”

“Does it look like I only slept for two hours last night? Because I did.”

“Did my bridesmaid SERIOUSLY just break her zipper?”

“I hope my fiancé(e) is awake. Sleeping through the wedding is not option.”

“I really hope my dress still fits. Did I have to participate in taco Tuesday the week of my wedding?”

“I should’ve bookmarked that YouTube video so my fiancé(e) knows how to tie a bowtie.”

“Maybe I should slow down on the champagne, I have to walk down an aisle in front of a few hundred people…”

“Or maybe I shouldn’t.”

“Is my passport expired? Guess we’re spending our honeymoon at the cheap motel down the street from my childhood home. #romantic.”

“I really, really hope Uncle Todd doesn’t get drunk and dance on the table like he did at Thanksgiving last year.”

“Do you think the groomsmen remembered to press their suits? Someone get an iron over there stat.”

Related : 20 Things That Keep a Bride Awake at Night >>

“Is the flower girl EVER going to stop crying? No? OK just checking.”

“Is my mom EVER going to stop crying? No? OK just checking.”

“How is it possible that my grandma still doesn’t know my fiancé(e)’s name? We’ve only been dating for four years.”

“I really hope I don’t pull a Ross and say the wrong name at the altar.”

“I should have practiced walking in these shoes, I can already feel the blisters coming.”

“How is it humanly possible to sweat this much?”

“I’m a WIFE! Holy #&@!”

“If my dad shows any childhood photos of me during his speech I may quite literally die of embarrassment. Can someone please do a quick read-through?”

“Wow I’m starving. Have I had anything to eat?”

“Wait, I’m going to faint. Does anyone have smelling salts? Are those still a thing?”

“When did my hair go from a chic updo to a hot mess?”

“Has anyone posted to the wedding hashtag yet? Check!”

“I didn’t think my finger could sparkle this much with not one, but TWO rings. Like this could blind someone.”

“I love my friends! I love my family! This is the best day ev...whoa, there’s a dancing circle around me, hands in the air, like I just don’t care!”

“Is the best man really taking a nap in the corner right now?”

“There’s no way that reception was three hours, it feels like it just started.”

“How am I going to make it through the after, after-party?”

“Is it really over? Here comes the wedding withdrawal.”

“What am I supposed to plan and obsess over for the next year?”

“How many more times can I thank everyone for the best. day. ever?”

by Sarah Title

12 Things Couples Forget to Do for Their Wedding Guests

When planning your wedding, you absolutely should focus on creating an event that feels personal to you and your future spouse. But at the same time, you’ll need to be mindful and considerate of all of your loved ones who will be celebrating with you on your wedding day—your guests. Here are some wedding details that are easy to forget about, but will make a HUGE difference in your wedding guests’ experience.

Complete your wedding website

Your wedding website should include all of the important information about your big day—from the date, time, and location to travel and registry information. Even if you don’t have all of this info when you first create your wedding website, you should make sure to update it when the details are set. If your wedding website is incomplete, you can bet that you’ll receive phone calls from guests with questions—not ideal for anyone.

Update registry

Once you’ve created your wedding registry and shared the information on your wedding website, you can’t just kick back and forget about it. It’s important to check and update your wedding registry on the regular to make sure that you still have enough gifts available. Your guests will appreciate having plenty of options to choose from—at all price points.

Help your guests make travel arrangements

If many of your guests are traveling to your wedding, you should do your part and try to make booking travel as easy and affordable as possible. One way to do this is by reserving hotel room blocks so that guests can easily find and book their accommodations for your wedding. And some airlines will provide you with a small discount code if many of your guests will be flying to your wedding destination on the same airline. If you do reserve hotel room blocks or secure an airline discount, be sure to share this information on your wedding website so everyone’s aware.

Comfort over style

When you’re selecting your wedding décor, you’re probably focusing on how everything will look—but don’t forget about your guests’ experience as well. Sure, those chairs will look amazing at your reception, but are they actually comfortable for your guests to sit on? And those menu cards may look beautiful, but is the font too small for guests to actually read? Yes, you want your wedding décor to be memorable—but for the right reasons.

Welcome them

Especially if your guests have traveled to your wedding destination, it’s important to make them feel welcome. Provide welcome bags filled with necessities like bottled water, snacks, and a schedule for the wedding weekend. If you can’t accommodate all of your out-of-towners at your rehearsal dinner, host a “rehearsal dinner after party” at the hotel bar or a local restaurant to welcome everyone. If you can schedule activities for the morning of your wedding (walking tours, boat cruises, golf outings, group yoga sessions) to give out-of-towners something to do, go for it!

Scout out the parking situation

One of the most important questions couples forget to ask their wedding venue is: “Do you offer parking?” If the venue has a free lot or offers valet parking as part of their package, you’re all set. If the venue does offer valet, but it’s not part of their package, it’s usually on you to pay for it (that includes the tip)—it’s not ideal for your guests to have to shell out cash for any part of your wedding. If the parking situation is difficult or near-impossible for your guests, you might want to consider other options, including…

Provide transportation for guests

If you’re hosting a lot of out-of-town guests and/or the parking situation at your wedding venue is on the trickier side (see above), you may want to provide transportation for your guests. Yes, this is an additional expense, but your guests will be so grateful to not have to worry about driving and parking—and it also helps solve any potential issues with drinking and driving. A shuttle from guests’ hotels to the ceremony, the ceremony to reception (if needed) and the reception back to the hotel is all you’ll need, and a reputable transportation company can help you figure out all of the logistics.

Tell them what to expect—and be on time

While some surprises are okay during your wedding (hello, flash mob!), your guests generally will want to have a sense early on of how the weekend will go. Enclosing a timeline of events with your welcome bags is helpful. You can also display signage at your wedding venue to give your guests a heads-up on timing. And sharing the wedding timeline is one thing, but actually sticking to it is a whole other ballgame. Try to stick as close to the schedule as possible—guests aren’t usually fans of sitting around waiting for events to start.

Provide ample, delicious food and drink

Your guests will likely be pretty hungry after your ceremony—so don’t make them wait too long to eat. If possible, plentiful food and drink should be offered right away during cocktail hour, so that everyone can dig in (and won’t be “hangry”). Even if you and your future spouse have exotic taste in food, offer cuisine that most everyone—even your pickiest guests—can enjoy, with a few unique dishes provided as well, if you’d like.

Make sure there are enough restrooms

Your loved ones do not want to spend your wedding reception waiting on line for the bathroom. So make sure that your wedding venue has enough restrooms so that there won’t be long lines—one bathroom for every 30 guests is a good rule of thumb.

Thoughtfully assign seating at the reception

While couples are moving away from assigned seating at wedding ceremonies, the reception is a different story. Your guests will appreciate having assigned tables at your reception, so they’re not awkwardly trying to find a table, middle-school cafeteria style. And when it comes to assigning guests to tables, think strategically about your guests’ experience. Seat people who know each other together, people who hate each other far apart, and elderly people far from the band or DJ’s speakers. Try to be as thoughtful as possible when creating your seating chart.

Say thank-you

You’ll be busy during and after your wedding, but it’s essential that you take the time to say thanks to your guests—in more than one way. During your reception, it’s a nice idea to “make the rounds.” In other words, go table to table while guests are enjoying dinner to say a quick hello and thank your guests for coming. You can also make a little speech after the cake cutting to thank everyone for joining you, and provide thank-you notes on place settings, or signage near the guest book. And don’t forget about the actual thank-you notes—be sure to send those as quickly as possible after your wedding gifts are received.

by Kim Forrest

Picking Out the Perfect Wedding Dress

The Dress of Your Dreams

It's the day you've been dreaming about since you were a little girl, perhaps you even consider it the most important of your life. Yor wedding day. Family, flowers, food, all of these are wonderful parts of your wedding day. But the most exciting part for any girl (besides marrying your Prince Charming) is picking out the wedding dress of your dreams. But there is so much to consider, and sometimes it seems you'll go completely bonkers before you can ever decide on just one dress! Take a deep breath, drink some tea, and let me guide you through some tips that will hopefully lead you to the perfect wedding dress.

Match the Dress to the Occasion

Now this might sound silly, I mean it's a wedding, right? Well, yes and no. Each wedding sets its own tone and has its own theme. Perhaps you are having sunset wedding right on the surf. Or maybe you are having a good old fashion country hoe-down with ribs and beer. Or perhaps you are having a classic cathedral and sit down dinner wedding. Whichever occasion suits your mood you are going to want a dress that matches both in form and function.

If you are having a beach wedding a slip dress with a knee length hem is simply perfect. For a country wedding the overiding factor is function. Does the dress keep you cool enough? Does it drag on the ground (possibly getting dirty)? How will it look with BBQ sauce on it? These questions are quite legitimate; I know one bride whose tulle dress hem will always be brown, even after cleaning. For a classic church wedding the full skirted dress is a classic. Feel free to play things up a little though, and stick to the features you like most in a dress.

Shop Around

Do yourself a favor and don't buy a dress the first time you go out. Try on several dresses, and then sleep on it. Go back, with another woman (I took my mother), and try on that special one to see if you still feel the same. Most employees at bridal shops work on commission, so they can border on car salesman-ish at times. Visit more than one shop and try on dresses wherever you go. This is a special dress that you will only wear one time, so it's a very big decision that you cannot let anyone pressure you into.

Aim High

Don't be afraid to aim high--no matter what your budget. Some brides knew from the start they wanted a designer label, but life just didn't cooperate by making them heiresses. Yet all is not lost if you're willing to shop courageously. At any given moment, a better-heeled bride is selling her once-used St. Pucchi or Ulla-Maija on eBay. She paid thousands upon thousands, but you, smart shopper, will pay half that or less. To take this road, you must shop earlier than other brides so you'll have a choice of gowns. Always pay with a credit card so you'll have recourse if the dress doesn't arrive in acceptable condition, and again, shop early so you can buy another if necessary. Shop courageously, but not recklessly.

Shop Online

Shop online, but never send a check. Bridal gown businesses sometimes have a way of disappearing overnight. No matter what the proprietor tells you, never make a purchase as large as a wedding gown without the chargeback protection of a credit card. If they say they can't take plastic, move on.

Don't Buy Too Early

Don't buy too early unless you must. Bridal gowns can take four to ten months to come from the manufacturer, but there's no reason to buy over a year ahead of time, unless your chosen style is going to be discontinued. Give yourself some time to sit on your decision. Once you pick a gown, you'll see a hundred others nearly like it. You'll become a walking encyclopedia on that style of gown. All the better if you still have room to choose.

Don't Hold Out Forever

Don't hold out forever for the dress. Some brides never find the dress. What they do find is a few dresses they look beautiful in. If you're this bride, try starting your planning from the theme instead of the dress. You'll probably eventually get sick to death of dress shopping. When that happens, "good enough" really will be good enough. Concentrate on other aspects of the wedding that mean a lot to you, like the venue, the food, or the inevitable adoration of your soon-to-be husband.

P.S.

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Choosing an Event Venue

Not only will the venue influence many decisions and affect attendees’ experiences, but it also consumes a large portion of most event budgets, adding more pressure to making the right decision.  Here are some of the most important criteria for choosing a venue for your event:

1. Budget – Cost is often the main factor people use when considering or ruling out venues, and of course the price tag of renting out the venue must fit within your event budget.

2. Space specifications – This would include things like space/room capacity (including lobby and exhibitor space if you are planning a meeting or convention); load in/out amenities; and technical capabilities (like lighting, electrical, A/V, etc.).

3. Day/time availability – This factor almost goes without saying, but it’s a good rule of thumb to have several day/time options in mind (or at least be somewhat flexible with day/time of the event) before you start reviewing venues so you don’t immediately limit the number of venues you can consider.

4. Appropriateness for type of event and client goals – This may be the most subjective feature listed here, but it may well be the most important. And it first requires you to know precisely the needs and goals of your client so you can match up a venue with those specifications.

5. Security – An often overlooked but very important factor, this includes not only a venue’s security personnel but also things like security doors and limiting venue access to only guests/attendees (because who really needs event crashers).

6. Other groups using the venue at the same time as your event – If you are planning a sit-down conference with speakers, you probably don’t want a loud wedding reception next door disrupting your event. So make sure any simultaneous events at the venue (or even nearby) won’t conflict with or interrupt yours.

7. Customer service – Not only does the venue need to be responsive to your needs prior to the event, but it also needs to have adequate support staff on site during the event to respond to the needs and requests of you, your staff and your attendees.

8. Travel convenience – The location of the venue needs to be conveniently located for your attendees and within a reasonable distance so as not to require excessive travel; otherwise your attendance may suffer.

9. Parking and proximity to transportation options – On-site or nearby parking options for your guests are important (and cost of parking for your guests can be a deciding factor here). In addition, proximity to airports and public transit is also important if you have many guests who aren’t driving their own car to the event.

10. Accessible for persons with disabilities – This would include ramps, elevators and other amenities for those guests with physical disabilities as well as older guests who aren’t as mobile.

11. Nearby amenities and entertainment options – Attendees often need or want to partake in fun activities outside of the main event, so finding a venue that has entertainment and recreation options in house or nearby can be critical to your attendance numbers.

12. Reputation – Ask other event planners and vendors regarding their experiences with the venues you are considering. In addition, look at online reviews in forums and on sites like Yelp, Wedding Wire and Trip Advisor to round out your assessment of a venue’s reputation and track record.

13. Vendor restrictions – Some venues have a list of exclusive vendors that they will allow to perform work in their venue, so make sure if you are using outside vendors that you can bring them into the venue and that the venue will amicably work alongside them.

P.S.

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Wedding Registry Hints, Etiquette, Do's & Don'ts

The one important point to remember about registry wording in your wedding invitation is, "Don't mention your wedding registry in your wedding invitation!"  Your wedding website, your shower invitation, and word of mouth are the only proper places to share this information.

Wedding registries are a $19 billion industry.  Imagine the possibilities if those dollar bills were going straight into bank accounts, one of them being yours!  Thanks to technology, and this fancy thing we call the internet, there are several ways to register for cash gifts.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being practical in the 21st century.  Now that couples are marrying later in life, less traditional wedding registries are becoming totally acceptable! And there are tons of unconventional registries to choose from, so your guests can help support your travels, your home, or something else you really care about.  Here are some options for you:

• The Honey Fund - Honeymoon registry
• The Honeymoon - Another honeymoon registry
• Hatch My House - House (as in building or buying one) registry
• Simpleregistry.com - A cross-company registry that has a huge range of options
• zola.com - Another cross-company registry
• MoMA - Funky registry at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC
• Card Avenue - Specializes in gift cards
• Bottlenotes - As mentioned above, this is for the couple that's really into wine
• My Registry - Yet another that pulls from different companies and brands
• Seven Hopes United - From the website: "Seven Hopes United specializes in marketing stylish, handmade, fair trade and eco-friendly gifts from around the globe. Your purchase of fair trade products ensures that our artisans are paid a living wage for their work, working conditions are safe, and no children are exploited."
• Knack Registry - You can register for items, experiences and even services. Some of the items offered are not available at other retailers. A few things I've seen here range from a Kenyan safari honeymoon for around $2,000 (hey, you could have a long-lost relative who happens to be royalty!) to shower curtains for $40.

Wedding Registry Do’s and Don’ts

Do: Set up your registry early.
“From the moment you announce your engagement, friends and family will want to send gifts,” says Karena Bullock Bailey, a New York City-based wedding and special events planner.

Don’t: Register at just one location.
Two to three is ideal. If possible, at least one of them should have a brick and mortar store in the areas where many of your guests live―just because you dig the convenience of the web doesn’t mean that Nana feels the same. “The in-store option definitely makes certain guests more comfortable,” confirms Anna Post, author of Do I Have to Wear White? (Collins, $15).

Do: Register for a wide range of gifts at various price points.
People prefer choosing from a large selection: If you have, say, 100 invited guests, you’ll need a minimum of 125 registry items. Registering at one kitchen store, one home goods store, and one department store should cover all the bases. “About a third of your items should be under $50, a third from $50-$150, and the rest $150 and up,” says Bailey. As for the high end? Know your audience: “For one couple, having gifts that max out at $200 would be too much―for another, it’s $1,000-plus,” says Post. “If you’re questioning whether it’s appropriate, others probably will, too.”

Don’t: Reference your registry info on any stationery, such as your save the date or invitation.
You can, however, include the URL for your wedding website―which should contain the details of where you’re registered―on those printed materials. “It’s perfectly acceptable to tell someone where you’re registered if they ask what kind of gift you’d like, but mentioning gifts in any way on your invitations is in very poor taste,” says Sue Fox, author of Etiquette for Dummies.

Do: Request nontraditional items if they reflect you as a couple.
“I have friends who registered at REI―their list included a tent and a canoe, which was perfectly acceptable because they’re outdoor enthusiasts,” says Fox. Wine registries for budding oenophiles and honeymoon registries―where guests can, say, pay for your breakfast in bed while you’re in Fiji―are becoming increasingly popular.

Don’t: Eliminate all time-honored items.
There are limits: Feelings are still very mixed on items such as gadgets and electronics, which don’t fit the old-fashioned criteria as nest-building necessities. “It’s tough to justify something that will be outdated in two years,” notes Bailey. (Note: Any personal items, such as beauty products or clothing, are strictly off-limits.) To avoid ruffling any feathers, throw in at least a handful of traditional items to appease the old-school types who simply won’t be satisfied attending unless it’s with a blender in hand.

Do: Wait to use the presents that arrive before the wedding.
“Heaven forbid, should the event not take place for whatever reason, the rule of thumb is that all the gifts must be returned,” says Post. Lightly scratched service for twelve, anyone?

Don’t: Ask for money outright.
If cash is what you’re after, the only polite choice is to not register anywhere and pray that your guests get the message. Family and friends―not you and your betrothed―can delicately spread the word. “They should use euphemisms for money like, “I know they would love help with a contribution toward the home they’re hoping to buy,” says Post. Just brace yourself for some unwanted salad tongs amid the checks you’ll receive.

Do: Write thoughtful, prompt thank-you notes; e-mails and calls don’t count.
Within six weeks of receiving the gift, write a note that references the specific object and how or why you will enjoy using it. Adds Fox, “Once you start receiving gifts, keep a log noting what you received, from whom, when―plus the date that you sent out the note. It’ll ensure that nothing gets overlooked.” It also makes for a handy reference tool the next time you’re scheduled to see Aunt Tilda and can’t remember if she got you the gravy boat or the juicer.

Good luck!

P.S.

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Selecting YOUR wedding cake!

How soon should you start looking for YOUR wedding cake? Some people mistakenly think they put the choosing of their wedding cake at the bottom of their priority list. Most bakeries have their custom cakes calendared out weeks in advance. Special ingredients and decorations sometimes need to be ordered and, in some cases, created from scratch. 

After choosing your venue you can start looking for the perfect wedding cake for you. Questions your baker should ask you is wedding date, whether it's an indoor or outdoor wedding and head count. The baker will then suggest some icing or fondant relevant to your venue.

Word of mouth is the preferred way for many brides to find a baker, but attending bridal shows is another route.

"The cake's design should match the aesthetic of the day. A formal wedding generally calls for a structured, multi-tier cake; it can be elaborately or simply decorated, so long as its style implies something ceremonial and grand. These cakes are often round, but square or even hexagonal shapes are more unexpected -- and the tiers can be stacked for a solid look or set on pillars for an airy grace. White is the classic color for a wedding cake, but chocolate and tinted frostings can be just as elegant. For a less formal wedding, you can certainly embrace the unconventional. The cake can be iced playfully with swirls of meringue or strewn with flower petals that fall where they may. Or you can forgo a single cake altogether and opt for a trio of smaller cakes or even cupcakes, doughnuts, or pastries displayed on tiered cake stands for an impressive effect."  -  Martha Stewart

Lastly, arrange for a cake tasting before the cake is ordered. If the cake has multiple flavors, taste all of them. Basic flavors like chocolate, strawberry and vanilla will vary depending on how the cake is made, its formulation, its frosting and more. Don't assume — taste!

Priority one should be the date of your wedding, priority 2 is the venue but don't let the cake be the lowest on your priority list.

Good luck!

P.S.

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